The Daily Fantasy Basketball Du-Rant

Some view the number 13 as unlucky, I on the other hand love the number (my favorite baseball player growing up was #13 Lance Parrish). When it comes to basketball 13 is usually a positive, 13 points, 13 rebounds, 13 assists, 13 whatever so long as it is not an 0-for-13 shooting night. You ask what is all this talk about the number 13? Well there are 13 games on tap tonight, which is great news, giving us plenty of players to chose from so let’s get into it. (All prices and point projections are geared towards DraftStreet). Before we tip it off here is a DraftStreet tournament you should jump into tonight:

A-All Star priced players that should put up All Star stats today (target 35+ FP, $16,000-on up).

GPP

With 26 teams in action tonight it offers us plenty of opportunity to find value allowing you to roster a couple higher priced superstars, which comes in handy as pretty much all of the top 11 priced players on DraftStreet have tantalizing matchups.

Nikola Vucevic (17.2%) was recently named Eastern Conference Player of the Week as he doubled up in each of the Magic's three games last week (points and rebounds) on his way to averaging 22.7 points and a league-best 14.3 boards per game (has exceeded 35-plus FP in four of his last five games). Tonight’s game is at home where Vucii Mane is averaging four more fantasy points per contest then on the road. (A safer slightly more expensive play would be reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Month Al Jefferson at Philly. Jefferson averaged 24.7 points (55.5 FG%) and 10.6 boards in March and has set a franchise record of 22 games this season with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds in a game, look for that number to go up by one against a 76ers team that is allowing the most points to opposing teams on the season at 109.9 ppg).

DU

Joakim Noah (18.1%) It’s surprising to continually find Noah on the outside edge of the higher priced players when he has proven to be triple-double threat most games. Among centers, Noah leads in assists at 5.2 per game (7.5 apg in March), is second in minutes per game (34.8), and fourth in efficiency (23.0). While Noah has a tendency to play better at home then on the road, his semi-discounted price among the elite fantasy earners paired with a matchup against a Hawks team that are allowing the seventh most fantasy points to opposing centers on the season is just too good to pass up tonight. (If you have can afford to roster DeMarcus Cousins vs the Lakers he would be my first choice if salary were not an issue).

B-rated Ballers: Big name players with big games, but not as high of a price tag as the top five or so priced players at each position (around 30 FP, $13,000-$16,000).

GPP

Paul George (14.8%) has struggled with his shot over the last two weeks or so as he is shooting just 31.5% from the field and 28.6% from 3-point range over his last nine games, but the remedy for this should come in the matchup as the Pistons are the prescription needed for any player or team looking to get on track. Detroit is allowing the second most points to opponents over their last three games at 114.7 ppg and the fourth most on the season at 104.1ppg something George has taken full advantage of as he is averaging 40 FP (49 FG%) in three games against the pitiful Pistons this season.

 

DU

Rudy Gay (14.8%) has exceeded 40 or more minutes in each of his last two games and although his fantasy point total has not reached our goal of 30-plus FP for players at this price range that should change tonight against a Lakers team that are allowing the second most points per game to opponents on the season, a league high of 122 points per game over their last three contests, and Gay went off for 45 FP in his one game against the Lake Show this season. In addition, the Lakers are playing their second game in as many nights and this game is on the road in Sac Town.

C-as in players that COULD be in line to provide you with good to great value in the mid-tier price range (target 25+ FP, $10,000-$13,000).

GPP

Darren Collison (10.6%) has been getting plenty of run at the two-guard over the last two games. In fact DC has led the Clippers in minutes played in each of the last two games and has taken advantage of the extra minutes by averaging 31 FP over this two game span. Phoenix is allowing the eighth most points per game to shooting guards over the last 15 days and Collison will see some time at the point too which should help pad his assists totals some as well. Vegas has this game at an over/under of 214, which is the second-highest expected total of the evening.

 

DU

Ray McCallum (11.8%) I have been the leader of the Ray McCallum bandwagon as I watched as many games as I could while he was playing his collegiate games at the University of Detroit and he has not let us down. RayMac3 set career-highs for points for the 4th consecutive game and assists for the 3rd straight time as he finished with 22 points and 10 assists to go with two boards and two steals in his most recent start good for 30-plus FP for the second game in a row. McCallum’s value is dependent on whether Isaiah Thomas sits again or not. Should IT2 play then look to Nets Joe Johnson (11.2%) who is coming off a 38.5 FP performance in his last game and has attempted 13 or more shots in three of his last four games a total that should be expected again tonight against the Knicks let’s just hope he was as hot as he was in Monday’s game when he made 13 of his 21 shots from the floor, including 4-for-4 from the long line for 32 points.

D-Discounted Dandies: Players on the cheap whose production may exceed what their discounted price tag suggests. (Double Digit Fantasy Production, $3,500-$10,000).

GPP

Greivis Vasquez (7.9%) Raptors starting point guard Kyle Lowry suffered some swelling in his knee after Monday’s game so there is a good chance he does not play tonight when Houston comes to town. If Lowry is out Vasquez would get the start in a game that could be very high scoring as both the Raptors and the Rockets are in the top ten in the league in pace of play. Should Lowry play then a boom or bust alternative could be Nuggets guard Aaron Brooks (8.5%) who has played around or above 30 minutes in each of his last four games and is facing a Pelicans team whom are allowing the 10th most fantasy points to opposing point guards on the season.

DU

Omer Asik (8.2%) grabbed a career-high 23 rebounds in Tuesday's loss to the Nets to go with 12 points, a steal, and two blocks in 36 minutes while filling in for the injured Dwight Howard. The double-double was Asik's second in a row and he is averaging 12 points, 17 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks over that two-game span good for 32 FP/gm. Asik is averaging a double-double of 11.3 points and 13.7 rebounds in 49 career games where he has seen 30-plus minutes, which he has his last two games and you can not beat the price as he is cheaper than two other supposed value plays in Henry Sims (11.2%) and Jermaine O’Neal (9.5%). (Note: Dwight Howard is questionable again tonight, but has not been officially ruled out as of noon today).

 

A DraftStreet lineup to consider for Wednesday night:

Best of Luck tonight and don’t be afraid to go rouge and post your questions in the comments section and/or send me a tweet @FantasyNomad. Also, be sure to check out this morning's Daily Dribble for more DFS insight.