Just ten days remain until the biggest individual DraftStreet NBA contest since Christmas Day. 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. Satellites are available daily from priced at $1 to $11 for a chance at earning your entry at a discount. If you don’t have a DraftStreet account, you can sign up using this link.
Sunday has a split afternoon-evening schedule, with four games included in the early DraftStreet leagues and five confined to the 7 pm starts. The feature afternoon match has the shaky Houston Rockets visiting the suddenly struggling Miami Heat, while the Warriors and Trail Blazers collide tonight. Here is today’s Fantasy Spin.
What’s Happening at DraftStreet
YOUR CHOICE OF EARLY OR LATE LEAGUES
Early Salary Cap: various GPPs and Double-Up leagues.
Evening Salary Cap: $5/$4,000, $2/$4,000, $22/$8,000.
50K satellites (for next week): four, ranging from $1 to $11 buy in; 150K satellites (for March 26 main event): three, ranging from $1 to $11 buy in.
Pick’em: $11/$2,000, $2/$2,000.
Remember to register at least 10 minutes before the roster deadlines. Saturday’s contests start at 1 PM EDT and 7 PM EDT.
My Lineup at DraftStreet
The following is my recommended lineup, subject to change, for the Early $2/$2,000 Standard Payout GPP at DraftStreet (closing at 1:00 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-Anthony Davis/NOP-$22,087, C-Al Jefferson/CHA-$18,881, F-Nicolas Batum/POR-$14,713, G-DeMar DeRozan/TOR-$12,718, G-Reggie Jackson/OKC-$9,731, F-Michael Kidd-Gilchrist/CHA-$7,343, F-Caron Butler/OKC-$7,199, G-Gary Neal/CHA-$7,025.
Mavericks Fighting for Playoff Lives in OKC
Phoenix Suns at Toronto Raptors (1:00 pm EDT); over/under 204; Raptors -5. . INJURIES: PNX: Leandro Barbosa (OUT); TOR: Patrick Patterson (OUT).
DeMar DeRozan/TOR has suddenly become cheap. Unless he is carrying a minor injury he should easily exceed fair value against the Suns.
Charlotte Bobcats at Milwaukee Bucks* (1:00 pm EDT); over/under 199; Bobcats 5. . INJURIES: CHA: none ; MIL: Larry Sanders (OUT).
The main question is how close the Bucks will keep this game. Unless there is a big blowout, expect major production from Al Jefferson/CHA. Gary Neal/CHA is a recommended speculative play coming off a hot shooting game.
Houston Rockets at Miami Heat (3:30 pm EDT); over/under 209; Heat -4. . INJURIES: HOU: none; MIA: none .
LeBron/MIA is too pricey and Dwayne Wade/MIA is a touch over fair value, while James Harden/HOU is a big risk at his price against a good defensive team. Ray Allen/MIA is a defensible bargain play coming off a big shooting night.
Boston Celtics at New Orleans Pelicans (6:00 pm EDT); over/under 196; Pelicans -5.5. . INJURIES: BOS: none ; NOP: none.
Which Celtic can contain Anthony Davis/NOP? Tyreke Evans/NOP is a little more than fair value, as he and the Brow are starting to work well together.
Dallas Mavericks at Oklahoma City Thunder (7:00 pm EDT); over/under 215.5; Thunder -8. . INJURIES: DAL: Devin Harris (P); OKC: Russell Westbrook (P), Thabo Sefolosha (OUT), Kendrick Perkins (OUT)
If you are playing the evening leagues, monitor the status of Westbrook/OKC. If he is scratched or limited in minutes, Reggie Jackson/OKC and Derek Fisher/OKC become great value plays.
Utah Jazz at San Antonio Spurs (7:00 pm EDT); over/under 200; Spurs -15. . INJURIES: UTA: Marvin Williams (Q) ; SAS: none.
Which Spurs bench player will get major minutes and production? Who knows. Tiago Splitter/SAS is a low risk option at center.
Sacramento Kings* at Minnesota Timberwolves (7:00 pm EDT); over/under 213.5; Wolves -8. . INJURIES: SAC: none ; MIN: Nikola Pekovic (Q), Ronny Turiaf (OUT)
Golden State Warriors at Portland Trail Blazers (9:00 pm EDT); over/under 208.5; pick. . INJURIES: GSW: Klay Thompson (Q) ; POR: LaMarcus Aldridge (OUT), Mo Williams (OUT).
With Aldridge/POR out, Nicolas Batum/POR becomes the offensive catalyst. He has a good mathcup against David Lee/GSW and produces in multiple categories. As solid a play as there is tonight.
Cleveland Cavaliers at Los Angeles Clippers (9:30 pm EDT); over/under 208.5; Clippers -12.5. . INJURIES: CLE: C.J. Miles (Q) ; LAC: Jamal Crawford (Q), J.J. Redick (OUT).
I doubt Crawford/LAC is ready to resume his usual minutes even if he plays, which means that Matt Barnes/LAC will be relied upon for perimeter shooting.
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