Cash Plays

Shaun Livingston (3,500) – The big news coming into tonight is that the Warriors will be sitting Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Andre Iguodala. For a team that was already short without Kevin Durant, this is a bold strategy to be implementing in mid-March against a team that is only 1.5 games back from you in the standings. Nevertheless, this opens up a plethora of value options you can go with in fantasy today, and I think Shaun Livingston can easily get the job done. He should see about as much run time as he can handle and he’s as cheap as you can get, so there is basically no risk. Lock him into cash games and reach up to whatever stars you want elsewhere on the slate.

Bradley Beal ($7,600) – Beal was a cash game shooting guard I targeted last night, and boy did he not disappoint. He single handedly helped me cash with a whopping 58 fantasy points over 43 minutes against the Kings. The game did go to OT, though, so don’t expect Beal to be getting that same kind of court time tonight. However, this game does have the highest combined team total on tonight’s slate (226). This will be a high scoring game and, lucky for us, Beal’s game completely revolves around scoring. After last night’s game many will be looking to get him into their lineups, so his own % should be high. With his price remaining the same I highly recommend you do the same.

LeBron James ($11,600) – There’s just so much value elsewhere on the slate that a fade of LeBron tonight isn’t really plausible. He’s put up at least 58 fantasy points in his last 4 games, 3 of which he put up 60+. Orlando has been giving up close to 50 FP a game to opposing SF over their last 5 games and I think it’s very reasonable to assume King James will keep that streak going for them tonight in Orlando.

David Lee ($4,700) – I think Lee is another guy people will target in the GS/SA game since he has a decently low price and is coming off a great game on Wednesday when Aldridge was out. With Aldridge out again tonight, he should once again see upwards of 30 minutes of action. The Warriors have been awful against power forwards over their last 10 games, giving up an average of 49 FP a game to the position. Lee should be able to exploit their weak spots tonight and is another guy worth considering when you stack this game.

Jusuf Nurkic ($6,800) – Here we are again looking at Nurkic as a cash game center. It’s kind of hard not to, though, given his recent success in Rip City. With the Blazers he’s averaging 16.5 points and close to 10 rebounds a game, while also passing the ball extremely well. He racks up fantasy points in a variety of ways and has really been great over the last 2 weeks. In his last 7 games he is averaging 40 fantasy points, which, in retrospect, came mainly from his game Thursday night in which he put up 77 FP in 38 minutes of action. He gets to matchup against the Wizards tonight, a team that is in the bottom 10 in fantasy points allowed to centers over their last 10 games.

GPP Plays

Ricky Rubio ($7,100) – There is too much value at the point guard position tonight for most to even acknowledge the middle priced guys, so I’m going with Ricky Rubio at $7,100 as a GPP point guard tonight against the Bucks. Milwaukee is 3^rd best in the league in fantasy points allowed to point guards, but will rely solely on Matthew Dellavedova to stop him tonight as Malcolm Brogdon is expected to sit. Rubio has now posted 3 straight games of 40+ fantasy points and he should be able to keep his hot streak going tonight at the Harris Bradley Center.

Tyreke Evans ($5,900) – Tyreke started and played incredibly well in San Antonio on Wednesday, but sat last night against the Wizards. He should draw another start tonight at home against the Nuggets, a team the Kings saw in late February and a game that Evans saw 26 minutes in. It looks like Dave Joerger wants to make Evans a key piece moving forward and, if his body can handle it, should play him 30+ minutes. I think Evans is a great GPP shooting guard tonight, but make sure he is getting the start before locking him in.

Danilo Gallinari ($6,600) – Opposite of Evans tonight will be Danilo Gallinari of the Denver Nuggets. Gallinari has posted 8 straight games of at least 27 fantasy points and really has the consistency you look for in a player. Tonight, however, there are so many value options across the board that I think many will be reaching up for King James as one of their small forward options, leaving the other SF pick to be someone priced below Gallinari. However, the fact that he is getting overlooked makes him a great tournament play. Though he has been playing well over his last 8, he has only reached his $6,600 price tag once in that time frame, which will also draw people away from him. The Kings are an awful defensive team, giving up 50+ fantasy points a game to small forwards over their last 10. I don’t see Gallo having any trouble handling them tonight in Sacramento.

Gorgui Dieng ($5,600) – Dieng isn’t generally a guy that strings together a series of good games, but that is exactly what he’s done since the beginning of March. In the 4 games the Wolves have played this month he is averaging close to 27 fantasy points a game. There are some games in which Bjelica comes off the bench and has his shot working, which ends up taking minutes away from Dieng. This adds to his downside, but that is also why he can be an effective GPP play. At under 6k I don’t see too much risk with how he has been playing and he has shown he has 40+ FP upside, so he’s a guy I would consider in tournaments tonight.

Pau Gasol ($5,800) – Pau is under 6k for tonight’s matchup with the Warriors, a game in which just about every player generally worth fantasy consideration will be sitting. Gasol, however, will remain in Popovich’s starting lineup against a Golden State team that does not guard the big man well. Pau’s increase in age and decrease in athleticism has drawn people away from him over the years, but tonight may be a good night to roll with the veteran as he will be one of the guys the Spurs turn to tonight in Oakland.

Cash Plays

Isaiah Thomas ($9,200) – The Boston/Denver game is probably going to be a game I look to target tonight. The Boston Celtics are 9^th in the NBA in total points scored and the Nuggets are 3^rd worst in the league in points allowed. This will allow IT4 plenty of opportunities to score tonight in Denver. Thinking back to where Isaiah’s price was earlier in the year, it’s safe to say it has come down a considerable amount and is now at a point where we can consider him a value star option over higher priced guys like Steph Curry and John Wall. I love Thomas tonight and am going to be looking to get him into my cash game lineup.

