Afternoon all, sorry this is later than usual. Real life got in the way. Anyway, here are today's picks!
The "Core"
Aaron Afflalo (POR - SG) (DK $4,100, FD $4,500) We wish Wesley Matthews a speedy recovery, by all accounts he is an absolutely class act. Filling in for him will be Afflalo, who was recently acquired from the Nuggets. We don’t think Afflalo will put up quite the type of numbers Matthews was, but in the mid-$4,000 range, we think he has a lot of value. Add in the fact that T-Wolves are generous in allowing points to opposing shooting guards, and we like what Afflalo brings to the table. We’re not projecting a huge night, but we do think he’ll hit value.
*Ricky Rubio (MIN - PG) (DK $7,900, FD $8,100) *Rubio’s price has crept higher and higher since returning from injury, but there is still upside left. With Matthews out, we think Portland’s defense will suffer, benefiting Rubio and Martin. Rubio should have an easier time getting both points and assists, and we like the chances of this game staying somewhat close. We like players who fill the stat sheet, and Rubio does just that. With a fairly weak crop of PGs to chose from tonight, we’re going to build around Rubio and go from there.
With those 2 in mind, let’s fill up the rest of your lineup.
Nick Batum (POR - SF) (DK $6,200, FD $6,200) We’re not positive what life will be like post-Matthews, but we think one of the primary beneficiaries will be Batum. Afflalo can’t bring everything Matthews can, but Batum should see an increase in touches and opportunity, and be asked to shoulder more of the scoring punch. Batum also fills up the stat sheet, and provides relief at SF, which can be a difficult position to fill. He is a bit mercurial, throwing in the occasional off night, but we like this matchup, and think Batum can be a big part of your lineup.
Markeiff Morris (PHO - PF) (DK $6,300, FD $6,700) It is difficult to recommend Morris because he is even less dependable than Batum. With that said, if there is a night for Morris to shine, we think it’s tonight. He torched the Cavs last time he had the opportunity, and Kevin Love isn’t exactly renowned for his defense. We’re not sure if Len will play tonight, so there may be more opportunities on the glass for Markeiff. We also think the Cavs on a B2B, with the uptempo nature of the Suns will lead to a lot of missed shots and even more rebounds. Morris could be in line for one of his big nights… or he could get two quick technicals and ruin our day. We’re betting it’s the former, but don’t say you weren’t warned.
Ersan Ilyasova (MIL - PF) (DK $4,700, FD $4,500) We’ve highlighted Ilya before and he’s come through. Regardless of whether he starts or comes off the bench, he usually gives us 30 solid, productive minutes. Washington will be a tough test for him tonight, but if you’re looking to pay up for another position, Ilya can give you the cap flexibility you need. We like his chances of hitting a double-double again tonight, and he’s hit three threes in his last two games. A big man who can stretch the floor, we think he could be the type of player to exploit the Wizards who are not the same team they were two months ago.
Kenneth Faried (DEN - PF) (DK $6,100, FD $6,100) The departure of Brian Shaw has unleashed the Manimal. Wait, that’s what we wrote last night. Well, it all remains true. Faried is extremely productive when he plays. Houston is without a good rim defender and we think the Manimal could take control of the game. As long as the minutes are there he is very productive. His price is up $300 on draft kings from last night, but you know what? We still have on our Manimal print pants outta control.
James Harden (HOU - SG) (DK $10,500, FD $11,000) If we’re paying up for anyone tonight, it’s James Harden. It’s always scary to put 1/5th of your budget on one player, particularly one on a back to back, but Harden is basically unstoppable. The MVP candidate is a threat for a triple-double on any given night, and we’re not sure who on the Nuggets will have any chance of stopping him. With Terrence Jones and Patrick Beverley questionable tonight, it might be the James Harden show. Even if they both play we’re expecting a lot out of Harden, who is making a strong case for MVP this season.
Robin Lopez (POR - C) (DK $4,000, FD $5,200) This is much more of a DraftKings play, where his price is absurdly low. Robin Lopez can be an absolute force down low, and doesn’t need to have much of a game to pay off his $4,000 salary. This is somewhat of an average matchup for Lopez, but at his price, we really like him. With Matthews out, we think Lopez might be given a few more chances to work down low, as we don’t anticipate Afflalo to take up all of the slack.
Good luck all! We’d love to hear your feedback, we hope you check us out at DFS Knights!