On a ten-game NBA Friday at this time of year, some have no significance in the standings. That doesn’t mean they won’t be entertaining, or produce the kind of individual performances that reward daily fantasy owners.
For example, Devin Booker $4500 was spectacular last night (34 points) after a 21-for 74 stretch (28.3%) over his previous six. The Suns visit Orlando for their third game in four nights, having lost the first two by a combined 50 points. The Magic should romp, so Nikola Vucevic $7500, Aaron Gordon $6800, Victor Oladipo $7100 and Elfrid Payton $5200 are all worth considering but rookie Mario Hezonja $3900 could provide the best value.
The Cavaliers will try to extract some revenge at home. On Sunday while LeBron James $9600 rested, only Kyrie Irving $7500 showed up in Washington. John Wall $9400, Marcin Gortat $6700 and Otto Porter $4700 opened a 30-point lead and the bench coasted home by 14. Though the Wizards have won four straight to climb within a half-game of the final playoff spot, the King will be a huge factor in this rematch.
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Even with Stephen Curry and Russell Westbrook not in action, PG remains loaded, with Damian Lillard $9000 vs. Kyle Lowry $8500 another dandy matchup. If you don’t want to spend that much, Dennis Schroder $4800, Mario Chalmers $4000 and D.J. Augustin $3900 are potential bargains.
That Blazers-Raptors game features two outstanding backcourts. DeMar DeRozan $7400 is bigger, more experienced and gets to the line more effectively than C.J. McCollum $6900. Very much in the SG picture is Khris Middleton $7300 but Bojan Bogdanovic $4400 has gained value recently and along with Hezonja, could be the best bang for the buck.
If you don’t want to pay up for LBJ, Giannis Antetokounmpo $7700 has two huge triple-doubles in his last five and there may not be much defensive intensity between Minnesota and the Bucks. There isn’t a standout SF in the lowest salary bracket for me, but Marvin Williams $5800 and Kent Bazemore $5300 could produce.
Atlanta should beat the Lakers easily enough that Paul Millsap $8000 won’t have to play huge minutes. Thaddeus Young $6900 is a solid investment and Gordon $6800 has upside. The salary midrange features plenty of PF talent and cheap backups like Jordan Hill $4000 or Brandon Bass $3600 could surprise.
There’s no reason for Miami to run up the score in Philadelphia tonight. With Jahlil Okafor $5800 (shin) and Nerlens Noel $5900 (soreness) both questionable, Hassan Whiteside $8300 could dominate, but some well-earned rest is also in order. Other centers to consider include Karl-Anthony Towns $8200 and Vucevic, or you could punt with Chris Andersen $3300, who played 27 minutes on Wednesday and will start again.
Today’s sample lineup starts with LeBron, Lowry and three Orlando players. The G, F and Util spots are subject to change. There are many other ways to spend $13700 on three guys — Birdman, Schroder and Bazemore is another combination that fits. Breaking news could affect multiple players and often creates DFS opportunities.
| Pos | Premium | Midrange | Bargain |
| PG | John Wall $9400 | Kyle Lowry $8500 | D.J. Augustin $3900 |
| SG | DeMar DeRozan $7400 | Bojan Bogdanovic $4400 | Mario Hezonja $3900 |
| SF | LeBron James $9600 | G. Antetokounmpo $7700 | Marvin Williams $5800 |
| PF | Paul Millsap $8000 | Aaron Gordon $6800 | Jordan Hill $4000 |
| C | Hassan Whiteside $8300 | Nikola Vucevic $7500 | Chris Andersen $3300 |
The Fantasy Spin features DFS advice every day of the NBA season. Follow Kent Williams @SheridanFantasy for updates.