Bradley Beal ($7,600) – Beal has now scored at least 30 fantasy points in 8 straight and has put up 40+ in 3 of them. Tonight, he get a matchup with the Sacramento Kings, a team that has given up the most fantasy points to shooting guards all season. The last time these 2 teams met, Beal dropped 42.7 fantasy points en route to a 101-95 win in Washington. Tonight’s game is in Sacramento, so the point spread is only 8. This means all of the Washington guys should be able to see their normal amount of run time. I think Beal will be able to continue his dominance against an awful Sacramento defense.

Wilson Chandler ($7,000) – Chandler’s high price point in definitely going to scare some people away from him tonight. However, Faried has already been ruled out and Gallinari and Jokic don’t look like they’re going to be able to suit up. When Jokic is out and Chandler runs the power forward position he sees a 25% usage rate and scores over 1 fantasy point for every minute he’s on the court. Considering he’ll probably see 35+ minutes tonight, it’s safe to roll with him and assume he’ll make value. Make sure to check on the status of the other Denver guys before you lock Chandler in though.

If Jokic does play:

Harrison Barnes ($6,000) – Barnes and the Mavericks are the beneficiaries of a matchup with the Brooklyn Nets tonight. The Nets are last in the league in fantasy points given up to the small forward position this year, allowing an average 47.7 a game. Though I don’t necessarily think Barnes will reach those kinds of numbers, he is in a great matchup and has been playing well of late, posting 9 straight games of at least 20 fantasy points. Though that isn’t much for a player of Barnes’ skill set, it is consistent enough for me to give him a start, especially considering his price point and great matchup against the Nets.

Aaron Gordon ($5,600) – With a rather bland night of power forward options it seems logical most people will look for some type of value option at the position, and I think Gordon is the guy most will turn to yet again. He has put up 30+ fantasy points in 3 of his last 4 and gets a matchup tonight against a Charlotte team that will be without Frank Kaminsky inside. Charlotte has decent numbers guarding the PF this year, but over their last 10 they are 3^rd worst in the league in fantasy points given up to the position. With Gordon’s recent production it’s reasonable to assume he could potentially be priced above $6,000 in the upcoming weeks. I think it’s a smart move to take advantage of his still some-what low price tag and good matchup tonight as the Magic head to Charlotte to take on the Hornets.

Cody Zeller ($5,100) – Zeller saw an insane 42 minutes of action in Wednesday’s game against the Heat. With Kaminsky out the Hornets have been looking to Zeller to pick up some of the slack, and I that should continue tonight as they take on the Orlando Magic. He hasn’t done anything special with the increased minutes he’s seen over the last 2 games, but he hasn’t completely disappointed either. He’s put up 4 straight games of at least 20 fantasy points and you only need him to get around 25 to reach value for your lineup tonight. If he’s sees anywhere close to 40 minutes again he should have no problem doing this and should be a popular cash game pick because of it.

GPP Plays

Jamal Murray ($3,700) – Denver came out and said they want to play Jamal Murray more over the last few weeks. Our first look at this new tactic came Wednesday when the Nuggets took on the Wizards in Denver. Murray saw 24 minutes of action and, from what I saw, played very well against a Washington team that is actually pretty good at defending point guards. Murray could soon be a cash game play if he’s given more minutes. But given that he hasn’t proven to be consistent just yet, I think he is more of a GPP pick and definitely makes for a good play tonight against the Celtics in a fast paced game.

Tim Hardaway Jr. ($5,700) – Hardaway Jr. is in the middle of one of his inconsistent runs, but it’s a good one. He’s put up 4 straight games of at least 25 fantasy points and has had 30+ in 3 of them. Previous to this, however, he had 6 straight games of less than 20 fantasy points, making many reluctant to trust him. He gets a matchup tonight against a Raptor squad that are 3^rd best in the league in fantasy points given up to shooting guards, so he’ll have his work cut out for him. If he has his shot working, though, he could be the reason you cash in tournaments.

Shabazz Muhammad ($3,700) – Muhammad started at shooting guard for the Timberwolves on Wednesday and put up 23.2 FP across 26 minutes of action. For his price point, he’s a great fantasy option. However, if Brandon Rush starts over him tonight it will definitely draw minutes and production away from Shabazz, so make sure to see if he’s starting before locking him into any of your GPP lineups

Thaddeus Young (($4,900) – Thad Young’s price is down under $5,000 for tonight’s tilt with the Bucks. He has had a tough return from the all-star break, putting up 16 fantasy points or less in 5 of his last 7 games. His last game, however, he played 34 minutes and put up 29.6 FP, looking like the Thaddeus Young we saw earlier this season. You never know what kind of player will show up when you roll with him, making him a risky tournament play. The Bucks are pretty average against the power forward so tonight may be a good night to roll with Young and hope he can carry the same momentum he had last game into Milwaukee for today’s game.

Greg Monroe ($6,300) – Most of the attention for the center position tonight will more than likely not be directed at the middle priced guys, which is great news for Greg Monroe. Thon Maker continues to start over him, but by the end of the game Monroe generally comes away with more minutes. Jason Kidd varies his minutes (could be anywhere between 20-35), so it’s hard to know when to go with Monroe. The Bucks just had an off day and Monroe hasn’t seen 30+ minutes in 3 straight games, so I think he is in a great position to succeed tonight against an Indiana team that is in the bottom 10 in fantasy points given up to opposing centers over their last 5 games.

Cash Plays

Damian Lillard ($8,800) – With Russell Westbrook’s price tag still over $13,000 for his matchup tonight against the Spurs I believe many will look for another high-priced option at point guard. Though Bledsoe and Kyrie are both priced above him, Lillard’s matchup against the 76ers is hard to resist. Philadelphia has given up 52.9 FP to point guards over their last 10 games and Lillard is in a great position to reach that average tonight in Portland.

Devin Booker ($6,400) – The shooting guard position is rather limited tonight and I expect Booker to be heavily owned given his matchup with the Lakers. The Suns and Lakers both play awful defense, which can be seen by the fact that they both give up 111 points per game to their opposition. This game is projected to be very high scoring because of this and the fast-paced action should bode well for the 20-year-old shooting guard. He should easily flirt with 30+ fantasy points and reach value at home tonight.

