DraftStreet: Tuesday, March 4, 2014

There is a relatively light six game schedule in the NBA tonight, but the quality is superb. There are no less than four clashes between playoff contenders, headlined by the Miami Heat traveling to Houston to take on the Rockets. LeBron James/MIA is coming off a tremendous game and Dwayne Wade/MIA is expected back. Tuesday also means that the NBA action at DraftStreet is gearing up for another Wednesday 50K, with satellites available today and registration already open for the big one. The 50K is the largest regular NBA contests in daily fantasy that I am aware of. There is no shortage of large-field ,big-guaranteed prize pool contests total, most notably two $10,000 GPPs. If you don’t have a DraftStreet account, you can sign up using this link . Here is today’s Fantasy Spin.

Featured DraftStreet Contests

Salary Cap: $22/$10,000 (500 max), $2/$5,000 (2500), $11/$1,500 (150) and 23 double-up GPPs
Pickem: $11/$3,000 (300 max), $2/$1,000 (550)
50K Satellites: $1/$110 (5 tickets- 120 max), $11/$220 (10 tickets – 21 max).

Register and set your lineups by 7 PM EST.

My Lineup at DraftStreet

The following is my recommended lineup, subject to change, for the $2/$5,000 Standard Payout GPP at DraftStreet (closing at 7:00 pm EST). You are required to have three guards, three forwards, one center and one wildcard/utility player for a legal eight-player lineup in DraftStreet NBA contests:

G-Kyrie Irving/CLE-$16,180, G-Russell Westbrook/OKC-$16,149, F-Serge Ibaka/OKC-$14,816, F-Tyreke Evans/NOP-$12,601, F-Wesley Johnson/LAL-$12,093, F-Gerald Green/PNX-$11,191, G-Jodie Meeks/LAL-$9,666, C-Steven Adams/OKC-$7,042.

I’m a touch concerned about Evans’s/NOP workload last night and its effect on what figures to be an up tempo game, but the Pelicans have few other options and the price is still very low. Serge Ibaka/OKC is my top value play of the day, as the Sixers will not be able to stop him in the paint. Adams/OKC is a nice dark horse for the same reason.

LeBron Seeks an Encore in Houston

Golden State Warriors at Indiana Pacers (7:00 pm EST); over/under 197.5; Pacers -5 . INJURIES: GSW: Jermaine O’Neal (P) ; IND: George Hill (P), Andrew Bynum (OUT) .
The Pacers are vulnerable in this one. Indiana has had several difficult wins over inferior opponents of late and they will have to step up their play. They have no one who can shut down Stephen Curry/GSW if he gets hot and the Golden State sniper will be the deciding factor tonight.

San Antonio Spurs at Cleveland Cavaliers (7:00 pm EST); over/under 203; Spurs -7.5 . INJURIES: SAS: ; CLE: Dion Waiters (P), Anderson Varejao (D), C.J. Miles (OUT).
I think Kyrie Irving/CLE wil be forced to carry the load to keep the Cavaliers in the game. None of the Spurs stand out as excellent value plays, but Kawhi Leonard/SAS is my sleeper pick among them.

Philadelphia 76ers at Oklahoma City Thunder (8:00 pm EST); over/under 219; Thunder -20.5 . INJURIES: PHI: ; OKC: Thabo Sefolosha (OUT), Kendrick Perkins (OUT).
How many times have you seen an NBA team listed at -20.5? The Sixers have been a bit scrappier of late, but I’m sure the Thunder will want to put this one to rest by the end of the third quarter. It will be interesting to see how many minutes Caron Butler/OKC gets, and how quickly he can be integrated into the Thunder attack.

Miami Heat* at Houston Rockets (8:00 pm EST); over/under 210; Rockets -1 . INJURIES: MIA: Dwayne Wade (P); HOU: Jeremy Lin (Q), Dwight Howard (Q) .
What can you do for an encore. Wade’s/MIA status has great implications for our lineups. If he starts, LeBron’s/MIA responsibilities will decrease and so will his fantasy numbers.

Los Angeles CLippers at Phoenix Suns (9:00 pm EST); over/under 218.5; Clippers -3.5 . INJURIES: LAC: Jamal Crawford (Q), J.J. Redick (OUT); PNX: Eric Bledsoe (OUT).
An interesting matchup between Chris Paul/LAC and Goran Dragic/PNX. Both look about fair value. DeAndre Jordan/LAC and Blake Griffin/LAC are expensive speculative plays both capable of exploding.

New Orleans Pelicans* at Los Angeles Lakers* (10:30 pm EST); over/under 211; Lakers +2.5 . INJURIES: NOP: ; LAL: Nick Young (OUT), Kobe Bryant (OUT).
What’s wrong with Anthony Davis/NOP? If he can’t put up numbers against the Lakers, it will be more than a hint that his injury troubles are significant. Part of his lack of production is the expanded role Tyreke Evans/NOP has taken on as floor general.

Yesterday’s News

TOP GUNS:
LeBron James/MIA. The best of his generation put on a show that few if any have topped this season.
Al Jefferson/CHA. A heroic effort to keep the Bobcats in the game.
Andre Drummond/DET. The Knicks had no remedy on the board for Drummond.

Kevin Love/MIN, Ty Lawson/DEN, Tyreke Evans/NOP, Robin Lopez/POR, Pau Gasol/LAL

SLEEPERS:
Enes Kanter/UTA. An inconsistent player, but the Jazz have nothing to lose in giving him 35 minutes a game.
Ersan Ilyasova/MIL. A superb game, confirming that the Bucks do not intend to fold.

Tayshaun Prince/MEM, Wilson Chandler/DEN, Zaza Pachulia/MIL, Amar’e Stoudamire/NYK.

LET DOWNS:
Anthony Davis/NOP. Two consecutive poor games , partly to do with Tyreke Evans/NOP running the show.
Joakim Noah/CHI. An example of why its tough for a big man to have great games on consecutive days.

Rudy Gay/SAC, Derrick Favors/UTA, Tim Hardaway Jr./NYK, Josh Smith/DET.

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