I had one of those evenings where I broke even in the weirdest way. I cashed in all my GPP’s but failed to cash in one cash game lineup. I could understand this maybe on some occasions but last night it was the same lineup in each. The cash outs in GPP were actually lower than the cash games. At least the small $10 double-ups were.

Tonight at my bar we are having a battle of the bands. Half the door money is going to the Santa Fund and the other half is going to the winning band. The catch is the bands are heavy metal bands. It is going to be loud and rocking in Pittsfield, Mass., tonight. I get to hang out all night and I may even do something I rarely do, if ever, have a few drinks with old friends. But this is perhaps leading to an intro for another day.

One thing I can also guarantee tonight is I will be checking my phone. The thing I love about DFS NBA, win or lose, is your score changes so much the experience is heightened. I love to watch the games and then look down at my phone and see the score go up after one of my players drains a bucket. At times I get almost giddy. My wife says when lying in bed she can always tell when I am doing well. Apparently I move my feet back and forth like a penguin. As a result of this, long ago she gave me a pet name. “Mumbles”.

Tonight is exactly the kind of slate I like to play heavier on. We have seven games which I find just right. Especially when we have the Lakers as one of them. So let’s get this article going.

Point Guard

As always a good place to start when building a lineup is any team facing the Lakers. The last time Damian Lillard had it out with the Lakers he put up over 60 fantasy points. Lillard is averaging over 25 points, seven assists, and 40 fantasy ppg and if you can think of any reason why he will not dominate a Lakers defense allowing the 29th most fantasy points to the PG position tonight I want to hear it. I am all in on Lillard in cash games.

Stephen Curry scored 41 points on Friday night. Tonight he is facing a Kings team who is allowing 22.5 ppg to the PG position and the 17th most fantasy points in what should be a high scoring, fast paced shootout. If you can afford him he is a viable option in any format.

Golden State struggles to defend the PG as well, allowing 22.3 ppg and the 20th most fantasy points to the position. I will continue to ride or die with "Golem," Rajon Rondo until I get a triple-double out of him.  Rondo has had 10 double-doubles in the last 11 games which is something I find incredible, much like his price still being $8,500 on FanDuel. Until his price rises to his upside I will continue to use him anytime he gets a positive matchup.

If you have designs of spending up at another position tonight and want to save a few bucks how about the guy that can make you sing “Mo Money!”

Mo Williams is averaging over 25 fantasy ppg facing the team allowing the 26th most fantasy points to the PG position in the Brooklyn Nets. He is coming off a poor performance on Friday night where he only played 21 minutes scoring six points versus Charlotte and I expect him to bounce back tonight with the Nets allowing 24 ppg to the PG position. His price is low, but you could get what you pay for.

I hate taking guys on the Mavericks and Spurs. I feel like every time I do I get burned. I am going to put recency bias aside tonight and get some exposure to Deron Williams. Williams scores easily in the double-digits most nights and should easily get it don’t tonight facing the Nuggets who are allowing the 28th most fantasy ppg and a whopping 25.2 ppg to the PG position. The matchup could not be better.

           FanDuelDraft Kings
PlayerTmOppM/G3PMREBASTSTLBLKTOPTS$PTS$PTS
Stephen CurryGSWSAC34.535.125.186.062.530.183.7632.651090049.591090054.29
Damian LillardPORLAL37.632.814.567.191.190.313.5625.13940040.82910044.24
Rajon RondoSACGSW36.760.827.4711.241.880.123.7612.76850038.82930041.49
Deron WilliamsDALDEN31.731.22.875.671.530.272.0713.6650027.07580028.85
Mo WilliamsCLEBKN30.461.623.234.920.540.232.3114.77610025.26 27.38

Shooting Guard

On this small slate the SG position is thin as usual. The good thing is you get to find great options for a super low price. If you plan on spending up in any fashion tonight then the guy to take is Klay Thompson. He has had two back-to-back games where he has failed to score 20 fantasy points. History has taught us that things come full circle. Thompson prior to the last two games put up 36 fantasy points versus Denver on November 22. He has the potential to get hot in a hurry and tonight is facing a Sacramento team allowing 24 points and the 29th most fantasy ppg to the SG position.