Brandon Ingram ($4,000) – Ingram is proving to be more consistent over his last 6 games, averaging between 19.5 and 24.2 fantasy points in 5 of them. For his price point, that is great production, and he should be able to keep the ball rolling tonight against a Phoenix Suns team that is giving up the 2^nd most points in the league. Ingram will probably see 35+ minutes again tonight, giving him ample opportunities to grab fantasy points for your team.

Dario Saric ($7,400) – There are actually some good options tonight at the PF position, but one of my cash game picks is more than likely going to be Saric if I can fit him in. The Portland Trail Blazers have allowed the 3^rd most fantasy points to opposing power forwards all year and Dario should be able to easily reach his $7,400 price tag against them. Saric has put up at least 33 FP in 10 of his last 11 games and should be a popular pick tonight because of the small slate and his recent production.

Jusuf Nurkic ($6,500) – Nurkic is likely to be highly owned yet again given the fact that the Blazers will be matching up with a 76ers team that has given up the most fantasy points per game to opposing centers. What makes this matchup even more tantalizing, however, is that Philadelphia has given up close to 60 FP a game a game to the center position over their last 5 games, which is 6 more points than the next closest team. Nurkic’s price came down a little after his last game (which was still 30.6 FP), and he should have a very high own % as the center with the most upside tonight. Lock him in and watch him take control.

GPP Plays

 Reggie Jackson ($5,200) – I saw Reggie Jackson completely take control of the game against the Chicago Bulls on Monday, putting up 26 points and 6 assists to go toward a 36.4 fantasy point night. With inconsistency from KCP and Marcus Morris, I think it could be up to Reggie Jackson to try and help keep the Pistons in the game yet again. The Cavs actually give up 50.4 fantasy points per game to opposing point guards so Reggie has all the pieces to put together a good stat line tonight, it’s just about whether or not he can get the job done.

J.J. Reddick ($4,100) – With all the injuries to the Clippers this year we were able to witness Reddick step up when Los Angeles needed him. With everyone back and healthy now, a good fantasy performance from him completely rides on whether or not he gets enough shots in a game. He doesn’t score fantasy points in a lot of other ways so he’s really a GPP play most of the time. That is the case once again tonight as he goes up against the Memphis Grizzlies. The Grizzlies are giving up the 4^th most fantasy points to shooting guards over their last 4 games so Reddick is in a great position to produce tonight in Memphis.

Justin Anderson ($3,900) – I watched this kid play a little bit last week and was truly impressed by what he could do on the court. He was a very physical player and really had a nose for the ball. Given a choice out of the 76ers forwards, most are going to turn to Dario Saric tonight, but I wouldn’t keep Anderson out of mind. He’s been fitting in nicely with his new team, putting up 29 fantasy points twice in his last 3 games. He gets to matchup tonight against a Portland team that is awful at guarding the forward positions. At his price point I think he carries significant upside and is definitely a guy I’m looking to get into my GPP lineups.

Tobias Harris ($5,400) – Harris has strung together 4 straight games of at least 27 fantasy points, which, by coincidence, is exactly what he needs to reach 5x value tonight. He’ll be squaring off with a Cleveland team that is generally great at defending the power forward position, but have struggled as of late, giving up the 3^rd most fantasy points to the position over their last 5 games with no Kevin Love. I see Harris keeping his streak of good games going tonight when the Cavs come into town.

Tristan Thompson ($5,800) – Thompson has cooled down since the all-star break after a phenomenal start to the month of February, a time in which he was putting up 30 FP regularly. Tonight he’ll face off with a Detroit Pistons team that is good at defending the center position. However, Thompson is a very physical center that prefers boards over points. With a matchup against Andre Drummond he is likely to be around the rim tonight, much like he was in their first two meeting when he averaged 12 rebounds against them. With his price now under 6k I think it’s safe to roll with Thompson and hope he brings the same upside we saw from him in early February.

Cash Plays

John Wall ($10,200) –I’m going to keep looking to get Wall into my cash game lineups if his price remains around $10,000, and that’s exactly where it is tonight for his matchup with the Nuggets, a team that has given up the 3^rd most points in the league. Not only that, they have also given up the 2^nd most fantasy points to opposing point guards all season. Wall should be able to feast on their weak defense and rack up a ton of fantasy points. Don’t let his price scare you away.

Evan Fournier ($5,400) – Fournier has been very consistent over his last 4 games, posting at least 22 fantasy points in each of them. Most of the big name shooting guards on the slate are either over priced or have an awful matchup, so I expect a lot of people to look to Fournier tonight for consistency and a little cap relief. The Bulls are pretty solid guarding the SG position, but if Wade/Butler sit it’s going to be up to other, lesser known players to get the job done against Fournier. I like him at home tonight.

Wilson Chandler ($6,800) – Chandler went off for a massive 57.4 fantasy points on Monday against the Kings. It’s obviously unlikely he does that again, but Nikola Jokic is doubtful and Faried has already been ruled out, meaning the Nuggets will turn to Chandler to be the primary scorer against the Wizards tonight. Washington is in the bottom half of the league in total fantasy points given up to opposing small forwards and I don’t see Chandler having any issues reaching value against them tonight in Denver.

Aaron Gordon ($5,700) – As previously mentioned in one of my articles, Gordon is filling in quite nicely as the Magic’s starting power forward. With Vucevic out Gordon has enjoyed his new roll even more, putting up 30+ fantasy points in his last 3 games and stepping up whenever Orlando needs him. In his 2 meetings with the Bulls this year Gordon has done relatively well, putting up 28.8 and 22.2 FP. With an increased roll tonight I think he easily exceeds value and will be a great cash game option.

(If you’re not a fan of the Magic stack look to Bobby Portis {$4,300} or even David Lee {$4,500} tonight as value plays at the power forward position)

Bismack Biyombo ($4,600) – I really like the Orlando guys tonight, so I’m going to keep it rolling with another guy from their squad. Biyombo’s price is now up to $4,600 after back-to-back solid performances while Nikola Vucevic was out. Vucevic will sit again tonight with an Achilles injury and I expect Bismack to remain a popular cash game play. The Magic will have home court tonight against a Bulls team that looks like they may be rather limited with Butler, Wade, and Rondo all listed as game time decisions. Regardless of who plays, Biyombo is in a great position tonight against a Chicago team that has given up an average of 53.5 fantasy points per game to the center position over their last 5 games, which is good for 3^rd worst in the league.

