NBA DFS Playbook Position Coach: January 28, 2016

It is days like this I realize why I am in the writing end of the industry more than the radio end. I had to do a mock MLB draft on the radio this morning and as always I do any radio appearances from my office at the bar. My house was crazy this morning so I get to my office and realize my cell phone is sitting next to my laptop. I grab the cordless phone at the bar and see the bartender left the phone off the charger from the night before and it has only one bar of energy left. So what little choice do I have? I used it.

Have you ever tried to talk on a cordless phone as it is dying? The sound quality is horrible and the people on the other end keep cutting in and out until it just dies. This is what happened to yours truly on the radio today. Complete disaster. At one point I bid $42 dollars for Paul Goldschmidt when apparently the bidding was at $45 leaving me to be ridiculed. Jokingly, of course. My phone saved me at this point by completely dying. Story over. I have decided to go buy a real phone, not a cordless for these type of things to avoid this ever happening again. Live and learn.

I want to clear something up. When I say a team allows the most fantasy ppg to a position, I am talking FanDuel points. The reason I use FanDuel is because they do not use scoring bonuses. So it stands to reason that for the most part, if a team is allowing the most fantasy ppg on the season on FanDuel then they certainly are at the bottom or close to it across the industry.

With a nice six-game slate, tonight I bring you today’s position coach article.

Point Guard

The point guard position tonight is rather limited tonight and has a few possible injuries that could open up some value.

The first guy I plugged into my early cash game lineup tonight was John Wall. He has failed to hit the 40 fantasy point mark now in four straight games. This sounds bad but three of these were versus Miami, Boston, and Toronto. All teams that defend the point guard position well. Tonight he gets a much better matchup facing a Nuggets team that is allowing 23 ppg and the third most fantasy ppg on the season to point guards in game with a high 210 expected point total. What is not to like here?

Gollum, or Rajon Rondo, has recently achieved his precious triple-double versus the Pacers on Jan. 23. Rondo also has put up a double-double now in six straight games scoring over 40 fantasy ppg in two of his last three. The Kings tonight are 1.5-point favorites versus the Pelicans and this game has the highest expected point total of the evening at 216. The Pelicans are also allowing 23.1 ppg on the season to point guards and if I end up moving off of Wall, I am rolling out Gollum. Depending on how you spend up tonight you might fit both of them in your lineup.

Jrue Holiday has been on a tear. The guy has scored over 30 fantasy ppg now in five of his last six games averaging around 35 fantasy ppg. In his last game versus the Rockets he scored 32 points in 36 minutes with six rebounds and nine assists for 54.7 fantasy points on FanDuel. The Kings are allowing 22.7 ppg and the 24^th most fantasy ppg on the season to point guards and Holiday should dominate again tonight. When he comes through he will give new meaning to the term “holiday pay.”

The guy I currently have paired with Wall in my lineup is Jordan Clarkson. You know how much I love that late bullet and he certainly serves that purpose. The Lakers are also all beat up right now with Lou Williams, Kobe Bryant, and Julius Randle all GTD’s for different ailments. Clarkson is consistent scoring over 20 fantasy ppg in eight of his last 10 games going over 30 twice versus the Pelicans and the Mavericks. Tonight he faces a Bulls team that is also banged up and allowing the 26^th most fantasy ppg on the season to point guards. His price is fair and he could get 30 fantasy points tonight.

Kyle Lowry is questionable (wrist) and it appears there is a good chance he sits. If he does then Cory Joseph becomes a great value play for the low price of $3,700 on FanDuel and the minimum across the industry. Joseph has scored over 20 fantasy ppg in back-to-back games off the bench and given the minutes could give you 25 fantasy points facing a Knicks team allowing 21.3 ppg to point guards on the season.

Shooting Guard

Even if the Bulls-Lakers game is a blowout you still get value out of Jimmy Butler. Butler has scored over 40 fantasy ppg in four of his last 10 games with two double-doubles. He is averaging over 35 fantasy ppg and gets to beat up on a Lakers team allowing 22.7 ppg and the third most fantasy ppg to shooting guards on the season. We do not have tons of options to spend up on tonight and there is plenty of cheap value around so I see no reason not to spend up for Butler at a position with very few players with a high ceiling tonight.

