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POINT GUARDS:
* ALL FORMATS *
Stephen Curry (GS @ SAC)
De’Aaron Fox (SAC vs GS)
– Curry: Comes at a much cheaper cost ($1000 on DK, $2100 on FD) than Westbrook… Has four different 60+ performances vs SAC since the 15-16 season… Will draw a matchup at times with De’Aaron Fox, 9th-worst defender in DRPM this season.
– Fox: GS is the 3rd-best aDvP matchup for point guards this season.
– Both sides: 223 total, currently the 2nd-highest on the board…
Damian Lillard (POR @ TOR)
I talked about it a lot on the pod today, but there are some teams in a decent spot to pick on. Well, surprisingly, Lillard is one of these guys that I was referring to. In fact, Lillard has had quite the history against the Raptors, who will also be playing their second game in as many nights. You damn well know that CJ McCollum will be highly-owned, and that makes Lillard an even better pivot.
* CASH *
Terry Rozier (BOS vs ATL)
With injuries to both Kyrie Irving and Shane Larkin, it appears that Rozier will be so chalky that you might as well stick him in your cash games and keep it moving. To me, Rozier’s price ($6600 DK/$6500 FD) is way too expensive, and I’ll certainly be looking elsewhere in GPPs. Granted, this is a great matchup and he’s the only healthy (meaningful) point guard on the Celtics roster, but I don’t see him having a ton of upside at this price.
* GPP *
Kemba Walker (CHA vs IND)
At least 49 DKP/47 FDP in his last three home games vs IND.
Tyler Johnson (MIA @ PHI)
More of a shooting guard, but more players from that position have terrorized the Sixers more than any other this season. Surprisingly, most of this has come at the expense of JJ Redick (always looked at as a respectable defender) who returned to the Sixers lineup on Wednesday. Johnson has incrementally played more minutes and increased production since his return over the last three games.
Ricky Rubio (UTA @ PHX)
Most of this goodness has come as a member of the T-Wolves, but one fact remains the same… the Suns are allergic to defense. Rubio did have a solid game vs PHX back in October.
* BUYER BEWARE *
Russell Westbrook (OKC vs NO)
Sometimes we have to make bold calls in life, and tonight it’s my turn. Westbrook and his OKC teammates are playing on the back-end of a B2B (draining game in Denver last night), their third game in four nights, fourth game in six nights… and oh yes, their fifth game in seven nights. Fading Westbrook has rarely made anyone look like the smartest guy in the room, but I think there’s enough evidence to support him having a performance that isn’t worthy of his massive salary.
SHOOTING GUARDS:
* ALL FORMATS *
Jrue Holiday (NO @ OKC)
OKC is in the midst of a brutal stretch so I’m not expecting Holiday to face much resistance at all. With Andre Roberson out for the season, OKC’s defensive numbers will start to suffer and tonight could be a perfect example of that.
Donovan Mitchell (UTA @ PHX)
UTA: Best aDvP matchup for SGs this season – Mitchell has been amazingly consistent for not only a rookie but just a regular NBA player in general.
* GPP *
Devin Booker (PHX vs UTA)
Booker is playing more point guard these days, so that should draw him a matchup with Ricky Rubio. I also like the idea of Booker getting more assist opportunities while handling the ball more.
Klay Thompson (GS @ SAC)
SAC: 4th best aDvP matchup for SGs this season – I’m not in love with Klay’s price, so I don’t consider him much of a necessity. However, I don’t mind chasing this for raw-point upside… the opportunity is there, and Klay has exceeded/reached 5x value (at current DK/FD price) in three of his last six games.
SMALL FORWARDS:
* ALL FORMATS *
Kevin Durant (GS @ SAC)
One of the best players in the game usually doesn’t need much of a sales pitch. He has posted at least 50 DKP/45 FDP in four of his last five meetings against the Kings, three of those games coming as a member of the Warriors.
Josh Jackson (PHX vs UTA)
Jackson is getting more playing time (at least 28 minutes in three of last four games) as a result of all these Suns injuries and exceeded/reached 5x value (at current price) in three of the last four games. The only game he dudded was that 0-for-13 Sunday matinee game at Houston… shake it off, kid.
