Why would the Spurs bother using their veterans in Philadelphia? Assume that Tim Duncan $8600, Tony Parker $7200 and Manu Ginobili $4900 will be rested, avoid using them in daily lineups and be sure to check for news later in the day to confirm my suspicions. If Kawhi Leonard $7500 plays, which is far from guaranteed, he would be a must-start.
Danny Green $5000 was hot yesterday in Boston, so I’m guessing he’ll see the most minutes of the usual starters, surrounded by the second unit. Cory Joseph $3000 is healthy again; he and Aron Baynes $3000 might surprise. Even Matt Bonner $3000 is worth considering in these unique circumstances.
Fortunately, the hapless Sixers do not have to win for a couple of them to help your DFS teams. We touted K.J. McDaniels $5400 when he cost 20% less and double-doubled (21-13, both career highs) against Dallas. Michael Carter-Williams $8000 triple-doubled in the same game, and both should rack up numbers again. One of the least meaningful NBA games of the season can still be profitable — see today’s sample lineup.
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T-Wolves at Clippers is a another complete mismatch. Injuries to Ricky Rubio, Kevin Martin and Nikola Pekovic have forced Minnesota’s backups and rookies into prominent roles. The only question is, how long will Chris Paul $10100 and Blake Griffin $9800 be needed? With anything like normal minutes, they are worth the money. Andrew Wiggins $5000 wasn’t feeling well last night, so Shabazz Muhammad $4000 had a career-high 28 in 30 minutes off the bench. Perhaps he can repeat, but expect Mo Williams $5300 and Thaddeus Young $6700 to provide most of the offense.
The Jazz have lost five in a row and I don’t like their chances to stop the slide. The potential for a high score does make this game more interesting in DFS than real life. Trevor Booker $3300 may be gaining minutes from the ineffective centers, Gordon Hayward $8100 could be the best of an uninspiring SF pool tonight and Derrick Favors $7300 has a good matchup. After hitting rock bottom, Denver has won six of seven to get back to .500 — Arron Afflalo $5700 and Ty Lawson $9100 are likely to get their numbers and Timofey Mozgov $5700 is solid value.
Dwyane Wade $7200 looked healthy yesterday after missing seven games with a hamstring issue, and Josh McRoberts $3000 is coming on. This is still a tough back-to-back on the road for Miami. Marcin Gortat $6700 is recommended for the rested Wizards, John Wall $9900 earns that salary on his best nights and Bradley Beal $5700 is overdue for a big game.
Here are my suggestions for each position and price range. Good luck combining them into a winning lineup; see you on the DK leaderboard.
| Pos | Premium | Midrange | Bargain |
| PG | Chris Paul $10100 | Mo Williams $5300 | Cory Joseph $3000 |
| SG | Dwyane Wade $7200 | Arron Afflalo $5700 | J. J. Redick $4100 |
| SF | Gordon Hayward $8100 | K.J. McDaniels $5900 | Shabazz Muhammad $4000 |
| PF | Blake Griffin $9800 | Derrick Favors $7300 | Trevor Booker $3300 |
| C | Chris Bosh $8800 | Marcin Gortat $6700 | Aron Baynes $3000 |
The Fantasy Spin features DFS advice every day of the NBA season. Follow Kent Williams @SheridanFantasy for updates.