GPP Plays

Jeremy Lin ($5,200) – I love Lin’s matchup tonight against a Hawks defense that is giving up 50.4 FP a game to the point guard position this year. He’s not seeing quite the same amount of minutes he was getting prior to his injury, but Kenny Atkinson is slowly working him back into the rotation. He’s seen 24 minutes in his last 2 games and I think he’ll see 25+ tonight. He has the potential to have a great game but he’s definitely a “play at your own risk” kind of guy.

Garrett Temple ($4,200) – Temple returned from injury on Sunday and played in 24 minutes against the Jazz. He sat out the following game for rest but will be available again tonight as the Kings take on the Spurs, who will be without Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge. If he is given at least 25 minutes tonight I see him exceeding his $4,200 price tag and being a good play in GPP games.

Marcus Morris ($6,100) – The younger of the Morris twins has had a nice return from the all-star break, averaging 32.7 FP per game over 6 games. A large chunk of that is from his 55.6 FP outbreak last week against Portland, but it’s for that exact reason that I like Morris in tournaments. He’s shown he has insane upside on some nights and it’s just about picking and choosing when to roll the dice on him. Tonight he faces an Indiana team that is good defensively against small forwards. However, over their last 10 games they have given up 49.6 FP per game to the position, which is 3^rd worst in the league. I think tonight may be the night to plug Morris into your GPP lineup and watch him take control.

Blake Griffin ($9,500) – Griffin has not been exceeding his price tag over his last few games and his price is not going down to reflect it. Tonight is more than likely going to be a night where most fade Griffin as he goes up against Karl-Anthony Towns and the Minnesota Timberwolves. The reason he is a good tournament play should be relatively obvious. He’s Blake Griffin and carries ridiculous upside anytime he takes the court. He should have a low own % and be a great GPP play.

Karl-Anthony Towns ($10,900) – KAT will be facing the Clippers tonight in Minnesota and is, in my opinion, extremely over-priced. He’s obviously a very consistent center, having posted 7 consecutive game of at least 41+ fantasy points. However, in only 2 of those games did he reach his $10,900 price tag. There will definitely be fantasy points up for grabs tonight against a Clipper team that has been struggling to contain the center position over their last 10 games, giving up an average of 49.8 fantasy points in that time. He should score plenty; it’s just a matter of whether or not he can have a great game.

Cash Plays

John Wall ($10,200) – Wall’s price came down a bit after an “off performance” of 19 points, 10 assists, and 6 rebounds. He’s scored 40+ fantasy points in 11 of his last 13 games and gets to matchup tonight against a Phoenix Suns team that is giving up the most fantasy points to opposing PG’s in their last 5 games. The last time he faced Phoenix he greatly struggled from the field, shooting 6-24 in a 106-101 win in mid-November. Despite his poor shooting, he still managed to put up 57 fantasy points. He will have plenty of opportunities to get FP again tonight and should be in for a huge day.

Seth Curry ($6,200) – Curry has been one of the shooting guards I have rolled with a lot in my cash games as of late. It’s been an entire month since he last scored under 20 fantasy points and I don’t see him struggling to reach value tonight against an awful Lakers defense. He’ll be a very popular pick due to the small slate and his recent production. You’re definitely going to want to get him into your cash game lineup.

Maurice Harkless ($4,800) – Moe Harkless has been one of my favorite players to watch over the past week while he has filled in for the injured Evan Turner. He has put up at least 22 fantasy points in every game since the all-star break and his price has not gone up to reflect his recent production. Harkless should see 35+ minutes again tonight against an OKC team that has allowed the 11^th most fantasy points to opposing small forwards over their last 10 games.

Enes Kanter ($5,800) – Tonight Enes Kanter gets a great matchup against a Portland team that has given up the 3^rd most fantasy points to power forwards all season. Kanter hasn’t seen as many minutes since returning from injury, but against Portland last week he did see 28 minutes, which I think we can expect from him again tonight. Even in limited time he has been performing, though, putting up at least 29 fantasy points in 4 games since his return. At $5,800 he doesn’t even need 30 FP to reach value, but I think he should be able to get there against a bad Portland defense.

Jusuf Nurkic ($6,700) – Portland will be in OKC tonight to take on the Thunder, a team Nurkic abused for 51.4 fantasy points just last Thursday. In that game he played 38 minutes, the most he’s seen in a Trail Blazers uniform. Tonight, he’s likely to get the same run time because Portland will need him to matchup with Steven Adams inside. His price is getting up there due to his great play as of late, as he has scored at least 30 FP in 4 of his last 5 games. He shouldn’t have any issues reaching value tonight against an Oklahoma City team we’ve seen him do well against.

GPP Plays

Jordan Clarkson ($5,100) – With most of the Lakers backcourt attention on DeAngelo Russell tonight, Jordan Clarkson should fly under the radar. He’s been consistent coming out of the all-star break, averaging right around 25 fantasy points a game. That’s right around where you need him to hit to reach value tonight, but he’s shown he can put up closer to 35 on a good night. Dallas is great at guarding the point, but he has done well against them this year, averaging close to 16 points a game. Plug him in and hope Walton gives him some increased run time tonight.

Victor Oladipo (6,000) – Oladipo is a game time decision tonight, so definitely make sure to check and see if he’s playing/if he’ll be on any minute restrictions before plugging him into any of your lineups. That being said, all the other shooting guards around him seem like viable cash game picks, so Oladipo makes the most sense from a tournament perspective. If he does play, he’ll get a great matchup against a Portland defense that has been struggling to defend the shooting guard position of late. He’s really a shot in the dark, but if he does play I think he has the potential to make for a great GPP pick.

