Fuego Steve’s NBA GPP Plays – 10/21/17
NBA GPP Plays 10/20/17 Prices listed are Fanduel unless otherwise noted. My NBA articles will mostly focus on Fanduel lineup construction since besides center, you need to play two at each position. The players recommended are usually still good plays on DraftKings unless the pricing is drastically different. Also, many players on DraftKings have dual position eligibility or may be listed at a different position. I will try to mention if there is a specific good play on DK based on price or position eligibility. These are my favorite plays at each position and maybe a value play or two. Note: Fanduel lock is 7:30 p.m EST and includes the Raptors vs Sixers game. DK is 8 p.m. EST and does not. Point Guard Kyle Lowry – Liked him before the news Demar Derozen is sick and may not play. If Derozen is out, he is a lock. J.J. Barea – I recommended Dennis Smith Jr. of the Mavericks yesterday and he was scratched after lock (welcome to NBA DFS). Barea filled in nicely scoring 30 FD points including 10 assists in 27 minutes of play. Yogi Ferrell who plays the same position, is in also in play and is the only thing that keeps me going all in on Barea. But at $3900 for a starting point guard, sign me up. Goran Dragic – Think he is in a good spot tonight versus the Pacers. He is a guy I like to roster that usually isn’t highly owned. The team has an implied total of 111 which is one of the highest on the slate. Steph Curry mainly on DraftKings – He is still priced a little low on DK at $8700. Shooting Guard Devin Booker – Look for another big game from Booker tonight. Probably still priced too low for his ceiling. And as I write this Booker is listed as questionable. Tune-in to the live stream and NBA chat later for updates. C.J. McCollum – Big game last night scoring almost 44 FD points. If paying up, he is my second favorite option behind Booker. James Harden – Harden is the superstar I would pay up for today if doing so. Not sure I am going up that high though. Gary Harris – Good spot versus Sacramento. Tim Hardaway Jr. – He got shut down last game versus the tough defender Andre Roberson. I should have listened to JaguarLou and not rostered him. His price has dropped $600 since that game. He should bounce back tonight against the Pistons. Lou Williams – Played well in his Clipper debut. $4900 feels too cheap on Fanduel. Small Forward Robert Covington – Usage will go up with no Joel Embid tonight. Khris Middleton on DraftKings only $6400 – Bounce back game in store for Middleton. T.J. Warren – Going back to the well again tonight with Warren. Joe Ingles – Only $4500 on Fanduel, should get more usage with Rodney Hood out. Power Forward Ben Simmons – He is a beast and will continue to roster while he is under $8000. James Johnson or Kelly Olynyk – Both guys are in a good spot tonight. Johnson has higher upside but is $900 more. LaMarcus Aldridge – As long as Kawai Leonard is out, I will continue to roster him. Al-Farouq Aminu – He scored 44 Fanduel points last time out and his price dropped $100. Favorite low-priced option at the position. Center Nikola Jokic – Highest ceiling for centers on the slate. Loved rostering him last year. Hopefully ownership is down since he is highest priced and was held down last game (though he went up against Rudy Gobert). Nikola Vucevic – With Payton out again, the offense should run through him. Aaron Gordon is a game time decision and if plays like Vuc slightly less. Clint Capela – Couldn’t find any more Nikola’s to recommend so going with Capela. He’s only $6900 on FD and $6600 on DK. He dropped almost 54 points the other day. Even in a slower place game, Harden should be looking to dish off to him. Also, the Mavericks center position doesn’t scare me. Rudy Gobert – Gobert could easily be the highest scoring center on the slate going up against the Thunder. Tune in to the NBA Live Stream at 5 p.m. to get my updated thoughts on the slate. Myself, JaguarLou and other experts will be in the NBA chat from 6:30-7:30 to help you set your lineups.
