If you’ve read any of my NFL articles, you know I treasure value in daily fantasy sports. “Value” is represented in those players that are likely to produce well over their salaries and send your line-up rocketing to the top of a tournament contest. Value can come in several forms. It can be the back-up subbing for an injured or resting starter or it can be a player who’s been in a slump or who’s been facing tough competition suddenly faced with an easy match-up. Whatever form value comes in, I’ll try to identify it for you, so you can incorporate it into your line-ups.
I won’t be writing this column daily (I have a bar to run and an NFL article to post), nor will I be offering complete line-ups as I do for NFL. I’ll simply be pointing out those players you should probably double-check when you’re filling out your FanDuel NBA line-ups.
PG Patrick Mills ($3,900) The New Orleans Pelicans have been absolutely brutal defensively this season and no more so than at the point guard position. They’re ranked 30th in the NBA against the position, in terms of FanDuel points. Manu Ginobili will miss this game, as he did the Spurs last game, due to injury. Mills logged 25 minutes with Ginobili out last game and rewarded his owners with 31.7 FanDuel points. With the Spurs on the first game of a back to back, Mills should get even more run as coach Gregg Popovich should use him to save the aging Tony Parker for a tougher game Saturday against the Grizzlies.
SG James Harden ($10,300) It should come as no surprise that Harden’s best game of the season came when PG Ty Lawson was benched. Harden may be listed as a shooting guard, but he’s at his best with the ball in his hands and the experiment with Lawson has been a complete failure. “Beard”, who scored 78.1 FanDuel points in an overtime affair last time out, faces a Memphis team that’s not as formidable defensively as they once were, as they are ranked 23rd versus the point guard position, which is what Harden essentially plays.
SG Kirk Hinrich ($3,700) Hinrich returned from injury on the 13th and the veteran guard has just been thrust into a major role, due to other injuries that have hit the Bulls team. Point guard Aaron Brooks has already been ruled out and Derrick Rose, while listed as a game time decision is much closer to doubtful, as he hasn’t exactly been a warrior through his career so far. On Wednesday night, with Rose and Brooks out, Hinrich saw 24 minutes on the floor and responded with 26.4 FanDuel points. Expect more of the same if Rose is sidelined again.
SF Nicolas Batum ($7,000) Batum has enjoyed a career revival with his move to Carolina, which is currently being enhanced with the recent injury suffered by fellow small forward PJ Hairston. Batum has not played fewer than 35 minutes in his last six games and has scored no fewer than 39.2 FanDuel points in three of his last four games. He’ll face a wretched 76ers defense that is 29th in the NBA against the small forward position, allowing 44.29 FanDuel points a game on the season.
PF Dante Cunningham ($3,800) This pick will hinge on injury information, but as I’m writing this, it’s looking like both PF Anthony Davis (shoulder) and C Omer Asik (illness) will miss the game. New Orleans has been hit hard by injuries, which should force Cunningham into a larger role again tonight. With both Davis and Asik out, Cunninghan played 27 minutes last night and returned 23.2 FanDuel points. Check the injury reports, but even in a tough match up, Dante should meet value given the minutes he’s forced to play.
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