NBA Starting 5 (GPP): Wednesday, November 29th

The Starting 5 Series will provide Grinders a quick look at the day’s top positional plays, as analyzed by one of our daily fantasy sports experts.

Wednesday, November 29th

What’s up everyone? Welcome back to another edition of Wining247’s GPP Starting 5. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving, as now Christmas is right around the corner. Hopefully this year I end up getting my shopping done before Christmas Eve. I have never been a huge fan of the holiday season, but the nice thing about Christmas is we have a solid slate of NBA games to look forward to.

I am feeling very confident in my picks tonight and hopefully we can get them right on this solid 10-game slate. As usual, I will be using DraftKings pricing and will try to keep each player under $9,000.

Point Guard: Kyle Lowry, Toronto Raptors – $7,800

Point guard is pretty loaded on this slate, but with all the questionable tags and studs, I find myself loving Kyle Lowry at this lower-than-usual price tag. Lowry has always been known for his consistency in his previous NBA seasons, and he is finally getting back on track after a slow start this season. Even in a blowout against the Hawks last game, he still made value while only playing in three quarters. The Raptors had the past few days off, which bodes well for any NBA player, and Lowry is getting his groove back offensively, as in his last three games he is 13-for-26 from behind the arc.

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The Raptors will host the Hornets, and this should be a closer game for Lowry and company. Vegas has the Raptors as eight-point favorites at home, and this game has a total of 206, though those numbers can obviously change throughout the day while we are waiting on the injury news. Still, Lowry always has triple-double upside and finds himself in a solid matchup with an affordable price tag. Enough said!

Kemba Walker is doubtful and DeMar DeRozan is also questionable. Make sure to keep an eye on these injuries, as if both are ruled out, Lowry becomes my favorite play on the slate.

Shooting Guard: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, LA Lakers – $5,800

The Lakers have been one of the toughest rotations to figure out this season under Luke Walton. One thing that has been consistent is the number of minutes KCP has been logging. On the season, he is playing close to 35 minutes a game. KCP has been one of the most consistent players in the Lakers offense this season, and I believe his shot attempts per game will only increase going forward. Caldwell-Pope could be in line for a career season, if he can stay healthy.

Tonight the Lakers will host the Warriors. Curry and Durant are probable for this game, and it’s no surprise that we have an extremely high total. Yes, I did see the large spread, but the Lakers are going to make a game out of this on their home floor. I will prepare myself for the Twitter hate, but I am sticking to my guns here — I do not believe this game will end in a blowout. That makes KCP the obvious play for me on the Lakers side. The game flow fits could not be any better for the shooting guard. He will be chasing around Curry, but that does not concern me here, as he guards the best opposing guard every night. Don’t let that scare you away.

Small Forward: Harrison Barnes, Dallas Mavericks – $6,100

Harrison Barnes may be the easiest play for me on the slate. The Brooklyn Nets bump is a real thing, and I have been looking for the right spot to jump on Barnes all season. The Nets play at one of the fastest paces in the NBA, so for once Dallas has a solid team total. The game being played in Dallas is always a worry, because I do believe the home team dictates the pace, but we can make an exception for this matchup with the Nets.

Barnes is another guy who sees a ton of court time, as he is averaging right above 35 minutes a game. He has a usage rate just under 25% on the season and has been producing more peripherals lately, so even if he has a poor night, he won’t tank your lineups.

Let’s recap and see what stands out for Barnes tonight: he’s seeing solid minutes, has a great matchup, possesses a high floor with high upside and is listed at a depressed price tag. There’s not much else to say except lock Barnes into your lineups and look to pivot elsewhere.

Power Forward: Kristaps Porzingis, New York Knicks – $8,200

I have been waiting to get back on the “Unicorn” bandwagon. Now is the time. Kristaps has been dealing with some back issues, most likely from carrying the team on his back to start the season. All jokes aside, he should be good to go here, and he is finally at a price tag low enough that I feel comfortable playing him again. Porzingis is averaging 27 points a game this season and should have no problem reaching that kind of number again in the Garden. He always gets it done in the block department too, as in his last four games he has eight blocks.

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Though Porzingis has been unpredictable on the boards so far this season, this matchup is too favorable to ignore. The Knicks will host the Heat, and Vegas has Miami favored by one point to go with a total at 201. This is a great spot for Porzingis, considering he is a matchup nightmare for the Heat, who have struggled to guard good shooting big men for the past few seasons. I love KP’s upside in this matchup and will be buying low on him here.

Center: Marc Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies – $8,300

I want to pay up at center on this slate, but I really do love this spot for Marc Gasol. The Grizzlies have been a complete mess this season with injuries and then the recent firing of their head coach. Now there are a lot of rumors flying around about Gasol and the coaching staff. That is a big reason why I believe Gasol is going to come out and make a statement tonight. I love the game environment, considering Memphis will need him to have a big night to even make this game competitive.

The total is low and the Spurs are favored by eight points, and while the Spurs have been known as a solid defensive team, they have struggled against opposing centers. Pau Gasol is obviously on his last legs, so Marc should have a field day against his brother and any other big men the Spurs throw at him, making him my favorite center priced under $9,000 on the slate.

About the Author

Wining247
Jack Hendrixson (Wining247)

Jack Hendrixson, aka wining247, is a top DFS player who is also a licensed plumber in his home state of Illinois. He’s a tournament specialist that has qualified numerous times for live finals utilizing a contrarian mindset. He can often be found providing expert analysis on GrindersLive shows and can be found on twitter under the username jkhendrixson.