Starting 5: DvP - Sunday, February 22nd
The Starting 5 Series will provide Grinders with a quick look at the day’s top positional plays, analyzed through the lens of our Daily Research Tools.
For today’s Sunday Funday Starting 5, we’ll take a closer look at the Defense vs Position tool. This is one of the tools I really like to use. Typically I toggle back and forth between the full season and the last three weeks to see which teams are currently struggling against the various positions. For the charts below, I will reference the last three weeks.
Point Guard: Mo Williams (CHA)
Gimme some Mo!!! Last night Williams looked great in his debut with Charlotte. With all of the various injuries besetting the Hornets, they have been starved for an NBA quality point guard. Brian Roberts has been doing his best, but he is replacement level at best. Enter Mo Williams who has had a solid NBA career and can still ably run a team.
Tonight opposition, the Mavericks, have given up the most fantasy points per game to opposing points guards over the last three weeks (it is an eight game sample so it is a decent trend developing). Williams is favorably priced across all daily sites and is a good value if you are not yet ready to trust Isaiah Canaan.
Shooting Guard: Victor Oladipo and Evan Fournier (ORL)
Editor’s Note: Tobias Harris will start tonight’s game.
The 76ers are among the dregs of the Association in most DvP aspects, but they are especially bad against shooting guards, allowing the second-most fantasy points this season and the fifth most over the last three weeks. There is a good chance that Tobias Harris will sit this game out, which will elevate Evan Fournier to the starting five once more.
Regardless of Harris’ status, Oladipo ranges from a good play to a fantastic play for H2H formats and his projection range is 34-38 fantasy points tonight…with a little upside based on the circumstances.
Small Forward: Evan Turner (BOS)
Yes, he is not an exciting play, however, he is back at the SF position and has actually been steady over his last five games averaging 7.8 ppg, 7.0 rpg and 7.6 apg. He gets a date with the Los Angeles Lakers, who have been in a downward spiral over the last three weeks against small forwards. Turner will be overlooked tonight and I like him as a nice differentiation play and a way to get a slice of the fantasy goodness that will be going around in the Sunday nightcap.
Power Forward: Brandon Bass (BOS)
The Lakers have also been slipping against power forwards over their last six games, allowing the eighth-most fantasy points in that stretch. They’re changing up their starters at the frontcourt positions today, but it shouldn’t change the fact that they can’t defend bigs very well.
With Jared Sullinger out for the season and Kelly Olynyk still injured, Bass was probably already on your radar tonight. This matchup should give you even more confidence in utilizing him as tremendous discount option.
Center: Roy Hibbert (IND)
Did you know that the Dubs have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to centers over the last three weeks? And they have actually been in the bottom half of the league for most of the season? We have all been burned by Hibbert before, but you have to agree that he makes for a sneaky tournament play who is going to barely be used by anyone!