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 Noah Vonleh who ended up with right around 23.50 DKFP which was good enough for right around 6.2x value. Our second free square of the night was Dennis Schroder who ended up with right around 29.75 DKFP which was good enough for right around 4.8x value. Our final free square of the night was Victor Oladipo who ended up with right around 30.75 DKFP which was good enough for right around 3.8x value.
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Tonight
We have a decent slate ahead of us for Friday night. The teams with the highest implied totals are as follows: Oklahoma City Thunder (114), Philadelphia 76ers (113), and the Los Angeles Lakers (112). The highest priced players on the slate are Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and Joel Embiid.
- Bam Adebayo PF/C MIA ($4,900)
- Bam Adebayo and the Miami Heat will take on the Los Angeles Lakers on the road tonight. The Heat have an implied total sitting at right around 108-points and they are currently 4.0-point underdogs. The Heat have been playing at a pace of right around 99.0 and the Lakers are the fastest team in the league with a pace of right around 105.1. This is a significant pace up game for the Heat tonight which should offer them a ton of extra fantasy opportunities. Adebayo is likely going to come off the bench tonight but he should see enough minutes to exceed value tonight. He has the following stats on the season so far this year: 19.6 MPG, 1.6 APG, .6 BLKPG, .5 STLPG, 7.0 PPG, 18.3 FPPG, and a .93 FPPM. Taking a look at our Domination Station we can see that we have a projection of right around 22.897 DKFP which would be good enough for right around 4.67x value. He is projected to play right around 22 minutes tonight. I think Bam will see enough minutes tonight to exceed his value in an up-tempo game tonight. Load him up as either a forward or center tonight on Draftkings.
- Joel Embiid C PHI ($9,500)
- Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers will take on the Brooklyn Nets at home tonight. The 76ers have an implied totals sitting at right around 113-points and they are currently 8.5-point favorites. The 76ers have been playing at a pace of right around 102.9 and the Nets have been playing at a pace of right around 102.7. Both of these teams are top 6 fastest teams in the league which makes this game a great game to target from a fantasy point of view. Embiid is likely going to be guarded by Jarrett Allen tonight who is a decent defender. He has the following stats on the season so far this year: 31.1 MPG, 10.9 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.8 BLKPG, .6 STLPG, 23.6 PPG, 46.5 FPPG, and a 1.50 FPPM. Taking a look at our Domination Station we can see that we have a projection of right around 52.906 DKFP which would be good enough for right around 5.57x value. He is projected to play right around 32 minutes tonight. He is pricey but I think Embiid is the best stud on the board tonight. It should be a fast paced high scoring matchup tonight. Load Embiid up as a high priced center with upside tonight on Draftkings..
- Lou Williams PG/SG LAC ($7,400)
- Lou Williams and the Los Angeles Clippers will take on the Oklahoma City Thunder on the road tonight. The Clippers have an implied total sitting at right around 109-points and they are currently 5.0-point underdogs. The Clippers have been playing at a pace of right around 102.2 and the Thunder have been playing at a pace of right around 100.4. Slight pace down game for the Clippers and Williams tonight but I still like the spot and price for him tonight. He is likely going to be guarded by Corey Brewer who is an average defender. He has the following stats on the season so far this year: 32.5 MPG, 2.6 RPG, 5.4 APG, .2 BLKPG, 1.1 STLPG, 23.0 PPG, 36.9 FPPG, and a 1.14 FPPM. Taking a look at our Domination Station we can see that we have a projection of right around 37.035 DKFP which would be good enough for right around 5x value. He is projected to play right around 33 minutes tonight. Lou is always a great fantasy option as he can just flat out score. He has a great FPPM number and I like the spot for him tonight. Load him up as a higher priced guard tonight on Draftkings
Free Square of the Night
We have a decent 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 Joel Embiid tonight! Good luck Army!
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