Don’t forget to enter tonight’s Sheridan Hoops Freeroll, where there’s absolutely nothing to lose, and $300 on cash prizes, including $100 to the winner. It’s free to join DraftStreet, the Salary Cap game is easy to learn and just playing is fun, even if you aren’t one of the 15 prize winners. We have almost 500 entries, with room for more until the 7:00 pm EST deadline.
There’s also a very special Saturday contest, exclusive to SH readers. Beat me and win! It’s a 40-man league, with an $11 entry fee. In addition to $400 in prize money ($135 for first down to $20 for sixth) for the top finishers, everyone who finishes ahead of me earns an extra $5.
Here is the entry link for the Sheridan Hoops Challenge, which is now open. Don’t get shut out, as only the first 39 challengers get to take me on.
If my luck doesn’t change soon, that will be the easiest five bucks you ever made. My $100 bankroll this week is fading fast, after a fourth straight winless night. That’s how it goes in daily leagues; last week I had one very good night and six disappointments, but still turned a 17.5% profit. I’m trying to remain consistent and optimistic until it’s my turn to win.
The last few Fridays, I’ve listed the Freeroll salaries and my lineup, which is a bit like playing my hole cards face up in a poker game. This week will be different. Today’s chart is NOT for the Freeroll, where the salaries were set a few days ago. These are the prices in the vast majority of Friday night leagues, like the $22 entry fee Qualifier for the DraftStreet Fantasy Basketball Championship, where the winner gets one step closer to a $50,000 cash prize.
Salaries change every day. For example, after two excellent games in as many nights, Metta World Peace costs $13,366 in Friday money leagues. There’s no guarantee that he’ll be awesome again tonight, as Serge Ibaka will be on him, but at a mere $9,620 in the Freeroll, MWP is a tremendous bargain.
| DraftStreet 15 | Jan. 11 |
| Stars | Over $13,000 |
| Kevin Durant | $20,437 |
| Russell Westbrook | $18,668 |
| Carmelo Anthony | $18,462 |
| Kobe Bryant | $18,269 |
| James Harden | $17,980 |
| Scrubs | Under $9,000 |
| Derrick Williams | $8,744 |
| Dante Cunningham | $8,337 |
| Alan Anderson | $8,034 |
| Alec Burks | $6,896 |
| Reggie Evans | $8,892 |
| Starters | $9,000 to $13,000 |
| Andre Iguodala | $12,449 |
| Klay Thompson | $12,100 |
| DeMar DeRozan | $11,353 |
| Danilo Gallinari | $11,509 |
| Ersan Ilyasova | $11,628 |
With 11 NBA games, the player pool is very deep, and as always, the superstars are so expensive, you can afford only one. Here’s one of my lineups, pending further inspiration and/or breaking news:
F1 Kevin Durant (OKC-F) $20,437
F2 David Lee (GS-F) $15,594
G1 Ty Lawson (DEN-G) $11,590
G2 Alec Burks (UTA-G) $6,896
C1 Nikola Pekovic (MIN-C) $15,124
C2 Jason Smith (NO-C) $9,530
U1 Ersan Ilyasova (MIL-F) $11,628
U2 Reggie Evans (BKN-F) $8,892
As you can see, I’m playing some hunches. You could just as easily key on Carmelo Anthony or Kobe Bryant, but I like KD, and think David Lee is due for big numbers after a couple of quiet games.
Everyone should enter tonight’s Freeroll, even if you have never tried daily leagues before. My fellow ‘experts’ (and high-rollers) can win bragging rights and cash tomorrow by beating me (for an extra five bucks) in the Sheridan Hoops Challenge, limited to the first 40 teams who pay the $11 entry fee.
The Fantasy Spin, published by 9:00 every morning, reviews Thursday’s triple-header in more detail and offers advice for all 11 Friday games.
Good luck. I’ve joined the Saturday contest.