Jaguar Lou’s Cash Play’s – 10/21/17
PG D.J Augustin – 3,000 FD & 3,100 DK Okay, so this is more of a risky cash play but at such cheap salaries, rostering D.J Augustin allows for flexibility when making the rest of your lineup. Elfrid Payton sprained an ankle last night and will be benched for tonight’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. With Derek Rose doubtful for tonight’s game, Augustin will be matching up against another back-up point guard, Jose Calderon – a matchup I’m not afraid of. The over-under in this game remains at 215 despite the absence of both starting point guards. My only worry is that Orlando will be blown out – Vegas has Cleveland at 11.5-point favorites. Despite Vegas’ line, I believe Orlando makes this a game factoring in the mismatch at point guard. D.J Augustin is a younger, faster and overall better player than Jose Calderon, if given the minutes I expect Orlando’s backup point guard D.J Augustin to capitalize off increased usage/playing time and exceed value tonight at minimum salaries around the industry. **Monitor Aaron Gordon’s injury, if he’s out usage goes through the roof for Augustin, Vucevic and Fournier – I have no problem playing all three if Gordon is ruled out** Other Cash PG Option(s): Kyle Lowry (If DeRozan is out), Eric Bledsoe & Mike Conely SG Norman Powell – 5,000 FD (Not on DK slate) **Play contingent on DeMar DeRozan not playing (Illness GTD)** DeMar DeRozan is the safest shooting guard play on the slate as he matches up against the Philadelphia 76ers. The 76ers have had trouble guarding opposing shooting guards so far, this season, allowing 45 Fan Duel points to Beal in their first game of the season. If DeRozan is out due to illness lock and load Norman Powell (AND Lowry for that matter) The absence of DeMar DeRozan would mean increased usage rates for the guard positions and considering how poor the 76ers play against opposing point guards/shooting guards, fantasy goodness is likely. The Toronto Raptors are favored by 9.5 points in a 217 over-under. Other Cash SG Option(s): Evan Fournier & Victor Oladipo SG/SF Wesley Matthews – 5,400 FD & 5,200 DK Wesley Matthews will be matching up against James Harden all night against a “Chris Paul-less” Houston Rockets team. Since Chris Paul’s injury it should come as no surprise that James Harden has taken control of Houston’s offense. With these added responsibilities, I am expecting Wesley Matthews to significantly benefit on the defensive side of the court with rebounds, steals and blocks. While I expect Harden to put up the usual, in the process, Wesley Matthews should benefit from the fact that he’s the only Maverick that can guard James Harden – a player that will be on the court for 35+ minutes. Matthews is very capable and involved on the offensive side of the court as well. Expect Wesley Matthews to slowly but surely reach value in the 33+ minutes I’m expecting him to play. The Dallas Mavericks are underdogs at +12 with a 215 over-under. Other Cash SF Option(s): Kevin Durant & Lebron James PF Kristaps Porzingis – 8,600 FD & 7,900 DK The Knicks are favored by 2 in a 206 over-under for their Home Opener against the Detroit Pistons. Madison Square Garden will be electric (or as electric as it could get considering the Knicks stink) and Porzingis will want to show up for the Knicks fans tonight. Kristaps Porzingis matches up against Tobias Harris, a 6’9’’ tall 235 lbs power forward. Kristaps Porzingis is a 7’3’’weighing 240 lbs and has a killer three-point shot. In my mind, there’s no question Porzingis will win this matchup. With a 206 over-under, Porzingis will run this offense benefiting off points, rebounds, blocks and steals – a variety of stats allowing me to project a 35+ FD point floor with a 50-point ceiling. Other Cash PF Option(s): LaMarcus Aldridge C Kevin Love – 7,600 FD & 7,500 DK Kevin Love is a safe play on tonight’s slate for a reasonable salary. The only thing that worries me about this play is the blow out potential but I have no doubt that if given the minutes Love will produce! With no real point guard tonight, this offense will be running through Lebron James and Kevin Love. I don’t think / I know Calderon won’t be the GPP pick of the night, so where does Vegas have their 113-point implied team total coming from? It’s no secret! Lebron James and Kevin Love will be putting the team on their backs and exploiting an Orlando Magic team that is NOT known for their defense, racking up all the fantasy goodness. Invest in shares of Kevin Love and LeBron James, just do it! Other Cash Center Option(s): Clint Capella
Jaguar Lou’s Cash Plays – 10/20/17
