Tonight’s Strategy
Lineup construction tonight is rather simple if you do not pay for James Harden, LeBron James, or Giannis Antetokounmpo. So, I won’t. Instead I will attack the mid-priced guys who are all capable of dropping 35-spots, or more.
With the Nets-Portland game having a huge 226.5 O/U and elite match-ups for the entire Trailblazers side of things, they will be a popular theme in today’s Position Coach, as well as cash game options.
As always, all fantasy ppg numbers are FanDuel specific.
So, with the NBA season winding down, I bring you today’s Position Coach Article.
Point Guard
Besides being one of the best guards in the league, Damian Lillard also is has everything else I love tonight, he is both a late bullet, and facing the team that allows the most fantasy ppg to the PG position in the Brooklyn Nets.
The Hornets-Nuggets game has the second highest O/U of the night at 221 and plenty of match-ups to exploit tonight, the first being Kemba Walker. Denver is allowing the sixth most fantasy ppg to the one while Walker has scored over 40 fantasy ppg in his last two.
Tyler Johnson is a regular as of late, almost like one in my bar, he is averaging over 30 fantasy ppg in his last two in a positive match-up versus Cleveland.
Jameer Nelson ate some bad shellfish or something and is now back. He should return to his full workload tonight versus Charlotte and is a cheaper way to get some exposure to this one.
Cory Joseph, or Malcolm Brogdon, take your pick, both have similar upside, similar price, and similar match-ups. They also are both left for GPPs.
| FD | DK | Yahoo | |||||||||||||||||||
| PG | Tm | H/A | Opp | GP | MPG | FT% | 3PTM/G | PTS/G | REB/G | AST/G | STL/G | BLK/G | TO/G | FG% | Usage | Pts/G | Pts/G | Pts/G | $FD | $DK | $Y |
| Damian Lillard | POR | H | BKN | 55 | 36 | 90% | 2.6 | 26.2 | 5 | 5.8 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 2.6 | 44% | 30.94% | 40.3 | 43.2 | 41.6 | $9200 | $9600 | $41 |
| Kemba Walker | CHA | A | DEN | 60 | 34.6 | 84% | 2.8 | 22.9 | 4.1 | 5.5 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 2.3 | 45% | 28.61% | 36.6 | 39.3 | 38 | $8500 | $8500 | $39 |
| Tyler Johnson | MIA | H | CLE | 54 | 30.4 | 77% | 1.2 | 13.9 | 4.2 | 3.3 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 43% | 20.56% | 26.7 | 28.1 | 27.3 | $5800 | $5700 | $19 |
| Jameer Nelson | DEN | H | CHA | 60 | 26.5 | 73% | 1.4 | 9.3 | 2.4 | 4.9 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 1.7 | 45% | 16.19% | 19.5 | 21.2 | 20.2 | $5400 | $5400 | $20 |
| Malcolm Brogdon | MIL | H | TOR | 60 | 25.7 | 85% | 1.1 | 9.8 | 2.6 | 4.1 | 1.2 | 0.1 | 1.6 | 45% | 18.48% | 20.2 | 21.6 | 20.7 | $5200 | $5600 | $16 |
| Cory Joseph | TOR | A | MIL | 60 | 23.4 | 78% | 0.5 | 8.8 | 2.7 | 2.9 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 1 | 45% | 18.29% | 17 | 17.9 | 17.2 | $5000 | $5100 | $14 |
Shooting Guard
We have a major drop off in talent and price tonight at the SG position. I will be paying up instead of chasing any of the SG value.
DeMar DeRozan is as high as I go tonight at the SG position. The match-up is bad but as mentioned yesterday, you take Kyle Lowry out of the mix and DeRozan becomes the man. He is averaging over 45 fantasy ppg in his last five.
C.J. McCollum is the player I am pairing with DeRozan tonight in my main FD lineup. With the Nets allowing the most fantasy ppg to the SG position combined with McCollum’s upside, there is no way I pass.
Nicolas Batum has had his difficulties and I cannot imagine a better match-up to get back on track than a Nuggets team allowing the fifth most fantasy ppg to the two. I smell a 40-spot.
