You can’t win ‘em all. It wasn’t my night, but congratulations to those who took home big bucks from DraftKings on Big Wednesday.
Some people unfamiliar with DFS don’t immediately understand that DK pays out all the guaranteed money, every night. We don’t compete “against the house,” but with each other. No spreads, no over/unders. It does not require a perfect lineup to win a jackpot. Whichever players are the top performers, the highest scores take home the cash. You just never know when it will be your turn.
This format provides an entirely new and different challenge every day. After “too many” NBA games last night — making it difficult to select just eight players from all that talent — Thursday offers “not enough,” with only the TV doubleheader on tap.
Plays of the Day
If you haven’t joined DK yet, click for a FREE entry (worth $2) to win as much as $5,000 in tonight’s $35K Layup, where 4,030 of 20,125 teams get paid. DK will also match your initial deposit 100% (up to $600) with bonus money that gets added to your account as you play. Bigger spenders can be bigger winners in the $50K Crossover — $27 to enter, 2,100 teams, top 420 cash. First prize is $10,000.
Clippers at Heat doesn’t even seem fair with Dwyane Wade $7200 (ankle) and Luol Deng $5900 (wrist) both doubtful. Chris Paul $9600 and Blake Griffin $9400 were needed for only 30 minutes each in Orlando last night, but they don’t come cheap. Jamal Crawford $5400 scored 22 in 24 minutes off the bench in that easy win. For Miami, Mario Chalmers $5800 gains the most value from his teammates’ absence, and rookie James Ennis $3000 has taken on extra responsibility. Remember, we don’t actually need to use more than one player from this game.
The Bulls are a remarkable 6-0 on the road. It’s always uncertain who will play, but Kirk Hinrich $4500 is well ahead of Aaron Brooks $3000 when Derrick Rose $6700 (hamstring) can’t go, and Taj Gibson $5300 is extremely valuable when either Pau Gasol $8200 (calf) or Joakim Noah $7400 is out. Nikola Mirotic $3000 also becomes playable when Gibson starts. Jimmy Butler $7600 has been terrific all season and Mike Dunleavy $4700 does whatever is needed.
The Kings will say it doesn’t matter, but they are thrilled to be on national TV. A motivated DeMarcus Cousins $10200 is a load and Darren Collison $7000 is quietly having a career year in every counting stat. Rudy Gay $8000 should be feeling better after a brief illness.
Even if you focus mainly on this game, your lineup construction depends on how you see it developing. If the Three Kings keep it close, all should earn their salaries. Butler and Gibson remain must-starts. It’s a bit way more difficult to fill the final 2-3 spots if you play it that way, or if you key on the Clippers.
Last Thursday, when the Bulls throttled Toronto, sticks in my mind. If they teach another lesson to a less-experienced team, stacking Butler, Gibson, Noah, Hinrich, Dunleavy and Mirotic might be the path to success. That leaves enough cap room to add one or two good players from the other game. In the above sample, CP3 and the five Chicago starters lets me add Collison and a cheap F.
Especially in a shallow player pool, don’t worry about leaving salary “dollars” on the table. Another variation has Mirotic filling that cheap F role; though he’s $900 cheaper than Landry, there’s no obvious upgrade at another position.
The 10:30 tipoff poses another concern, as contests close at 8:00 ET. It’s possible make changes to your lineup after the entry deadline — involving “unlocked” games that haven’t yet begun — if (for instance) it’s suddenly announced that Rose or Gasol will suit up. However, when you aren’t following such news and able to access DK, you can get stuck with useless players — like many did last night when Dwight Howard (knee) was a late scratch. Again.
Good luck with all your teams. See you on the leaderboard.
The Fantasy Spin features DFS advice every day of the NBA season.
Follow Kent Williams @SheridanFantasy for updates.