Patterns develop when you play in the GPP (Guaranteed Prize Pool) contests every day. Whether the entry fee is $2, $5, $11 or higher, if you enter just one team or the maximum three, certain outcomes become familiar with experience. Some nights, you like your team(s) a lot and lose. Other times, an ‘afterthought’ lineup becomes a surprise winner. There are occasional disasters when ‘everything’ goes wrong, due to injury or illness.
Most often for me, it’s ‘close but no cigar.’ One of my Monday teams finished 75th out of 550, another 43rd of 275 — out of the money, yet indicating I was on the right track. It was simply a mistake to pay top dollar for Jrue Holiday vs. the Spurs’ defense, and Anthony Davis got hurt after a fast start. It’s too bad, because my value picks of Greg Stiemsma ($5,382 for 19.25 pts) and Jason Kidd ($8,237; 29.25) came through. The $100 weekly bankroll is down $20 already and with only a four-game NBA slate this evening, I’m going to take it easy.
Not all daily leagues are the same; there are three types of drafts. Pick ‘Em leagues require the least time, as they exclude many players from the pool. Just choose the player you like best in eight tiers; a tier can have anywhere from two to eight players. Snake drafts take the most time, but they are live, and once a player is selected, he’s gone — just like ‘traditional’ drafts in full-season leagues.
The Salary Cap game is my favorite, where you pick an 8-man team within a $100,000 limit. Give it a try in the Sheridan Hoops Freeroll this Friday and you could win $100 cash, 14 other people will share $200 in consolation prizes. That contest attracted nearly 800 entries last week; it’s open now for earlybirds.
| DraftStreet 15 | Jan. 22 |
| Stars | Over $13,000 |
| Kevin Durant | $22,860 |
| Russell Westbrook | $19,879 |
| Kyrie Irving | $16,507 |
| Greg Monroe | $14,735 |
| Blake Griffin | $15,430 |
| Scrubs | Under $9,000 |
| Jamal Crawford | $8,690 |
| Kevin Martin | $8,194 |
| Jeff Green | $6,841 |
| Caron Butler | $5,593 |
| Courtney Lee | $7,847 |
| Starters | $9,000 to $13,000 |
| Andre Drummond | $12,274 |
| Tyler Zeller | $12,348 |
| Ersan Ilyasova | $11,737 |
| Evan Turner | $11,442 |
| Arron Afflalo | $10,902 |
The biggest decision in Tuesday leagues is whether to pay retail for Kevin Durant, or try to beat him. If you use KD, the game becomes seven players for $77,140 and using another expensive player paints you into a corner. Because there aren’t enough overachievers in the bargain bin this evening, I’m trying to stay close to the $11,000 average with my supporting cast.
F1 Kevin Durant (OKC-F) $22,860
F2 Glen Davis (ORL-F) $13,370
G1 Arron Afflalo (ORL-G) $10,902
G2 J.J. Redick (ORL-G) $10,732
C1 Andre Drummond (DET-C) $12,274
C2 Tyler Zeller (CLE-C) $12,348
U1 Jared Sullinger (BOS-F) $9,649
U2 Courtney Lee (BOS-G) $7,847
That’s subject to change until the 7:00 EST deadline. The way Doc Rivers has been talking, a lineup shuffle is imminent for the Celtics and I’m guessing that Jared Sullinger will start ahead of Brandon Bass.
To get started with Tuesday’s NBA games, click here to open a free DraftStreet account. They have free leagues where you can learn how to play before entering a $2 contest. Everyone is invited to the Jan. 25 Freeroll, which pays a guaranteed $300 to the top 15 finishers. It’s challenging, and it’s fun even when you don’t win cash.
The Fantasy Spin, published by 9:00 every morning, recaps what happened on a busy holiday Monday and previews tonight’s games in detail.