If I am going any lower than the three players above the only shots I am taking are with either Gary Harris with a positive match-up and 30 fantasy point upside, or Tony Allen facing a Houston team allowing the seventh most fantasy ppg to the two. Of the two, Harris is much safer.
| FD | DK | Yahoo | |||||||||||||||||||
| Player | Tm | H/A | Opp | GP | MPG | FT% | 3PTM/G | PTS/G | REB/G | AST/G | STL/G | BLK/G | TO/G | FG% | Usage | Pts/G | Pts/G | Pts/G | $FD | $DK | $Y |
| DeMar DeRozan | TOR | A | MIL | 55 | 35.6 | 85% | 0.4 | 27.9 | 5.5 | 3.7 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 2.4 | 47% | 34.47% | 40.1 | 41.8 | 40.3 | $9900 | $8700 | $45 |
| C.J. McCollum | POR | H | BKN | 60 | 34.7 | 90% | 2.4 | 23.2 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 1 | 0.6 | 2.4 | 48% | 27.97% | 33.8 | 36.4 | 35 | $7600 | $7500 | $31 |
| Nicolas Batum | CHA | A | DEN | 58 | 34.9 | 86% | 1.9 | 15.1 | 7 | 5.9 | 1 | 0.4 | 2.7 | 40% | 21.69% | 32.4 | 35.1 | 33.4 | $6800 | $7300 | $33 |
| Gary Harris | DEN | H | CHA | 37 | 29.3 | 75% | 1.8 | 14.2 | 3.1 | 2.5 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 1.3 | 48% | 19.3% | 23 | 24.8 | 23.9 | $5400 | $5500 | $19 |
| Tony Allen | MEM | A | HOU | 53 | 27.7 | 63% | 0.2 | 9.3 | 5.6 | 1.2 | 1.8 | 0.5 | 1.6 | 46% | 17.93% | 20.8 | 21.9 | 20.9 | $4500 | $4800 | $11 |
Small Forward
Although I was a fan of both Mr. Belvedere, and Benson, my favorite butler is still Jimmy Butler. He gets a positive match-up tonight versus the Clippers while averaging over 45 fantasy ppg on most nights.
Both Danilo Gallinari, and Wilson Chandler come in tied today in my model. Gallinari should start in the three while Chandler in the four, both in positions to drop 30-spots. I would have no objections to pairing them tonight.
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is kind of like that friend who keeps falling out of favor. The main reason is…you cannot count on him, sometimes you get 30 fantasy points, other times, 10. The Nuggets are allowing the third most fantasy ppg to the three opening the door for us to be friends tonight for a minimal investment.
Moe Harkless is facing a Nets team allowing the third most fantasy ppg to the three, he is also averaging over 25 fantasy ppg in his last four for peanuts.
| FD | DK | Yahoo | |||||||||||||||||||
| SF | Tm | H/A | Opp | GP | MPG | FT% | 3PTM/G | PTS/G | REB/G | AST/G | STL/G | BLK/G | TO/G | FG% | Usage | Pts/G | Pts/G | Pts/G | $FD | $DK | $Y |
| Jimmy Butler | CHI | H | LAC | 55 | 36.7 | 87% | 1.2 | 23.9 | 6.2 | 5.1 | 1.9 | 0.3 | 2.1 | 45% | 26.91% | 41.5 | 43.4 | 42 | $9100 | $9100 | $48 |
| Danilo Gallinari | DEN | H | CHA | 49 | 33.9 | 89% | 1.8 | 17.6 | 4.9 | 2.1 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 1.4 | 44% | 19.59% | 27.1 | 29 | 28 | $6600 | $6100 | $25 |
| Wilson Chandler | DEN | H | CHA | 55 | 30.9 | 74% | 1.5 | 15.8 | 6.6 | 2 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 1.7 | 46% | 22.45% | 27.5 | 29.5 | 28.3 | $6300 | $6200 | $27 |
| Michael Kidd-Gilchrist | CHA | A | DEN | 60 | 29.6 | 76% | 0.0 | 8.9 | 7.7 | 1.4 | 1 | 1 | 0.8 | 46% | 14.39% | 23.4 | 24.1 | 23.4 | $5400 | $5200 | $19 |
| Moe Harkless | POR | H | BKN | 56 | 29.5 | 64% | 1.1 | 10.7 | 4.9 | 1 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 1.2 | 48% | 16.09% | 21 | 22.3 | 21.5 | $4800 | $5200 | $12 |
Power Forward
I seriously have a man crush on Blake Griffin even though he has showed me zero love back in his last two games. I look for that turn around tonight in positive match-up versus the Bulls.
Serge Ibaka is the other player to benefit from the absence of Kyle Lowry. He is averaging over 30 fantasy ppg in his last four facing a Milwaukee team tonight allowing the fourth most fantasy ppg to the four.
