Full Court Press Breakdown for NBA DFS 1/16:

Welcome to another year of the DFS Army NBA Full Court Press! Members had a ton of success using the Full Court Press along with various articles and tools that DFS Army provides last season, so we are glad to be back with another year of the all-inclusive article. You have to start your research somewhere, and oftentimes going game by game and breaking down every matchup and its key players is the first step in our process. My name is Michael aka @MadnessDFS on Twitter, make sure to give me a follow as I’ll occasionally make updates to the advice in the article. But, you’ll mostly find me in our VIP coaching forums where I provide detailed lineup maneuvers and answer all lineup questions. With that said, let’s get it started!

The winning has come early and often this season! Congrats to VIP Member – “Fatherofthree” on his $150k NBA win!! Adding to the list of winners already this season!

Early Slate:

Houston Rockets @ San Antonio Spurs

Vegas Total: NA

Vegas Spread: Sas -6.5

Let’s kick this NFL playoff Saturday with some NBA games! We’ll start with the Rockets, it sounds like Caris LeVert and Eric Gordon are both questionable for this one. I’m not expecting LeVert to be available but we’ll have to keep an eye on that news. John Wall, Demarcus Cousins, and Danuel House are all out for the Rockets, so we should see minutes open up for some of those value pieces we saw last game. First off, Christian Wood saw his price tag skyrocket to near $9k on DraftKings, but it’s warranted considering his recent production. I don’t hate him, especially on this two-game early slate. Jae’sean Tate dropped 38 DraftKings points last game in 33 minutes. With Cousins and House out here, he should have some pretty solid minutes here. Sterling Brown also dropped 41 DraftKings points, and if these guys are out again I’ll go right back to him, he’s been a nice point per minute player in his career. From the Spurs, DeMar DeRozan had just 34 DraftKings points in this matchup last time out. The minutes were still there for him and in a nice matchup, he’s hard to ignore on a short slate. The price tag is pretty stiff on Dejounte Murray, he’s more of a GPP option at this price tag. Keldon Johnson and LaMarcus Aldridge are similarly priced, but Johnson has been the far more consistent option this season. Lastly, with DeRozan back, Lonnie Walker saw his minutes come down to 25 last game. At this price tag, I don’t love him here.

5-star play: Christian Wood

4-star play: Jae’sean Tate, Sterling Brown, DeMar DeRozan, Keldon Johnson, Dejounte Murray

Deeper Value: Ben McLemore, Sterling Brown, David Nwaba

GPP Sleeper: Dejounte Murray, LaMarcus Aldridge

Orlando Magic @ Brooklyn Nets

Vegas Total: NA

Vegas Spread: Bkn -9.0

Starting with the Orlando Magic. Nikola Vucevic played just 26 minutes last night due to a blowout but get’s a nice bounce-back spot here against a frontcourt that took a big hit with Jarrett Allen and Taurean Prince being moved. I like getting back to him in this spot. Aaron Gordon saw his minutes gone down last night as well, but I’m just disregarding that game due to how much of a blowout it was. Gordon had seen at least 35 minutes in his previous two games. I don’t like the price tag on Terrence Ross at all, he’s been held under 21 DraftKings points in four straight games. Lastly, Cole Anthony hasn’t shown me enough this season for me to want to go for him on this price tag and in this matchup. From Brooklyn, it sounds like James Harden is questionable here while Kyrie Irving will be out yet again. If Harden plays I’ll be interested to see what his usage rate gets to. I would think it’s similar to what it was last year when he played with Westbrook but will take another hit when Kyrie returns. He’s viable here, as is Kevin Durant who I’ll likely get a lot of on this two-game slate regardless of if Harden plays or not. He’s finally seen his price hit that $10k range, I’m still good with it, and if Harden is out Durant is a lock for me on the two gamer. You can go back to Joe Harris here as well, I think he’s in for a huge rest of the season with defenses focusing on Durant, Irving, and Harden. He should get a ton of wide-open looks. DeAndre Jordan is the new starting center for this team, he played 28 minutes last game and scored 31 DraftKings points last time out. I think you can go right back to him here.

