NBA DFS Playbook Position Coach: November 9, 2015

It was a weekend of ups and downs. Although I may do OK at DFS NBA and MLB, the NFL is a different story. Do not get me wrong, I know way more than the average bear but compared to other guys on the site like Howard Bender, Jeff Mans and Ray Flowers my knowledge is lackluster to say the least. This staff has guys that have won major championships, actually graduated college, and live in much nicer homes in much better neighborhoods than yours truly.

As for me, I am that loner child who spent his home life in his room watching sports instead of playing them, writing down stats from box scores instead of achieving them, and lost my virginity way too late in my opinion. What do we all have in common? All of us, and I mean all of us, care. We read your comments, answer your questions, and take time away from our lives because we want to provide you with the best possible information at our fingertips that comes from sound research and years of watching sports instead of chasing girls. We are a team here, from the hockey guys down to the college football guys and right down to the guys who do player notes, we are a team. The FantasyAlarm Crew. As subscribers you are as well. We are all part of this team together. Now let’s win some money.

We have seven games on the slate tonight which opens the door to a much wider player pool. Thank God. I had a miserable time making a lineup last night and last minute value plays eluded me with football on, dinner time, etc. In other words, what could have been a great night turned out to be a break even. On some of the sites the pricing is really hard. You will notice this when you start building your lineups across the industry if you do that sort of thing. I have been trying some new sites this week to expand my horizons and search for overlays for quick cash outs. This is perhaps an article for another day. I will say this and I am getting nothing from saying it. If you are new, FanDuel is the easiest site to construct a decent lineup on. In my opinion, of course.

Point Guard

Some guys do not like to take players in back-to-back games. I do not subscribe to that theory. If I played 20 minutes of NBA basketball, and I managed to survive, I would not be able to play the next day. Not that I could last 20 minutes either. So I have no fear of playing Damian Lillard tonight. He put up a double-double last night versus Detroit netting 26 points and 11 assists. Tonight he faces the team surrendering the 29^th-most points to the PG position, the Denver Nuggets. I say he puts up over 40 fantasy points tonight easily.

I know someone is reading this and saying how can you not make Stephen Curry No. 1? Simple, although Curry has been exceptional he is at the point where he needs to put up 50 fantasy points per night to achieve value. I believe he will have a great night and put up 45 fantasy points or so but is that worth it for the price? I find great mid-priced plays to be the theme tonight for cash games and no need to take risk at the price facing a Detroit team that is ranked fifth versus the PG position. I will have GPP exposure tonight to Curry.

Every time I see Rajon Rondo I think of The Lord of the Rings movies. You have to admit he does look a bit like Golem. Well, tonight the basketball will be his precious. In his last game he had a triple-double versus the Warriors and is averaging 12 points, seven assists, and six rebounds per game. Tonight he gets the Spurs who are allowing the 24^th-most points to the PG position. I am pairing him with Lillard in cash games tonight.

Although Reggie Jackson may not have the same bravado as the baseball player or a cool candy bar he is fast becoming one of the top PGs in the NBA. He is averaging 23 points per game and put up 40 points versus the Trail Blazers on Sunday night. Averaging over 35 fantasy ppg and in a great matchup facing the Warriors, who surrender the 26^th-most points to the PG position, makes him a great cash and GPP option.

If you do not want to spend up and are looking to save a few bucks tonight let’s talk about T.J. McConnell. The Sixers are a bevy of value on a nightly basis and if you are not seeing it then start looking. McConnell is not putting up many points but has put up near double-doubles in rebounds and assists in three-of-four starts. You can count on an easy 20-plus fantasy points for peanuts across the industry.

A few other guys in great matchups who just missed the cut were George Hill, Emmanuel Mudiay, and if Chris Paul is out you should take a look for a value play in Austin Rivers.

Shooting Guard

Let's just cut to the chase here: C.J. McCollum is hands down my favorite play at the SG position tonight. Denver is allowing the most points to the SG position in the NBA and McCollum is averaging over 30 fantasy ppg in what is slated to be a close shootout tonight with a high expected point total of 207.5. A must-play in cash games and GPP tonight.

Even though he is playing at SF in real life, FanDuel has Evan Fournier listed under the SG position making him a top play tonight. He is averaging almost 20 ppg right now and is getting all the playing time in the world. For the price, versus the Pacers who struggle to defend the SF position, he is a great play.

*Notice I said the SF position in the defensive matchup. Do not forget when researching to research from the position they are playing in and not where FanDuel has them.

The SG position to me seems thin today along with SF position. Maybe it is the way I do my research, but I find my list of plays in these two categories very small. However, one guy I do like tonight is Courtney Lee. Lee has scored double-digits in three of his last five games, almost hitting 20 once. He remains dirt cheap across the industry, and by cheap I mean near minimum and has the potential tonight to get you 25 fantasy points versus the Clippers who are allowing the 23^rd-most points to the SG position. Not to mention I love that late bullet. He will make a great GPP play tonight.

