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
Recap
Let’s take a look at how our free squares did last night. Our first free square of the night was Isaiah Thomas who ended up with right around 34.25 DKFP which was good enough for right around 5.4x value. Our second free square of the night was Jayson Tatum who ended up with right around 33.25 DKFP which was good enough for right around 5.8x value. Our final free square of the night was Kentavious Caldwell-Pope who ended up with right around 26 DKFP which was good enough for right around 4.3x value.
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Tonight
We have a large slate ahead of us for Thursday night. The teams with the highest implied totals are as follows: Houston Rockets (118), Philadelphia 76ers (114), and Portland Trailblazers (114). The highest priced players on the slate are Anthony Davis, LeBron James, and James Harden.
- Noah Vonleh PF/C CHI ($3,800)
- Noah Vonleh and the Chicago Bulls will take on the will take on the Memphis Grizzlies on the road tonight. The Bulls have an implied total sitting at right around 105=points and they are currently 1.5-point underdogs. The Bulls have been playing at a pace of right around 102.0 and the Grizzlies have been playing at a pace of right around 97.8. This is is a significant pace down game for the Bulls tonight but Vonleh should see enough playing time to exceed his value tonight. He is likely going to be guarded by JaMychal Green tonight who is a terrible defender. He has the following stats on the season so far this year: 14.3 MPG, 5.1 RPG, .5 APG, .3 BLKPG, .2 STLPG, 4.2 PPG, 12.4 FPPG, and a .87 FPPM. Taking a look at our Domination Station we can see that we have a projection of right around 22.052 DKFP which would be good enough for right around 5.8x value. He is projected to play right around 26 minutes tonight. Vonleh has a great matchup tonight and he is priced at pretty much the bare minimum. Load him up as a value forward or center tonight on Draftkings.
- Dennis Schroder PG ATL ($6,200)
- Dennis Schroder and the Atlanta Hawks will take on the Charlotte Hornets at home tonight. The Hawks have an implied total sitting at right around 107-points and they are currently 5.0-point underdogs. The Hawks have been playing at a pace of right around 101.2 and the Hornets have been playing at a pace of right around 101.6. Slight pace up game for the Hawks tonight but both of these teams play at a pretty similar pace. Schroder is likely going to be Kemba Walker tonight who is an average to below average defender. Schroder has the following stats on the season so far this year: 31.0 MPG, 3.1 RPG, 6.1 APG, .1 BLKPG, 1.1 STLPG, 19.2 PPG, 34.0 FPPG, and a 1.1 FPPM. Taking a look at our Domination Station we can see that we have a projection of right around 34.695 DKFP which would be good enough for right around 5.59x value. He is projected to play right around 29 minutes tonight. Love the price for Schroder tonight as a I think it is a bit too low. Great matchup and slight pace up game make Schroder a solid point guard option tonight on Draftkings.
- Victor Oladipo PG/SG IND ($8,200)
- Victor Oladipo and the Indiana Pacers will take on the Toronto Raptors at home tonight. The Pacers have an implied total sitting at right around 104-points and they are currently 4.0-point underdogs. The Pacers have been playing at a pace of right around 99.6 and the Raptors have been playing at a pace of right around 101.6. This is going to be a nice pace up game for Oladipo and the Pacers tonight. He should see a few extra fantasy opportunities tonight. He is likely going to be guarded by OG Anubody who is a pretty solid defender. Oladipo has the following stats on the season so far this year: 34.2 MPG, 5.3 RPG, 4.3 APG, .8 BLKPG, 2.2 STLPG, 23.6 PPG, 42.3 FPPG, and a 1.24 FPPM. Taking a look at our Domination Station we can see that we have a projection of right around 39.44 DKFP which would be good enough for right around 4.81x value. He is projected to play right around 35 minutes tonight. I am a little bit higher on Oladipo than the Domination Station tonight. Oladpio has an elite FPPM number and is playing in a pace up game tonight. He should see all the minutes he can handle and I think he makes a great higher priced guard tonight.
Free Square of the Night
We have a large 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 Noah Vonleh tonight! Good luck Army!
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