It’s a tough choice for our headline player tonight. Stephen Curry $10700 and the Warriors have won 39 straight at home since losing exactly one year ago. James Harden $10000 has three triple-doubles in four games. Russell Westbrook $10600 and Kevin Durant $9800 were fantastic last night.
My money is on LeBron James $9900, determined to make new coach Tyronn Lue look good, with Cleveland now just two games up on the surging Raptors. Since David Blatt was fired, neither Kyrie Irving $6500 nor Kevin Love $7100 stepped up their production, while Bron is averaging 25.5 points, 8.5 boards and nine assists.
The Suns lost in Philadelphia last night and are ravaged by injuries. P.J. Tucker $5200 may not be 100% healthy, and will be trying to cover King James. Alex Len $4800 and Archie Goodwin $4800 are the best value plays for Phoenix; J.R. Smith $5400, Tristan Thompson $5000 and Matthew Dellavedova $4000 are potential bargains for the Cavs.
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The news that Blake Griffin (hand) will be out for another month might explain why his teammates looked so angry and frustrated in Sunday’s loss to Toronto. They were able to beat Indiana by two last night and conclude a five-game road trip in Atlanta. It’s basically Chris Paul $9700, DeAndre Jordan $7100 and J.J. Redick $5400 surrounded by underachievers, so they will continue to put up numbers. Paul Millsap $8300 and the Hawks’ superior depth should win the game.
It took overtime for the Thunder to edge the Knicks, as four starters played at least 43 minutes. Not saying they will lose in Minnesota tonight, just that they will be tired. Don’t expect Russ and KD to score a combined 74 again. Cameron Payne $3600 has great per-minute stats and is relatively fresh. The 14-32 Wolves have a bright future; 20-year-old Andrew Wiggins $6600 is averaging 23.2 points on 51% shooting over his last ten. In a superb year for rookies, Karl-Anthony Towns $7000 is the standout. He’ll be a tough cover for Steven Adams $4400.
Off a shocking 30-point loss to Golden State, the Spurs will regroup at home, where they are a perfect 24-0. However, Tim Duncan (knee) is out, and LaMarcus Aldridge $7100 (back) is struggling. David West $4300 will start again, and Bojan Marjanovic $3600 double-doubled the only time he got 20 minutes. Kawhi Leonard $8200 needs to be superb vs. James Harden $10000 and the Rockets. With Dwight Howard $7700 (ankle) questionable, they might use Trevor Ariza $5600 at PF again, and why not? He’s scored 60 points in the last two wins.
On a three-game win streak, the last two on the road by 20+, the Celtics match up very well against Denver. Isaiah Thomas $7800 is their star, but the prices are better on bench guys like Marcus Smart $5100 and Evan Turner $4600, especially if the score is lopsided.
My sample lineup uses James, Harden and Ariza as the core trio, then it’s mix-and-match in the other five spots. A lot can change between now and the deadline; staying on top of breaking news and making adjustments can really pay off.
| Pos | Premium | Midrange | Bargain |
| PG | Stephen Curry $10700 | Chris Paul $9700 | Marcus Smart $5100 |
| SG | James Harden $10000 | J.J. Redick $5400 | J.R. Smith $5400 |
| SF | LeBron James $9900 | Gordon Hayward $7300 | Trevor Ariza $5600 |
| PF | Draymond Green $8900 | Paul Millsap $8300 | Tristan Thompson $5000 |
| C | Andre Drummond $8500 | DeAndre Jordan $7100 | Boban Marjanovic $3600 |
The Fantasy Spin features DFS advice every day of the NBA season. Follow Kent Williams @SheridanFantasy for updates.