NBA Starting 5 (GPP): Friday, February 10th
What’s up, everyone? Welcome back to another edition of the NBA GPP Starting 5. Man, does time fly? We are already into February and over halfway into the NBA season.
On to my rant of the week, and that is coaches who love to switch their starting lineups just to mix it up and send statements. As a former basketball player, all I know is that when my coach gave me a short leash, it made me play tighter. If these players are worried about losing their starting spots and playing time because of making one bad play, most of the time they are going to come out timid and less aggressive. This only goes for certain teams and certain players. Some players play better with that motivation and others simply do not, but this approach will only hurt the chemistry of the team in most instances. Now, on to fantasy!
Last week my picks were mediocre at best, so hopefully I can get back to my recent streak. One thing I would like to mention is that these picks are done earlier in the day, so follow me on Twitter for my updates if someone were to be a late scratch. Hopefully I can repeat the recent success and get to the golden 5-for-5 that we all love to see. As usual, these picks are tournament only, unless stated otherwise.
Today we have a nice nine-game slate, so let’s take a look.
Point Guard: Derrick Rose, New York Knicks – $6,300 on DraftKings
It’s tough for me sell you on a player that I am not a big fan of, but we cannot be biased in the DFS world. Derrick Rose looked a lot better on his ankle last time out against the Clippers. He had a solid performance and was flirting with a triple double. I am not a fan of him because he doesn’t play with passion, is not a true point guard and does not pass enough, but hey that is great for us. Looking at his shot attempts per game on the season, he is second on the team just above Porzingis at about 16 a game, while Melo is obviously first.
Now, what really stood out for me on my choice of Derrick Rose is his plus matchup against the Nuggets. On the season, Denver has been one of the worst teams at guarding the point guard spot, and it has really shown in their past couple games. Rose should have a field day, and as long as he gets his normal allotment of minutes, he should have no problem making value in this plus spot. When Rose has been healthy, he is averaging right around 32 minutes a game.
Shooting Guard: Nick Young, Los Angeles Lakers – $3,900
Yes, you did read that correctly. I am recommending Nick Young as a play, but hear me out first. The shooting guard position is somewhat ugly on this slate in my opinion, so I would like to find some value here (perhaps better value will open up later on in the day). Young’s price has come down to a price that I am comfortable playing him at. His minutes have been in flux lately, but that was mostly due to blowouts. Young has been a consistent starter for Luke Walton and is always a good tournament play on DraftKings because of the three-point bonus.
The main reason I am recommending him is his matchup against the Bucks. While the matchup does not look great on paper, I heard an interesting stat in a recent podcast. Milwaukee has been in the bottom half against shooting guards, mainly because of Jason Kidd’s philosophy, which is to double the point guard off any pick and roll. That leaves the shooting guards wide open from three. The Lakers run a lot of pick and roll, so this should set up Nick Young to have some open looks; the only question is whether he can knock them down, but at his price I’m more than willing to take that chance. One possible hiccup would be if Kidd changes his scheme after the injury to Jabari Parker.
Small Forward: Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs – $8,200
This position could not be any easier for me on DraftKings, as Kawhi’s price is a complete joke. I really don’t understand how his price goes down after his recent level of play. There is not much explanation I need to give, but here it is. In Kawhi’s last 10 games, he has gone under 40 DraftKings points once, and in that one matchup he posted 39.25 fantasy points. He should be a lock in cash, and at his price he is also a solid tournament play, considering he provides enough upside.
The Spurs head to Detroit to take on the Pistons, who have been nothing special on the defensive end against small forwards. Vegas has this matchup with a close spread and a highish total (for a Spurs game). If this game stays somewhat close and Kawhi is needed throughout, he should have no problem crushing his value. I am not worried about his ownership. My only worry is if San Antonio pulls the resting move, but I doubt they will.
Power Forward: Kristaps Porzingis, New York Knicks – $6,900
As you all know by now, I hate to pick players from the same game, but this is just a great spot for the Knicks in general. Porzingis is starting to get back in form, and in his recent game he also found his jump shot. He shot over 50% from the field and also made four three-pointers on seven attempts. Kristaps has the great upside we like for tournaments, as with his length he has seven blocks and three steals in his last four games. As always, the major concern is if can he stay out of foul trouble, though that should not be a problem here.
Tonight the Knicks host the Nuggets, who play at a very fast pace. Playing in a game with one of the highest totals on the board and an extremely close spread, this play becomes even better. With all the injuries on the Nuggets this season, it is hard to truly know how they have been against power forwards, but in their last five games they have been one of the worst in the league. If Porzingis can stay on the floor for over 30 minutes, he should have no problem making value. Now that he is starting to look healthy again, I will be targeting him while I can at his lowered price.
Center: Marcin Gortat, Washington Wizards – $6,100
This pick should come as no surprise, as Gortat has been one of the most consistent centers in the NBA this season. He is averaging a double-double on the season, and I will take that at his low price. Sometimes you need the glue guys and to take those chances elsewhere in your lineups. His minutes are starting to climb back up to where we like to see them, as he has played over 32 minutes in his last four games. To prove his consistency, in his last seven games he does not have one game under 35 DraftKings points.
The Wizards will host the Pacers in what should be a good game; while the Wizards are favored by a decent amount, the game should stay competitive enough that Gortat gets his court time. The Pacers have been above average on the defensive end against centers, but Gortat has shown he is pretty close to matchup proof, and Myles Turner defense does not scare me against “The Polish Hammer”.