Bojan Bogdanovic ($4,000) – Bogdanovic has hit 27 fantasy points in 2 of his last 3 games and is in a great position to do the same tonight against the Phoenix Suns. Not only is Phoenix in the bottom half of the league when it comes to defending the SF, but the Suns have also been playing smaller as of late, which bodes well for Bojan when they match up tonight. The Suns are dead last in opponent 3-point shooting percentage this year and that is exactly Bogdanovic’s game. He’s only $4,000 and can easily hit 20 FP and reach value for your GPP lineup.

Al-Farouq Aminu ($5,400) – Despite the small slate, there are a variety of mid-range power forwards to choose from. The 3 players priced above Aminu (Nowitzki, Randle, Morris) should be relatively popular picks. However, Aminu’s price is in between mid-range play and value play, in my opinion. This leads me to believe his own % could suffer tonight, even on this small of a slate. He’s been doing well as of late, scoring 29+ fantasy points in 2 of his last 3 games. With a matchup against an average OKC defense he should be able to put up those numbers once again and reach value for your fantasy lineup.

Steven Adams ($5,700) – With so much of the attention on Jusuf Nurkic and Alan Willaims many will fade Adams tonight, despite his great matchup against Portland. The Trail Blazers have been awful at defending the big man positions and Adams should be able to exploit their weak spots tonight in what should be a close game. He should see some good run time and he has a chance to make up for his 8.2 fantasy point dud he had against them last week in Portland.

Cash Plays

Ty Lawson ($4,600) – Lawson has been settling into his new role, starting the last 3 games for the Kings and posting no less than 26+ fantasy points and 32+ minutes in each of those contests. Tonight, Sacramento faces a Denver defense that has given up the 2^nd most fantasy points to opposing points guards all season. The game should see a lot of scoring and not a whole lot of defense, allowing Lawson to have plenty of chances at fantasy points for your lineup. He shouldn’t have a problem scoring 25 FP tonight and reaching value for your team.

Klay Thompson ($7,000) – Klay had a sub-par performance against Chicago on Wednesday, posting only 13.7 fantasy points in 37 minutes of action. However, he came back against the Knicks last night and put up 36.3 FP, once again seeing 37 minutes of run time. His bounce back performance proved he is still a viable option in your cash game lineups as long as Kevin Durant is out. The Warriors will be facing an Atlanta Hawks team that have given up the 11^th most fantasy points to shooting guards this season.

Jimmy Butler ($9,100) – Dwayne Wade has been ruled out tonight with a thigh injury. When Wade sits, Jimmy Butler’s usage goes through the roof. The last two games in which Wade didn’t suit up, Jimmy put up 45 fantasy points twice, which I think is his floor tonight against the Pistons. Detroit is pretty good defending the small forward, but being that these two teams are separated in the Eastern Conference by 1 game (the 7^th and 8^th seeds), it’s safe to say it should be a high intensity game that Jimmy Butler tries to take over.

Aaron Gordon ($5,200) – With Vucevic out last night, Gordon was able to help and pick up some of the slack, putting up 32.7 FP over 35 minutes. He has been settling in nicely as the Magic starting power forward, posting at least 26 fantasy points in 4 of the 5 games since Ibaka left. The down performance (16 fantasy points) did come against the same Knicks team the Magic will square off with tonight. However, I don’t see Gordon having any issues this time around against a New York team that is in the bottom 10 in the league in fantasy points given up to the PF position over their last 10 games.

Bismack Biyombo ($3,500) – I rolled with Biyombo last night in my cash game lineup and he didn’t disappoint, reaching value by the end of the first quarter. Tonight, he will get another spot start as Nikola Vucevic sits out will a sore Achilles. Biyombo will be heavily owned because of his performance last night and is, in my opinion, the must-start of the night. His price didn’t move and he should have absolutely no problem getting at least 20 fantasy points and reach value for your team, though I expect him to get much more.

GPP Plays

Jeff Teague ($7,300) – With a variety of high-priced point guards to reach up for, it appears it’s going to be one of those nights where the middle-priced PG’s don’t get much attention. This bodes well for Jeff Teague, who has only reached value for his $7,300 price tag once in his last 5 games. The Pacers will be squaring off with a Charlotte Hornets team that are middle-of-the-road defending the point this season. The last time Teague faced them he recorded a 16 point and 11 assist double-double. He should be able to once again exploit the Hornets weak spots tonight at the Spectrum Center.

Eric Gordon ($5,000) – I would assume many will pass on Gordon tonight given the fact that he has a matchup with the Spurs in San Antonio. It’s obviously well known the Spurs are a great defense team. However, they have struggled this year against the shooting guard. Against all others position they rank in the top 5 in fantasy points allowed. Against the SG, though, they are in the bottom half of the league, giving up the 12^th most points to the position. Gordon has been able to score against them in the 3 meetings this year, averaging 18.3 points per game. The recent acquisition of Lou Williams obviously makes things a little different in the Rocket’s backcourt this go around, but Gordon should be able to reach his price tag and bring serious upside considering his scoring potential.

Danilo Gallinari ($6,600) – Tonight, Gallinari and the Nuggets get to matchup against a Kings team that have given up the 3^rd most fantasy points to opposing small forwards over their last 5 games. Nikola Jokic is questionable tonight, and if he ends up sitting, Gallinari’s usage and upside would both see a significant boost. Even if Jokic does play, however, Gallo should see no problem reaching value for your GPP lineup.

Zach Randolph ($6,300) – Randolph is seeing right around 25 minutes a game and doing a lot with it, posting lines of 35.2, 35.6, and 41 fantasy points last week. He gets a great matchup tonight against a Nets team that are allowing the 2^nd most fantasy points to opposing power forwards this year. Despite his recent production, his down game 2 nights ago against the Rockets is likely to push people away from him, making him a solid tournament option with a great matchup.

