Fantasy Spin March 27, 2015

With 13 NBA games tonight, there are several excellent players to choose from in every salary range at DraftKings but strategy begins at the highest level.

Vitally important at this time of year is to keep track of breaking news that affects playing time. We mentioned in yesterday’s Spin that the Clippers will not be running up minutes for their superstars in Philadelphia. Atlanta has four games in five nights and while logic suggests they will rest more key players in the two road games, there’s no guarantee that an Al Horford $6400 or Jeff Teague $6200 will start tonight.

There’s tanking to consider — the Nuggets, Knicks and Lakers come to mind — so who’s starting, who’s sitting and who cares is a huge part of DFS success the rest of the way. “Meaningless” games (like Detroit at Orlando and Boston at New York) can be easier to predict than battles between playoff rivals or apparent mismatches.

Plays of the Day

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James Harden $11600 is back in MVP form and playing the defenceless Timberwolves. The highest-salaried player on the board is worth every penny. Anthony Davis $11200 comes next on the pay scale; his team is desperate and facing the undisciplined Kings. DeMarcus Cousins $9600 might also put on an offensive show in that game, but the Brow is far more consistent and motivated. No disrespect intended to LeBron James $10200 or Chris Paul $9900, but they simply don’t need to be great tonight, so why would they?

My top choice at PG is John Wall $8600, just ahead of Tyreke Evans $7600. You can get decent value from Zach LaVine $5300 (who will be guarded by SG-eligible Jason Terry $3500) and if CP3 gets his first night off of the season, Austin Rivers $3200 becomes a bargain against the 76ers.

Harden is a standout at SG, of course. If you can’t afford him, DeMar DeRozan $7800 should carve up the Lakers. Eric Bledsoe $8300 (illness) skipped practice yesterday and might not be at his best if he plays. Although Terry is cheap and starting at PG for Houston, he did not look good last game. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope $5200 is on today’s Short List and Lou Williams $4500 figures to get extra minutes as long as Kyle Lowry (back) is out.

Because I think LBJ will play no more than necessary, Kawhi Leonard $8100 gets the nod at SF. Andrew Wiggins $6500 needs to finish strong to clinch Rookie of the Year but his teammate Chase Budinger $4500 has been a very productive sixth man recently and can’t be ignored. We mentioned Jerami Grant $3200 yesterday as playable in the two-day Turbo leagues; he’s a wild card if he starts, especially if the Clippers go with a ‘B’ team.

PF is loaded and deep. Davis is playing with a sore shoulder and LaMarcus Aldridge $8700 is one-handed, but guys like Derrick Favors $8100 and Nerlens Noel $7800 are very solid alternatives. If Blake Griffin $8900 starts, he’ll see limited minutes, but that would downgrade Noel’s value a tick. Kevin Love $7000 returned from a two-game rest with a monster game in Memphis. Though I do not recommend going cheap at this position, Boris Diaw $3800 has been very good lately and might fit the F or Util spot.

In the mood, DMC tops fantasy centers. Andre Drummond $8600 is more consistent and will continue to post big numbers until Greg Monroe (knee) returns), so he gets the call. Hassan Whiteside (hand) is doubtful; Dwight Howard $7500 is back but on a minutes limit. Brook Lopez $7100 has been Brooklyn’s best player this month and with the Nets still very much alive, is a good choice. As a bargain, Tyler Zeller $4000 has a great matchup vs. the Knicks, though you can never predict when Kelly Olynyk $4100 might get hot off the bench or how Brad Stevens will manage that timeshare.

Pos	Premium	Midrange	Bargain
PG	John Wall $8600	Tyreke Evans $7600	Austin Rivers $3200
SG	James Harden $11600	DeMar DeRozan $7800	K. Caldwell-Pope $5200
SF	Kawhi Leonard $8100	Andrew Wiggins $6500	Chase Budinger $4500
PF	Anthony Davis $11200	Derrick Favors $8100	Boris Diaw $3800
C	Andre Drummond $8600	Brook Lopez $7100	Tyler Zeller $4000