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 28.75 DKFP which was good enough for right around 4.6x value. Our second free square of the night was Otto Porter who ended up getting scratched last night. Our final free square of the night was Bogdan Bogdanovic who ended up with 8 DKFP which would be good enough for right around 2x value.
Tonight
We have a huge slate ahead of us for Wednesday night. The teams with the highest implied totals of the night are as follows: Houston Rockets (121), Los Angeles Clippers (110), and the Denver Nuggets (110). The highest priced players on the slate are Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden.
Free Squares
- Mario Hezonja SG ORL ($4,700)
- Mario Hezonja and the Orlando Magic will take on the Chicago Bulls tonight on the road. The Magic have an implied total sitting at right around 103-points and they are currently 5.0-point underdogs. The Magic have been playing at a pace of right around 103.2 and the Bulls have been playing at a pace of right around 100.4. Slight pace down game for the Magic tonight but Hezonja will more than makeup for it with an extra boost in minutes. Hezonja is likely going to be matched up against Lauri Markkanen tonight who has not been that solid of a defender in his rookie season. Hezonja should have trouble scoring on him. He has the following stats on the season so far this year: 13.1 MPG, 2.4 RPG, .8 APG, .2 BLKPG, .5 STLPG, 4.7 PPG, 10.4 FPPG, and a .79 FPPM. Taking a look at our Domination Station we can see that we have a projection of right around 25.269 DKFP which would be good enough for right around 5.37x value. He is projected to play right around 30 minutes tonight. Aaron Gordon is likely out again tonight which means Hezonja is going to need to come in and pick up the slack. He has had some decent games when he’s received minutes and I like the matchup tonight. Load him up as a value guard with some high upside on Draftkings tonight.
- Frank Mason PG/SG SAC ($4,000)
- Frank Mason and the Sacramento Kings will take on the Brooklyn Nets on the road tonight. The Kings have an implied total sitting at right around 100-points and they are currently 5.5-point underdogs. The Kings have been playing at a pace of right around 98.0 and the Nets have been playing at a pace of right around 104.6. This is going to be a significant pace up game for the Kings tonight and it will be a huge benefit towards their fantasy production. Not quite sure if Mason is going to be starting or coming off the bench tonight but either way I do not really fear many of the guys he will face on the Nets tonight. Mason has the following stats on the season so far this year: 18.6 MPG, 2.1 RPG, 3.1 APG, .1 BLKPG, .4 STLPG, 8.2 PPG, 16.2 FPPG, and .87 FPPM. Taking a look at our Domination Station we can see that we have a projection of right around 21.74 DKFP which would be good enough for right around 5.43x value. He is projected to play right around 23 minutes tonight. Frank Mason has been a nice surprise for the struggling Kings this season De’Aaron Fox is out tonight which means, even more, minutes for Frank Mason tonight. I think he will see more than 23 minutes tonight and will crush his value. Load him up as a value guard on Draftkings tonight.
- Julius Randle PF/C LAL ($5,400)
- Julius Randle and the Los Angeles Lakers will take on the Houston Rockets on the road tonight. The Lakers have an implied total sitting at right around 106-points and they are currently 15.0-point underdogs. The Lakers have been playing at a pace of right around 107.0 and the Rockets have been playing at a pace of right around 102.2. This is going to be a pace down game for the Lakers as they are the fastest team in the league. In saying that I think this is going to be a great game to target because both of these teams play fast. Randle will come off the bench in which he should be able to take advantage of the Rockets defensive bench tonight. Randle has the following stats on the season so far this year: 22.5 MPG, 6.4 RPG, 1.9 APG, .9 BLKPG, .4 STLPG, 12.0 PPG, 25.0 FPPG, and a 1.11 FPPM. Taking a look at our Domination Station we can see that we have a projection of right around 30.82 DKFP which would be good enough for right around 5.71x value. He is projected to see right around 32 minutes tonight. Randle has a very good FPPM and he has been seeing more and more minutes lately. This is going to be a great fantasy matchup and I like Randles spot and price tonight. Load him up as either a forward or center on Draftkings tonight.
Free Square of the Night
We have a huge 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 Mario Hezonja tonight! Good luck Army!
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