Hassan Whiteside ($8,700) – There’s quite a few big man value options to choose from tonight so I don’t expect Fanduel players to reach up at the center position. Even if they do reach up, though, I don’t expect it to be for Hassan Whiteside. This is good news for him in tournament lineups, as he brings serious 50+ point fantasy upside any night he plays. Lately, he has been relatively consistent, posting 8 double-doubles in his last 9 games. They’ll need him to be on the court tonight as the Heat match up with the physical Tristan Thompson and a tough Cavs team that will have LeBron and Kyrie active. Whiteside could be in for a huge game at Quicken Loans Arena.

Cash Plays

DeAngelo Russell ($6,400) – Russell has seen a good increase in both his usage and overall numbers since Lou Williams got traded. He had some duds before the all-star break, but since then he has averaged 21.8 points per game to go along with 5 straight games of 25+ fantasy points. Tonight he gets to go up against Jrue Holiday and the New Orleans Pelicans, who are giving up the 3^rd most fantasy points to opposing point guards this season.

Seth Curry ($6,300) – Seth Curry has now strung together 5 games of at least 30 fantasy points. During that time, he has averaged a whopping 36.4 minutes per game. Wesley Matthews said he would return tonight, but that shouldn’t stop Curry from seeing 30+ minutes yet again due to his recent production. Curry is a safe cash game pick tonight when the Mavs take on the Thunder at American Airlines Center.

T.J. Warren ($5,500) – Another guy with recent success I’ll be looking to get into my lineups is T.J. Warren of the Phoenix Suns. He’s been extremely consistent since P.J. Tucker left Phoenix, averaging 17.6 points and 6.8 rebounds as the Suns go to small forward. It appears the great scoring numbers Warren had to start the year are back in full effect, and it is likely he is heavily owned tonight as many will take advantage of his still low price tag. The Suns will be squaring of with the Celtics tonight, a team that has actually given up the 4^th most fantasy points to opposing small forwards over their last 5 games. Definitely look to get Warren into your cash game lineups against Boston.

Anthony Davis ($11,200) – I think Westbrook is a bit too pricey for me tonight, but the next highest priced guy on the slate, Anthony Davis, is a player I definitely have on my radar tonight. He has posted 53+ fantasy points in 3 of his last 4 games, proving that the addition of DeMarcus Cousins is doing little to stifle his fantasy production. Actually, since Cousins has arrived Davis has averaged 33.6 points to go along with 10.6 rebounds a game. Tonight, he gets a matchup with a Lakers team that have given up the 2^nd most fantasy points to both the power forward and center positions this year. Plug Davis into your cash game lineups and watch him feast.

Alan Williams ($6,000) – Alex Len may still be the starter, but Alan Williams is the center the Suns are looking to give 30+ minutes to lately. He has put up 3 games of at least 33 fantasy points over his last 4 going into his matchup tonight against the Boston Celtics. The Celtics are pretty average when it comes to guarding the center. However, the reason why I like Williams tonight is because they aren’t particularly good at stopping opposing big men from grabbing boards, as they are 7^th worst in the league in rebounds given up per game to opposing centers. Considering Williams has shown he’s a great rebounder (he’s averaging 10.8 in his last 5 games in which he’s seen 20+ minutes), I don’t see him having a problem scoring 30 fantasy points yet again tonight and reaching value for your team.

GPP Plays

Darren Collison ($5,500) – Between Collison and Ty Lawson you never really know who’s going to step up for the Kings backcourt on any given night. However, considering Collison is the Kings starter and go to #1 option while Buddy Hield still developing I’m going to have to go with him tonight against a tough Utah Jazz defense. At $5,500 Collison will need roughly 25-30 FP to reach value for your team, which he shouldn’t have a problem doing with his recent increase in usage due to DeMarcus Cousin’s departure. Collison should be very low owned tonight and a great point guard option in your tournament lineups.

Nick Young ($4,100) – Nick Young hasn’t scored over 15 fantasy points in his last 5 games and will be passed on by just about everyone tonight. At his price point I don’t think there’s too much risk considering his average is around 19 fantasy points per game, and that’s around what he needs to reach value tonight. When he faced New Orleans earlier in the year he was able to put up 15 points, 2 assists, and a rebound in only 20 minutes of action. It’s a small sample size, but he didn’t seem to have a problem scoring against the Pelicans weak backcourt defense. He’s shown he has crazy upside and could be a great play tonight in GPP lineups. Use him at your own risk.

Jae Crowder ($5,900) – Crowder is a guy that shouldn’t be too owned tonight for his matchup against Phoenix. The Suns are in the bottom half of the league in fantasy points given up to opposing small forwards and Crowder is now priced under $6,000. If there was a time to get Crowder into your tournament lineup I think it would be tonight against Phoenix.

Markieff Morris ($6,800) – Markieff Morris has the yellow “GTD” badge next to his name for tonight’s matchup against the Orlando Magic, though he is expected to play considering he only has a left thigh bruise. The Magic are last in the league over their last 10 games in fantasy points given up to opposing power forwards. Morris has serious upside tonight against them and should have a low own % to go along with it.

Steven Adams ($5,700) – Adams hasn’t played particularly well coming out of the all-star break, posting less than 20 fantasy point twice in 5 games. I do like him tonight, however, against a Dallas Mavericks defense that has struggled to defend the center position over their last 5 games, giving up 49.8 FP a game. If the Thunder can work him into the offense tonight he should be able to get 25-30 fantasy points and reach value for your GPP lineup.

Cash Plays

Kemba Walker ($8,500) – Kemba Walker has one of my favorite matchups tonight against a Denver defense that is giving up 111.4 points per game, which is 3^rd worst in the league. He has put up at least 38 fantasy points in 6 of his last 7 games and shouldn’t have any trouble getting between 40-50 again tonight. Look for ways to get him into your lineup.

James Harden ($11,500) – Harden is reasonably priced coming off a sub-par performance, and his success against the Memphis Grizzlies this year makes it difficult to pass on him. The Grizzlies are obviously a good defensive team, but he should have no trouble flirting with 60+ fantasy points if he can keep his turnovers down. Other than that, it’s hard to find an excuse to fade Harden at home tonight.

