If you happen to love hoops and poker, DraftKings has an amazing promotion tonight — a satellite event to win a World Series of Poker Main Event package (valued at $11,500) for a $27 buy-in! Beat 629 other teams and you are off to Vegas, baby. There are cash consolation prizes for finishing second through 25th and the winner gets a seat at the WSOP table, plus hotel, VIP parties and more. There are a dozen NBA games on a busy Friday, none more compelling than the showdown between conference leaders Golden State and Atlanta. While both coaches and all the players will call this possible Finals preview “just another game,” it’s eagerly anticipated by fans and in DFS contests.
Stephen Curry $10400 just scored 51 points against Dallas. Jeff Teague $7400 isn’t an MVP candidate, but he’s having a career year and is one of the three most important Hawks. They would be the two best PG on the board if the unstoppable Russell Westbrook $10900 wasn’t a one-man team.
Money For Nothing?
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The Fantasy Basketball World Championship has a million dollar first prize, to be awarded March 23. There are only 40 seats in the Final; finish first in a Qualifier to win a spot, including a 5-day VIP trip to Las Vegas (worth $55,000) plus a minimum of $7,000 in cash!
Another Warrior, Klay Thompson $8200 is the best SG available — except for James Harden $10300, who has a great matchup tonight at home. If you’re shopping for value at that spot, Kevin Martin $5700 improved a lot in his fifth game back from injury and Avery Bradley $4500 has busted out of a shooting slump, going 26-54 over three games in four nights.
We simply can’t afford the “best” player at each position under a $50,000 salary cap, so SF might be a place to save. LeBron James $10500 got only 27 minutes in last night’s surprisingly easy win over the Clippers, so fatigue isn’t a huge issue, but the rest of the Cavs are playing so well that he may not be heavily used against the Pacers. Kevin Durant $9900 (toe) is a game-time decision; if he goes, Westbrook might not have to score 45 again.
Carmelo Anthony $8800 is the next-highest price and should be pumped for the Manhattan-Brooklyn clash. Kawhi Leonard $7700 leads the Spurs most nights. I’m going even cheaper with Tobias Harris $5800 because the Lakers can’t stop anyone and the Magic will be determined to snap a 10-game losing streak. 
The PF spot is dominated by the incomparable Anthony Davis $10800, but the same problem exists — spending over ten grand at more than two positions does not compute. (Technically it does; all you need is five productive guys at $3600 each to complete a Davis/Harden/Westbrook lineup. Good luck with that.)
Denver has lost 11 of 12, the coach has lost his team and several players are popular in trade rumors. That leads me to the Pistons and Greg Monroe $8200 as an affordable PF option. Paul Millsap $7800 might get the Draymond Green $7300 defensive treatment, reducing both their values. The best bang for the buck? Possibly Donatas Motiejunas $6000 vs. the banged-up Bucks, or Carlos Boozer $5700 in that potential track meet in Orlando.
Al Horford $7900 may be the most important Hawk this evening and I’m sure he’ill be great, but other centers in the same price range have easier assignments, especially Nikola Vucevic $8100. Hassanity has taken over the fantasy hoops world, as Hassan Whiteside $8000 is the FA pickup of the season in traditional leagues and keeps paying his way — and then some — in daily action.
Ultra-cheap guys with upside are always worth considering. Nick Young $3000 has hit the salary floor, just as he got back in the ever-changing L.A. rotation. Hollis Thompson $3800 scored a career-high 23 on Tuesday for the improving 76ers, suggesting he’s fully recovered from a severe illness and deserving of more minutes. Marreese Speights $3500 has put up solid numbers in limited minutes and might be needed tonight.
With so many options at each position and in every price range, even narrowing down tonight’s Short List is a challenge. Remember, you don’t have to select a “perfect” lineup to win big, and while a few events like the WSOP Qualifier are top-heavy, most contests can be quite lucrative even if you don’t finish first. See you on the leaderboard!
| Pos | Premium | Midrange | Bargain |
| PG | R. Westbrook $10900 | Jeff Teague $7400 | Marcus Smart $4600 |
| SG | James Harden $10300 | Kevin Martin $5700 | Avery Bradley $4500 |
| SF | LeBron James $10500 | Tobias Harris $5800 | Hollis Thompson $3800 |
| PF | Anthony Davis $10800 | Greg Monroe $8200 | M. Speights $3500 |
| C | Nikola Vucevic $8100 | Al Horford $7900 | Steven Adams $3800 |
The Fantasy Spin features DFS advice every day of the NBA season. Follow Kent Williams @SheridanFantasy for updates.