NBA DFS Playbook Position Coach: November 13, 2015

Wow! What a crazy day in the Daily Fantasy Sports world. Fantasy Alarms own Rick Wolf is heading a big protest in New York City this morning over the recent events involving FanDuel and DraftKings. So I give him a big KUDOS today for standing up to represent us all and make sure we have the right to play DFS.

We have a huge slate tonight with more value than a candy a store the day after Easter. It looks like one of those nights where the best lineup could be Russell Westbrook and a bunch of mid-priced stars in great matchups. With some of the bigger guns out tonight we only have a few options to spend up on and for the most part outside of Westbrook I do not believe we need to. So for my last time this week I bring you today's position coach, my friends, and may your winnings be plentiful.

Point Guard

Russell Westbrook remains an absolute beast. In his last game he put up a triple-double versus the Wizards and has only put up less than 20 points in one game. When you are averaging almost 26 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists you are allowed to be so expensive. You add in the fact tonight that the Sixers are allowing the 25^th-most points to PGs on the season and Westbrook is a must play.

If you feel Westbrook is a bit expensive then the cheapest I would go is Kyle Lowry. Tonight Lowry is facing the Pelicans who are allowing the most points to the PG position on the young season. Lowry has put up over 20 points in two straight games with a near triple-double. He is averaging over 38 fantasy ppg but I say he cracks 40 tonight easily. If you are extra crafty and willing to take a chance you can get both him and Westbrook in your lineup tonight for a possible 100-point combo. You never know?

"Golem," or Rajon Rondo to the laymen, is one of my favorite characters in the NBA. I was sad to see him leave the Celtics, especially because I have a Rondo jersey hanging in my closet I will not wear now. But bad feelings aside, Golem is on a tear. He has had two triple-doubles in three games now and is averaging over 30 fantasy ppg. For the low price, this is the guy I am using tonight with Westbrook in my cash games.

For the low price of $6100 on FanDuel Mo Williams could have you yelling “Mo money” by the end of the night. Mo is coming off a 29-point performance versus one of the best defensive teams in the NBA, the Utah Jazz. He is averaging over 28 fantasy ppg and makes a great cash and GPP play tonight.

The Rockets-Nuggets game tonight has a high expected point total of 210. Houston is only favored by five points which screams close game to me. This makes Ty Lawson hard to ignore. Not only are the Nuggets allowing the 29^th-most points to the PG position on the season but Lawson has failed to score in the double-digits in two straight games after three games of 14, 16, and 13, respectively. This is one of those situations where his skills versus a bad defense dictate this trend cannot continue and shouldn’t tonight.

A few guys that just missed tonight on the list were Emmanuel Mudiay who should have a great night versus an equally inept Rockets team defensively and Mike Conley, who gets the Blazers, who are allowing the 26^th-most points to the PG position and he is averaging 26 fantasy ppg.

Shooting Guard

With the SG position so full of value tonight it is like stealing candy from a baby, something I might be tempted to do if it is a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. You show me a fat guy who hates them and I will remove him from the fat guy club for they are in the true essence, crack, for us guys who have bigger waist sizes than inseams.

Eric Gordon in his last five games has scored over 20 points four times and is averaging almost 19 ppg. With Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday both banged up, Gordon should see extra minutes and extra shot opportunities. He is averaging almost 28 fantasy ppg and for under $6000 on FanDuel is the guy I am running in my cash game lineups tonight.

Marcus Thornton is the other guy I am using tonight in my cash games. He is averaging almost 30 fantasy ppg for near peanuts across the industry. In his last game he had 21 points and seven assists and tonight gets a Nuggets team allowing the 28^th-most points to the SG position in what should be a close high-scoring affair.

Kent Bazemore is actually playing at SF but FanDuel has him slotted at SG. This is fortunate, I believe, for us, and if he does well perhaps I will send them an email and thank them. Tonight he faces my beloved Celtics in a game where the Hawks are one-point favorites with an expected point total of 205. The Celts on the season are allowing the 21^st-most points to the SF position and Bazemore, who is averaging almost 25 fantasy ppg, should take full advantage of it.

Depending on the site Kyle Korver is in an equally better matchup with the Celtics allowing the most points to the SG position in the NBA. The problem with Korver is I find him unpredictable and less variance is what makes playing DFS NBA a little more enjoyable for me. In a GPP Korver makes a great play tonight.

His price tonight with value everywhere is the only reason DeMar DeRozan is not at the top. He has only scored less than 20 points in three games this season and he did not miss by much in those three contests. Toronto is almost 10-point favorites so this game has blowout potential but in a GPP DeRozan tonight makes a fine option in situation where he can put up 45 fantasy points.

I always talk about that "late bullet." I always have to have one or two guys in the late game so I know I have a chance right until the end. This may not be right but it is my way of playing. Tonight that guy could be Joe Johnson. In his last game versus the Rockets he almost had a triple-double going 16-7-10. Tonight he faces the Kings who are allowing the 24^th-most points to the SG position on the young season. He is a little more expensive than the other options and I expect him to be low owned tonight.

Small Forward

Although I use offense versus defense as one of my factors sometimes you have to also use common sense. Like when LeBron James goes up against the Knicks. The last time he faced them he only put up 23 points and I believe someone as cocky and self-centered as LeBron remembers that. With James averaging over 45 fantasy ppg he is the top option at the position if you are going to spend up.