If you have the budget and want to really splurge then DeMar DeRozan is certainly a way to go. The Wizards got absolutely stepped on last night versus my wonderful Celtics and I see this continuing tonight. DeRozan is averaging over 20 points, four rebounds, four assists, and 32 fantasy ppg and gets a great matchup against a defense allowing the 22nd most fantasy points to SG’s. The only SG with 40-point potential.

I am all about saving at this position in my cash game lineups tonight so the guy I am starting with is J.R. Smith. He is averaging over 36 minutes per game over the last five and facing a Nets team allowing the 24th most fantasy points to the SG position. For a low price he does have 30-point upside in what should be an easily handled game for the Cavs.

Either Rodney Hood or Wesley Matthews both rank the same in my model today. Hood is scoring in the double-digits on a nightly basis and tonight faces a Pelicans team allowing the 25th most fantasy points overall and 20 ppg to the SG position. Just keep a close eye as he is a GTD with back spasms.

Matthews is the other option and could be used with Hood in cash games tonight. They are both the low price of $4,800 on FanDuel. The Denver Nuggets are allowing the most points in the NBA to the SG position and with Mathews scoring more than 20 fantasy ppg in the last three the price versus matchup seems reasonable.

           FanDuelDraft Kings
PlayerTmOppM/G3PMREBASTSTLBLKTOPTS$PTS$PTS
DeMar DeRozanTORWAS36.060.314.384.191.190.252.5620.81750032.66700034.31
Klay ThompsonGSWSAC31.382.383.632.560.50.812.0616.13630024.88630027.28
J.R. SmithCLEBKN31.462.0832.150.690.461.1511.08540019.06530020.83
Wesley MatthewsDALDEN29.142.072.571.640.710.071.1411.43480017.41420019.14
Rodney HoodUTANOP29.541.232.383.081.230.311.8512.92480021.63500023.29

Small Forward

As much as it pains me to admit it the guy I am spending up on today in cash games is the King, LeBron James. Although it seems Steph Curry is the real king now the moniker can still apply, I guess. James is averaging over 45 fantasy ppg. Anytime you have a superstar in a great matchup like James facing the Nets who allow the 25th most fantasy ppg to the SF position he becomes a must play.

The other guy I am paying for in cash games at the position tonight is DeMarre Carroll. The Washington Wizards are allowing the most points in the NBA (25.9) to the SF position and the most fantasy points as well. This game has a high expected point total of 206 and is slated to be a close one with Toronto being close 2.5-point favorites. I cannot resist what seems to be a sure thing.

The Lakers are always fun to pick on. If I was a school yard bully I would follow the Lakers around and yell insults at them and perhaps take their lunch money. Then I would sit down with the prettiest girl in the cafeteria and buy her an extra chocolate milk.

Or, I could just play Al-Farouq Aminu in DFS being that I am 42 years old. Aminu has two double-doubles in his last four games and is averaging over 12 points, seven rebounds, and 25 fantasy ppg. The Lakers are allowing nearly 20 ppg to the SF position in a game with an expected point total of 204. For under $6K on FanDuel he is a bargain.

It seems lately another team you count on to get some fantasy gold out of is the New Orleans Pelicans. They are much like the Lakers in the fantasy cash register sense of the word. So why not spend a few bucks and take a stab at them? Gordon Hayward gets it done pretty much on a nightly basis. He is averaging over 17 ppg and in his last three games has scored 30, 35, and 46 fantasy points on FanDuel. With all the value he could be low owned and the guy who shoots you up the ladder in GPP.

           FanDuelDraft Kings
PlayerTmOppM/G3PMREBASTSTLBLKTOPTS$PTS$PTS
LeBron JamesCLEBKN36.51.257.446.691.310.563.1925.631010045.14960047.74
Gordon HaywardUTANOP34.711.4352.860.930.212.3617.71690027.93650030.07
DeMarre CarrollTORWAS36.2324.771.311.920.311.6213.23600023.76570025.81
Al-Farouq AminuPORLAL32.251.567.631.810.560.941.9412.19580025.12640027.25

Power Forward

I know this is crazy and I should email this article to every expert I am friends with to have send me hate mail for killing the industry by ranking Luis Scola who reminds me of cough drops No. 1 today. Before you pelt me with rocks like a 10th century adulterer hear me out. In three out of the last four games Scola has played more than 30 minutes. In those three games he averaged 28 fantasy ppg and scored over 20 ppg in two of them. For $4,700 on FanDuel facing a Washington team allowing 22.5 ppg to the PF position I am on Re-Scolaaa!

