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
Let’s take a look at how the free squares did from last night. Our first free square of the night was Robert Covington who ended up with 29.75 DKFP which was good enough for right around 4.7x value. Our second free square of the night was Omri Casspi who ended up with right around 34 DKFP which was good enough for right around 8.3x value. Our final free square of the night was Kemba Walker who ended up with right around 24.25 DKFP which was good enough for right around 3.4x value.
Tonight
We have a small-sized slate ahead of us for Tuesday night. The teams with the highest implied totals of the night are as follows: Washington Wizards (111), Philadelphia 76ers (109), and the Cleveland Cavaliers (108). The highest priced players on the slate are Lebron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and DeMarcus Cousins.
Free Squares
- Robert Covington SF/PF PHI ($6,200)
- Robert Covington and the Philadelphia 76ers will take on the Sacramento Kings tonight at home. The 76ers have an implied total sitting at right around 109-points and they are currently 9.5-point favorites. The 76ers have been playing at a pace of right around 105.8 and the Kings have been playing at a pace of right around 97.8. This is going to be a pace down for the 76ers tonight but they have a high implied total and are in a good spot. Covington is likely going to be guarded by De’Aaron Fox tonight who is one of the worst defenders in the league. Covington has the following stats on the season so far this year: 32.4 MPG, 6.4 RPG, 1.9 APG, 1.8 STLPG, 14.9 PPG, 31.7 FPPG, and a .98 FPPM. Taking a look at our Domination Station we can see that we have a projection of right around 30.934 DKFP which would be good enough for right around 4.99x value. He is projected to play right around 34 minutes tonight. I played Covington yesterday and while he didn’t quite reach value for us I like him even more tonight. He has a solid matchup and a solid price so load him up as a mid-tier forward on Draftkings tonight.
- Otto Porter SF/PF WAS ($5,800) ***Questionable***
- Otto Porter and the Washington Wizards will take on the New Orleans Pelicans on the road tonight. The Wizards have an implied total sitting at right around 111-points and they are currently 3.0-point favorites. The Wizards have been playing at a pace of right around 100.6 and the Pelicans have been playing at a pace of right around 104.0. This is going to be a nice pace up boost game for Porter and the Wizards tonight. Porter is likely going to be guarded by E’Twaun Moore tonight who is not a great defender and a guy Porter should be able to expose tonight. Porter has the following stats on the season so far this year: 31.3 MPG, 6.8 RPG, 1.8 APG, .5 BLKPG, 1.5 STLPG, 14.6 PPG, 30.6 FPPG, and a .98 FPPM. Taking a look at our Domination Station we can see that we have a projection of right around 31.496 DKFP which would be good enough for right around 5.43x value. He is projected to play right around 33 minutes. Keep an eye on Porter tonight if he is going to play he becomes a great value play tonight. If he doesn’t play look to load up on Kelly Oubre tonight on Draftkings.
- Bogdan Bogdanovic SG/SF SAC ($4,300)
- Bogdan Bogdanovic and the Sacramento Kings will take on the Philadelphia 76ers at home tonight. The Kings have an implied total sitting at right around 99-points and they are currently 9.5-point underdogs. As stated in the Covington write-up the 76ers have been playing at a pace of right around 105.8 and the Kings have been playing at a pace of right around 97.8. This is going to be a significant pace up game for the Kings tonight which should provide them with extra fantasy opportunities. Bogdan is likely going to be matched up against J.J. Redick tonight who is not that great of a defender. This is a good matchup for Bogdan tonight. Bogdan has the followings stats for the season so far this year: 24.5 MPG, 2.4 RPG, 2.3 APG, .3 BLKPG, 1.1 STLPG, 10.0 PPG, 19.2 FPPG, .78 FPPM. Taking a look at our Domination Station we can see that we have a projection of right around 22.594 DKFP which would be good enough for right around 5.25x value. He is projected to play right around 30 minutes tonight. It is hard to find a lot of cheap value guys tonight, but I like the spot Bogdan is in tonight. Load him up as either a value guard or forward tonight on Draftkings.
Free Square of the Night
We have a small-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 Robert Covington tonight! Good luck Army!
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