NBA DFS Playbook Position Coach: November 5, 2015

I am not going to lie. Although I know I cannot cash every night I still get upset when I wake up and check my phone and see things just didn’t work out as planned. As daily fantasy sports players all we can do is our best. You look at the numbers, the matchups, and a whole slew of other things before making our lineups, the rest is up to the players. The bottom line is, you just cannot win every day. In the words of a friend of mine, "Never confuse the results with the decision."

So today we only have five games on the schedule. On smaller slates like this you may notice the article is a little different. I believe in the "play what’s best to cash" theory. In other words, some positions may not have five selections today. Simple fact is, if I won’t play a guy, I won’t recommend him.

Tonight is a great night to play with Thursday Night Football front and center. The numbers will be lower tonight across the board which increases our chances to cash. So…let’s win some money.

Point Guard

Russell Westbrook remains an absolute monster on the court. He is averaging almost 29 points per game with 11 assists.  On a night with only five games a guy like Westbrook with so much upside will be a must-play in all cash games tonight. I would hate to be the guys who didn’t play him in 50/50's when he puts up 50 fantasy points tonight.

I find myself taking Mike Conley quite often as of late. It seems every night he ends up in a great matchup. Tonight he facing the Portland Trailblazers who are ranked 28^th vs. the PG position. You add in the double-digit scoring Conley is putting up nightly and he could be in for a monster night for a cheap price.

Damian Lillard has scored more than 30 points in two straight games and is averaging a little over 27 points with seven assists on the young season. I see no reason why that will not continue tonight against a Memphis team that also has its woes defending the PG position.

On a nightly basis Jeremy Lin is coming off the bench and putting up double-digit points while playing around 23 minutes per game for peanuts across the industry. On a night when the PG position is slim pickings Lin is a great option that should be low owned.

Shooting Guard

Besides Westbrook the other guy I will have in all my cash games tonight is Jimmy Butler. Not only does this game have a high expected point total of 208 it is also a pick so it should be a close game. You add in the fact that Butler is putting up over 20 points per game and facing the 25^th ranked defense against the SG position and it should be one hell of night for Jimmy.

The other guys I will be using tonight due to the low salary and great matchup is Courtney Lee. Lee is putting in around 30 minutes per game and scoring double-digit points for the near minimum salary. On a night when you have three big guns to fit into your lineup, value like this is essential.

Dwyane Wade, even in his later years, is still a producer fantasy-wise. He is averaging almost 23 ppg right now with five assists. With slim pickings, Wade makes a great GPP play.

C.J. McCollum is coming off a great game where he put up 27 points vs. the Jazz last night. Tonight he gets to face the Grizzlies who are 23^rd vs. the SG position. I find his price a little inflated which makes him another fine GPP play.

Small Forward

Westbrook, Butler and Kevin Durant are the three guys I am running in all my cash game lineups tonight. Durant has 124 points and 25 assists over his last four games. Tonight, if you are going to spend up on any player, Durant is the guy facing a Bulls team that defends the SF position miserably. I see no reason why you will not get at least 40 fantasy points tonight out of him.

Al-Farouq Aminu has double-double potential on a nightly basis and is averaging 14 points and eight rebounds per game. Tonight he is facing the Grizzlies who are 28^th vs. the SF position. How can you not play him for the price? A great cash and GPP play here.

Another great play tonight in both cash games and GPP is Nicolas Batum. Batum was only two rebounds short of a double-double on Tuesday night vs. the Bulls in 28 minutes. Tonight he gets a decent matchup vs. Dallas in a game Charlotte is slated to be playing from behind in.

This next play is a complete shot in the dark and you will play at your own risk. Often what I will do in GPP is set one lineup for the $1 games, one lineup for the $2 games, and etc. Each price tier represents the level of risk I am willing to take with my money. This is one of those plays I would only use in a $1 or $2 tournament.

Tony Snell has been pathetic thus far this season but has scored double-digit points twice (10 and 11 points). He is coming off a shutout performance where he failed to put up a bucket and tonight is playing in a great matchup vs. the Thunder that is 25^th at stopping the SF. If he is ever going to have a great night then tonight could be it. Like I said, enter at your own risk here.

Power Forward

The PF position is another tonight I find to be thin. If you take in price vs. production my top cash game play of the day is Marvin Williams. Williams has two double-doubles in four games this season and is averaging 10 points and almost 10 rebounds per game. For $4,800 on FanDuel facing the worst-ranked defense in the NBA vs. the PF position I am all in on Wiliams tonight.

The other guy I will pairing with Williams in my cash games is Dirk Nowitzki. Although Nowitzki is not a spring chicken anymore he is still putting up big numbers. He is averaging almost 18 points per game with eight rebounds. For a decent price in a great matchup I am all in on him as well tonight.

If you want to look elsewhere besides Williams and Nowitzki take a look at Derrick Favors. Favors is averaging almost 18 points per game with nine rebounds. Tonight he is facing the Denver Nuggets who are ranked 26^th vs. the position. He is easily both a cash and GPP option tonight.

Serge Ibaka on most nights is a great cash game play. That is not the case tonight. He gets a tough matchup facing the Bulls who defend the PF position well. Price and matchup makes Ibaka a great GPP play tonight as I expect low ownership with everyone spending up elsewhere and going cheap on the PF position. If he goes off this could be the play to shoot you up the ladders to victory.

Center

Zaza Pachulia remains a great play for a low price. In four games he has two double-doubles and is facing a weak Hornets defense. For the low price and possible upside I am using Pachulia in all my cash games tonight.

If you feel like spending up at the position then Hassan Whiteside would be the guy to splurge on. Miami is the three-point favorites tonight in a game pushing 200 for an expected point total. Whiteside is averaging over 30 fantasy points per game and I see no reason why that will not continue tonight.

As much as I hate to say it Pau Gasol is a great play in both cash and GPP play tonight depending on what you want to spend up on in the other positions. He has scored exactly 16 points in three of five games this season with one double-double and three near misses. He faces OKC tonight in what is slated to be a shootout. I have almost always gone on record as NOT being a fan of the Gasols but tonight it is hard to ignore him.

Well that concludes another day of the NBA position coach. Amazing how much you can still get done with a fever and horrible chest cold. Let’s win some money.