Things I find safe are Five Guys Burgers and Fries, keeping my wife happy and Tom Brady facing the Oakland Raiders. Things I find unsafe are letting my wife drive, playing darts drunk, and taking Dirk Nowitzki anytime. Although Nowitzki continues to get it done, averaging nearly 30 fantasy ppg every time I take him he puts up a dud. He is however coming off two straight double-doubles and appears to be dialed in. The Nuggets are allowing the 22nd most fantasy ppg and 22.7 ppg to the PF position on the season. In five out the last six Nowitzki has scored 30-plus fantasy points and I am sure that will continue tonight. If you can afford him he is a great play.

With Kenneth Faried all but ruled out for tonight I find great value in picking on the Lakers some more. So why not use Ed Davis? In both games he has played more than 30 minutes he has had a double-double. As a matter of fact in those two games he scored 29 points, 28 rebounds, and scored more than 35 fantasy ppg. He is only $4,700 and with the huge upside I am willing to take the chance. I will be using him tonight in cash games with the cough drop guy (Luis Scola).

Draymond Green, of course, is the top option if you are spending up tonight. The Kings are allowing the 26th most fantasy ppg to the PF position and this is without a doubt going to be a fast-paced, high-scoring affair. Green has scored more than 40 fantasy points in five out of the last 10 games and I am willing to bet he will hit that tonight. He makes a great play in either GPP or cash games.

I am torn between who is actually a better value tonight. Both Derrick Favors and Julius Randle are viable options.

Favors is facing the easy-to-beat-on Pelicans who are allowing the 20th most fantasy ppg to the PF position and 20.7 ppg to boot. In the last six out of 10 games Favors has scored more than 30 fantasy ppg with a 60-point performance versus the Heat on November 12. I doubt he will hit 60 but 40 would not be unreasonable.

Randle for the low price of $5,700 has that 30-point upside facing a Portland team allowing its fair share of points to the PF position. Randle has eclipsed that 30-point mark in two of the last three games and for the price he is hard to resist.

           FanDuelDraft Kings
PlayerTmOppM/G3PMREBASTSTLBLKTOPTS$PTS$PTS
Derrick FavorsUTANOP30.79 8.51.5721.361.6416.21800033.84710035.09
Draymond GreenGSWSAC33.411.717.946.821.181.352.7112.76770034.88740037.49
Dirk NowitzkiDALDEN29.671.737.131.530.60.53117.4660029.53620031.25
Julius RandleLALPOR28.5 8.572.210.640.571.8611.14570025.32590026.68
Ed DavisPORLAL21.5 7.311.190.690.811.136.75470019.18 20.11
Luis ScolaTORWAS23.750.756.250.880.690.25110.56470020.25510021.44

Center

I find the greatest bargain tonight at the center position is Mason Plumlee. In the last four games he has scored more than 30 fantasy points in four straight games with one game hitting 40. He is coming off three straight double-doubles and should make four facing a Lakers team allowing the most fantasy points in the NBA to centers. I am all in on him tonight in cash play.

Welcome to Green Acres, my name is Za Za. Zaza Pachulia. In 16 games this season I have 10 double-doubles. I am averaging 10.4 points, 9.4 rebounds, and over 25 fantasy ppg. Tonight I will have the luxury of beating up on the Nuggets and stealing their gold. As a matter of fact some Jerry Colvin guy told me that they were allowing the 27th most fantasy ppg to centers and for my low price I am a bargain. But he is a bit nuts.

Rudy Gobert is another fine play if you want to spend a few bucks. Gobert has been a little inconsistent fantasy-wise but gets a great matchup tonight facing a Pelicans team allowing 21.6 ppg and the 28th most fantasy ppg to centers. He has had three double-doubles in the last five games and is a solid GPP play tonight.

           FanDuelDraft Kings
PlayerTmOppM/G3PMREBASTSTLBLKTOPTS$PTS$PTS
Rudy GobertUTANOP34.17 10.581.670.922.672.678.92700028.62610030.48
Mason PlumleePORLAL28.63 8.632.51.131.191.8110.38620027.29600028.63
Zaza PachuliaDALDEN28.06 9.382.190.810.561.8810.44580025.84560027.25

Well that is it for me for the weekend. Be sure to be diligent about checking your lineups. The NBA is tough in that regard. Good luck.