Point Guard PG D’Angelo Russell – 8,000 FD & 7,300 DK D’Angelo Russel will be running a Nets offense that is favored in the highest over-under on the slate. Between his favorable matchup with Elfrid Payton and his prominent role in Brooklyn’s offense, I’m expecting a safe 35 FD point floor with a ceiling of 50. With an over-under of 226.5, Vegas’ is expecting this to be a back and forth shootout, who better to benefit from this type of game than D’Angelo Russell – a long range, three-point specialist who thrives in the transition game. The Brooklyn Nets are favored at -1.5 with a 226.5 over-under. Other Cash PG Option(s): Elfrid Payton & Eric Bledsoe Shooting Guard SG Victor Oladipo – 7,100 FD & 6,900 DK With Myles Turner in the NBA concussion protocol, the Indiana Pacers will need to find a way to compensate for his massive offensive presence. Two players I believe will benefit from the absence of Myles Turner are Victor Oladipo and Thaddeus Young. Victor Oladipo had an impressive fantasy performance in his first game with the Pacers posting 22 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals. Now, without Turner, Victor Oladipo will be depended on much more and should see an uptick in usage. I’m predicting a 25+ point night with 5+ assist/rebounds paired with 3+ steals and/or blocks – I’m expecting a big game for Victor Oladipo. The Indiana Pacers are underdogs at + 5 with a 224 O/U. Other Cash SG Option(s): Devin Booker Small forward SF T.J Warren – 5,200 FD & 5,000 DK With a 218 over-under as a 3-point favorite, the Phoenix Suns look to improve on their horrific first game. T.J Warren benefits off almost every stat as he is a talented all-around player. With Alex Len limited and Alan Williams out, the Suns big man depth is diminishing – T.J Warren is a Forward that can help with that problem. I see him getting extended minutes and helping the Suns take advantage of a Lakers team that is on the back end of a back to back. Other Cash SF Option(s): Robert Covington Power Forwards PF Thaddeus Young – 6,300 FD & 5,800 DK Thad Young is the other player who should benefit from the absence of Myles Turner. Besides Domantas Sabonis, Thad Young is Indiana’s only other big man – and between the two, he’s the only one capable of putting up real fantasy points. Thad Young will benefit from more rebounds and shot attempts without Myles Turner. Assuming the game stays close, this could be a great game stack, investing in shares of players on both Indiana and Portland. The Indiana Pacers are underdogs at + 5 with a 224 O/U. Other Cash PF Option(s): Rondae Hollis-Jefferson Center C Nikola Vucevic – 8,400 FD & 7,600 DK Nikola Vucevic had a great showing in his first game of the season posting 19 points, 13 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 blocks and 2 steals against Hassan Whiteside and the Miami Heat. Vucevic will matchup against Timofey Mozgov tonight in the highest over-under on the slate at 226.5. Aaron Gordon is a GTD, if he’s out, this could potentially be a massive game for Nikola Vucevic. Even with Gordon playing, I will be investing in shares of Vucevic simply because of his usage in the highest over-under of the night. Nikola Vucevic exhibits a safe floor while simultaneously carrying GPP upside at reasonable prices around the industry. The Orlando Magic are slight underdogs at +1.5 in the highest over-under of the night at 226.5. Other Cash Center Option(s): Al Horford
Fuego Steve’s NBA GPP Plays – 10/20/17
NBA GPP Plays 10/20/17 Prices listed are Fanduel unless otherwise noted. My NBA articles will mostly focus on Fanduel lineup construction since besides center, you need to play two at each position. The players recommended are usually still good plays on DraftKings unless the pricing is drastically different. Also, many players on DraftKings have dual position eligibility or may be listed at a different position. I will try to mention if there is a specific good play on DK based on price or position eligibility. These are my favorite plays at each position and maybe a value play or two. Got busy today, here are my favorite plays at each position, will try and fill in commentary later. Today may be a good day to go balanced as opposed to stars and scrubs. But can probably do either with this big slate. Point Guard I like the tier below the top guys tonight Eric Bledsoe – $7500 Kemba Walker – $8000 Elfrid Payton – $7500 Dennis Smith Jr. – $6500 Darren Collison – $5600 Shooting Guard Higher end options; Devin Booker – $6700 Victor Olidipo – $7100 C.J. McCollum – $7200 Lower priced options; Avery Bradley – $5100 Terrence Ross – $5100 Kent Bazemore – $4800 Buddy Hield – $5000 Small Forward Higher end options; Kevin Durant – $9600 Khris Middleton – $7700 Tobias Harris – $6800 Lower priced options; Otto Porter – $5900 Jeremy Lamb – $5500 T.J. Warren or Josh Jackson- $5200 and $4800 Power Forward Higher end options; Giannis Antetokounmpo – $11,300 Ben Simmons – $7700 Thaddeus Young – $6300 Lower priced options; Trevor Booker or Rondae Hollis-Jefferson – $5400 and $5200 Larry Nance Jr. – $4900 Domantas Sabonis – $3800, starting at center for Myles Turner Center Demarcus Cousins – $11,100 Rudy Gobert – $8100 Joel Embid – $8300 Dwight Howard – $7400 Kevin Love – $6800 Tune in to the NBA Live Stream at 5 p.m. to get my updated thoughts on the slate. Myself, JaguarLou and other experts will be in the NBA chat from 6-7 to help you set your lineups.
