Cash Plays

Russell Westbrook ($13,500) – It almost doesn’t even need to be said, but Westbrook is a clear cut cash game play for tonight’s game against the Phoenix Suns. He only needs 1 more triple-double to break Oscar Robertson’s all-time record for a season, so you can bet Westbrook and the rest of his teammates will be aiming for this accomplishment at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Suns have also given up the 2^nd most fantasy points to point guards over their last 5 games (62.2). If other point guards can do this against Phoneix’s weak backcourt it’s hard to imagine the kind of damage Russ should be able to do. Regardless, he’s the star you’re going to want to reach up for as he chases history and the 2017 MVP award.

Devin Booker ($8,100) – Booker didn’t shoot well from the field on Wednesday (7-24), but he was still able to put up 36.1 fantasy points against the Warriors. It was definitely an outlier kind of game considering Booker definitely shoots better than his performance, but he still threw up the 20+ shots I thought he would. As the season winds down it sees obvious Earl Watson has given Booker the go-ahead to take as many quality shots as he can get, and that will continue to be the trend tonight as the Suns face the Thunder.

Kyle Anderson ($3,600) – With the Spurs resting their main guys tonight there is a whole lot of value from a variety of San Antonio’s bench. However, my favorite play is small forward Kyle Anderson. The last time Kawhi Leonard was out and Anderson got the spot start he put up 33.6 fantasy points in 32 minutes of action. He is likely to see that kind of court time again tonight, so he has the potential for the same kind of production tonight against a tanking Mavericks team at American Airlines Center.

Larry Nance Jr. ($4,300) – Larry Nance Jr. was potentially the start of the night for us on Wednesday when he put up 31.8 fantasy points in 21 minutes of action. He didn’t see the kind of court time we hoped for, but his solid production in the 1^st half was enough for him to easily exceed value. That great game came against a great Spurs defense also, which will not be an issue tonight as he faces the worst defense against power forwards in the Kings. Sacramento is giving up 49.9 FP to power forwards in their last 10 games, which is the most in the league during that stretch. Nance should see a little extra court time tonight and have even more production than he had on Wednesday.

Dwight Howard ($7,500) – There are a few options you can go with at center tonight, but with Paul Millsap out I’m likely to throw Dwight Howard into my cash game lineup. With Millsap out in March Howard really shouldered a lot of responsibility on both ends of the court. With a high intensity game against the Cleveland Cavaliers that is likely to continue tonight. He should easily reach a double-double , and with Tristan Thompson out he should gobble up a plethora of rebounds. Make sure to at least consider him when you’re making your cash game lineup.

GPP Plays

Kyrie Irving ($8,500) – Everyone and their mother will be reaching up for Russell Westbrook tonight, so the next highest priced guy, Kyrie Irving, is unlikely to get any love. Kyrie hasn’t technically reached value since March 19^th against the Lakers, but his price tonight is manageable because of it. A matchup tonight against a fellow Eastern Conference playoff team in the Hawks is also likely to be motivation for the Cavs guys to play well, so I think Kyrie is a great call in GPP play tonight.

David Nwaba ($3,900) – I may be a bit biased to this kid considering he is a fellow Cal Poly kid, but he is really have success for the Lakers as the season winds down. He’s seeing 25-30 minutes a night for Los Angele’s second unit, and he’s making the most out of it. In his last 3 games he’s averaging 10.7 points and 4 rebounds game, which are solid numbers for a guy priced at $3,900. Last Saturday he also showcased his upside, posting 19 points and 6 rebounds in 35 minutes of action. For a guy primarily known for his defense those are some great offensive numbers. A matchup with the Sacramento Kings tonight should definitely be of benefit to him, as they’ve given up the 2^nd most fantasy points to shooting guards on the year (44.2).

Gordon Hayward ($7,800) – I’m generally a no-go on Hayward, but a home matchup tonight against the Minnesota Timberwolves in a game they need to win seems like a great time to roll the dice on him. The Jazz are currently a half game up on the Clippers for the 4^th seed and home court advantage in the playoffs, so Hayward and the rest of the Utah Jazz should come out highly motivated to win against a fellow Western Conference team. At $7,800 he needs 39 to reach value, which he most definitely can do against a team that is giving up the 8^th most fantasy points to small forwards in their last 10 games (44.3).

