As the all-star break nears, the game slates are becoming smaller. The 10th of February presents us with 5 games, and most aren’t pretty. Only one match-up, Rockets vs. Suns, has a line of over 200, and it is a game I recommend stacking. However, with a limited quantity, it’s hard to avoid games that aren’t the best for business. Today I’ll be doing the usual positional breakdown, giving my high-priced and value plays for each spot on the floor. As always, I highly recommend consulting our advanced spreadsheets when building your line-up.
Point Guard
Today, you won’t find a point guard priced above $8500, which I’m certainly not mad at. The lower-priced options available at this position will allow players to load up money into their big men positions, a strategy I love using. My relatively expensive play at point tonight will be Jarrett Jack. Although Deron Williams is healthy, he’s playing as if he’s still injured. Many feared that Jack would be in danger of losing valuable minutes, but he is proving to be much superior. Last night, Jack lit up a Bucks team that has been shutting down opposing point guards. He’ll get a much better match-up tonight against Mike Conley and co., and his price on every site is mouth-watering.
My cheap play tonight is a tad risky, and therefore I’m only recommending him as a strong GPP play. Aaron Brooks, the back-up point guard out of Chicago, has a great opportunity for increased minutes tonight. Vegas predicts an easy Bulls win tonight, as they have a 10.5 advantage over the Kings. Brooks generally gets a healthy amount of minutes, but will be relied on more tonight in garbage time. Our spreadsheets have him hitting at least 5 times his value tonight, and is a great play at nearly minimum salary.
Shooting Guard
Tonight’s high-ticket play is a no-brainer, and is a must-use in cash games: James “The Beard” Harden. Everyone will be on him tonight, and missing the train is unforgivable. He has the potential to put up 70 FPTs, and will have a great chance to do so against the Suns, as the O/U is set at 214 with a marginal spread of only 1.5 points. Harden will be relied on to lead the Rockets to victory tonight, in a high-paced game that will frequently give him opportunities on the wing.
I also love Jimmy Butler tonight as a contrarian play in GPPs. He’s about $2000 cheaper, so don’t hesitate to pull the trigger on a guy that gets 40 minutes on average, no matter the situation.
It’s tough to find shooting guard value tonight, so it may be necessary to branch out. As much as it pains me to recommend this guy, I believe that Lance Stephenson will hit value tonight, and our spreadsheets support that notion. The Pistons are disappointing when it comes to defending the wing, as the position for them remains to be in flux. Stephenson is inconsistent, but he’ll have much more opportunities with the ball as a result of injuries to Kemba Walker and MKG. Normally I wouldn’t recommend a streaky shooter like Lance, but the situation is just right. He’s priced below 5k on both FanDuel and DraftKings.
Small Forward
Small Forward sucks on any night, but it’s even worse for tonight’s slate, as there isn’t a single option priced above $6000 (this is assuming Rudy Gay will sit out). Therefore, I will be giving just one play for SF tonight, and it’s a guy I highly recommend; Wilson Chandler. He is the only Nugget that consistently shows signs of life, and his safe floor of about 20 FPTs makes him an ideal cash play tonight. I like Chandler a lot better on DraftKings, where he’s priced at only $5300. He has an ideal match-up tonight vs. the Lakers, and Vegas predicts this stinker of a game to stay close. Our spreadsheets have him projected at over 30 FPTs.
Power Forward
At this point you should have plenty of cash left over, and you need to feed that to Pau Gasol. Pau is without a doubt the best play tonight at power forward, and his inflated price tag is completely justified by his production. He’s a must play in cash, because if you don’t have him rostered, you most likely won’t place. His match-up tonight is greener than envy, and those that decide against rostering him will be quite jealous at the end of the night.
There’s plenty of value at the four tonight, but perhaps my favorite inexpensive play is Carlos Boozer. He may not be a starter with the Lakers, but an injury to Jordan Hill has introduced him to a realm of consistent minutes, and his play justifies this promotion. Although his time on the floor over the past two games is underwhelming, he will see plenty of action tonight in a close game vs. the Nuggets, who are absolutely atrocious at defending big men.
Center
Tonight, I’m afraid to recommend anyone other than DeMarcus Cousins. Boogie is the best center in the league, and he’s set to face a Bulls team that gets abused by big men on a nightly basis. Cousins is able to put up 60 FPTs effortlessly, and his match-up tonight vs. Joakim Noah will be fun to watch. Boogie will be a staple in nearly every cash game, which makes him a must-play. His salary is a little overwhelming, but you won’t regret making space for him.
Buyer Beware: Jusuf Nurkic makes for an interesting GPP play, but Nuggets head coach Brian Shaw is clearly insane, and never gives him the minutes he warrants. Roster him at your own risk.
