The NBA Daily Plays for Monday, November 16th breaks down the best Stud, Value and GPP plays at each position for FanDuel and DraftKings daily fantasy sports contests. The Stud & Value plays should be considered relatively chalky and should be safe for cash games. The GPP plays dig a little deeper to hopefully find some low owned talent who could pay off big in a Guaranteed Prize Pool contest. We also have our NBA projections page to help in your DFS research.
Game Lines
Point Guard
Studs
Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder (FD $11,400, DK $12,200) –
Cardinal rule of Daily Fantasy Basketball: When Kevin Durant is out, go all in on Russell Westbrook. Versus Boston, the Thunder rode the point guard for a 43% usage rate, a ridiculous stat that needs to be exploited. No one can defend Westbrook, and that includes a solid defender in Mike Conley. If you aren’t playing #0 in your cash games, you must hate money.
Damian Lillard, Portland Trailblazers (FD $9,100, DK $8,700) –
Lillard has cooled down a bit recently, which has caused his salary to take a dip across the industry. Tonight is the night to take advantage, as he faces a Spurs defense that has been generous towards opposing point guards. I love Lillard on DraftKings, as his salary is sub-9k, and San Antonio is allowing 52.1 FPTs per game to opposing point guards over their last five outings.
Values
Marcus Smart, Boston Celtics (FD $5,300, DK $4,500) –
Marcus Smart showed the league what he was capable of last night, scoring 26 points against Russell Westbrook. Smart showed inconsistency as a rookie, but it seems that coach Brad Stevens is ready to rely on the point guard, as he’s averaged 32 minutes over his last two contests. Smart brings scrappy defense to the table as well, and that will come in handy tonight against a sloppy Houston team. The sophomore is an excellent value play across the industry.
GPP Plays
Isaiah Thomas (FD $7,200, DK $7,100) –
Isaiah Thomas is slowly being phased back into his sixth man role, but his production has remained steady. Now that the Celtics front court is healthy, it’s a crowded room, and it’s difficult to predict who will make the most impact. Thomas has the potential to explode for 40+ fantasy points, but can disappoint at his salary with 20 point stinkers. Buyer beware.
Shooting Guard
Studs
Eric Bledsoe (FD $8,700, DK $8,400) –
To start the season, Eric Bledsoe has been a premier cash game play. He’s scored double-digits in every contests, and has frequently come close to a triple-double. Tonight may be the night that the guard cashes in, as Bledsoe will enjoy an easy match-up vs. the putrid Lakers defense. Bledsoe may even get some time at the point tonight, which increases his value that much more. Be sure to include the Suns’ star in every cash lineup.
Values
Louis Williams, Los Angeles Lakers (FD $5,100, DK $4,600) –
Kobe Bryant won’t play tonight, which means Louis Williams will see close to 30 minutes tonight. Lou Will may be a bit overpriced on FanDuel, but he’s in a sweet spot on DraftKings, especially if his cold shooting streak snaps. I don’t see the guard as much of a risk tonight at his price point.
GPP Plays
James Harden, Houston Rockets (FD $10,200, DK $10,300) –
After a disappointing start to the season, the Beard is back. Over his last five contests, the do-it-all guard is averaging 33 points, and is stuffing every other category of the stat sheet as well. The Rockets are pretty horrible, and that results in Harden getting all the minutes he can handle. According to our spreadsheets, the Celtics have shutdown opposing shooting guards, but Harden is basically matchup-proof.
Small Forward
Studs
Paul George, Indiana Pacers (FD $9,200, DK $9,200) –
Speaking of studs, Paul George is the epitome of the word. In a weak position across the industry, George is a beacon of shining light, dominating the floor every single night. The small forward is scoring as much as anyone, and is feeding at the rim as well. The all star will see a lot of Jimmy Butler defense tonight, which may scare a lot of people off. I still love him tonight, and have no issues with paying for his underpriced salary.
Values
Jae Crowder, Boston Celtics (FD $5,000, DK $5,500) –
If you’re looking for an inexpensive complement for your line-up tonight, Jae Crowder is an excellent choice. His production and time on the floor has been consistent, and he’ll have the opportunity to take advantage of a weak Houston wing defense. Look for Crowder to play some four tonight as well, as the boards should come in bunches.
GPP Plays
Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs (FD $8,400, DK $8,200) –
It seems that Leonard (upper-respiratory infection) will give it a go tonight, but his match-up is less-than-ideal. The Spurs are projected as 12 point favorites over the Blazers, and this one could get messy fast. Coach Pop could give Leonard all he can handle, or he could elect to sit him when the game gets out of hand. I think Portland will keep this one close, and Kawhi makes for a great pivot from Paul George.
Power Forward
Studs
Pau Gasol, Chicago Bulls (FD $8,100, DK $7,400) –
Gasol has started to turn it on as of late, after a fairly disappointing start to his 2015-16 campaign. Over his last three games, the power forward has done his job, dominating the post with both points and boards. Indiana doesn’t have anyone to stop Pau, and he’s in line for a big night. At his price tag on DraftKings, he makes for an excellent play.
GPP Plays
LaMarcus Aldridge, San Antonio Spurs (FD $8,100, DK $7,100) –
If Kawhi Leonard sits tonight, or is even limited, LaMarcus Aldridge becomes a great GPP play. Aldridge has struggled to find production in a crowded San Antonio front court, but took full advantage of Leonard’s absence on Saturday. The newly-acquired power forward flashed his Portland potential, scoring 17 points with 19 boards. Even if Leonard plays, Aldridge is a tempting risk on DraftKings at $7.1k
Center
Values
Tyson Chandler (FD $5,600, DK $5,300) –
Rule of thumb this season: play centers vs. the Lakers. Los Angeles is giving up 59.5 FanDuel PPG to opposing centers this season- yes, 59.5. Chandler has been disappointing since joining the Suns, but I think he’ll absolutely dominate tonight. There isn’t a better play on the board at center.
GPP Plays
Jahlil Okafor, Philadelphia Sixers (FD $6,700, DK $7,200) –
An incredible rookie, Okafor is liable to both explode and disappoint. He put up 21 points vs. the Spurs on Saturday, and yet barely made an impact on the spreadsheet the day previously. I think Okafor has another great game tonight, vs. the uninspiring defense of Zaza Pachulia. If you’re looking to spend up a tad at center, Jahlil is a fine pivot.