Willie Cauley-Stein ($6,300) – Cauley-Stein has my favorite matchup of the night as he goes up against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center. The Lakers are giving up by far the most fantasy points a game to power forwards (48.9). In his last games against the Lakers he was able to put up 20ish fantasy points, but DeMarcus Cousins was also still in Sacramento. With Cousins now gone, Cauley-Stein is the main guy in the Kings frontcourt, and is likely to have a great game tonight against a weak Laker’s defense.

Hassan Whiteside ($8,500) – Hassan Whiteside has now posted 30+ fantasy points in 20 straight games, a remarkable feat for a guy that only needs 42 to reach value from night to night. In 8 of those games he’s put up 40+ FP as well, so he basically reaches value more times than not. He’s fresh off a 13 point/20 rebound effort against the Charlotte Hornets, and has a decent matchup tonight against Jonas Valanciunas and the Toronto Raptors. I see him easily reaching value tonight and obviously has the upside for much more.

Throw this into Double Ups and 50:50’s. Do a tournament or two in case it scores really high.

Cash Plays

T.J. McConnell ($5,600) – With Sergio Rodriguez still out tonight for the 76ers I love T.J. McConnell with the amount of court time he gets. In his last 7 games he’s posted a minimum of 23.1 and a maximum of 31 fantasy points (with an average of 27.4 during that stretch). At $5.6k Fanduel has done little to match his price to his productivity, so it’s still a great time to invest in McConnell as he goes up against a Bulls defense that has given up the 9^th most fantasy points in the league to opposing points guards (48.6 a game).

Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot ($4,800) – Even with his price increase it’s kind of hard to fade TLC tonight. Of all the Sixers players he’s been seeing the most court time lately, and that should continue to be the trend tonight as he faces the Bulls at the Wells Fargo Center. In his last 5 games he’s put up a minimum of 23.8 and a maximum of 33.3 fantasy points, all while seeing no less than 32 minutes of action. He’s actually a fairly safe play even at $4,800 and should continue to get a lot of usage for Philadelphia’s backcourt.

Jimmy Butler ($9,900) – Jimmy’s price actually came down after a “bad “ game against the New York Knicks on Friday in which he put up 38.6 fantasy points in 40 minutes of action. However, prior to this outing he had posted 42+ fantasy points in 9 straight contests, with 2 of those games being 60+. One of those 60 fantasy point games (66.9 to be exact) came against the same 76ers team he faces tonight, so he’s in a great position to reach value. Philadelphia has also given up the 2^nd most fantasy points to small forwards in their last 5 games (52.1), so there’s a little added incentive to start Butler if you were having doubts.

Aaron Gordon ($5,700) – Aaron Gordon let a lot of the fantasy world down on Tuesday when he posted only 14 fantasy points in 32 minutes of action. However, I think many will be willing to give him a second chance as he goes up against the same Nets team he burned for 50.5 fantasy points just last week. Brooklyn is giving up 47.6 fantasy points a game to power forwards, which is the 2^nd most in the league this season. At $5,700 he doesn’t even need 30 to reach value, though he should be able to post 30+ against Brooklyn’s weak frontcourt.

Karl-Anthony Towns ($10,200) – KAT’s price has come back down closer to $10k after 4 straight games of not reaching value. He did, however, post 47+ in 2 of those games, which is kind of hard to get mad at. Also, one of those 47+ point games did come against the same Trail Blazers team he faces tonight, so he is in great shape to reach value for your lineup. The Timberwolves no longer have anything to play for, but Thibodeau is still giving his young bucks plenty of court time, whether they’re in the game or not. This essentially means Towns is a lock for 32+ minutes, though he’s seen 40+ in 3 of his last 5. He’s definitely a star I’m looking to reach up for tonight so long as I have the cash.

