NBA Daily Punts: November 18, 2013
When I construct my NBA lineups, I usually start by taking a look at players with low salaries that will allow me to pay for a few top tier players. Most DFS lineups will consist of 2-3 value plays each night, depending on the site, and this article will act as a guide on which players to keep an eye on as the day moves along. As we all know with NBA, injury news will continue to pour in as we inch closer to tip-off, so check out the RotoGrinders Twitter Feed as roster lock approaches.
In order to be considered a “punt,” a player must meet Bargain Bin Baller status on either Fanduel (5500), Draftstreet (8500) or Draftkings (4500). I will typically make a note of which site a particular player is best suited for.
Guards
Tony Wroten – As long as MCW is on the shelf, Wroten will continue to see big minutes and should have no trouble outperforming his salary across the industry. He’s played an average of 38 minutes per game while filling in as the starting PG, and Sixers coach Brett Brown said on Saturday that he believed MCW would miss the entire three-game road trip, which concludes tonight against the Mavericks. Jose Calderon isn’t a great defender, and this game should be very fast-paced which plays to Wroten’s strengths. Dallas allows the 24th most points per game, while Philly sits dead last in the same category. Scoring shouldn’t be hard to come by in this one.
Shaun Livingston – This pick hinges on the health of Deron Williams, but as long as he’s out, Livingston should once again exceed value. His prices on Draftkings (3300) and Fanduel (3800) are particularly appealing, especially on a night with a shorter schedule. If D-Will sits, Livingston is almost a must play on both DK and FD, and his price on DS wouldn’t look so bad if he’s the starter. He has a nice height advantage over Damian Lillard and has a very high floor considering his price as long as he plays 30+ minutes.
Also receiving consideration: Mo Williams, Thabo Sefolosha, Kirk Hinrich
Forwards
Andray Blatche – It looks like Brook Lopez will miss a few games, so Blatche should see extended minutes for the foreseeable future. He started in the Nets last game against the Clippers while Lopez was on the shelf, and put up 19 points and 8 boards in a team-leading 34 minutes. Blatche is eligible at both power forward and center, depending on your site of choice, but he’s a great value option regardless. I included him as a forward because he’s eligible at PF on Fanduel and has a price tag of just 4300. He should be in your lineup on a short night unless you really feel good about a couple of the expensive PF’s.
Richard Jefferson – He doesn’t come without risk, but Richard Jefferson could be a sneaky GPP play tonight. He’s been seeing big minutes for the Jazz recently, playing no less than 32 minutes in his past three games. Jefferson is dirt cheap everywhere and will face off against Golden State, where he played the last two seasons. He has always been a three-point threat, which is something else to consider on sites which award a bonus for triples.
Also receiving consideration: Josh McRoberts, J.J. Hickson
Centers
DeJuan Blair – I’d love to see DeJuan Blair numbers if he played 35 minutes a night. Even in just under 22 minutes a game, Blair has been putting up impressive numbers, averaging about 10 points, 7.5 boards and two steals per game. I don’t think there is a better value at center on FD then Blair, who is priced at just 4600. He is priced just above the Bargain Bin Baller cutoff on DK, but he’s still a good option there as well. The match-up with the Sixers added to his impressive per-minute stats make him very appealing tonight.
Robin Lopez – If you aren’t into Blair (or are playing him at forward), Robin Lopez could be worth a look. It would be more interesting to see him go up against his brother, but he’ll likely be matched up with Blatche instead, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s tough to tell what Lopez’s minutes will look like since they’ve fluctuated so much this year, but when he sees over 30 minutes he usually posts a double-double. He won’t be highly owned and he does have some GPP upside, but the uncertainty with his playing time makes him risky.