Daily Fantasy Basketball Picks for FanDuel, DraftKings and DraftStreet 3/22/14

Hope you haven't betrayed your true allegiance by watching that completely inferior (and yet completely awesome) little college basketball tournament. You know where you heart lies. Right here. In the throes of the NBA. Come back from the dark side.

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Point Guards

Kemba Walker - FanDuel $7,700 DraftKings $7,800 DraftStreet $13,993
Walker has two things going for him tonight that make him a top play at point guard. The first is that he's significantly better when playing at home, averaging 19/7/4 on the friendly hardwood of wherever the Bobcats play. The second is that Portland has a tendency to let the opposing point guard just kind of do whatever he/she wants.

Chris Paul - FanDuel $9,400 DraftKings $9,800 DraftStreet $19,225
If you want to pony up the cash Paul makes for an interesting play if you think Detroit can keep the game in reach. The game should be high scoring and the Pistons are below average against point guards. Of course it could get out of hand and that would sink CP3.

Damian Lillard - FanDuel $7,900
Against a slower, defensively-minded Charlotte team I think I'd only really target Lillard on FanDuel tonight. Of course he gets far more usage with Aldridge on the shelf, but Lillard isn't exactly lights out. I'm not over the moon about him tonight, but there is a bit of upside.

Patrick Beverley - FanDuel $5,400 DraftKings $4,800 DraftStreet $10,044
Actually kind of an upside play. He was on his way to a nice line the other night before heading to the bench in a surprise Houston blowout over the T-Wolves. Tonight could be more of the same if they crush the Cavs, but if it stays close Beverley has a chance to destroy these salaries with a majority of the run at the point.

D.J. Augustin - DraftKings $4,300
Took this long to get someone facing the Sixers. He was underwhelming against them a few days ago, but Augustin is probably my second favorite Bull today relative to price.

Mo Williams - DraftStreet $7,603
Upside play on DS if Aldridge out as he's getting close to thirty minutes.

 

Shooting Guards

Dion Waiters - Dion Waiters - FanDuel $5,600 DraftKings $6,200 DraftStreet $12,474
In case you haven't noticed, the Cavs don't really have anyone on their team anymore. I mean, they have some guys who put on uniforms and whatnot. But in terms of real players? Not many. Waiters is the man on this team now. Bad for Cleveland, good for you. I imagine they will keep running him out there for long stretches regardless of how bad the team is getting crushed.

Gordon Hayward - FanDuel $6,800 DraftKings $7,000 DraftStreet $12,701
He's been steady of late against some better teams. Tonight, he faces up against the below average Magic. Hayward's floor remains a bit higher than most because of his ability to have a hand in multiple phases of the game. It can be a scary watch, and this game is probably not something as a basketball fan you'll want to tune in to. Set it and forget it.

Jimmy Butler - Jimmy Butler - FanDuel $6,600 DraftKings $6,000 DraftStreet $12,517
His value is primarily wrapped up in his volume. He plays a gajillion minutes a game and just running around the court for that long every night will eventually pay off (unless you are Ben McLemore). Butler should see plenty of looks against the Sixers, but he doesn't really have the ceiling of Hayward or Waiters above. More of a cash game play.

Arron Afflalo - DraftStreet $9,866 and Victor Oladipo - DraftStreet $10,780
Only considering these two guys here and only if Jameer Nelson is out again.

 

Small Forwards

Mike Dunleavy - FanDuel $5,000 DraftKings $4,700 DraftStreet $10,604
Now here's a Bull I can sink my teeth into. I mean that literally and figuratively. Dunleavy is the perfect play at a weak position because he's cheap, gets more than thirty minutes a night and is against the Sixers. Even if I decide to fade the Bulls altogether Mike D will be in my lineups, especially on FD and DK.

Nicolas Batum - FanDuel $7,800 DraftKings $8,000
I don't love him. The matchup against the Bobcats is bad, his price is climbing a bit and on DraftStreet I think it's out of play completely. But SF is gross tonight and he is one of the few available names that is guaranteed to get a full game. His minutes dipped slightly last game, but if Aldridge out again you can slot him in. He just doesn't have that crazy upside anymore.

Chandler Parsons - FanDuel $6,600 DraftStreet $12,870
I don't exactly love Parsons (except for his dreaminess) but SF is back to another day of being vomit-inducing so here you have him.

Tyreke Evans - DraftKings $6,200
One of the best DK values out there.

 

Power Forwards

Anthony Davis - FanDuel $10,700 DraftKings $10,300
I'm putting him first even without the DraftStreet tag because he will be in all of my lineups on these two sites. The DS price is way high, close to 25% of cap which is probably too much. But here? You need to do it. He is on a nationwide crushing tour and faces a Miami team that gets blitzed by opposing big men on the boards. Davis has been doing everything, hitting a crazy stride that doesn't seem sustainable, but it might just be. Great prices here.

Taj Gibson - FanDuel $6,100 DraftKings $5,500 DraftStreet $11,994
Only on here because of the opponent is the Sixers. Gibson comes off the bench but when they played the other day he went for 19/13 and easily paid. DraftKings price is probably too low to pass up.

Blake Griffin - FanDuel $10,100 DraftKings $10,000 DraftStreet $19,929
I don't think I'll head away from Brow, but if I did, enter Blake. Detroit, for all of their size, can't contain opposing power forwards and this game should be fast-paced enough to compliment Griffin's skill set. The boards have been there the last couple of games and he could be in line for a 25/10 if the game stays close.

Terrence Jones - FanDuel $5,900 DraftKings $5,100 DraftStreet $12,822
Only in play if Dwight sits. But if that's the case Jones jumps right into lineups without hesitation.

 

Centers

Joakim Noah - FanDuel $9,300 DraftKings $8,700 DraftStreet $20,483
By the numbers, Noah is the top center on the board today. But there are red flags. He was actually pretty disappointing in their last game against Philly only going 14/10/6/4 (blocks). That didn't get it done relative to price. The problem with Noah as I see it is if he is great early it probably means the Bulls are boatracing the Sixers and he doesn't play the end. If he's bad, the game is close but he doesn't hit value. I have a lot of reservations about this play.

Omer Asik - FanDuel $3,900 DraftKings $4,200
Oh please let Howard not play. If Dwight sits, it's Asik for me on these two sites without a bit of hesitation. Not quite a lock on DraftStreet as the price is already over 10k.

Chris Bosh - FanDuel $6,800 DraftKings $6,700 DraftStreet $13,584
Offers a midrange play that could work to fit your budget while also making sure you get a center in a decent matchup.

DeAndre Jordan - DraftKings $7,100
Go for it.