GPP Plays

John Wall ($10,500) – Coming off a solid 51.9 fantasy point night on Tuesday, Wall’s price is a hefty $10.5k. This will more than likely be enough for people to fade him as he goes up against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. However, he’s burned the Knicks this year, posting 22.3 ppg, 12.3 apg, and 3.7 rpg in their 3 meetings this season. His success should continue as the Wizards look to improve their seeding in the Eastern Conference, so I expect him to get 45+ tonight on his way to what could be a great fantasy night.

Monta Ellis ($4,500) – Monta has killed me when I’ve started him this year, but he’s still starting for the Pacers as they make a playoff push and seeing 30+ minutes of court time most nights. At $4,500 he’s a great bargain player that should be able to reach value against a middle-of-the-road Bucks defense. They’re giving up 43.1 fantasy points a game to shooting guards in their last 5 contests, so Ellis is well equipped to do well against them at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

Khris Middleton ($6,000) – Middleton’s price went up well into the 6k range and I think a lot of fantasy players decided to pass on him for the past couple weeks. However, a few disappointing games has brought his price back down to exactly $6,000 and he seems much more affordable as he goes up against a Pacers team that has given up the 2^nd most fantasy points to small forwards in their last 10 games (46.7). Middleton should be able to return to his consistent ways and put up 30+ for your lineup, while also bringing serious upside given the way he can score the ball.

Al-Farouq Aminu ($4,800) – Aminu has scored 20+ fantasy points in each of his last 6 games, with one of those games being 41.9 against the same Timberwolves team he faces tonight. He was on the road for that game against Minnesota last week, but will welcome the Wolves into the Moda Center tonight for a home game that has serious playoff implications for Portland. The Trail Blazers are currently holding onto the 8^th seed by one game, and every game from here on out is a must win for them. All of their guys should be highly motivated to get a win, including their starting power forward Aminu. He should reach value with ease tonight and has the potential to fly under the radar and have a low own %.

Brook Lopez ($7,100) – With so much attention on other centers tonight it seems probable that Brook Lopez flies under the radar for his matchup with the Orlando Magic. I have a lot of respect for Vucevic, but the Magic as a whole give up way to many fantasy points to opposing centers (56 FP a game over their last 10). Lopez only needs 35 to reach value tonight, which seems a bit low for a guy averaging 20+ points a game. I think he has a great shot at a good fantasy night and should be low owned for your GPP lineup.

Cash Plays

Isaiah Thomas ($8,500) – IT4 and the Celtics will be welcoming the Cavaliers to TD garden tonight for matchup between the 1^st and 2^nd seeds in the Eastern Conference. At this point in the season, there are a lot of teams that don’t have anything to play for. This, however, is not the case for these powerhouse eastern conference teams as they battle for playoff positioning. You know Thomas will score for you, so it’s just about whether he can fill the stat sheet in some of the other areas to reach value. He’s still underpriced (in my opinion) at $8,500, and a matchup with the Cavs should give him some extra motivation at home tonight. Cleveland gives up the 7^th most fantasy points a game to point guards (50.3), so there should be plenty of opportunities for IT to find success against them tonight.

Devin Booker ($8,100) – Devin Booker’s price has not changed and he keeps putting up 20+ shots a game as the season winds down, so as long as those two things stay constant he’s going to keep finding himself into my cash game picks. He has a good matchup tonight against the Golden State Warriors in what should be a high scoring game. Golden State does have a great individual shooting guard defender in Klay Thompson, but as a team they still give up 40 fantasy points a game to the position. I’m not worried about Booker reaching value with the kind of usage he’s been seeing, so he should find his way into my lineup yet again tonight.

LeBron James ($10,700) – James has scored 47+ fantasy points in each of his last 4 games and will be looking to continue his hot streak tonight as he faces the Boston Celtics. This game has serious playoff implications and James should run the show in what should be a close game down the stretch. He’s almost averaging a triple double in 3 games against the Celtics this year (27 points, 11 assists, 9.3 rebounds) and will be looking to burn them again tonight on his way to reaching value.

