Fantasy Spin January 16, 2015

We have 13 games to consider on Big Friday, including several featuring high-salaried superstars. All signs point to a fifth consecutive monster game for DeMarcus Cousins $11300 and another big night for Chris Bosh $8400. Dwyane Wade $8800 (hamstring) is iffy for Miami and Rudy Gay $8000 (knee) likely to miss another game for Sacramento. With Carl Landry $3700 (wrist) also hurt, Derrick Williams $4300 should get plenty of extra run.

Even without Jrue Holiday (ankle), the Pelicans could beat Philadelphia behind Andrew Davis $11200 and Tyreke Evans $7900. However, AD has a sprained toe and might have to rest it. If he sits, Ryan Anderson $5300 will probably start, Omer Asik $4200 could own the painted area and Eric Gordon $4600 can still score. Bargain-hunters can try Quincy Pondexter $3400, who got 32 minutes off the bench in his N’Awlins debut. We called Michael Carter-Williams $8600 a one-man team last game and he put up a nice line — 29 PTS, 7 REB, 4 AST, 2 STL — in 40+ minutes.

Plays of the Day

Open a new account and get a FREE entry for the $55K Layup — the top score earns $5,000 and 6,600 of 31,625 teams receive cash prizes. The $2.7 MILLION January Jam costs $100 per team, but you can win tickets in Satellite contests for $5, $2 or even a quarter. The $500,000 NBA Slam Dunk on January 28 has a top prize of $100,000.

The big DFS news is the Fantasy Basketball World Championship with a million dollar first prize, to be awarded March 23. There are only 40 seats in the Final, and you must finish first in a Qualifier to win a spot, including an all-expenses paid, 5-day VIP trip to Las Vegas plus $7,000 in cash, even if you finish last! Tonight there’s a Super Satellite contest for just $2.00 where you can get into an upcoming $20 Qualifier. There’s also a $1,000 buy-in Qualifier for you high-rollers; beat just 64 other teams and you’re off to Vegas!

Oklahoma City hosts Golden State in a star-studded tilt; the Thunder were crushed by 26 in Oakland just 11 days ago and lost another critical game last night. Kevin Durant $10700 and Russell Westbrook $10000 simply can’t do it all by themselves. The much deeper Warriors rely mostly on MVP Stephen Curry $10200, Klay Thompson $7300 and Draymond Green $8100 but the secret to their success it that everyone contributes selflessly.

At home, Phoenix should have no trouble with the T-Wolves. Mo Williams $5800 never scored 52 before and will never do it again. The new franchise record did snap a 15-game losing streak. I’m looking toward several Suns instead; Markieff Morris $6600, Alex Len $4600 and P.J. Tucker $4300 are particularly good prices.

Facing the Lakers in a road back-to-back without Kobe Bryant (rest), the Jazz are well rested and Trey Burke $5500 is a solid play. Rudy Gobert $6200 and Derrick Favors $7900 are sharp, Gordon Hayward $7700 is consistent and I’m not using anyone else.

There’s a sense that the Nets have given up, and the Wizards are 17-4 at home. John Wall $9400 vs. Jarrett Jack $6300 is a mismatch. Kevin Garnett $3400 will be well-rested after his suspension, and Brook Lopez $6700 is surrounded by trade rumors, so Mason Plumlee $6800 will soon gain value. Paul Pierce $4800 picks his spots carefully now and Bradley Beal $6100 might thrive, but this is the third game in four nights for Washington.

The Grizzlies are favored in Orlando, though Mike Conley $8000 (ankle) is hurting. Zach Randolph $7600 has been excellent in three starts since returning from a knee injury. Victor Oladipo $6700 and Nikola Vucevic $8900 are scalding hot and rookie Elfrid Payton $5200 is improving; don’t overlook the Magic.

Dallas basically conceded Wednesday’s game in Denver by giving 60% of the starting lineup a night off, yet lost by only seven points. Dirk Nowitzki $6600 and Tyson Chandler $6400 will be fresh for this rematch, but Rajon Rondo $7900 (Achilles) is questionable, so Ty Lawson $9000 may have another huge night.

The Bulls should beat the Celtics, but have lost four of five. They needed overtime to prevail when these teams met Jan. 3 in Chicago. Boston’s recent fire sale leaves them weak, plus Jared Sullinger $6700 (illness) and Evan Turner $5500 (thumb) may not be 100%. Pau Gasol $9500 and Derrick Rose $6600 have been doing the heavy lifting, but with Joakim Noah (ankle) hurt, the value play is Taj Gibson $5400.

Atlanta visits Toronto in a big Eastern Conference clash. Jeff Teague $8500, Paul Millsap $8500 and Al Horford are all underrated. DeMar DeRozan $6500 may have returned just in time after missing 21 games, but Kyle Lowry $10100 seems tired from singlehandedly carrying the Raptors for so long. We the nervous North!

Cleveland didn’t exactly destroy the Lakers last night and face a much tougher test on the same court vs. the Clippers, especially if Kevin Love $9900 (back) can’t go. LeBron James $10700 will need another huge effort to keep this one close. We touted DeAndre Jordan $7700 on Wednesday and he came through (17 PTS, 18 REB) — the Cavs aren’t strong in the middle. Volume shooters like J.R. Smith $4600 and Jamal Crawford $4800 are capable of getting in the zone.

The Trail Blazers are in San Antonio and the defending champions are in seventh place. I’m expecting a tough battle and tight defense. LaMarcus Aldridge $10000 and Damian Lillard $9700 are generally worth the money; it’s just that there are so many other options tonight. Kawhi Leonard $7000 (hand) has been upgraded to probable after missing 15 games, which helps on the floor but makes the rotation hard to predict.

Perhaps the least appealing game is Detroit at Indiana. Brandon Jennings $8000 and Greg Monroe $8100 aren’t bad plays, but this one actually has playoff connotations in the mediocre East and we expect a low score.

Pos	Premium	Midrange	Bargain
PG	Stephen Curry $10200	Derrick Rose $6600	Elfrid Payton $5200
SG	Tyreke Evans $7900	Victor Oladipo $6700	Nick Young $3900
SF	LeBron James $10700	Draymond Green $8100	Derrick Williams $4300
PF	Pau Gasol $9500	Zach Randolph $7600	Taj Gibson $5400
C	D. Cousins $11300	DeAndre Jordan $7700	Omer Asik $4200