Scouting The NBA – 10/20/17
Plays of the Day Value: Trevor Booker went for 20 points and 10 boards over just 27 minutes off the bench in a shootout at Indiana on Wednesday and draws another plus matchup tonight against a Magic team that’s given up the eighth-most FPPG (47.6) to opposing PFs over the last two seasons. Fade: Karl-Anthony Towns and Jimmy Butler both struggled for the new-look Wolves on Wednesday and they won’t find the sledding much easier tonight against Utah’s reigning top-ranked defense. Towns will face off with Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert and might not be worth his lofty price tag. Point Guards Elfrid Payton – (7,300 DK/7,500 FD) – Tonight and likely for the rest of the season, you’re going to want to target the Nets defense relentlessly. Brooklyn led the league in pace while ranking 29th in defensive rating last year and is off to a similar start after coughing up 140 points to the Pacers on Wednesday. A whopping eight different players scored in double figures for Indy and if the Magic duplicate that spread production, Payton will almost certainly flirt with double digit assists and perhaps rebounds as well. Dennis Smith Jr. – (6,600 DK/6,500 FD) – FanDuel quickly adjusted the rookie’s price tag after starting Smith as a true value play and watching him post the first point-assist double double in a rookie debut since Jason Kidd. He’s being forced into a starring role for a Mavericks team that struggled to find offense last year and is without Seth Curry (leg) for the first couple weeks of this season and Smith Jr. should keep rolling tonight against a Kings team that ranked 25th in defensive rating last season. Potential Value Terry Rozier – (4,200 DK/4,600FD) – Rozier is one of the best per-minute players on the Celtics through two games and a candidate to see heavy run against the guard-heavy Sixers tonight. Longshot Dennis Schroder – (7,600 DK/8,100 FD) – Schroder attempted 26 shots from the field in his first game of the year and appears to be the Hawks primary offensive weapon. Shooting Guards Devin Booker – (7,000DK/6,700FD) – A pure scorer with little upside in terms of peripheral stats, Booker should still be able to get enough buckets to meet or exceed value in this matchup. He mildly productive during the worst loss in Phoenix franchise history two nights ago, managing 12 points over 27 minutes and averaged 22.8 points per 36 minutes last year, which is closer to what his playing time should be with the Suns (-3) favored at home and the Lakers on the second half of a B2B set. Booker averaged 25 PPG on 46.9% FG shooting over 4 meetings with the Lakers last year and faces an inexperienced backcourt led by an apparently hobbled Lonzo Ball. Jaylen Brown – (5,500DK/6,200FD) – Brown still exceeded value with 18 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists despite fouling out over 28 minutes in a tough matchup against the lengthy Bucks on Wednesday. Now he gets the vulnerable Sixers defense and an opportunity to play a full slate of minutes while piling up peripheral stats against a team that turned it over the most times per game (16.7) in the NBA last year. The Celtics rotation isn’t very deep with Gordon Hayward (ankle) done for the season and Marcus Morris (knee) still out, so JB could be looking at closer to 40 minutes this evening. Potential Value Buddy Hield – (5,200 DK/5,000 FD) – Hield is likely to see heavy usage for a Kings team that’s definitely rebuilding around him and young big man Willie Cauley-Stein. Longshot Terrence Ross – (4,300 DK/5,100 FD) – Ross is a good fit in Orlando’s system and he faces a Nets team that’s been providing DFS gold for the past couple of seasons. Small Forwards LeBron James – (10,500 DK/10,900 FD) – Despite their impressive season openers, I’ll take LeBron over Giannis Antetokounmpo in this matchup since he’s more of a legitimate triple-double threat with consistent assist numbers. Now that Kyrie Irving is out of the picture, LeBron is on a mission and back to playing like a true point forward and he . He averaged 27.3 PPG on 52% FG shooting over 4 meetings with the Bucks last year and should do his part to slow down Giannis defensively. Allen Crabbe – (4,800 DK/4,600 FD) – Jeremy Lin’s unfortunate season-ending injury opens up more minutes for Crabbe, who impressed with 12 points and decent peripheral stats over 26 minutes off the bench on Wednesday. He could start at SG now with D’Angelo Russell sliding over to the point and be free to fire against an Orlando team that ranked 24th in opponents’ 3PT shooting (.367%) last year. Brooklyn’s ridiculous pace of play gives this contest the highest Over/Under (225.5) on the slate and makes it well worth targeting. Potential Value Jayson Tatum – (5,800 DK/6,500 FD) – Tatum is no longer a true value, but he remains a good bet for a double double and matches up well against the young Sixers frontcourt. Longshot Tobias Harris – (5,900 DK/6,800 FD) – Harris was fantastic in his season debut and could vastly outperform the cost of his price tag once again. Power Forwards Anthony Davis – (10,600 DK/10,900 FD) – Draymond Green (knee) is doubtful to suit up this Friday, leaving rookie Jordan Bell to start and he’s not remotely capable of containing Anthony Davis defensively. The Brow went for 33 points and 18 rebounds over 40 minutes in a tough matchup at Memphis on Wednesday and was battling an illness to boot. He averaged 35.3 PPG on 60% FG shooting over 4 meetings with Draymond and the Warriors last year, and this contest has a 220-point Over/Under in New Orleans. Trevor Booker – (4,700 DK/5,400 FD) – The Nets have very options in the