On a night like tonight you cannot ignore Klay Thompson. He has nearly scored 20 points in three of his last five games and is running down the center of the road in rebounds and assists. I am waiting for him to have that monster night and I have been riding him, waiting for it in GPP play and will tonight as well.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is playing in a game tonight where the Pistons are 14-point underdogs. I really believe KCP will get plenty of opportunity tonight in this high-scoring affair and he is averaging 15 ppg. He has the potential tonight to put up 25 fantasy points.

Small Forward

Guys, and hopefully at least a few gals, let me tell you. This position is thin. And by thin it makes Karen Carpenter look like those people at the buffet who wear sweatpants so they can eat more without their tummies feeling constricted.

One guy I do like, though, is Marcus Morris. He has put up over 20 points twice in his last three games and is averaging almost seven rebounds per game. His price remains low across the industry and has the potential tonight to get you 30 fantasy points for cheap in what is supposed to be a Warriors blowout. I say it’s much closer than the gods in Vegas think and Morris is a big part of it. I am all in on him in cash games tonight.

Al-Farouq Aminu, whose name I have to look up to type every time I write about him, is averaging over 25 fantasy ppg for a price that is way too low. He has nearly missed double-doubles in four-of-five games and achieved it in the other game. I am all in on pairing him with Morris in cash games tonight.

On a night so thin Kawhi Leonard cannot be avoided. He is putting up over 35 fantasy ppg right now and averaging 21 points and eight rebounds per game. I believe Leonard is overpriced in his matchup for cash games but makes a great GPP play tonight.

If you want to take a flyer tonight in a boom or bust GPP play take a roll on the dice with little pictures of Doug McDermott on them. Tonight he faces the team surrendering the 28^th-most points to the SF postion, the Sixers. He could get you over 20 fantasy points for the near minimum salary and provide extra salary relief to load up a bigger gun somewhere else.

Power Forward

One guy I will have exposure on tonight in every GPP and cash game is LaMarcus Aldridge. He has three double-doubles in his last five games and tonight he faces the team allowing the 28^th-most points to the PF position in the Sacramento Kings. A must play and I say he has a shot at 45 fantasy points tonight.

Pau Gasol is playing in the center position in real life but listed as a PF on FanDuel. He has three double-doubles in this last five games and in the other two he was only a hair away from going 5-for-5. He is on fire and faces the team surrendering 24^th-most points to the center position in the Sixers, making him a fine GPP and cash game play.

Blake Griffin No. 3? I should punch myself in the face for this one and save you the trouble. Let’s call it a hunch. A total gut play. I think he does not achieve value tonight. Some might argue that if Chris Paul does not play Griffin's value is increased. They are right, and it is. I do not write articles on assumptions and “what ifs”. So I am ranking him in the middle for those of you who are not lucky enough or have the time to check every 10 minutes tonight on the status of Chris Paul. His price is high and in cash games I believe you are better off taking the top two guys together to maximize possible upside. Griffin, however, will be in all my "stars and scrubs" GPP lineups tonight.

Zach Randolph is listed as a game time decision so this is another play that comes with some caution. He is averaging almost 13 points and nine rebounds per game right now and has had three double-doubles in his last five games. He has some calf issue going on but if he plays has a shot at easily getting you 25 fantasy points.

If you want to save money tonight then Lavoy Allen remains the near minimum price across the industry and is facing the Magic who allow the 17^th-most points to the PF position. He is only averaging a little over 11 fantasy ppg but has the ability to get you 20 points in a good matchup. A GPP play only here.

Center

Andre Drummond continues to be dominant and it is hard to not rank him No. 1 at the position. Tonight he is facing the Warriors and the Pistons are slated to be behind by a lot (-14). Drummond and the starters will be working overtime tonight. Last night he put up nearly 30 points and 30 rebounds. Tonight against the Warriors, who are allowing the 20^th-most points to the center position, makes him a viable play in GPP and cash games if you can afford him. I say the Warriors get their first loss tonight. “Warriors, come out and play," clink, clink, clink.

Karl-Anthony Towns is becoming a superstar more and more every day. He is averaging 15 points and nine rebounds per game right now and tonight faces the Hawks, who are allowing the 25^th-most points to centers on the young season. He has the potential to put up 25 points and 15 rebounds tonight. For the price he is a fine GPP and cash game play.

Tim Duncan may soon be ready for the news booth but tonight he gets the Kings, who are allowing the 28^th-most points to the center position thus far. Duncan is still averaging 10 points and nine rebounds per game and I see no reason why he will not beat that tonight. A better GPP play than cash game play.

We all keep pushing Dewayne Dedmon. He is just so cheap it is hard not to. In his last game he put up 12 points and nine rebounds. He is facing the Pacers, who are allowing the 29^th-most points to the center position and makes a great play tonight if you really want to go bargain basement.

A few other guys I really like tonight who missed the final cut were Jahlil Okafor who is averaging over 28 fantasy ppg facing the 21^st-ranked Bulls and Al Horford who gets the Timberwolves in another great matchup.

Well that is all for today. I will be back later to answer questions if you post them or you can hit me up on Twitter: @geraldcolvin73.