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 Reggie Jackson who ended up with right around 25.50 DKFP which was good enough for 5.3x value. Our second free square of the night was Tyler Johnson who ended up with right around 5.50 DKFP which was good enough for 1.3x value. Our final free square of the night was Giannis Antetokounmpo who ended up with right around 49 DKFP which would be good enough for right around 4.6x value.
Tonight
We have a decent slate ahead of us for Friday night. The teams with the highest implied totals are as follows: Houston Rockets (117), Cleveland Cavaliers (116), and the Philadelphia 76ers (114). The highest priced players on the slate are LeBron James, James Harden, and Anthony Davis.
- Jusuf Nurkic C POR ($6,500)
- Jusuf Nurkic and the Portland Trailblazers will take on the Los Angeles Clippers at home tonight. The Trailblazers have an implied total sitting at right around 112-points and they are currently 6.5-point favorites. The Trailblazers have been playing at a pace of right around 99.9 and the Clippers have been playing at a pace of right around 102.2. This is going to be a significant pace up game for the Trailblazers and Nurkic tonight. I expect him to get some extra fantasy opportunities tonight. Nurkic is likely going to be guarded by Deandre Jordan who has been a bit average of a defender this year. Nurkic has the following stats on the season so far this year: 26.1 MPG, 8.7 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.4 BLKPG, .8 STLPG, 14.3 PPG, 31.4 FPPG, and a 1.20 FPPM. Taking a look at our Domination Station we can see that we have a projection of right around 37.394 DKFP which would be good enough for right around 5.75x value. He is projected to play right around 29 minutes tonight. Nurkic has a solid matchup a good price in what should be a high scoring uptempo game. Load him up as a mid-tier center on Draftkings tonight.
- Isaiah Taylor PG ATL ($4,800)
- Isaiah Taylor and the Atlanta Hawks will take on the Philadelphia 76ers tonight at home. The Hawks have an implied total sitting at right around 106-points and they are currently 7.5-point underdogs. The Hawks have been playing at a pace of right around 101.4 and the 76ers have been playing at a pace of right around 103.2. This is going to be a really fast-paced game as these are two of the faster teams in the league. It’s a great game to target for DFS purposes. Taylor is likely going to be guarded by J.J. Redick tonight who is a terrible defender. Taylor has the following stats on the season so far this year: 16.3 MPG, 1.4 RPG, 2.8 APG, .2 BLKPG, .5 STLPG, 6.3 PPG, 13.3 FPPG, and a .82 FPPM. Taking a look at our Domination Station we can see that we have a projection of right around 29.145 DKFP which would be good enough for right around 6.07x value. He is projected to play right around 32 minutes tonight. It’s a great price, matchup and spot for Taylor tonight. Load him up as a cheap point guard on Draftkings tonight.
- Robert Covington SF/PF PHI ($5,900)
- Robert Covington and the Philadelphia 76ers will take on the Atlanta Hawks on the road tonight. The 76ers have an implied total sitting at right around 114-points and they are currently 7.5-point favorites. As stated in the Taylor write-up the Hawks have been playing at a pace of right around 101.4 and the 76ers have been playing at a pace of right around 103.2. Slight pace down game for the 76ers but the Hawks aren’t a slow team by any means. He is likely going to be guarded by Damion Lee tonight who has been okay when he’s played as a defender. Covington has the following stats on the season so far this year: 31.5 MPG, 5.4 RPG, 1.9 APG, .8 BLKPG, 1.6 STLPG, 12.8 PPG, 27.7 FPPG, and a .88 FPPM. Taking a look at our Domination Station we can see that we have a projection of right around 29.281 DKFP which would be good enough for right around 4.96x value. He is projected to play right around 29 minutes tonight. As you can see this is one of my favorite game to target for DFS purposes. Covington has a solid price and I like him at either forward position on Draftkings tonight.
Free Square of the Night
We have a solid 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 Jusuf Nurkic tonight! Good luck Army!
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