Fuego Steve’s NBA GPP Plays – 10/19/17
NBA GPP Plays 10/19/17 Prices listed are Fanduel unless otherwise noted. My NBA articles will mostly focus on Fanduel lineup construction since besides center, you need to play two at each position. The players recommended are usually still good plays on DraftKings unless the pricing is drastically different. Also, many players on DraftKings have dual position eligibility or may be listed at a different position. I will try to mention if there is a specific good play on DK based on price or position eligibility. These are my favorite plays at each position and maybe a value play or two. We have an interesting small three game slate tonight. It is hard to fade Russell Westbrook on such a small slate. I would rather lose with him, than not have him and he goes for 70 fantasy points. So how much does his fantasy value take a hit with the additions of Paul George and Carmelo Anthony? His scoring should go down a little, but his assists should stay the same or even go up. I am not finding a roster I love that does not have Westbrook in it. We will have to take a stand somewhere, but I don’t think it’s with Russell. Point Guard Russell Westbrook – See above, almost must play on three-game slate. Kyle Lowry – The next best point guard on the slate, pairing him with Westbrook has big upside. Patrick Beverley – I like him at only $5400 taking over the point guard duties for the Clippers. Shooting Guard Tim Hardaway Jr. – He’s $5500 and think he can do as well as Justin Holiday for $1000 less. The $4700 crew – Lou Williams, Norman Powell, and Jordan Clarkson are all $4700 on Fanduel. All three are in play and could even pair two of them to pay up at other positions. Demar Derozen – This is one of the spots I am taking a stand tonight. He has the upside, but I like other high-priced options better. I won’t fault you for playing him though. Small Forward Paul George – He did well in the preseason playing with Westbrook. Don’t know who on the Knicks can guard him. C.J. Miles – We will have to pay down somewhere, if not playing George, small forward is the other option besides shooting guard to do so. Brandon Ingram – At $5800 he can get to 5x or 6x tonight. Prefer him over Danilo Gallinari who is $1000 more. Power Forward Blake Griffin – Probably having him and Westbrook in the same lineup is the best way to attack the slate. Carmelo Anthony – Revenge narrative against former team the Knicks. He could go off. Kyle Kuzma or Larry Nance Jr.– The two low-priced options I like at power forward. Kuzma played well in the preseason and may take over down the line. But for now, they are almost interchangeable at $4800 and $4900. Center Jonas Valanciunas – The lowest priced of the starting centers, has the same upside of all of them except maybe DeAndre Jordan. Robin Lopez – Priced $1800 less than his brother Brook, low floor, high ceiling. Enes Kanter – Priced slightly higher than teammate Willy Hernangomez should be one of lowest owned centers. I’m fading DeAndre Jordan – Priced too high for me tonight. I will be paying down at center. But he does have the highest ceiling of all centers on the slate. I find most of my rosters have Westbrook, Griffin and one other stud. Either Lowry, George or Anthony is the question. If you have a strong feeling one way or the other go with your gut. If you are entering more than one lineup, I would mix it up. Tune in to the NBA Live Stream at 5 p.m. to get my updated thoughts on the slate. Myself, JaguarLou and other experts will be in the NBA chat from 6-7 to help you set your lineups.
Jaguar Lou’s Cash Play’s – 10/19/17
Notes about tonight: · With Blowouts expected in two of the three games tonight, lineups must be constructed considering that most of your most expensive players could be sitting the entire fourth quarter. · Due to Bobby Portis’ altercation with Nikola Mirotic the Bulls are dealing with a make shift lineup. (suggested fade) PG Russel Westbrook – 11,800 FD & 11,000 DK Despite the realistic chances that Russel Westbrook will be sitting in the fourth quarter, on a small 3-game slate I don’t think you can afford to fade him. Plus, the Knicks could make it a game…Right? Probably not but either way Westbrook’s usage is just too high, on a three-game slate raw points become something you have to prioritize when guaranteed production is limited. Although I see Carmelo and George limiting Westbrook’s shot attempts, there will be more than enough fantasy stats to go around. I don’t know if I will be doing many lineups including all three of OKC’s big 3 (Carmelo, George and Westbrook) but I will be investing of shares in each of the big 3, just not altogether. My favorite combination is Russel Westbrook and Carmelo Anthony. The Oklahoma City Thunder are favored with a spread – 12.5 with a 215.5 O/U. **If the Knicks somehow make this a game, having shares of Westbrook will be imperative** Other Cash PG Option(s): Patrick Beverly, Kyle Lowry & Lonzo Ball (GPP) SG DeMar DeRozen – 8,800 FD & 8,300 DK DeMar DeRozen and Kyle Lowry are a two-man team in Toronto. DeMar DeRozen and Kyle Lowry will be taking roughly 60-70 % of the shot