If Kyle Lowry sits, the one player I will be figuring out a way to get into my cash game lineup is DeMar DeRozan. If Lowry sits DeRozan’s usage rate goes through the roof. He has scored over 30 fantasy ppg in six of his last 10 games going over the 40 mark on four of those occasions. The Knicks are pretty beat up themselves and are allowing over 20 ppg to shooting guards on the season. Outside of Butler he is the only other shooting guard tonight with a chance at hitting 50 fantasy points if he really goes off. I only use DeRozan if Lowry sits in cash games, otherwise I would only use him in GPP play.

Everyone is always on Will Barton to the point that very few people really take a look at Gary Harris. He has scored over 20 fantasy ppg in three straight while averaging over 25 fantasy ppg in the process. He is playing heavy minutes and has a low price of $4,700 on FanDuel. Tonight he gets a Wizards team allowing the 25^th most fantasy ppg to shooting guards which is a matchup I always prefer to take the Gary Harris-type against.

If Lou Williams (respiratory infection) sits tonight then Nick Young could be in line for some increased minutes. He played 26 minutes versus Dallas on Tuesday night scoring over 20 fantasy points. If he draws the start he gets a tough matchup with the Bulls allowing the fewest ppg to shooting guards on the season but his price is only $3,600 on FanDuel and the minimum across the industry. Certainly worth a risk in GPP.

Tony Allen is back in the Grizzlies starting lineup and Monday night he scored over 30 fantasy points while playing 40 minutes versus the Magic. I know this sounds terrible, but tonight he gets a better matchup with the Bucks allowing the 25^th most fantasy ppg to shooting guards on the season. As long as he gets the minutes I see no way you do not get 20 fantasy points tonight for peanuts.

Small Forward

"Limited" is the word that comes to mind when looking over tonight’s slate at small forward. With little choice, the first player I inserted into my cash game lineup is Danilo Gallinari. The “Italian Stallion” is carrying the Denver offense night after night, scoring over 30 fantasy ppg in seven of his last 10 games hitting the 40 point mark twice. The Wizards are allowing 22.4 ppg and the second most fantasy ppg to small forwards and if Gallinari gets going tonight you are looking at another 40 fantasy point night for only $6,900 on FanDuel and similar pricing across the industry.

Alonzo Gee has gained the starting small forward job for the Pelicans. His price is only $4,000 on FanDuel and tonight he faces a Kings team allowing the 19^th most fantasy ppg to small forwards. The matchup is not as great as I like but his price, the high 216 expected point total, and a close (-1.5) Sacramento line drive this pick. It also helps that Gee is averaging around 24 fantasy ppg over the last three. I currently have him paired with Gallinari in my early cash game lineup.

With Rudy Gay out tonight Omri Casspi is in the starting rotation. Casspi, when playing enough minutes, easily has the ability to get you 25 fantasy points. Tonight he faces a tough matchup with New Orleans allowing the 10^th fewest fantasy ppg to small forwards but with little to choose from if I am going to throw a dart outside the two guys above Casspi is where I am aiming it.

With Carmelo Anthony (knee) out tonight, Lance Thomas is projected to start at small forward for the low price of $3,800 on FanDuel. Last night versus OKC he scored over 25 fantasy points in 41 minutes. Once again I prefer players who average a point per-minute, but beggars cannot be choosers on a slate with little in the way of viable options at a position. The matchup is horrible with Toronto allowing the fifth fewest fantasy ppg to small forwards on the season and a low 18.1 ppg. He is a true boom or bust GPP play and I can tell you right now that I won several tickets to the $50 GPP this week on FanDuel and I plan on having Thomas in at least one of them. GPP only for sure.

Power Forward

Two things in life I am willing to bet the farm on.

1.) My ability to piss my wife off by pretending I am listening to her while I am actually checking my phone to see how I am doing in DFS.

2.) That the first two power forwards you are about to read about will be highly owned in your cash games tonight.

The first player I eagerly inserted into my early cash game lineup was Ryan Anderson. Anthony Davis is doubtful tonight as always. Apparently he sprained the tip of his pinky finger opening a can of tuna fish. That is not true, but he is dealing with concussion protocol which is tricky. Either way, if Davis plays or not I am using Anderson. He has scored over 30 fantasy ppg in back-to-back games and the matchup tonight could not be sweeter. The Kings are allowing the second most fantasy ppg to the power forward position on the season and for the low price of $5,700 on FanDuel you, me, my cousin, his cousin, and everyone else will be using him and for good reason.

