Wake up! The NBA starts early on Sunday and we “lost” an hour to the time change. The highlight of five games is during brunch in L.A. (3:30 EDT) as the Cavaliers take on the Clippers. The only way to use LeBron James $9900 or Chris Paul $9700 in daily fantasy at DraftKings is to join All-Day contests — better hurry.
It’s a different Showtime for the Lakers this season. Ever-questionable Kobe Bryant $5000 (shoulder) does enjoy these final chances to compete against stars like Carmelo Anthony $8300. The Knicks weren’t bad against the Clippers on Friday with Melo, Robin Lopez $5900 and Kristaps Porzingis $6200 each scoring 20 or more. In an anticipated shootout, D’Angelo Russell $7200, Julius Randle $6500 and Brandon Bass $3900 are also reasonably priced, while Derrick Williams $3800 could get in on the fun.
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Most like a playoff battle will be Indiana visiting Atlanta. It’s a back-to-back for both clubs, though the Hawks toyed with a decimated Memphis lineup and got a good night’s sleep in their own beds. The Pacers expended far more energy in a tough road win over Dallas, then had to travel. Paul George $8100 (20 PTS, 10 REB, 6 AST) had plenty of help as six teammates scored in double figures. Monta Ellis $6100 and George Hill $4800 were both profitable to own.
At home, trying to extend a 1.5 game lead over the nearest rival, Al Horford $6800 and Paul Millsap $7600 are excellent choices, Jeff Teague $6000 has been sharp and Kyle Korver $3800 broke out of a slump last night with a fine two-way performance. The bigger surprise was Thabo Sefolosha $3200 with a double-double (13 & 11) in 25 minutes off the bench.
DeMarcus Cousins $10200 is the highest-salaried player by far, which makes sense statistically. How he responds to the team-imposed suspension is one slight concern. It’s also a must-win for Rudy Gobert $6400 and Derrick Favors $7100, so the score probably won’t be as high as a typical Kings game. Rajon Rondo $7800 was brilliant in defeat on Friday, while Shelvin Mack $4600 led the Jazz to a huge win by scoring a career-high 27 points against no less an opponent than John Wall.
We loved Milwaukee at home last night but guessed completely wrong on Giannis Antetokounmpo $8700 running the offense. It was Jerryd Bayless $4700, confidently using all his teammates and rewarding his DFS owners. Khris Middleton $7300, Greg Monroe $6300 and the Greek Freak were all efficient as the Bucks shot almost 50%. Whether they’ll perform as well in a road back-to-back after playing heavy minutes is the question. The Nets aren’t very good except for Brook Lopez $7800 and Thaddeus Young $6700. It’s not the worst matchup for Donald Sloan $4600, but I prefer Bayless or Mack in that salary bracket.
| Pos | Premium | Midrange | Bargain |
| PG | Rajon Rondo $7800 | Jerryd Bayless $4700 | Shelvin Mack $4600 |
| SG | Khris Middleton $7300 | Monta Ellis $6100 | Kyle Korver $3800 |
| SF | Carmelo Anthony $8300 | Paul George $8100 | Derrick Williams $3800 |
| PF | DeMarcus Cousins $10200 | Paul Millsap $7600 | Brandon Bass $3900 |
| C | Brook Lopez $7800 | Al Horford $6800 | Robin Lopez $5900 |
The Fantasy Spin features DFS advice every day of the NBA season. Follow Kent Williams @SheridanFantasy for updates.