attempts in tonight’s game favoring Toronto by 13.5 points with a 207.5 O/U. Rostering Lowry and DeRozen for your cash games becomes an obvious call. Once again, my main concern is the blow out potential but like I said before, on a night like tonight there’s something to be said for raw points. Other Cash SG Option(s): Tim Hardaway (Safer GPP Play) SF Danilo Gallinari – 6,800 FD & 6,200 DK Danilo Gallinari has a nice matchup against a Lakers team notorious for allowing major points to the Small forward position. Gallinari will be matching up against 32-year-old Luol Deng. With a Lakers team that will be franticly trying to contain DeAndre Jordon, I believe Danilo Gallinari has the opportunity to make a splash in his first game with the Clippers, while maintaining a solid floor due to his various statistical abilities. The L.A Clippers are favored at – 6 with a 217 O/U. Other Cash SF Option(s): Paul George SF/PF Carmelo Anthony – 8,000 FD & 7,200 DK The Revenge narrative of a lifetime. Carmelo Anthony faces the New York Knicks in his first game with the Oklahoma City Thunder. I won’t go through the whole history of this relationship but just know that there is bad blood between Carmelo Anthony and the New York Knicks (and New Yorkers in general for that matter). Carmelo should be matching up against Porzingis all night. Despite the length that Porzingis carries on the defensive end of the court, I truly believe Carmelo will have no problem scoring on the 7-foot 3-inch Power Forward/Center (On the off-chance Hardaway guards Melo, I like this play even more). Beside the fact that Carmelo will undoubtingly want to show up his old team, the matchup is favorable – The perfect storm. I am slightly concerned simply because we have yet to see how this new Oklahoma City squad play’s together but I think it’s safe to say pairing Melo’s favorable matchup/usage rate with the revenge narrative, you can’t go wrong. The Oklahoma City Thunder are favored with a spread of -12.5 in a 215.5 O/U. Other Cash PF Option(s): Serge Ibaka & Kristaps Porzingis **Michael Beasley – if Porzingis in out** C DeAndre Jordan – 8,200 FD & 7,500 DK Brook Lopez is a very poor defender. The Brooklyn Nets allowed the most fantasy points to opposing Centers last season due to Brook Lopez’ defensive limitations. Tonight, he faces a true Center in DeAndre Jordan who should have absolutely no problem producing against Brook Lopez. With Chris Paul and J.J Redick gone, the L.A Clippers need to find players who will step up and fill the void. I’m expecting DeAndre Jordan to be the focal point of a game where the Clippers are favored at – 6 with a 217 O/U. In addition to his 20+ projected points, Jordan will benefit from massive rebound/block production – I fully expect him to reach value at such reasonable salaries. Other Cash Center Option(s): Jonas Valanciunas & Enes Kanter (Revenge/Garbage time)
Scouting the NBA – 10/19/17
Plays of the Day Value: Milos Teodosic is an exciting talent and worth rooting for by inserting him into DFS lineups tonight. It doesn’t hurt that he’ll be facing a Lakers team that’s given up the most APG (10.26) to opposing PGs over the last two years. Fade: Paul George may need time to integrate into a team rather than serving as the man in Indiana. His teammate, Carmelo Anthony, would certainly hope to put on a show in his season debut against his former team tonight, so perhaps PG is a little too passive offensively to meet the value of his price tag. Point Guards Russell Westbrook – (11,000 DK/11,800 FD) – The Thunder added a couple of volume shooters in Carmelo Anthony and Paul George and those guys will subtract from Westbrook’s ridiculous usage rate last season, but they’ll also improve his assist numbers and keep him fresh down the stretch, which was a huge issue in regards to his shooting percentage in the fourth quarter. Tonight he’ll face a Knicks team that’s given up the seventh-most APG (9.06) to opposing PGs over the last 2 seasons and allowed Westbrook to post triple doubles in consecutive meetings last year, as well as a lightning quick triple double on Christmas Day a few years ago when KD was still playing alongside Russ. Potential Value Milos Teodosic – (4,900 DK/5,300FD) – Along with Patrick Beverley, Teododosic is in line to meet value in a plus matchup against the Lakers. Teodosic has good upside as a veritable triple double threat if given a full slate of minutes Longshot Lonzo Ball – (6,800 DK/6,800 FD) – Lonzo has filled up the stat sheet at every level so far in his basketball career. There’s a decent chance that trend continues when he makes his NBA debut Shooting Guards DeMar DeRozan – (8,300DK/8,800FD) – He’s probably the only SG you’ll want to use in cash games tonight since every other option is a bit of a risk. DeRozan was old reliable while pouring in 27.3 PPG last season and he draws a great matchup in his first game of the season against the inexperienced and injury-depleted Bulls. He averaged 32 PPG over 3 meetings with Chicago when Jimmy Butler was guarding him and facing Justin Holiday or Denzel Valentine is a far easier prospect Potential Value Jerian Grant – (5,300 DK/6,600 FD) – Grant is likely to see heavy minutes with other Bulls guards injured Longshot Tim Hardaway Jr. – (5,800 DK/5,500 FD) – Hardaway will be a gunner for the Knicks this year and should get into a high-scoring battle with the Thunder. Small Forwards