Willie Cauley-Stein is the other player everyone will have tonight along with Anderson. If you do one scrap of research or listen to even 10 minutes of fantasy sports radio you will get these plays. They are obvious and contain the highest upside for the price.

Since joining the Kings' starting rotation, Cauley-Stein has been one of the most exciting players to watch in the NBA. I find myself staying up late just to watch him Boogie dance all over their opposition. Cauley-Stein has scored 33.5, 29.2, 28.4, 20.8, and 31.9 fantasy points on FanDuel. His price has barely moved at $4,500 and facing a Pelicans team allowing 21.4 ppg and the most fantasy ppg to centers (where he is playing) makes him a lock.

You know I always say it is hard not to pick on the Lakers. When you have a player like Taj Gibson, who is capable of putting up a decent fantasy score for a low price, playing against them you have to take a look. The Lakers are allowing the 21^st most fantasy ppg to power forwards and Gibson has the ability to score over 30 fantasy points as long as he gets the minutes. I will have some GPP exposure to him tonight.

I rarely use Zach Randolph. I guess the only reason is I always seem to find another player that I like who is even cheaper, or a player I feel I should just spend a few bucks to upgrade to. Much like Carmelo Anthony he is one of the players I write about often but never actually use. I do check, though. Many nights I have been in a bad mood because I have written in my article how I should use Anthony but probably will not and then he has had a big game while I stuck to the "did not" part. Randolph has a sweet matchup tonight facing a Bucks team allowing 22.5 ppg and the 25^th most fantasy ppg on the season to power forwards. Randolph is a guy who tops just over the 20 fantasy mark on most nights but has shown us 30 fantasy point upside on occasion. Just to go outside the obvious, I will use him tonight in my GPP lineup.

So with no Carmelo Anthony tonight a lot of people will be on Kristaps Porzingis and I certainly cannot blame them. The guy I would be looking at, though, is Derrick Williams. In the last eight games Williams has scored over 20 fantasy points six times going over 30 once and 40 twice. The Raptors are allowing 20.2 ppg to power forwards on the season but are only allowing the ninth fewest fantasy ppg as well. His price is bottom of the barrel at $4,900 on FanDuel and I see no way I do not use him in some fashion.

Center

It seems every night, center is the same. Either you pay up for DeMarcus Cousins or go with some really cheap guy who is putting up decent fantasy numbers. Nowadays it seems the GPP play is to play any of the other centers. You think I am lying? Check the ownerships in your cash games tonight.

I will not lie. I built my early cash game lineup around DeMarcus Cousins. How can you not? He has scored over 50 fantasy points in seven of his last 10 games scoring over 60 three times. If you show me any other player on FanDuel at center who can give you these numbers tonight then I clearly did not do my homework. The Pelicans are allowing 21.4 ppg to power forwards (where he is playing) and I plan on boogying all the way to the cash line tonight. If you are playing on a site where Cousins is at PF where he belongs, then of course he is a must-start there as well.

If you decide to go against the dancing vibes Boogie is sending out then Pau Gasol with Joakim Noah out is logging some heavy minutes. He is playing in excess of 30 minutes per night which at his age is quite trying I imagine. I know how I feel just going shopping. With the Bulls playing the Lakers tonight, if it becomes a blowout they might take this chance to give the aged veteran a rest. But if he gets the minutes the Lakers are allowing 22 ppg and the second most fantasy ppg to centers on the season. You cannot ask for a better matchup with Gasol averaging close to 40 fantasy ppg.

The third center tonight I will be using is Ian Mahinmi. He played 29 minutes in his first game back from injury scoring 30 fantasy points on FanDuel. He is one of those guys I only take in a good matchup like tonight facing a Hawks team allowing 21 ppg and the fourth most fantasy ppg to centers on the season. His price is low at $5,000 and with his return Myles Turners minutes dropped to just 18.

Good luck and tonight Mark Kaplan, Ben Scherr, and I believe Jeff Mans are dong a live DFS NBA chat at 6 p.m.