Zach Randolph off the bench not only has one of the highest true usage rates when on the floor, but also is red hot averaging well over 35 fantasy ppg in his last three in a great match-up.
Al-Farouq Aminu dropped a 30-spot last night and should get close to that again tonight facing a Nets team allowing the most fantasy ppg to the four.
Derrick Williams is worth a look in GPPs tonight for next to nothing salary wise across the industry. He is averaging around 25 minutes per night off the bench in a decent match-up versus Miami in what should be a close one.
| FD | DK | Yahoo | |||||||||||||||||||
| PF | Tm | H/A | Opp | GP | MPG | FT% | 3PTM/G | PTS/G | REB/G | AST/G | STL/G | BLK/G | TO/G | FG% | Usage | Pts/G | Pts/G | Pts/G | $FD | $DK | $Y |
| Blake Griffin | LAC | A | CHI | 41 | 33.8 | 75% | 0.4 | 22.2 | 8.6 | 5.1 | 1 | 0.5 | 2.4 | 49% | 29.37% | 40.8 | 42.6 | 41 | $9700 | $9000 | $45 |
| Serge Ibaka | TOR | A | MIL | 56 | 30.5 | 85% | 1.5 | 15.1 | 6.8 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 1.6 | 1.2 | 49% | 21.08% | 28.1 | 29.8 | 28.9 | $6900 | $6600 | $27 |
| Zach Randolph | MEM | A | HOU | 54 | 24.5 | 75% | 0.3 | 14.5 | 8.3 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 1.3 | 46% | 28.84% | 27.1 | 28.3 | 27.3 | $6100 | $5900 | $22 |
| Al-Farouq Aminu | POR | H | BKN | 40 | 29 | 76% | 1.1 | 8.4 | 7.3 | 2 | 1 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 37% | 15.57% | 22.1 | 23.8 | 22.6 | $5400 | $5500 | $16 |
| Derrick Williams | CLE | A | MIA | 25 | 15.1 | 62% | 0.4 | 5.9 | 2.9 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 39% | 20.21% | 10.8 | 11.4 | 11 | $4000 | $4000 | $10 |
Center
With the Rockets allowing the third most fantasy ppg to the center position, and Marc Gasol dropping 40-spots like I do lettuce when I eat Big Macs, I am all in here if spending up.
At this point the only Nets player I am willing to roster if not Spencer Dinwiddie in GPPs, is Brook Lopez. He is a great way to get some exposure to the Brooklyn side of things in this one while having the second highest true usage rate on the slate at his position and very cash game viable.
Tristan Thompson is a bit over-priced I believe which should drive his ownership down. He does benefit from the best defensive match-up for Cleveland tonight while playing heavy minutes on a nightly basis. Totally worth a look to be sneaky.
If you have not been paying attention, Nene Hilario is averaging over 26 fantasy ppg in his last three games. For the low price of $4,400 on FD, and $3,800 on DK, bad match-up or not, I am locking him in my main lineup tonight on both.
| FD | DK | Yahoo | |||||||||||||||||||
| C | Tm | H/A | Opp | GP | MPG | FT% | 3PTM/G | PTS/G | REB/G | AST/G | STL/G | BLK/G | TO/G | FG% | Usage | Pts/G | Pts/G | Pts/G | $FD | $DK | $Y |
| Marc Gasol | MEM | A | HOU | 59 | 34.4 | 84% | 1.4 | 20.5 | 6.2 | 4.4 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 2.2 | 47% | 26.9% | 36.8 | 39 | 37.6 | $8400 | $7900 | $34 |
| Brook Lopez | BKN | A | POR | 55 | 29.6 | 82% | 1.7 | 20.5 | 5.1 | 2.5 | 0.5 | 1.7 | 2.4 | 47% | 29.15% | 32.5 | 34.8 | 33.4 | $6900 | $6800 | $29 |
| Tristan Thompson | CLE | A | MIA | 60 | 30.2 | 51% | 0.0 | 8.1 | 9.7 | 1 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 58% | 11.29% | 23.6 | 24.5 | 23.6 | $6100 | $5100 | $16 |
| Nene Hilario | HOU | H | MEM | 52 | 17.3 | 60% | 0.1 | 8.5 | 4 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 62% | 19.13% | 16.4 | 17.2 | 16.4 | $4500 | $3800 | $10 |
Good luck tonight, any questions email me at therealjerrycolvin@yahoo.com or hit me up on Twitter @realjerrycolvin
Go Dodgers!
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