Moe Harkless ($4,800) – Moe Harkless is going to be a popular pick yet again tonight when the Blazers take on the Nets in Portland. Fanduel is slow in raising Moe’s price even though he has hit 20+ fantasy points in his last 4 games, while also logging at least 34 minutes in each of those contests. The Nets are last in the league this year in fantasy points allowed to opposing small forwards, and have been particularly bad over their last 5 games, giving up an average of 47.1 per game to the position. Harkless should have no trouble reaching value tonight against Brooklyn’s lackluster defense.

Marvin Williams ($5,700) – With Frank Kaminsky out tonight with an AC join sprain, the Hornets are going to look to Williams to help with production out of the power forward position. This increase in usage should make him a popular cash game play tonight against the Nuggets, who are giving up the 7^th most fantasy points to opposing power forwards since the all-star break.

Jusuf Nurkic ($6,400) – His price is on the rise, but for good reason. Nurkic has put up at least 30 fantasy points in 3 of his last 4 games and draws a fantastic matchup tonight against the Brooklyn Nets, who give up the 4^th most fantasy points to opposing centers. Portland has been implementing him more and more into their game plan, giving him back to back games of 35+ minutes. He should see that once again as long as Brooklyn can keep this one somewhat close. He needs around 30 fantasy points to reach value for your lineup and I don’t see him having any trouble doing that tonight.

GPP Plays

Malcolm Brogdon ($5,200) – Brogdon was a popular play in the middle of the year with Dellavedova out, but since then he has really slipped people’s minds. He hasn’t done anything superb for the Bucks, but he also hasn’t done anything to disappoint. With most people looking for other point guard options, Brogdon has a low own % night in and night out. Tonight, he matches up with a Raptors squad that is currently thin at the PG position. He needs 25 to reach value and should be able to do that if he sees his usual 25-30 minutes.

Lou Willaims ($6,100) – Lou William’s streak of consecutive games with at least 20 fantasy points ended at 13 last night against the Clippers. He’s had a good start to his Rockets career, but his bad performance last night is likely to draw people away from him. His price is a bit up due to his recent production, but nothing he can’t handle. He needs about 30 to reach value tonight and brings serious upside if you use him in your GPP lineup.

Andrew Wiggins ($7,900) – Tonight Wiggins matches up against a tough Spurs team, leading me to believe many will pass on the young star. He’s had great production with Zach LaVine out, posting 40 fantasy points regularly. He had his worst performance in a while on Wednesday against the Jazz, adding to the likelihood that many will pass on him. It seems like a risky play, but Wiggins recent production leads me to believe he can hit 40 fantasy points tonight and reach value for your GPP lineup.

Ryan Anderson ($4,900) – Ryan Anderson is always one of my favorite GPP plays because of his inconsistency but nice upside. The only risk I can find is that sometimes D’Antoni only gives him minutes in the low 20’s, though this shouldn’t be a problem considering he’s averaged 30.5 minutes when Houston has faced off with Memphis this year. He should easily score 25 fantasy points tonight if he’s given that kind of run time and brings a lot of scoring potential along with him.

Tristan Thompson ($6,100) – He’s a bit pricey for how I usually view his production, but with most Fanduel players likely to pass on him tonight, Thompson could be the dark horse center that helps GPP lineups get to the top. Hassan Whiteside’s inside play should keep Thompson around the rim, offering him a chance at some extra boards, which is where his fantasy production generally stems from. If you’re looking for a middle-priced center for GPP, go with Thompson.

Cash Plays

 Isaiah Thomas ($9,800) – Thomas and the Celtics get the late game matchup tonight against the Lakers in Los Angeles. When the 2 teams squared off in early February, Thomas was able to score 38 points over 38 minutes. The Lakers were able to keep that one close in Boston, losing with a final score of 113-107. If the Lakers can play with the same intensity and keep this one close at home, Thomas will once again log heavy minutes. The Lakers are last in the league over their last 10 games, giving up almost 50 fantasy points to opposing PG’s. Thomas should be able to feast tonight against their weak defense.

Seth Curry ($6,200) – Seth Curry has been the definition of consistent, posting 4 straight games of at least 31 fantasy points. Coincidentally, that’s exactly what you need from him to reach value tonight against the Memphis Grizzlies. Tony Allen is a lockdown defender, but it’s hard for me to fade Curry when he should see 35+ minutes and more usage with Wesley Matthews still ruled out.

TJ Warren ($5,400) – Warren has now posted 5 straight games of at least 25 fantasy points and gets a matchup tonight against an Oklahoma City team that gives up the 9^th most points to opposing small forwards. As predicted, Warren’s price went up a bit. This shouldn’t change the fact that he’ll more than likely be a popular cash game pick, though, considering he only needs 25-30 fantasy points to reach value for your lineup.

Dario Saric ($7,300) – Saric had an off day last night against the Heat, posting only 17.2 FP over 28 minutes. This will likely push many fanduel owners to other options at the power forward position. However, Saric’s matchup against the Knicks tonight is too good for me to pass up. New York is giving up the 8^th most fantasy points in the league to the PF position over their last 10 games, and Saric is a large part of why. Last Saturday in New York he put up 19 points to go along with 15 rebounds and 5 assists en route to a 40.5 fantasy night. The Knicks give up 108.8 points per game, so this contest should be high scoring and give Saric a good chance to have another great performance at home tonight.

Rudy Gobert ($7500) – Gobert had a down game against Karl-Anthony Towns and the Timberwolves on Wednesday. Prior to that game, however, he had posted 13 straight games of at least 30 fantasy points. He’s in a great position for a bounce-back game tonight against a Brooklyn Nets team that is allowing the 4^th most fantasy points to opposing centers this season.

GPP Plays

Elfrid Payton ($5,500) – With another down game from Payton many are likely to look elsewhere at the PG position tonight. He gets a tough matchup against a Miami Heat team that is great at defending the point, adding to his risk. However, when he played the Heat on February 13^th he was able to post 32 FP over 31 minutes. If he can come anywhere close to that again tonight he’ll reach value and be well worth his price tag.

