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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Recap
For our free squares last night we had Reggie Jackson who ended up with right around 30.25 DKFP which was good enough for right around 5x value. Our second free square was Evan Fournier who ended up with right around 44.50 DKFP which was good enough for right around 6.6x value. Our last free square of the night is Aaron Baynes who ended up with right around 34.50 DKFP which was good enough for right around 9.9x value.
Tonight
We have a shorter slate ahead of us for Thursday with 5 games on the docket. The teams with the highest implied totals are as follows Houston Rockets (117), Washington Wizards (117), and the Cleveland Cavaliers (112). The highest priced players of the night are Demarcus Cousins, Anthony Davis, and Lebron James.
Free Squares
- J.J. Redick SG/SF PHI ($4,600)
- JJ Redick and the Philadelphia 76ers will take on the Sacremento Kings tonight on the road. The 76ers have an implied total sitting at right around 106-points and they are currently 6.5-point favorites. The 76ers have been playing at a pace of right around 106.1 and the Kings have been playing at a pace of right around 98.5. This will be a significant pace-down game for the 76ers tonight but I still like Redick at this price and spot tonight. Redick is likely going to be matched up against George Hill who is a decent defender. Redick has put together the following numbers on the season so far this year: 32.4 MPG, 2.9 RPG, 3.4 APG, .4 STLPG, 15.6 PPG, 25.8 FPPG, and a .80 FPPM. Taking a look at our Domination Station we can see that we have a projection sitting at right around 24.918 DKFP which was good enough for right around 5.42x value. He is slated to see right around 33 minutes. I love how many minutes Redick plays and I love his price tonight. You can fit him in either as a value forward or guard tonight on Draftkings.
- Trevor Ariza SG/SF ($4,700)
- Trevor Ariza and the Houston Rockets will take on the Clevland Cavaliers tonight at home tonight. The Rockets have an implied run total sitting at right around 117-points and they are currently 5.5-point favorites. The Rockets have been playing at a pace of right around 102.0 and the Cavaliers have been playing at a pace of right around 101.9. This will be a pretty neutral pace game for both teams who play at right around the league average. Ariza is likely to be matched up against Lebron James tonight who is a solid defender. Ariza has the following numbers on the season so far this year: 34.6 MPG, 4.8 RPG, 3.1 APG, .2 BLKPG, 1.3 STLPG, 8.6 PPG, 22.9 FPPG, and a .661 FPPM. Taking a look at our Domination Station we can see that we have a projection of right around 27.04 which would be good enough for right around 5.76x value. Ariza is slated for right around 35 minutes. Ariza is a very similar player numbers wise to Redick. They both play a ton of minutes and can be interchanged at guard or forward. I don’t even mine playing both of them tonight and really opening up some value. Load up Ariza as a value forward or Guard tonight on Draftkings.
- Lebron James SF/PF CLE ($10,800)
- Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers will take on the Houston Rockets tonight on the road. The Cavaliers have an implied total sitting at right around 112-points and they are currently 5.5-point underdogs. We have already gone over the pace numbers in Ariza’s write-up and I think this should be a high-scoring game with plenty of fantasy opportunities. Lebron is likely to be matched up against Ariza who is a solid defender but Lebron is one of those guys who I think it somewhat matchup proof. He has the following numbers on the season so far this season: 37.5 MPG, 7.3 RPG, 9.1 APG, 1.2 BLKPG, 1.5 STLPG, 28.9 PPG, 56.8 FPPG, and a 1.51 FPPM. Taking a look at our Domination Station we can see that we have a projection of right around 55.738 which would be good enough right around 5.16x value. He is slated to go for right around 38 minutes. There are a ton of superstars on the board tonight and if I am going to take a stand Lebron is my guy tonight. He is going to keep on playing a ton of minutes, has a huge FPPM, and is going to have to do the brunt of the scoring tonight if the Cavs want to keep this game close. Load up Lebron as your stud on Draftkings tonight.
Free Square of the Night
We finally have a decent sized slate 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 Lebon James tonight! Good luck Army!
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