Jaylen Brown (BOS vs ATL)
As I mentioned on the pod, the most appealing part of Brown isn’t the matchup against Atlanta, but just the sheer volume he’ll see in nearly every aspect of the game. The Celtics are missing Irving, Smart and Larkin so Brown will have a ton of minutes to soak up.
* CASH *
Josh Richardson (MIA @ PHI)
J-Rich has finally learned to play nice with Hassan Whiteside in the lineup… a scenario that hasn’t always been kind to his production level. I think J-Rich is best used a cash game option because that massive ceiling game just hasn’t been there in a while… the matchup and his recent string of consistency do make him a safe bet to be somewhere around 5x value, though.
* GPP *
TJ Warren (PHX vs UTA)
I like my Warren with Devin Booker back in the lineup to help him handle the heavy lifting. I also like this Warren play because small forwards have the most success against Utah, and I could see the offense funneling his way.
POWER FORWARDS:
* ALL FORMATS *
Anthony Davis (NO @ OKC)
I have mentioned everything going on with OKC numerous times today, and you’re crazy if you think they’ll be up to stopping a player of Anthony Davis’s caliber. Nikola Jokic, another nimble big, posted a triple-double on OKC last night so it’s certainly capable of happening… Stephen Adams is a great defender, but mostly against bigs who post up down low. Also, this is probably the last opportunity we have to use AD on his own before Mirotic comes to NOLA jacking up 20 shots per game.
Draymond Green (GS @ SAC)
The Warriors will be resting a good portion of their team tonight, so that could give Dray a lot more minutes than usual. I’m down with this guy in any format, just as my co-host Bear was on today’s pod.
Al-Farouq Aminu (POR @ TOR)
TOR: 4th-best aDvP matchup for power forwards on tonight’s slate – This is all about the price on Aminu, listed at $5100 DK/$4900… way too cheap. Aminu posted at least 28 DKP/27 FDP in the three games prior to last, and now he gets to take on a Raptors team playing their second game in as many nights.
Daniel Theis (BOS vs ATL)
ATL: 3rd-best aDvP matchup for power forwards on tonight’s slate – Marcus Morris is inactive for the Celtics tonight, so that will allow Theis to get more run at the four and some of the five as well. The magic number is 20… when given at least 20 minutes over the last four games, Theis posted upwards of 7-8x value twice in that span.
* CASH GAMES *
Frank Kaminsky (CHA vs IND)
I don’t mind Frank the Tank for cash, but I’ll be fading in GPPs. The matchup and opportunity for him to do well is certainly there, but the numbers haven’t been too often.
CENTERS:
* ALL FORMATS *
Enes Kanter (NYK @ MIL)
Kanter has been a savage these last two games posting 37 points and 37 rebounds in 56 minutes on the court. The Bucks have the 4th-worst rebounding ratio this season while the Knicks rank 5th-best in offensive rebounding. Everything is shaping up for this to be a great night for Kanter.
Rudy Gobert (UTA @ PHX)
Gobert has a floor of 40 fantasy points vs PHX in each of their last four meetings. Also, the real key here could be to get Tyson Chandler (the only true active center on PHX) into foul trouble and then tee off on a bunch of incapable bodies. Tyson Chandler (PHX vs UTA)
* GPP *
Joel Embiid / Hassan Whiteside (PHI vs MIA)
Both guys are viable options here and we could see a nice duel between the two. I’ll keep it for GPP purposes only because these two idiots could definitely get into some kind of scrap and T’d up. If this is of no concern to you, then label them both as playable in all formats.
Julius Randle / Brook Lopez (LAL @ BKN)
BKN: Best aDvP matchup for centers this season – It’ll be interesting to see how many minutes Luke Walton gives BroLo in his return to Brooklyn… you would think (keywords: would think) he gets more than 20 minutes, something he hasn’t been given since January 9th, ouch. Randle has been a huge reason for BroLo’s decreasing importance, hovering or exceeding the value mark we’re looking for at his price. Does Walton have a soul? We shall see tonight…
