We are just over a week away from a massive $150,000 guaranteed pool DraftStreet NBA contest. The winner of the NBA Big Score will win $50,000 out of a total prize pool of $150,000, with the top 400 finishers winning at least $100. All it takes to enter is a DraftStreet account and $55. If you don’t have a DraftStreet account, you can sign up using this link.
Friday finds a full plate of NBA games and plenty of options in choosing your lineup for a special mega-satellite to the 150K Big Score. The Raptors will be in tough against the surging Grizzlies as they try to fend off the Chicago Bulls and Brooklyn Nets in the Eastern Conference standings. Here is today’s Fantasy Spin.
What’s Happening at DraftStreet
MEGA SATELLITE TO THE BIG SCORE
For a mere $5, DraftStreet is giving you a chance to win a $55 voucher to good for entry into the Big Score of March 26. The mega satellite runs tonight and doles out 300 vouchers. As a bonus, the top three spots pay out cash: $5,000, $2,5000, and $1,000 respectively. As I write, there are still about 4,000 spots open and overlay is very likely. At $5 a pop, I will be entering several teams.
DRAFTSTREET B-BALL CHAMPIONSHIP HEADS INTO DAY THREE
The much anticipated DraftStreet Fantasy Basketball Championship is nearing a conclusion, with the ten remaining qualifiers playing for a share of $500,000. This event is a multi-day affair, with the bottom half of contestants falling out of the competition each day. Some of the biggest names in daily fantasy are gunning for the top prizes, including “SalCaps”, who has two entries left among the ten left standing. Check the Fantasy Spin tomorrow to find out who took home the big prize.
OTHER CONTESTS AT DRAFTSTREET
Salary Cap: $22/$10,000, $2/$5,000, $109/$10,000.
50K satellites (for next week): $1/$22 (1 ticket), $5/$220 (10 tickets), $2/$220 (10 tickets) ; 150K satellites (for March 26 main event): $2/$220 (4 tickets), $1/$110 (2 tickets), $5/$25,000 (300 tickets)
Pick’em: $11/$2,000, $2/$1,000.
Remember to register at least 10 minutes before the roster deadline. Tuesday’s contests start at 7 PM EDT.
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 EDT). 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-Tim Duncan/SAS-$14,762, F-David West/IND-$14,297, G-Kemba Walker/CHA-$14,094, F-Kawhi Leonard/SAS-$13,525, F-Matt Barnes/LAC-$11,961, G-Manu Ginobili/SAS-$11,744, G-George Hill/IND-$10,978, C-Tiago Splitter/SAS-$8,275.
My team is Spurs-heavy, as San Antonio-Lakers is slated to be the highest scoring game of the night. The Spurs have been a very good fourth quarter team, so it’s likely this game will be within reach for the Lakers for much of the second half.
Thunder Seeks Revenge Against Lakers
Washington Wizards at Orlando Magic (7:00 pm EDT); over/under 204.5; Wizards -4. INJURIES: WAS: Kevin Seraphin (P), Nene Hilario (OUT) ; ORL: none.
Indiana Pacers at Philadelphia 76ers (7:00 pm EDT); over/under 203.5; Pacers -16.5. INJURIES: IND: George Hill (P), Ian Mahinmi (Q), C.J. Watson (P), Andrew Bynum (OUT) ; PHI: none.
This game is just the tonic the Pacers need to firmly pull themselves out of their recent tailspin. George Hill/IND, David West/IND and Roy Hibbert/IND are solid value plays as long as the game stays relatively close.
Minnesota Timberwolves at Charlotte Bobcats (7:00 pm EDT); over/under 207.5; Bobcats -1. INJURIES: MIN: Ronny Turiaf (OUT) ; CHA: Gary Neal (Q).
Memphis Grizzlies at Toronto Raptors (7:00 pm EDT); over/under 188; Raptors -1. INJURIES: MEM: none ; TOR: Patrick Patterson (OUT).
Phoenix Suns at Boston Celtics (7:30 pm EDT); over/under 207; Suns -4.5. INJURIES: PNX: Leandro Barbosa (OUT) ; BOS: Avery Bradley (P).
I’m still in wait-and-see mode regarding the effect Eric Bledsoe’s/PNX return will have on his teammates’ minutes and production.
Denver Nuggets at Miami Heat (7:30 pm EDT); over/under 213; Heat -10.5. INJURIES: DEN: none ; MIA: none.
The Heat should win this game easily, as their offense will have plenty of room to operate. Both LeBron James/MIA and Dwayne Wade/MIA are solid value plays.
Portland Trail Blazers at New Orleans Pelicans (8:00 pm EDT); over/under 204; Trail Blazers -2. INJURIES: POR: LaMarcus Aldridge (OUT), Mo Williams (OUT) ; NOP: Tyreke Evans (P), Eric Gordon (P).
It looks like Evans/NOP will play, which decreases the chances of an Anthony Davis/NOP monster game. Damian Lillard/POR and Nicolas Batum/POR are excellent high-risk, high-reward selections.
Los Angeles Lakers* at San Antonio Spurs (8:30 pm EDT); over/under 223.5; Spurs -17. INJURIES: LAL: Nick Young (OUT), Kobe Bryant (OUT) ; SAS: none.
The Lakers were slammed in Oklahoma last night and can’t feel good about their chances in San Antonio. Tiago Splitter/SAS is an interesting bargain play, while Kawhi Leonard/SAS is a solid dark horse.
Los Angeles Clippers at Utah Jazz (9:00 pm EDT); over/under 206.5; Clippers -9. INJURIES: LAC: Jamal Crawford (OUT), J.J. Redick (OUT) ; UTA: Marvin WIlliams (Q).
Cleveland Cavaliers at Golden State Warriors (10:30 pm EDT); over/under 202; Warriors -9.5. INJURIES: CLE: Spencer Hawes (P), C.J. Miles (D) ; GSW: Stephen Curry (P), Klay Thompson (OUT).
The Cavaliers should keep this game close, as the Warriors will not have Thompson/GSW to take the pressure off an injured Curry/GSW. Kyrie Irving/CLE is a reliable lineup anchor.
Yesterday’s News
TOP GUNS:
Serge Ibaka/OKC. Dominated the defensive paint, all but eliminating the Lakers’ interior scoring.
Russell Westbrook/OKC. Was dominant in limited minutes.
Joakim Noah/CHI. Since trading Luol Deng/CHI, Noah has become the anchor of the Bulls’ offense.
Kevin Durant/OKC and Ersan Ilyasova/MIL.
SLEEPERS:
Ersan Ilyasova/MIL. Inconsistent, but a great fantasy value in the right matchup.
Kirk Hinrich/CHI and Mike Dunleavy/CHI.
LET DOWNS:
James Harden/HOU and Chandler Parsons/HOU. The Bulls destroyed the Rockets’ hopes by making Harden an afterthought.
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I also get to plug in Howard who could potentially put up a monster game as a statement to the Lakers. MDA also loves ‘hack a Dwight’ which would give us free FPP’s, assuming Howard can knock some of them down. Either way, it’s an extra opportunity at points.