Carmelo Anthony – (7,200 DK/8,000 FD) – How perfect is this? Carmelo Anthony’s Thunder debut will come against the franchise that kicked him on the way out the door this offseason. That’s just about all the motivation he’ll need to mix it up on the boards and focus on his outside shots in a potential revenge game. The Knicks ranked 26th in defensive rating last year and the Thunder should run a much more efficient offense that will generate open looks for Melo. Potential Value Paul Zipser – (4,800 FD/4,200 DK) – Zipser is a solid cash game play to consider with the Bulls shorthanded. Longshot Danilo Gallinari – (6,800 FD/6,200 DK) – Gallo’s been banged up this season but is capable of lighting it up from the perimeter with his new team. Power Forwards Kristaps Porzingis – (8,200 FD/7,700 DK) – If he matches up against Anthony or Paul George, Porzingis will be able to use his length down low and he’s a bit too versatile for Steven Adams to handle on the perimeter. Any way you script this game going, the Unicorn will likely leave a huge imprint across the stat sheet, as he’s clearly demonstrating a willingness to take over as the primary option for the Knicks. As long as he avoids foul trouble, which he’s been able to do while still blocking shots with his 7-foot-3 frame, Porzingis is going to be worth his price tag. Potential Value Lauri Markannen – (6,500 FD/5,600 DK) – Markannen is expected to start for the Bulls with Nikola Mirotic (face) out and Bobby Portis being disciplined for knocking him out. Longshot Julius Randle – (6,300 FD/5,800 DK) – When healthy, Randle is a triple double threat and we know Blake Griffin can show defensive indifference at times. Center DeAndre Jordan – (8,200 FD/7,700 DK) – Brook Lopez has been consistently hobbled by foot injuries over the last two years, so it’s no coincidence that the Nets coughed up the third-most FPPG (53.62) and fifth-most PPG (22.74) to opposing centers during that span. A far superior leaper to Lopez, Jordan averaged 14 PPG and 18.5 RPG over 2 meetings with Brooklyn and 13.5 PPG and 13.5 RPG over 4 meetings with Lakers last season. He’s as good a bet for a double double as there is tonight. Potential Value Cristian Felicio – (3,500 FD/4,000 DK) – Longshot value to consider if you think Robin Lopez might struggle to defend Jonas Valanciunas Longshot Guillermo Hernangomez – (5,600 FD/5,000 DK) – Hernangomez is looking at extended run with Joakim Noah suspended tonight.
NBA GPP Plays 10/18 – Fuego Steve
NBA GPP Plays 10/18/17 Prices listed are Fanduel unless otherwise noted. My NBA articles will mostly focus on Fanduel lineup construction since besides center, you need to play two at each position. The players recommended are usually still good plays on DraftKings unless the pricing is drastically different. Also, many players on DraftKings have dual position eligibility or may be listed at a different position. I will try to mention if there is a specific good play on DK based on price or position eligibility. These are my favorite plays at each position and maybe a value play or two. Point Guard Damian Lillard – Favorite high-priced option at point guard. Ricky Rubio – Rubio changes teams where there are less mouths to feed. He should do well with Rudy Gobert at center. Kemba Walker – Should get more opportunities with Nick Batum sidelined. Dennis Smith Jr. – Only $4300 should have a lot of usage and big ceiling at that price. Shooting Guard Devin Booker – We saw the kind of ceiling Booker has last season. If not paying down for shooting guard will be rostering Booker. Jaylen Brown – He should see even more usage without Gordon Hayward. Still only $3700 on Fanduel. Victor Oladipo – Should get massive usage on his new team the Pacers. I am fading James Harden again in my main lineup tonight. There are so many good shooting guards at all price ranges and want to pay up elsewhere. Tune in to the live stream to hear other options and can ask questions in the NBA chat. Small Forward Jeremy Lamb – Looks like a good day to pay down at small forward. Lamb should get plenty of minutes. He will be popular though at his price of only $3500. Jayson Tatum – Should also see increased usage with Hayward out. $3500 Rudy Gay – The Spurs finally have another offensive weapon besides LaMarcus Aldridge and Kawhi Leonard. With Leonard out tonight, he should benefit the most. Tobias Harris – I am a sucker for him, hit and miss but like the upside. Power Forward Giannis Antetokounmpo – He is one of the high-priced stars I am paying up for tonight. Prefer him over Anthony Davis for $600 less. LaMarcus Aldridge – Love playing him when Leonard is out. Ben Simmons – Had a great preseason. Look for it to continue. He will be more expensive as the year goes on. Marquese Chriss – Should play 30 minutes in a high paced game. Center Rudy Gobert – Think Gobert can do as well as Karl-Anthony Towns and Demarcus Cousins both priced around $2000 more. Like pairing him with Rubio. Myles Turner – Usage should increase with no Paul George in town. Should be low owned as well. Jusuf Nurkic – Big upside and priced lower than the top tier. Like pairing him with Lillard. Willie Cauley-Stein – Lower priced option if you want to pay down at center. Tune in to the NBA Live Stream at 5 p.m. to get my updated thoughts on the slate. Myself, JaguarLou and other experts will be in the NBA chat from 6-7 to help you set your lineups.