5-star play: Nikola Vucevic, Kevin Durant, James Harden

4-star play: Aaron Gordon, Joe Harris, DeAndre Jordan

Deeper Value: None

GPP Sleeper: Terrence Ross, Joe Harris, Cole Anthony, Jeff Green

Main Slate:

Charlotte Hornets @ Toronto Raptors

Vegas Total: 218

Vegas Spread: Tor -8.0

Starting with the Hornets, Gordon Hayward is questionable here, so keep an eye on his status for this game, usage for the rest of the starters on this team would open up as it did last game. LaMelo Ball now has at least 40 DraftKings points in four of his last five games. He scored 46 DraftKings points in just 26 minutes last game, so even when he’s not getting that 30+ minute game he can still get you there. Terry Rozier and Devonte’ Graham just aren’t guys I’ve been playing a whole lot this season. It’s a pretty loaded backcourt with these two guys and Ball, but you can get to them in GPPs especially if Hayward is forced to miss again. Lastly, the big men. Bismack Biyomobo is a good option in his price range and has at least 25 minutes in each of his last three games, but PJ Washington has more upside in this matchup. He has at least 40 DraftKings points in three of his last four games. From the Raptors, Pascal Siakam came back down to Earth last game but still saw 38 minutes. I’m okay getting right back to him here, the Hornets have been dreadful against opposing big men. This will put Chris Boucher in play as well who has really taken over that center position, he has at least 40 DraftKings points in three of his last four games. Fred VanVleet and Kyle Lowry have been priced pretty similarly this season but VanVleet has shown the higher ceiling and the more consistent production. Even after coming off a down game last time out, he’s in play for me again here.

5-star play: Pascal Siakam

4-star play: Gordon Hayward, LaMelo Ball, Fred VanVleet, Kyle Lowry, Chris Boucher

Deeper Value: Bismack Biyombo

GPP Sleeper: Terry Rozier, Devonte’ Graham, PJ Washington, Miles Bridges

Philadelphia 76ers @ Memphis Grizzlies

Vegas Total: NA

Vegas Spread: Phi -6.5

Starting with the Grizzlies, there is a chance Ja Maront could return here, if he does I would assume he’s somewhat limited so I wouldn’t have much interest in him. That said, it would quickly get me off guys like Tyus Jones and De’Anthony Melton, so keep an eye on that news. Jonas Valanciunas finally had a nice higher end game going for 50 DraftKings points last time out. Joel Embiid on defense never really worries me. We know the ceiling that Valanciunas can provide, so I’m good with getting him again here. People may be off him if Ja returns, but his points per minute actually go down with Morant off the court so it’s something I’m not worried about at all. Kyle Anderson is priced for the production he had earlier this season, he’s been consistently around 25 points, so he’s not really in play for me right now. Dillon Brooks is a fine option, he didn’t look great last time out but he’s in play for GPP. Brandon Clarke has at least 40 DraftKings points in two of his last three games, I don’t like the price tag but you can’t ignore the production. From the Sixers, Joel Embiid is going to be out here along with Seth Curry. This should open up minutes for Dwight Howard and some Tony Bradley. Tobias Harris could slide over and play some five as well. Here is how the Sixers grade out with Embiid off the court this season:

• Ben Simmons – 20% usage rate; 1.18 fpm
• Dwight Howard – 16.8% usage rate; 1.08 fpm
• Tobias Harris – 24.6% usage rate; 1.48 fpm
• Shake Milton – 28.4% usage rate; 1.18 fpm

You can get to all of these guys pretty safely, while Bradley becomes a GPP value option.

