Searching For the Free Square
In the game of Bingo, every card gets an empty spot in the middle called the “Free Square”. Since it’s the middle square, the free square is essentially the ideal spot from which to build lines around. In DFS we define the Free Square as the player to build your lineups around. Generally, this player represents the closest we can find to a sure thing for the slate. This column is all about trying to identify the free square for a particular slate. Very often, this will be a low-cost player thrust into a starting role and sure to make or exceed value. The type of player that allows us to load up the rest of our lineup with high salary studs. Occasionally it will be a high priced stud in a great spot, The goal of this column is to use quantitative data to identify the free square for the days Daily Fantasy Basketball slate. Each slate we will take a deep look at three or four players which represent outsized value on the day’s slate of games and choose the one which best represents the top value and floor play to earn the title of the slates Free Square
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Tonight
We have a good size slate ahead of us for Friday night.. The teams with the highest implied totals are as follows New Orleans Pelicans (117), Cleveland Cavaliers (113), and the Golden State Warriors (113). The highest priced players of the night are DeMarcus Cousins, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis.
Free Squares
- Rajon Rondo PG NOP ($4,900)
- Rajon Rondo and the New Orleans Pelicans will take on the Phoenix Suns on the road tonight. The Pelicans have an implied total sitting at right around 117-points and they are currently 6.5-point favorites. The Pelicans have been playing at a pace of right around 103.7 and the Suns have been playing at a pace of right around 107.9. This is going to be a pace-up game for the Pelicans and an overall very fast paced game. Rondo is likely to be guarded by Tyler Ulis tonight who is the worst point-guard defender on the board tonight. Rondo has the following stats on the season so far: 19.3 MPG, 2.4 RPG, 5.6 APG, .6 STLPG, 5.8 PPG, 17.9 FPPG, and a .93 FPPM. Taking a look at our Domination Station we have a projection of right around 29.65 DKFP which would be good enough for right around 6.05x value. He is projected for right around 31 minutes tonight. We have been picking on the weak defensive back-court of the Suns all season. Tonight is going to be no different as I love Rondo’s price and upside tonight. Load him up as a value guard tonight on Draftkings.
- Dennis Schroder PG ATL ($6,600)
- Dennis Schroder and the Atlanta Hawks will take on the New York Knicks tonight at home tonight. The Hawks have an implied total sitting at right around 103-points and they are currently 1.0-point underdogs. The Hawks have been playing at a pace of right around 101.3 and the Knicks have been playing at a pace of right around 99.4. This will be a slight pace-down game for the Hawks tonight but I don’t think that will affect Schroder too much tonight. Schroder is likely going to be matched up against Jarret Jack who is just an average defender. Schroder has the following stats on the season so far: 32.2 MPG, 2.8 RPG, 7.1 APG, 1.3 STLPG, 19.7 PPG, 35.5 FPPG. Taking a look at our Domination Station we can see that we have a projection at right around 36.672 DKFP which would be good enough for right around 5.56x value. He is projected to see right around 34 minutes. Schroder hasn’t been doing that great lately but I think he bounces back tonight with a great matchup against the Knicks. Load him up as a mid value play on Draftkings tonight.
- Jeremy Lamb SG/SF CHA ($5,100)
- Jeremy Lamb and the Charlotte Hornets will take on the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight. The Hornets have an implied total sitting at right around 108-points and they are currently 5.0-point underdogs. The Hornets have been playing at a pace of right around 103.0 and the Cavaliers have been playing at a pace of right around 102.0. Both of these teams play at the relatively same pace. Jeremy Lamb is likely going to be matched up against J.R. Smith who is one of the worst shooting guard defenders on the board tonight. Lamb has the following numbers for the season so far: 28.5 MPG, 5.2 RPG, 3.2 APG, .4 BLKPG, .8 STLPG, 16.5 RPG, 30.3 FPPG, and a 1.06 FPPM. Taking a look at our Domination Station we can see that we have a projection of right around 36.298 DKFP which would be good enough for right around 7.12x value. He is projected to see right around 34 minutes tonight. I think Lamb has one of the best matchups on the board tonight. He is cheap and will probably see a substantial amount of minutes. Load Lamb up as a value guard or forward tonight on Draftkings.
Free Square of the Night
We have a decent sized slate tonight with some good tournaments across the industry. I hope I have narrowed down some guys that we can look to target. We have tons of tools and content available at the DFS Army this year for NBA so don’t miss out on all of those opportunities to make some money. Click the link “DFS Army VIP Membership” and sign up and join the Army today! With my ultimate free square pick, I am going to go with Rajon Rondo tonight! Good luck Army!
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