The drop off in available players to roster from a 12-game Wednesday down to a five-game Thursday is always disappointing, but I think we can make things interesting with the games on the board. Be wary of tired legs on back-to-backs, as the Cavs, Blazers, Jazz, Bulls, and Knicks all played Wednesday night and take the court again this evening.
As for insights Vegas can provide us, it looks like three games in particular will be the most appealing for daily fantasy purposes. Those games are the Pelicans at Pacers (207.5), Cavaliers at Nets (208), and the best of the bunch, Blazers at Clippers (214).
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy NBA lineup picks for FanDuel on 3/2/16. The DFS lineup picks will range from some of the elite players, to mid-priced options, and value plays on FanDuel.
RotoBaller's Premium NBA Tools, Cheat Sheets and DFS Lineup Picks
Our Premium DFS Cheat Sheets and Lineup Picks are published every single day - seven days a week - and can help you win your Daily Fantasy Basketball cash games or GPPs on FanDuel.
Our Premium subscription includes our DFS Value Picks tool, DFS lineup picks, sample lineups for FanDuel, DFS point projections, key advanced stats, deeper player analysis, and matchup breakdowns - seven days a week!
But wait, there's more! All Premium NBA subscriptions also get you access to our NHL, MLB and NFL Premium tools, cheat sheets and DFS lineup picks automatically - access to almost 20 Premium tools and DFS resources!
FanDuel DFS Guards
Shelvin Mack (at OKC, $6,300)
Mack has been playing incredibly well in his new Utah home since being dealt by the Hawks back at the trade deadline. Over his last 10 games, he's exceeded value eight times, by an impressive average of 10.37 points over his price implied total. As such, his salary has skyrocketed accordingly, climbing $2,400 in that same stretch. Still, the price is somewhat of a bargain tonight relative to the rest of the board and he's got an appealing matchup playing against a faster paced team in Oklahoma City that allows a fair amount of points above the average to opposing point guards.
Damian Lillard (at LAC, $8,900)
I'm going back to the well with Lillard tonight and fading Russell Westbrook since I don't think Westbrook's price and matchup are all that appealing. If I'm going to spend on Russ, I'd like him to be playing a faster paced and lesser defensive team than the Jazz (the Jazz are currently the 6th most efficient defensive unit in the league.) Anyway, back to Dame, since he's got the more appealing price tag and matchup. The average amount of points the Clippers allow to opposing point guards is roughly middle of the pack when compared to the other options tonight, but the point guards in those matchups just don't have the ceiling I'm looking for. Lillard's usage projection for tonight is north of 30, a statistic only Westbrook can match. I like his chances of exceeding value once again tonight in a contest that should be high scoring.
Jrue Holiday (at IND, $8,200)
Outside of CJ McCollum and perhaps a few value plays in Rodney Hood and Gerald Henderson, the shooting guard crop tonight is an underwhelming one. I do really like the way Holiday has been playing, and his appeal tonight - a mix of price, opportunity and matchup - is the best of the two-guard bunch. He's currently on a three-game streak of far exceeding his price implied total, eclipsing 44 fantasy points in two of those three games.
Also Consider: CJ McCollum (at LAC, $6,900) and Rodney Hood (at OKC, $5,300)
FanDuel DFS Forwards
Myles Turner (vs NO, $5,000)
You can pay up for stars tonight, or you can take your luck with the rest of the pack. For roster flexibility and fear of having, say, LeBron James at 50% owned for example, I'm taking my chances with the rest of the pack. Turner jumps off the page to me as the best of the guys I'd consider value plays. Turner has exceeded value each of his last three times on the court and tonight he matches up with the Pelicans, who allow more fantasy points to opposing power forwards than any other team playing tonight - and they're now without Anthony Davis for the rest of the season. Turner could be a monster on the glass tonight and shouldn't have trouble getting looks close to the basket against a thin front court.
Gordon Hayward (at OKC, $6,700)
Hayward got back on track last night in a big way, posting 45.7 fantasy points on 22 points, four steals, five assists, six rebounds and a block. Not bad! The stat-stuffer may draw a slightly more difficult defensive matchup tonight, but I still like his chances to exceed value with this sub-7k price he's been tagged with. With all the uncertainty about minute restrictions, you can feel comfortable in rostering Hayward on a back-to-back, as he's a guarantee to see 35+ minutes of action every night. The faster pace the Thunder operate with should suit Hayward's game just fine while increasing his shot opportunities.
Value Play: Luke Babbitt (at IND, $3,800)
Also Consider: Kristaps Porzingis (vs CHI, $5,900) and Kevin Love (at BKN, $6,400)
FanDuel DFS Centers
Robin Lopez (vs CHI, $6,000)
RoLo's production charts over the last 10 days look a bit like that of a roller coaster's course, but more often than not, he's been able to exceed his price implied total. Last night against the Bulls, he managed to drop in a double-double, posting 11 points, 13 rebounds and three assists. He also had his minutes held in check, playing less than most of his starting teammates, and one would think he will not be limited on the back end of this back-to-back. Of all the teams in play tonight, no team surrenders more fantasy points to opposing centers than the Bulls do. What makes rostering Lopez even more enticing is that Pau Gasol could be held from this game, as he was a game-time decision last night and played just 25 minutes. His status is certainly something to keep an eye on, as the Bulls already have a thin front court.
Also Consider: Omer Asik (at IND, $3,900)
RotoBaller's Premium NBA Tools, Cheat Sheets and Lineups Picks
Get an edge on your NBA DFS competition, every single night of the week:
- DFS Cheat Sheets and Lineup Picks: Access to 10 deeply researched lineup picks, and sample lineups - seven days a week! Includes advanced stats to unlock NBA player values, and boost DFS success.
- DFS Value Picks Tool: Helps you find, sort and filter the best lineup values and DFS sleeper picks every day. Premium stats like "Usage Rate", "Trend" and "Value" give you a leg up on the DFS competition.
- Daily NBA Projections: Our secret sauce - DFS points projections for FanDuel and DraftKings scoring.
And don't forget, all Premium NBA subscriptions also get you access to our NHL, MLB and NFL Premium tools, cheat sheets and DFS lineup picks automatically - access to almost 20 Premium tools and DFS resources!
NBA Premium Tool Screenshots - Check It Out
Daily Projections, Trends & Value Picks
NBA DFS Lineup Picks & Cheat Sheet
Click here to see a full size version of the cheat sheet
Fantasy Basketball & NBA DFS Chat Room - Live Advice
[iflychat_embed id="c-11" hide_user_list="yes" hide_popup_chat="no" height="320px"]