DraftStreet: Saturday, March 8, 2014

While there is the usual assortment of DraftStreet NBA contests tonight, the big news is that DraftStreet is ready to blow the competition away with a monster contest just a few weeks away. On March 26, 2014, $55 will buy-you in to a $150,000 guaranteed prize pool aka the NBA Big Score, with a shot at $50,000 if you finish with the top score. The top 400 finishers will win at least $100, with the top seven getting $1,000 or more. The format is the familiar 100K salary cap, in which you choose eight players with a total virtual salary not exceeding $100,000. For a shot at entering the Big Score for a discount, you’ll find satellites open for registration in the NBA lobby at DraftStreet, priced from $1 to $11.

It is a relatively quiet Saturday in the NBA, with only six games this evening. The Sixers look to end a miserable losing streak by hosting the scuffling Jazz. Fringe contenders New York and Cleveland battle, while the Charlotte Bobcats try to extend their run against the tough Memphis Grizzlies. 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: $11/$8,000 (800 max), $55/$10,000 (200), $2/$5,000 (2,750) and three other standard payout GPPs.
50K satellites (for next week): $1/$110 (5 tickets- 120 max), $5/$220 (10 tickets – 48 max), $2/$220 (10 tickets – 120 max) ; 150K satellites (for March 26 main event): $5/$220 (4 tickets, 48 max), $11/$440 (8 tickets, 43 max) and two others.

Pickem: $22/$3,000 (150 max), $2/$2,000 (1,100)

Register by 7:20 PM EST and set your lineups by 7:30 PM EST.

My Lineup at DraftStreet

The following is my recommended lineup, subject to change, for the $11/$8,000 Standard Payout GPP at DraftStreet (closing at 7:30 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:

F-Blake Griffin/LAC-$18,943, G-John Wall/WAS-$18,497, F-Gordon Hayward/UTA-$15,105, F-Matt Barnes/LAC-$12,785, C-Enes Kanter/UTA-$10,698, G-Patrick Mills/SAS-$8,384, F-Jeff Adrien/MIL-$8,213, G-Marco Belinelli/SAS-$7,051.

Wizards Take on Improving Bucks

Utah Jazz* at Philadelphia 76ers (7:30 pm EST); over/under 207 ; Jazz -6.5. . INJURIES: UTA: none ; PHI: none .
If the Sixers’ don’t win this one they may not win a game the rest of the year. The Jazz are struggling on their road trip and only Gordon Hayward/UTA has proven reliable. Thaddeus Young/PHI and Michael Carter-Williams/PHI are decent speculative plays.

New York Knicks* at Cleveland Cavaliers* (7:30 pm EST); over/under 199 ; Cavs -1.5. . INJURIES: NYK: Andrea Bargnani (OUT), Kenyon Martin (OUT) ; CLE: Anderson Varejao (Q), C.J. Miles (OUT) .
Kyrie Irving/CLE was kept in check by the Bobcats, but will have more room to roam against the Knicks: he is a decent value play. Carmelo Anthony/NYK is expensive, but also the top candidate for a monster game.

Charlotte Bobcats* at Memphis Grizzlies* (8:00 pm EST); over/under 186.5 ; Grizzlies -8.5. . INJURIES: CHA: Gerald Henderson (OUT) ; MEM: none.
The Bobcats have played well, but the combination of their third game in four nights and the staunch Grizzlies interior defense makes this a bad matchup. Al Jefferson/CHA is overpriced, but Chris Douglas-Roberts/CHA is a playable bargain.

Orlando Magic at San Antonio Spurs (8:30 pm EST); over/under 203.5 ; Spurs -15. . INJURIES: ORL: Victor Oladipo (OUT), Jameer Nelson (Q) ; SAS: Jeff Ayres (Q) .
This one should be a blowout, as both Oladipo/ORL and Nelson/ORL are questionable. Expect a lot of minutes from the Spurs second unit, which may make Marco Belinelli/SAS a top bargain play.

Washington Wizards at Milwaukee Bucks* (9:00 pm EST); over/under 205.5 ; Wizards -8. . INJURIES: WAS: Martell Webster (P), Kevin Seraphin (OUT), Nene Hilario (OUT) ; MIL: Larry Sanders (OUT) .
Among today’s games other than the Cavs-Knicks, this one is the least likely to be a blowout. Jeff Adrien/MIL is becoming a mainstay, while John Henson/MIL is being pushed down the pecking order. Ersan Illyasova/MIL is back from his suspension and is worth a look. John Wall/WAS is the safest lineup anchor, while Bradley Beal/WAS and Trevor Ariza/WAS are riskier with huge upside.

Atlanta Hawks* at Los Angeles Clippers (10:30 pm EST); over/under 219.5 ; Clippers -15. . INJURIES: ATL: Paul Millsap (P) ; LAC: Jamal Crawford (Q), Jared Dudley (Q), J.J. Redick (OUT) .
The Hawks are playing their fifth of six consecutive road games and have lost all four. This game will be a blowout, so be Clippers stars Blake Griffin/LAC and DeAndre Jordan/LAC are very risky.

Yesterday’s News

TOP GUNS:
Anthony Davis/NOP. As expected, none of the Bucks could handle the Pelicans star.
Kenneth Faried/DEN. An athletic big man is usually a great play against the Lakers.
Ty Lawson/DEN. There was a minor injury concern here, but Lawson brushed those concerns aside.
Kevin Love/MIN. Would have had a fatter stat line if the Pistons had kept the game closer.

LaMarcus Aldridge/POR, Kemba Walker/CHA, Carmelo Anthony/NYK.

SLEEPERS:
Jeff Adrien/MIL. He can thank the extended absence of Larry Sanders/MIL for a shot. He’ll be getting regular minutes going forward.
Ryan Kelly/LAL. Had been quiet for a long time.
Chris Douglas-Roberts/CHA. One of my picks last night. He was even better than the night before against the Pacers.

LET DOWNS:

Damian Lillard/POR. He was one reason the Blazers dug themselves a hole early.

Andre Drummond/DET, Robin Lopez/POR, George Hill/IND.

Click on any of the links to take you to our daily fantasy partner, DraftStreet. I’ve tried many sites and my honest opinion is that DraftStreet is the most challenging, therefore the most fun. Help support the Fantasy Spin by spending your daily fantasy dollars at DraftStreet. The Fantasy Spin is up at Sheridan Hoops every day, around 2 PM EST. Follow me @robdudek for breaking news and pre-game thoughts relevant to NBA daily fantasy.