The guy I absolutely am using in cash games tonight is Danilo Gallinari. Last game versus the Bucks he put up 25 points and seven assists. He is averaging 28 fantasy ppg and gets the 28^th-ranked Houston defense versus the SF position tonight. For the price I cannot pass on him.

Carmelo Anthony is that guy who I never use. I mean never. Why? I have no idea, probably because I find his price always too inflated. He is averaging almost 27 points and seven rebounds per game and faces a Cavs teams allowing the 20^th-most points to the position on the season. In his last game versus the Cavs he had a double-double and I see no reason why he will not repeat that tonight. His high price makes him a great GPP play.

With the Bulls seven-point favorites it makes me feel like I need a Hornet in my lineups tonight. At least for GPP. One guy I really like is Nicolas Batum. He is averaging almost 15 points and seven rebounds per game and over 28 fantasy points. The Bulls are allowing the 23^rd-most points to the position in game with an expected point total just missing the 200 mark.

The one game I will be watching tonight is the Celtics versus the Pacers. Tonight is my wife’s birthday party and we are having a shindig of sorts at my bar. You add in my father’s girlfriend’s birthday and a few regulars as well and it becomes quite a party. Yours truly does not partake in alcoholic beverages except for an occasional drink or two once or twice a year and will not be doing so tonight. I will be the guy watching the game on one of several TVs hanging in my place and checking my phone way too much hoping my wife will be ready to leave early.

Jae Crowder for the low price of $4800 on FanDuel is the other guy I am using in cash games tonight. Crowder is averaging almost 25 fantasy ppg and gives you double-double potential every time he takes the court. In a game with a high expected point total and close (-1) Vegas line I will have a Celt or two in my lineups. Although I am a bit bias.

A few other guys who just missed writing about were Al-Farouq Aminu who is facing a horrible Memphis defense and Kyle Singler who had eight points and three rebounds in 19 minutes versus the Wizards a few nights ago and is starting for the minimum price across the industry in a game where OKC is expected to score over 110 points.

Power Forward

Dirk Nowitzki may be getting older than Mark Cuban on Shark Tank but he is still getting it done. He is averaging 19 points and eight rebounds per game and gets the Lakers tonight who are allowing 28^th-most points to the PF position on the season. On a night where the PF position is loaded to bear, I am using Nowitzki in all my cash games and expect nothing less than 40 fantasy points tonight.

Another higher end PF in a great matchup tonight is Serge Ibaka. I realize you do not need a good matchup to take Ibaka as he usually gets it done regardless of the opponent but it helps. He is averaging almost 14 points and eight rebounds per game and faces the Sixers, who are allowing the 26^th-most points to the position on the season. He makes a great cash and GPP option tonight.

For some reason my model is spitting Denver players at me like an MLB player with sunflower seeds. Kenneth Faried is averaging almost 30 fantasy ppg and has just missed a double-double in four straight games. Tonight he gets the team allowing the most points to pretty much every position the Houston Rockets.

If you really want to spend up tonight you always have to love Kevin Love, I mean what is not to love? (That was a huge amount of love in one sentence.) He put up 22 points and 19 rebounds versus a slow-paced Pacers team a few nights ago and tonight he faces the Knicks. Need I say more? If you really want to spend up in GPP play or cash then Love should get it done for you.

The other guy I am using tonight in my cash games is none other than my man Jared Sullinger. Forget the fact he is averaging over 27 fantasy ppg for peanuts across the industry. How about the fact he has had back-to-back double-doubles and just missed another two by a hair. Tonight he is facing the Hawks in what should be a close game. Loving me some Sully.

A few other guys I like who just missed the cut were Julius Randle facing the 29^th-ranked Dallas defense versus the PF position, Luis Scola who is coming off a monster fantasy night versus the Sixers, and J.J. Hickson who is starting in the center position but FanDuel has in the PF position for the low price of $4400.

Center

Lot of great options tonight at the center position and there are many ways it could be played. The guy I am using in cash games tonight is Al Horford. He is averaging almost 18 points and eight rebounds per game and has just missed double-doubles in three of the last five games. He is averaging almost 35 fantasy ppg and faces the Celtics in what I believe is going to be a close back-and-forth game.

It is hard not to like DeMarcus Cousins. The thing I do not like, however, is the price across the industry. Fantasy production versus the average fantasy ppg does not add up to me. With all this being said, he was injured and could really start pouring it on. He is the only center on the slate who could put up 50 fantasy points tonight. For the price I will reserve him for GPP play.

If you want to go cheap once again my main man Zaza Pachulia is facing the Lakers who are allowing the 28^th-most points to the center position thus far. He has had two double-doubles in his last five games with one near miss and is averaging almost 10 points and 10 rebounds per game. For the price he makes a fine cash and GPP play.

Both Al Jefferson and Brook Lopez find themselves in great matchups tonight and are both playing well. Jefferson is averaging just under 26 fantasy ppg and put up 31 points versus Dallas on November 5 (which suggests upside) while Lopez is averaging almost 20 points and 10 rebounds per game facing the Kings who are allowing the 25^th-most points to the center position.

As for me, I will be back on Monday. I am heading out in the morning to New York City to attend the first DFS player’s conference and play in a tournament to get to the Playboy Mansion. So wish me luck. I need it. As always I will be back to check the message board later or you can bother me on Twitter: @geraldcolvin73. Good luck
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