Marquese Chriss ($5,300) – Chriss has been seeing some huge minutes over the last month and that trend should continue tonight against the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors have a solid defense, but have actually given up the 9^th most fantasy points to power forwards this year. An added bonus is that the Warriors defensive stopped Draymond Green is out tonight for rest purposes, so Chriss should have an easier time reaching value. He’ll need 26 fantasy points to be worth the investment and I think he should easily be able to do this in a high scoring affair.

Clint Capela ($5,500) – Capela has arguably been the most consistent center on Fanduel over the last 2 weeks. He’s posted 22+ fantasy points in each of his last 8 games, and scored 29.6 and 32.8 fantasy points against Denver in the two contests against them in late March. For a guy priced at $5,500 this is amazing consistency/production, and is exactly what you want out of a player in cash games. Denver is a very fast paced team so there will most definitely be opportunities for Capela to get fantasy points tonight at the Toyota Center.

GPP Plays

Chris Paul ($9,500) – Chris Paul has been playing great basketball over his last 3 games, posting an average of 28.3 points and 11.6 assists per game during those contests. He’s also been between 47.8 and 51.1 fantasy points during that stretch, so he’s shown a nice flash of consistency. This consistency, however, is still not enough for me to consider him as a viable cash game pick. He does possess serious GPP upside, though, against an under-staffed Mavericks team. Dallas once again has more players as game-time decisions than it seems like they’ll have dress out, but that is great news for the Clippers who are still chasing the 4^th seed Jazz for home-court advantage in the playoffs. This should be enough for Doc Rivers to leave his starters on the floor for an extended period of time and allow CP3 to reach value for your tournament lineup.

Nicolas Batum ($6,300) – Batum is so underpriced tonight at $6,300 I wouldn’t be surprised if he is a somewhat popular cash game play. He doesn’t seem to find success against good matchups or when he’s on a hot streak, so it’s really hit or miss with him on a nightly basis. But at $6,300 Fanduel is literally saying he only needs his average to reach value for you tonight, which I never see happen for a middle/higher-priced guy like Batum is. On the season he’s averaging 31.92 fantasy points a game, and he only needs 31 to be worth the investment. It’s a possibility he may go overlooked, but Batum is really a great play tonight against the Miami Heat at the Spectrum Center.

Marcus Morris ($5,300) – Another guy I really like in tournaments tonight is Marcus Morris of the Detorit Pistons. He’s another player that seems like he has great games when you least expect it, and a matchup with a good defensive team like the Toronto Raptors seems like a good time to roll with him given this philosophy. At $5,300 he needs 25-30 to reach value, but we’ve seen him hit 40-50 multiple times this year, so he obviousy has serious upside considering his price.

LaMarcus Aldridge ($7,000) – I haven’t seen too much of LaMarcus Aldridge’s name while researching for this slate, so I think he’ll fall more as a GPP play tonight against the Lakers. If this is the case, Aldridge will have an elite matchup with a low-ownership as he gets to take on a Los Angeles defense that has given up the most fantasy points in the league to opposing power forwards all season. He is another guy that seems a bit under-priced at $7k, but that’s just another factor that makes him a great play tonight. Make sure Popovich is playing him before you lock him in, though, because a home game against the Lakers seems like a perfect opportunity to rest a guy like Aldridge heading into playoffs.

Hassan Whiteside ($8.400) – Whiteside has been playing fairly well last week, but did not reach his $8,400 price tag once. This leads me to believe that most will not be overly excited to get him into their lineups and should leave him with a low ownership for this slate. He’ll need 42 to reach value, which he’s only done once in his last 6 contests. However, a matchup with the Charlotte Hornets may be just what he needs, as they’ve given up the 10^th most fantasy points to opposing centers this season (48.4 a game).

Cash Plays

 Emmanuel Mudiay ($3,700) – It’s kind of a toss up for minutes tonight in Nuggets backcourt. I think it’s more likely, though, that they roll with 2^nd year Mudiay than the rookie Jamal Murray while they’re still in the middle of a chase for the 8^th seed in the west. Mudiay also outplayed Murray on Sunday, posting 35.3 fantasy points in 32 minutes of action. The Nuggets were clearly not afraid to turn to him in that game and I think the same is likely to happen tonight when they face off with the New Orleans Pelicans.