Courtney Lee ($5,000) – Lee has posted 2 games of 14 FP and 2 games of 36+ fantasy points over his last 4 games. One of those 14 point games did come against the same 76er team he faces tonight, but he did only see 24 minutes in that game. He’s likely to see closer to 35 minutes tonight and, considering his matchup, I think he can easily hit 25 and reach value for your team while offering considerable upside.

Joe Ingles ($3,700) – Rodney Hood is out once again and Joe Ingles is looking at yet another start. His matchup tonight against Brooklyn doesn’t get any better, as they are last in the league in both points per game and fantasy points per game given up to opposing small forwards. Ingles offers huge cap relief at $3,700 and allows you to reach up for a guy like Westbrook, who shouldn’t be ridiculously owned at his high price.

Nerlens Noel ($5,300) – Noel is getting a start tonight at center as the Mavs switch their rotation around and move Barnes and Dirk to the 3 + 4 positions. As a Maverick, he hasn’t done anything spectacular, but he also hasn’t disappointed considering they haven’t given him too much of a chance yet. Tonight could be his chance, though, against a tough Memphis Grizzlies team. They allow the least fantasy points per game to opposing centers, which adds risk to Noel. He shouldn’t be too owned tonight so look for him as a PF option in your GPP lineups.

Marcin Gortat ($6,300) – People are going to be quick to pass on Gortat tonight since he only put up 22.1 FP last game, which also happened to be against the Raptors. However, he put up 12 points and 8 rebounds in only 18 minutes of work. The Raptors essentially blew the Wizards out, though the final score of 105-96 doesn’t show it. Tonight, I expect the Raptors to come out and compete at a higher level on the road, allowing the Wizards to utilize Gortat more than they did on Wednesday.

Cash Plays

Stephen Curry ($10,600) – The injury to Kevin Durant has shot Steph Curry’s Fanduel price over $10,000. However, last year when Durant was still on the Thunder, Steph was undeniably the Warriors #1 option and a DFS workhorse. His usage is going to go up with Durant sidelined and he gets a great matchup tonight against Chicago, who are giving up 45.2 FP a game to opposing PG over their last 10 games. His price may scare a lot of people away, but Curry is definitely on my cash game radar tonight against the Bulls.

Devin Booker ($6,200) – Tonight Booker is just about the cheapest option at SG (there are guys below him, but no one worth consideration). It’s reasonable to assume most people are going to find cap relief in his recent price reduction, which is $6,200. Booker is generally consistent enough to hit 30 FP a game and he gets a great matchup tonight against a Hornets team that allows the 7^th most fantasy points a game to the SG position.

Andre Iguodala ($4,800) – With only one small forward priced above $6,000 on tonight’s slate, Fanduel users are going to be forced to reach down. Just like Curry, Iguodala is in a great spot fantasy wise due to the Durant injury. Though it looks like Patrick McCaw may be the one getting the start tonight, Iggy’s production and minutes of the bench will be increased and he will have a very high ownership, making him a great cash game play.

Enes Kanter ($5,900) – Kanter had a tough first game back from injury against the Lakers, posting only 9.9 FP in 19 minutes of action. His last 2 games, however, he has reached value, scoring 35.3 against the Pelicans and 29.3 against the Jazz. Tonight, he gets to matchup with a Portland team that is one of the worst in the league when it comes to stopping opposing power forwards. Once again, there isn’t a lot of variation at the PF position because of the small slate. Because of this, Kanter’s own % should be extremely high.

Jusuf Nurkic ($5,400) – The center position actually provides a few different routes you can go tonight, but I think most people are going to go with the Trail Blazers big man Jusuf Nurkic. He’s done well since joining Portland, averaging 29.7 fantasy points over his first 4 games with them. If he can come close this once again he’ll be well worth his price tag of $5,400. Though he’ll be facing an Oklahoma City team this is fairly tough against centers, the Blazers will probably have him in much of the game in an attempt to match Steven Adam’s size.

GPP Plays

Eric Bledsoe (8,900) – There isn’t going to be a whole lot of variation tonight in cash and GPP games with such a limited amount of players to choose from, but if I had to pick one of the high priced PG’s to have a low ownership I would go with Eric Bledsoe. He’ll be taking on a fairly average Hornets defense and has the potential to go off for big game tonight in Phoenix.

Allen Crabbe ($3,500) – Allen Crabbe is as cheap as you can get with a price tag of $3,500. He generally slips people’s mind when you think of the Portland backcourt, but he still gets roughly 30 minutes a game. He has shown some upside during some parts of the year, but nothing insane. He does average 16 FP a game, however, which is right around what you need him to reach since his price is so low. Plug him in and hope he has his shot working tonight at home against a good Oklahoma City team.

Andre Roberson ($4,300) – Fanduel players are likely to go for a couple other low-priced value plays at the small forward position, like Iguodala or Moe Harkless. This bodes well for Andre Roberson, though, who has a great matchup tonight against an exploitable Portland defense. His price his back down closer to $4,000, which minimizes the risk factor if you’re looking to plug Roberson into your GPP lineup.

Taj Gibson ($4,400) – Sticking with another OKC guy, our GPP pick for the power forward position tonight is Taj Gibson. He’ll be coming off the bench once again and be fighting for minutes with Enes Kanter, who I expect most will probably go with at one of their power forward positions. This will leave Gibson with a low own % against a weak Blazers defense. As long as the minutes are there for him, I fully expect him to have a good stat line.

Alan Williams ($4,900) – Williams is once again a center I’m looking to target in GPP lineups tonight. He’ll be getting a matchup against Frank Kaminsky and the Hornets and should see somewhere between 20-30 minutes as the Suns continue to keep Tyson Chandler out of the rotation. Alan’s numbers have shown that, when he gets the chance, he is a pretty decent NBA center. As long as Earl Watson continues to give Williams some minutes, he should be a great start tonight against a Charlotte team that is giving up the 9^th most fantasy points to centers this year.