Jaguar Lou’s Cash Picks – 10/18/17
Point Guard PG Damian Lillard– 8,800 FD & 10,400 DK With C.J McCollum sidelined due to a one- game suspension for his actions in a pre-season altercation, expect Damian Lillard’s overall usage to go through the roof. Vegas has the Portland Trail Blazers favored by 1.5 points with a 217 O/U. These projected points need to come from somewhere. Portland’s offense over the last few seasons has been reliant on the C.J McCollum/ Damian Lillard duo – beside recently acquired Jusuf Nurkic, Portland does NOT have an excess of offensively capable players. I fully expect the Portland Trail Blazers to be carried by two players tonight, Damian Lillard and Jusuf Nurkic. Both players are at reasonable industry salaries considering their expected usage in close game with a 217 O/U. Other Cash PG Option(s): Kemba Walker & Eric Bledsoe Shooting Guard SG Bradley Beal – 7,300 FD & 7,000 DK Bradley Beal has a very favorable matchup tonight against the always vulnerable Philadelphia 76ers. The 76ers were in the bottom five percentile in points allowed to opposing shooting guards throughout the 2016-2017 season. Let’s not get too tricky here. Bradley Beal is one of the best guards in the league facing either Jerryd Bayless or J.J Redick – neither of whom have a chance at containing Beal. The Washington Wizards are favored at – 6.5 with a 217.5 O/U. Other Cash SG Option(s): James Harden (If Chris Paul is out James Harden is a Lock on all formats) Small Forward SF Robert Covington – 6,400 FD & 5,000 DK Covington is a three-point shooting, rebounding/assist/steals/blocks monster. Covington might be one of the best all-around players in the East in terms of racking up a variety of stats. The 76ers have a young and inexperienced team and will be looking to the veteran in Robert Covington to lead the “Process”. While the 76ers are young and inexperienced, they’re extremely talented and capable of running with any team in the league. Covington should be matching up against Otto Porter tonight but that’s not what I’m targeting, I just think Robert Covington’s overall involvement in the game makes him a safe cash play, especially for the reasonable salaries of 6,400 on Fan Duel & 5,000 on Draft Kings. The Philadelphia 76ers are underdog’s at + 7 with a 217.5 O/U. Other Cash SF Option(s): Maurice Harkless & Jimmy Butler Power Forward PF/C LaMarcus Aldridge – 7,000 FD & 7,300 DK With Kawhi Leonard out the San Antonio Spurs have a major void in their offense. The question is, who benefits from the absence of such an impactful player like Kawhi Leonard? The Answer, LaMarcus Aldridge. Aldridge is a consistent veteran who Coach Gregg Popovich loves to let loose in situations where injury changes their normal game plan. With 21 year old Dejounte Murray running the point tonight, I would assume Popovich gets the ball out of his hands as quickly as possible and into the post allowing Aldridge to take advantage of the mismatch of either Taj Gibson or Karl Anthony Towns – both poor matchups against the 6 foot 11 inch, 260 pound big man. This will be a close battle and San Antonio will need LaMarcus Aldridge on the court if they’re going to beat a Timberwolves squad let by 2016’s Rookie of the Year, Karl Anthony Towns. The San Antonio Spurs are favored at -1.5 with a 205.5 O/U. Other Cash PF Option(s): Rondae Hollis-Jefferson & Jason Smith (Value GPP/ Cheap Cash play) Center C Jusuf Nurkic – 7,500 FD & 7,500 DK As I mentioned in the Damian Lillard write-up, tonight’s offensive output by the Portland Trail Blazers is dependent on two players, Damian Lillard and Jusuf Nurkic. Nurkic fully showcased his abilities for the first time last season on Denver and Portland (later in the season). Make no mistake about it, last year was not a fluke. Jusuf Nurkic is capable of pulling down 15+ rebound on any given night, pairing that with his blocking abilities AND the extra usage he’s going to see with McCollum out, Jusuf Nurkic is a lock for me at such reasonable salaries. Other Cash Center Option(s): Myles Turner