DraftStreet Fantasy Spin: Saturday, March 22, 2014

In less than a week, the biggest individual DraftStreet NBA contest since Christmas Day takes place. 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.

There are no afternoon games today, as the first of eight NBA contests begins at 7 PM EDT. The highlights of the night are a possible first preview clash between the Spurs and the Warriors, and the battle between superstars LeBron James/MIA and Anthony Davis/NOP in New Orleans. Here is today’s Fantasy Spin.

What’s Happening at DraftStreet

Salary Cap: $55/$8,000, $2/$4,000, $11/$6,000, two others.
150K satellites (for March 26 main event): four, ranging from $1 to $11 buy in.
Pick’em: $22/$2,000, $2/$1,000.

Remember to register at least 10 minutes before the roster deadlines. Saturday’s contests start at 7 PM EDT.

My Lineup at DraftStreet

The following is my recommended lineup, subject to change, for the $2/$4,000 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:

C-Al Jefferson/CHA-$17,968, C-DeAndre Jordan/LAC-$15,628, F-Zach Randolph/MEM-$13,848, F-Kawhi Leonard/SAS-$13,162, F-Terrence Jones/HOU-$12,822, G-D.J. Augustin/CHI-$10,181, G-Trey Burke/UTA-$10,142, G-Alonzo Gee/CLE-$5,937.

If Dwight Howard/HOU can’t go, then I recommend switching in Omer Asik/HOU for one of the centers. Because several Spurs are likely to have the night off, Leonard/SAS and supporting players like Patrick Mills/SAS, Marco Belinelli/SAS, and Tiago Splitter/SAS.

Heat Travel to Face Davis and the Pelicans

Portland Trail Blazers at Charlotte Bobcats (7:00 pm EDT); over/under 203 ; Blazers -1 . . INJURIES: POR: LaMarcus Aldridge (OUT) ; CHA: none .
Robin Lopez/POR is a cheap option at center, but he’ll have his hands full with Al Jefferson/CHA. If you need a cheap speculative play, Wesley Matthews/POR is a good option.

Houston Rockets at Cleveland Cavaliers (7:30 pm EDT); over/under 204; Rockets -8. . INJURIES: HOU: Dwight Howard (Q); CLE: Kyrie Irving (OUT), C.J. Miles (OUT).
If Howard/HOU sits, not only will Omer Asik/HOU become a great value play, but expect more opportunities for the reasonably priced Chandler Parsons/HOU and Terrence Jones/HOU.

Indiana Pacers* at Memphis Grizzlies* (8:00 pm EDT); over/under 180; Grizzlies -2.5. . INJURIES: IND: Andrew Bynum (OUT); MEM: none .
Memphis wasn’t able to pull of the upset in Miami last night, and the Pacers played their best game in weeks to easily handle the Bulls. Therefore, this game sets up as an evenly matched defensive battle. few players on either side are great value tonight, but I do like Zach Randolph/MEM to lead the Grizzlies attack.

Miami Heat* at New Orleans Pelicans* (8:00 pm EDT); over/under 199; Heat -5.5 . . INJURIES: MIA: Dwayne Wade (Q) ; NOP: Anthony Davis (P).
Because Wade/MIA will likely sit, LeBron James/MIA gets a boost in value. The Pelicans front court defense won’t be easy to break down, and I suspect the Heat will try to win with outside jump shooting. Anthony Davis/NOP is decent value if he is fully recovered from his respiratory illness.

Philadelphia 76ers* at Chicago Bulls* (8:00 pm EDT); over/under 193; Bulls -16.5. . INJURIES: PHI: Tony Wroten (OUT); CHI: none .

Orlando Magic at Utah Jazz (9:00 pm EDT); over/under 197.5; Jazz -5. . INJURIES: ORL: Jameer Nelson (Q) ; UTA: Alec Burks (D) .
Several Jazz players are solid values today, including Trey Burke/UTA, Derrick Favors/UTA, and Gordon Hayward/UTA.

Detroit Pistons* at Los Angeles Clippers (10:30 pm EDT); over/under 216.5; Clippers -13. . INJURIES: DET: none ; LAC: Darren Collison (P), Jamal Crawford (P), J.J. Redick (OUT) .
The Clippers await the return of Jamal Crawford/LAC – an important perimeter threat to balance their interior strength. The Pistons played and lost last night and should be no match for the rested Clippers.

San Antonio Spurs* at Golden State Warriors (10:30 pm EDT); over/under 207; Warriors -2. . INJURIES: SAS: Tim Duncan (Q), Tony Parker (Q), Manu Ginobili (Q) ; GSW: Andre Iguodala (OUT) .
The Spurs’ veteran stars might be rested tonight, which will mean more touches for Kawhi Leonard/SAS and several other Spurs accustomed to taking a supporting role.

Yesterday’s News

TOP GUNS:
Kevin Durant/OKC. Top of the list again, due to the combination of a double overtime game and the early exit of Russell Westbrook/OKC to injury.
Amir Johnson/TOR. He’s taken on more offensive responsibility during the absence of Patrick Patterson/TOR.
Michael Carter-Williams/PHI, John Wall/WAS, Anthony Davis/NOP, DeMarcus Cousins/SAC

SLEEPERS:
Reggie Jackson/OKC. Like Durant/OKC, he benefited from overtime and the Westbrook/OKC injury.
Jordan Hill/LAL. Still an effective rebounder to have on the bench.
Henry Sims/PHI, Avery Bradley/BOS, Mason Plumlee/BKN, Greivis Vasquez/TOR and Luis Scola/IND.

LET DOWNS:
Brandon Jennings/DET. The fact that he can’t maintain a consistent elite level is one of the reasons the Pistons are less than the sum of their parts.
Russell Westbrook/OKC. Left early due to a knee sprain. Though apparently not serious, he’ll likely rest a few games.
Serge Ibaka/OKC, Lou Williams/ATL, Kent Bazemore/LAL.

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