NBA Daily Punts: December 27, 2013
When I start building my lineups, I like to look for a few low salary options that should have no trouble exceeding value. On most days, there will be a few injuries that open up opportunities for players who don’t typically see big minutes. A change in a teams rotation or a particular match-up can also be the cause of a value play emerging. As we all know, NBA injury news continues to pour in as the day moves along and is not usually made official until close to tip-off, so be sure to sign up for our NBA alerts and check out the RotoGrinders Twitter Feed leading up to roster lock.
In order to be considered a “punt,” a player must meet Bargain Bin Baller status on either Fanduel (5500), Draftstreet (9000) or Draftkings (4500). I will typically make a note of which site a particular player is best suited for.
Guards
Jordan Farmar – Ignoring his poor statistical output on Christmas day in his first game back, Farmar should be primed for solid production as the lone active point guard. Farmar was supposed to be on a minutes limit, but instead returned to 32 minutes and I wouldn’t expect that number to drop tonight. He’s matched up with Utah’s Trey Burke, who is still learning how to defend at the NBA level, so Farmar should have no trouble paying off his price on DraftKings ($3800), DraftDay ($6600) and DraftStreet ($8460).
Reggie Jackson – Russell Westbrook has been ruled out until the all-star break, so Jackson will step in as the starting point guard tonight against the Bobcats. While the match-up isn’t great, he’s still priced as if Westbrook were healthy, so he doesn’t need a huge game to pay off his price. For just $5500 on FanDuel, $9345 on DraftStreet and $4600 on DraftKings, he’s one of the best guard options on the board. Jeremy Lamb is also in play as he will see extra minutes/shot attempts as the sixth man with Westbrook on the shelf.
Also receiving consideration: Nick Young, Jodie Meeks, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Tim Hardaway Jr., Beno Udrih
Forwards
Tobias Harris – Since returning from an injury, Harris has stepped back into a major role for Orlando and sent Victor Oladipo back to the bench. For what he’s capable of, his price is still far too low on a few sites and he’s actually a pretty safe play (with big upside) since he seems to be locked into big minutes. His only BBB price is at FanDuel ($5300), but he’s still a nice play for under 11K at DraftStreet and $5500 at DraftKings. Harris is also extremely underpriced at DraftDay ($8750).
J.R. Smith – It looks as if Melo will sit out again tonight, which means Smith will once again serve as the number one scoring option for Mike Woodson. After five straight 30+ FP games, his price has somehow managed to fall to $4400 on FanDuel, making him pretty much a must-play for that price. His upside is obviously huge when Melo is out, but he does take a hit on sites which deduct for missed shots, which he will have a lot of tonight. However, he’ll still rack up a nice number of points mixed in with decent rebound and assist numbers. Add in a steal or two, and he should make it six straight 30+ FP games.
Also receiving consideration: Marvin Williams, Ersan Ilyasova, Mirza Teletovic, Iman Shumpert, Jordan Hill
Centers
Andray Blatche – He played poorly on Christmas Day and looked over-matched by the Chicago bigs, but he should have an easier time tonight against Milwaukee. While it looks like Larry Sanders will return tonight, the Bucks struggle to defend the paint and you have to think Blatche is looking for redemption after an embarrassing 1-11 shooting on Wednesday. He’s sitting at just $9203 on DraftStreet, which is where he is best used tonight among the major sites. Update: Blatche has been ruled OUT, and will miss the next three games. Mirza Teletovic will pick up value for the Nets. Chris Kaman is also another nice value option at center and is a little cheaper then Blatche.
Timofey Mozgov – Kenneth Faried has been ruled out of tonight’s game, so Mozgov should once again be called upon for extended minutes against Anthony Davis and the Pelicans. Mozgov is the top center value play tonight for $3900 on FanDuel, $3700 on DraftKings and $6700 on DraftDay. With New Orleans boasting a big front-court, Brian Shaw will need Mozgov’s size to match-up, and he’s certainly capable of posting a fantasy point per-minute played tonight.