Giannis Antetokounmp ($3,700) – Giannis is fresh off two 60+ point fantasy nights and is looking to continue his hot streak tonight against the Oklahoma City Thunder. With Malcolm Brogdon out Antetokounmpo has been running the point even more for the Bucks, and it has paid off for fantasy owners over the last week. Milwaukee has catapulted themselves straight into the 5^th seed in the East, and Jason Kidd has given Giannis 40+ minutes each of the last 2 nights to ensure they hold onto their spot in the standings. They had an off-day yesterday, so the Greek Freak is ready to resume is winning ways in OKC tonight.

Jimmy Butler ($10,000) – Butler’s price has finally caught up to him, as he’s priced at $10k on Fanduel. He has posted 42+ fantasy points in each of his last 9 games, though, so his price can definitely be backed up by his recent performance. Everyone will be on him tonight as he matches up with the New York Knicks, a team that has given up the 11^th most fantasy points to small forwards this year. Butler should be able to feast on them tonight at Madison Square Garden.

Richaun Holmes ($6,000) – Dario Saric is dealing with left heel soreness and has been put on a 24-minute restriction for the remainder of the season. This is bad news for Saric, but great news for Richaun Holmes, who is already starting at center for the 76ers. Holmes should be an easy lock for 30+ minutes a night, and at $6k I’m definitely going to want to have a lot of exposure to him tonight as he goes up against the Nets at home. Brooklyn has given up the 2^nd most fantasy points to opposing power forwards, so Holmes is in a great spot to produce against them tonight at the Wells Fargo Center.

DeMarcus Cousins ($9,600) – Cousins and the Pelicans get a favorable matchup tonight against the Denver Nuggets, a team that has given up the 2^nd most fantasy points to opposing centers in their last 5 games (57.5). Cousins should be a popular pick considering he’s a $10k+ kind of guy that’s still underpriced at $9,600. He’s got serious upside and is definitely a guy you’re going to want in cash games tonight.

GPP Plays

Ty Lawson ($5,300) – Lawson is coming off potentially his best game of the year, a 40.9 fantasy point outing against the Timberwolves. Although he still fights Darren Collison for minutes on a nightly basis he is still a solid play at $5,300. Coming off a nice 21 point/11 assist double-double I don’t think the Kings will hesitate to give him more minutes either. He shouldn’t be on anyone’s radar and should make for a great tournament play tonight.

Garrett Temple ($4,000) – Temple missed a good portion of this year with an injury, but has slowly worked his back into the rotation this past month. He’s a scrappy player that gets you fantasy points throughout the stat sheet, making him one of my favorite plays when I do decide to roll with him. The Kings will be taking on a Mavericks team that is very short on players, as they are now fully out of playoff contention and will be resting a lot of their regulars, which is starting tonight. At $4,000 he needs 20 fantasy points to reach value which I think the can easily do at home.

Kawhi Leonard ($9,200) – I haven’t seen too much of Leonard’s name tonight, which leads me to believe he will more than likely fall as more than a GPP pick than a cash game play. He obviously always carries significant upside, but a matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies defense is not necessarily ideal for a fantasy player. However, he still has 60+ point fantasy upside and could easily be the reason why your lineup reaches the top of a tournament.

Willie Cauley-Stein ($6,100) – Cauley-Stein is a little overpriced for cash games, but at right around $6k I don’t mind playing him in tournaments since Sacramento is looking to get him 30+ minutes a night as the regular season wraps up. He consistently hovers around 25 fantasy points every night, but we’ve seen him have upside even towards 50 when he’s taking a lot of shot. As previously mentioned, the Mavericks are very depleted tonight, so he should be able to run all over them at the Golden One Center.

Willie Hernangomez ($5,500) – It’s such a roll of the dice with Willie Hernangomez every night that I usually just pass on him all together. However, he doesn’t have an awful matchup tonight against the Chicago Bulls and he’s due for one of those games where he gets you 40+ fantasy points out of nowhere. He also hovers around 25 frequently though, so even if he doesn’t have a huge game he does offer a nice safety net for a middle-priced center. Because of this, I highly recommend him as a low- owned tournament play tonight.