Fresh off giving away $150,000, DraftStreet is running satellites for yet another $100,000 contest. Look for them in the NBA lobby for a chance to win a voucher to the NBA $100K Playoffs Big Score and a $20,000 first place prize. This one starts on April 19 and finishes on April 20, the two-day format being a wrinkle common to NBA playoff leagues. If you don’t have a DraftStreet account, you can sign up using this link.
Another key injury, this time to Blake Griffin/LAC in the first quarter, ruined many DraftStreet lineups. Chris Paul/LAC shouldered the load and led the Clippers to an important road win over the Rockets. Los Angeles now has the inside track for home advantage in the first round. There are two afternoon games and six evening games on the schedule for the penultimate day of March. Here is today’s Fantasy Spin.
What’s Happening at DraftStreet
$100K Satellites: seven, from $1 to $11.
Salary Cap (Early) : $11/$3,000, $2/$2,000, $55/$3,000.
Salary Cap (Late): $22/$8,000, $2/$3,000, $109/$6,000, two others.
Pick’em: $11/$2,000, $2/$2,000.
Remember to register at least 10 minutes before the roster deadlines. Sunday’s contests start at 3:00 PM and 6:00 PM EDT.
My Lineup at DraftStreet
The following is my recommended lineup, subject to change, for the $2/$3,000 Standard Payout GPP at DraftStreet (closing at 6:00 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-Joakim Noah/CHI-$17,983, G-Goran Dragic/PNX-$14,647, G-Eric Bledsoe/PNX-$13,977, G-Deron Williams/BKN-$13,940, F-Paul Pierce/BKN-$10,556, G-Shaun Livingston/BKN-$10,453, F-P.J. Tucker/PNX-$10,355, F-Gerald Green/PNX-$7,959.
If you are playing the early leagues, George Hill/IND and Russell Westbrook/OKC are recommended plays.
Blazers Return Home and Meet Grizzlies
Utah Jazz at Oklahoma City Thunder (3:00 pm EDT); over/under 203; Thunder -15 . INJURIES: UTA: Alec Burks (Q) ; OKC: Reggie Jackson (OUT), Thabo Sefolosha (OUT), Kendrick Perkins (OUT).
This game should be closer than the line suggests. As will be the case for the remainder of the regular season, Russell Westbrook’s/OKC minutes will impact the production of several other players. My guess is Jackson/OKC sits out and Westbrook plays full minutes.
Indiana Pacers at Cleveland Cavaliers (3:00 pm EDT); over/under 182.5; Pacers -5 . INJURIES: IND: C.J. Watson (OUT), Andrew Bynum (OUT) ; CLE: Kyrie Irving (OUT).
The Pacers sometimes play down to the level of their opponent, and the Cavaliers are a dangerous opponent at home. Irving/CLE is getting closer to a return, but meanwhile, guard trio Dion Waiters/CLE, Jarrett Jack/CLE and Matthew Dellavedova/CLE are exceeding expectations.
Toronto Raptors at Orlando Magic (6:00 pm EDT); over/under 193.5; Raptors -4.5 . INJURIES: TOR: Patrick Patterson (D) ; ORL: none.
Orlando is athletic and at full strength, which should mean a very close game. It’s been rumored that Kyle Lowry/TOR is to get reduced minutes, but with the Raptors fighting for third seed it’s not likely to happen in this game. DeMar DeRozan/TOR and Nikola Vucevic/ORL are solid plays as well.
Minnesota Timberwolves at Brooklyn Nets (6:00 pm EDT); over/under 211; Nets -3.5 . INJURIES: MIN: none ; BKN: Andrei Kirilenko (OUT), Kevin Garnett (OUT), Brook Lopez (SEASON).
The Nets have been great at home and the inconsistent Timberwolves won’t be able to lay their favored up tempo game. I have tipped several Nets to have big games.
Chicago Bulls at Boston Celtics (6:30 pm EDT); over/under 182; Bulls -5 . INJURIES: CHI: Derrick Rose (SEASON) ; BOS: Gerald Wallace (SEASON) .
Joakim Noah/CHI is my chosen lineup anchor, as I don’t believe either Kris Humphries/BOS or Kelly Olynyk/BOS can handle him.
Memphis Grizzlies at Portland Trail Blazers (3:00 pm EDT); over/under 189; Blazers -1.5 . INJURIES: MEM: none ; POR: Joel Freeland (SEASON) .
The Blazers have kicked it up a notch since the return of LaMarcus Aldridge/POR and have the players to handle the Grizzlies main threats Marc Gasol/MEM and Zach Randolph/MEM. This will be a tight low scoring affair without much fantasy relevance.
New York Knicks at Golden State Warriors (9:00 pm EDT); over/under 202 ; Warriors -6.5 . INJURIES: NYK: Andrea Bargnani (OUT), Kenyon Martin (OUT) ; GSW: David Lee (D), Andrew Bogut (OUT).
Injuries are again a concern for the Warriors. Bogut/GSW is the backbone of the defense and Lee’s/GSW slashing paint production is an important counterbalance to the Warriors’ perimeter shooting guards. This will be a tight game if the Knicks come to play.
Phoenix Suns at Los Angeles Lakers (9:30 pm EDT); over/under 227; Suns -8.5 . INJURIES: PNX: Leandro Barbosa (SEASON) ; LAL: Xavier Henry (Q), Steve Nash (Q), Pau Gasol (D), Kobe Bryant (SEASON).
In what figures to a be a high scoring game, the Suns will be highly motivated to dismantle the Lakers. I have tipped several Suns players for my lineup for those reason. Robert Sacre/LAL should get extra minutes and is a nice spec play.
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