NBA DFS Playbook Position Coach: November 2, 2015

You know one of the things I love about playing Daily Fantasy Basketball is the lack of variance. In baseball Mike Trout can go 0-for-4 five nights straight on you despite the numbers or the hard research you put in. In the NBA, Russell Westbrook usually provides you with what you pay for. This makes it easier to determine the best possible plays with a lot higher success rate. With all this being said it does not guarantee us victory every night.  Sometimes it is just not in the cards. DFS is a lot like marriage, you have your really good days, your really bad days, and days you are just happy to break even. Let’s try and win some cash together tonight. As always I will be back to check the messages in here throughout the day in case you have any questions.

POINT GUARD

Russell Westbrook has been an absolute monster and is coming off a near triple-double, putting 14 points, 13 assists, and eight rebounds in the record books. Tonight he is going to be in a shootout with Houston in a close game with a (-2) line and 215 O/U.

Surprisingly as bad as the New York Knicks are fantasy-wise they are playing extremely well. They are playing at a pace of game of 105.6 and currently have a 107.0 offensive efficiency. Jose Calderon put up 10 points in 21 minutes against the Wizards on Saturday. Tonight he’s facing a Spurs team that is reportedly going to rest some players and is ranked 28^th versus the PG position.

Stephen Curry is hard not to play even if I do rank him third today at the position. I just have a hard time putting any player in versus a team that defends extremely well versus the PG position (7^th). That, and that only, is why he is No. 3. But, I wouldn’t put Latavius Murray in against the New York Jets defense, either.

Ricky Rubio has put up double-digit points in three straight games now and I see no reason why that will not continue tonight playing against a Portland team that fails miserably at defending the PG position. The game has a (-5.5) line but I find that a bit high and think this game has a shot at getting to overtime which is fantasy gold. If only I could see the future.

Michael-Carter Williams, despite what people may think, is a great player. Now that he is playing a decent amount of minutes he is quickly becoming a great play at the right price. I say he puts up 20 points tonight.

SHOOTING GUARD

James Harden is well, James Harden. And tonight he is facing an Oklahoma team that is (-2) favorites. This suggests they will be playing from behind and Harden will be putting in maximum minutes. I am not a huge fan of stacking in the NBA but if I was going to, this would be the game. Harden is a must-play in cash games tonight.

Giannis Antetokounmpo has put up 20 or more points in three straight games and should easily achieve that tonight facing the Nets in a close game.

Although I usually avoid games with two teams both playing at a slower pace of game I still like J.R. Smith versus the Sixers who are ranked 27^th versus the SG position. He is coming off a bad two-point performance in his last start and I expect him to put up double-digit fantasy points tonight for a decent price across the industry.

Taking C.J. McCollum in fantasy reminds me a lot of hitting on women at a bar when I was single. Although I love the play it sometimes leaves my wallet empty. I do not expect this to be the case tonight against a Minnesota team that struggles to stop SG from taking advantage of them.

The Golden State Warriors are favored tonight by nine points. Whenever I see that I look for ways to exploit it. One way is to pick a guy or two on the other team. Why? Simple: Stephen Curry may sit for a bit if it becomes a blowout but a guy like Courtney Lee will stay in firing away to try and catch up. You add in the 15-point performance the other night and he becomes a fine play.

SMALL FORWARD

Kevin Durant tonight is going to be firing on all cylinders and is a must-play tonight along with James Harden in cash games. A high O/U, close game, and Houston team that is 29^th against the SF position begs to be taken advantage of.

Much to the chagrin of taking Durant today you have to put his opposite in play as well. Trevor Ariza has the ability to put up near 20 points on any given night and why not tonight, facing the team dead last in defense against the SF position…The Thunder.

Harrison Barnes is a name you will see me write many times this season. He always remains cheap across the industry no matter how many nights he outperforms his price point. He is coming off of an 11-point and seven-rebound performance and I see no reason why he cannot top that tonight.

I cannot tell a lie. I hate LeBron James, I have since the first time I saw that stupid photo of him wearing a king’s crown. “King James”, blah, blah. I have not taken him so many times in daily fantasy for this reason it is silly.  Well, tonight my need for cash will overcome my lack of love for “King James” as I will have some GPP exposure to him.

Kawhi Leonard has been a fantasy cash register so far this season. He is coming off of a 19-point game with a little bit of everything thrown in with it. He is averaging over 30 fantasy points per game and is becoming almost a must play. The rumor is that Spurs players might rest tonight facing a Knicks team that is, well, the Knicks. For this reason he is to be considered a GPP play only.

POWER FORWARD

I am not going to go crazy telling you how awesome Blake Griffin is because if I have to do that then hit the little “X” up in the right hand corner of your computer screen and say goodbye. Griffin is scoring huge points on a nightly basis. But, like I said…you should know this.

Serge Ibaka had 18 points and seven rebounds on Sunday night. Tonight he gets to take part in the Houston shootout versus a Rockets team ranked 29^th versus the PF position. Ibaka, Kevin Durant, and James Harden should all be in your cash games tonight.

On the first Noel, the A…ok, I will stop. I am not much of a singer. But I do like cash and Nerlens Noel has a knack for helping me find it. Tonight I am pretty sure he will be defended largely in part by a bench player. Who? That remains to be seen.

It is hard to ignore Kevin Love tonight. He puts up double-digit points and rebounds on a nightly basis and faces a Sixers team ranked 27^th against the PF position. A great cash game and GPP play.

Thaddeus Young puts up near double-doubles on a nightly basis and tonight faces a Bucks team ranked dead last against his position. For the cheap price and offensive upside Young is a great GPP play tonight.

CENTER

DeAndre Jordan put up 15 points, 18 rebounds, and threw in seven blocks just to say thank you the other night versus the Kings. Tonight he is playing in a game with an expected point total of 212 against a team that moves almost as fast as the Clippers' pace of game-wise. He should have a huge night and is the only center worth paying up for in cash games.

If  I was from Boston I would refer to Karl-Anthony Towns as a “Monstah” because he is a beast. He put up 28 points and 14 rebounds against the Nuggets last Friday night and I see no reason why he cannot match that tonight in what should be a close game.

Timofey Mozgov, on most nights, is not much to look at. On a night for the most part where I see little reason to spend much on the center position he makes a fine punt option facing the Sixers whose defense is incapable on containing centers. A GPP play only here.

Festus Ezeli continues to remain the minimum to near-minimum price depending on what site you are playing on. If Andrew Bogut is out tonight, which I expect him to be, then Ezeli for the price is a must-play. If Bogut plays, leave Ezeli alone.

*One last note: Keep an eye on value plays tonight off the Spurs Bench.