5-star play: Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris

4-star play: Dillon Brooks, Jonas Valanciunas, Dwight Howard, Shake Milton

Deeper Value: Tony Bradley

GPP Sleeper: Tony Bradley, Danny Green

Detroit Pistons @ Miami Heat

Vegas Total: 214.5

Vegas Spread: Mia -2.0

Starting with the Pistons, Jerami Grant continues to see huge minutes and has been one of the more consistent options in this price range on the season. Blake Griffin is a solid GPP option as well, however, he’s just never a guy I get to that often due to his volatility. Derrick Rose has been held under 20 DraftKings points in two straight games, but he sees a ton of usage in that second unit if you’re looking for a tournament play in that price range. Mason Plumlee has been doing a lot with not many minutes over the past few games, if he can somehow get to that 30-minute range I like getting to him. Lastly, Delon Wright has at least 30 minutes in three straight games, he makes sense in this price range, but has the tendency to end up in Coach Casey’s dog house randomly for some reason. From the Heat, Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, Goran Dragic, and Gabe Vincent are all questionable here. We’re just going to need to get some news on this team before we can really analyze where to go here. That being said, jump in our VIP Coaching forums for all breaking news and who the impacted players are each and every night!

5-star play: Jerami Grant, TBD

4-star play: Blake Griffin, Mason Plumlee, Delon Wright, TBD

Deeper Value: None

GPP Sleeper: Derrick Rose, Blake Griffin, TBD

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Atlanta Hawks @ Portland Trailblazers

Vegas Total: 234.5

Vegas Spread: Por -4.5

Starting with Atlanta, Trae Young has been all over the place in terms of performance. He shot just 1-11 last night, but this is a spot where I’m going to get to him. I love targeting teams against the Blazers, they play fast and with little defense. Clint Capela continues to be pretty consistent in terms of fantasy production, with at least 31 DraftKings points in three of his last four games. With Jusuf Nurkic out for this Blazers team their interior defense takes a big hit, he’s a great option. The same can be said for John Collins who has been really volatile this season, he’s hard to trust in cash games but we know he has a massive ceiling which puts him firmly in play for GPPs. Bogdan Bogdanovic is going to miss some time here which will open up minutes for guys like Cam Reddish and Kevin Huerter. Lastly, De’Andre Hunter continues to be one of the more consistent producers for cash games on this team, I don’t hate him has a secondary option. From the Blazers, Damian Lillard has been held under 40 fantasy points in three of his last four games but still seeing huge minutes. We kind of know what we’re getting from him this season, either it’s a game in the mid 30’s or he pops off for 60-70 DraftKings points. I like him nonetheless at this price tag in a great matchup. CJ McCollum has surprisingly been the better option this season in terms of consistency. I think you can get to either one here, but I don’t want to pair them. I touched on Nurkic being out, Enes Kanter should slide right into the starting lineup. I don’t expect him to be thrown right into 30 minutes but he’s shown to be a nice point-per-minute producer in his career and is a great option here. Lastly, Carmelo Anthony and Robert Covington are fine GPP options if you’re looking to get more pieces from this game.

5-star play: Trae Young, Damian Lillard, Clint Capela

4-star play: John Collins, De’Andre Hunter, Cam Reddish, Jusuf Nurkic, CJ McCollum

Deeper Value: None

GPP Sleeper: John Collins, Cam Reddish, Carmelo Anthony, Robert Covington

NBA Lock of the Day: Dwight Howard (DK – $4.3k; $4.4k)

As I mentioned in the Sixers breakdown, they will be without center Joel Embiid in this game which will open up a ton of minutes and opportunity in that Philly frontcourt. I would expect Dwight Howard to slide in and get the start in his place. With Embiid off the court this season, Dwight Howard has a 16.8% usage rate and 1.08 fantasy points per minute. The Research Station below has him projected to be one of the top value options on the slate, projecting for 27.14 DraftKings points which would put him at 6.31x his DraftKings price tag. Tweet me (@MadnessDFS) your lock predictions and if your player gets over 5x tonight I’ll give you a shoutout on Twitter, let’s have some fun with this!

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