We’ll begin with apologies, but my excuses are a lot better than a forged note to Mr. Kotter from “Epstein’s mother.”
There was no DS Diary on Sunday because our internet was down for several hours. By the time I could post my picks, the games had begun. On Saturday, my 12th-place finish in the Sheridan Hoops Challenge was embarrassing.
Imagine a so-called ‘expert’ who had no idea Paul George had been scratched with the flu, wasting over 16% of the $100K salary cap and playing a man short. Had I replaced him in time, my team would have finished in the money and DraftStreet wouldn’t have had to pay that $5 bonus to as many people. To those who did beat me, you’re welcome. Not sure I could have caught “Hibachi 711,” who finished first and second to win $230 from the $400 prize pool, plus $10 in bonuses. Congratulations!
What happened to turn me (briefly) into a scatterbrain? A beautiful, healthy grandson arrived late Friday night and we got to meet him on Saturday afternoon. Becoming a grandparent is even better than becoming a parent. It’s pure, unadulterated joy. Meeting Rory, talking to family and friends, sending off photos and enjoying real life was simply more important than fantasy hoops.
We are back on the job this morning, and despite those internet troubles, Sunday was a good day. I spent $24 to enter nine teams in five leagues, and though none finished first, seven of them won money. The best payoff was $70 for coming fourth (out of 550) in the $2 GPP; my other two lineups in that one earned $15 for 12th and $10 for 30th. After failing to cash at all from Monday through Thursday, and dribbling the ball off my own foot on Saturday, I somehow finished the week with a profit of more than $80 — and a grandchild.
The bankroll gets reset to $100 every Monday, and that’s three winning weeks in a row. I’m not getting rich at this, but I’m getting the hang of it. If you are an avid fantasy hoops player in Roto and Head-to-Head leagues but still haven’t tried daily contests, you’re missing out on a lot of fun.
| DraftStreet 15 | Jan. 14 |
| Stars | Over $13,000 |
| Kevin Durant | $21,619 |
| Russell Westbrook | $18,624 |
| LeBron James | $21,254 |
| DeMarcus Cousins | $17,664 |
| Kevin Garnett | $13,546 |
| Scrubs | Under $9,000 |
| Derrick Williams | $8,500 |
| Dante Cunningham | $8,771 |
| Devin Harris | $8,605 |
| Mario Chalmers | $8,417 |
| Jeff Green | $7,760 |
| Starters | $9,000 to $13,000 |
| Dirk Nowitzki | $11,912 |
| Darren Collison | $11,234 |
| Chris Kaman | $10,123 |
| Jared Sullinger | $10,212 |
| Bradley Beal | $11,565 |
There are eight NBA games today, and all leagues close at 7:00 EST. The chart makes five suggested plays in each of three price ranges, but there are many other possibilities. For now, I’m using LeBron James plus seven guys in the medium bracket — no “Scrubs’ required.
F1 LeBron James (MIA-F) $21,254
F2 Dirk Nowitzki (DAL-F) $11,912
G1 Arron Afflalo (ORL-G) $12,357
G2 Darren Collison (DAL-G) $11,234
C1 Nene Hilario (WAS-C) $10,529
C2 Chris Kaman (DAL-C) $10,123
U1 Shawn Marion (DAL-F) $11,893
U2 Jared Sullinger (BOS-F) $10,212
Yes, that’s four Dallas Mavericks. I’m hoping they beat Minnesota in a high-scoring affair, and rooting for overtime.
If you aren’t already a member, click here to join DraftStreet and open a free account. They offer free leagues that will help you learn how to play. There’s several great variations on the Salary Cap game; check out the Pick’ Em format, try a live Snake draft or enter Double-Up contests where just finishing in the top half pays off.
The Fantasy Spin, published by 9:00 every morning, reviews all of Sunday’s NBA games and previews what might happen on the hardwood tonight.