Six superstars with salaries of $10000 or more take the court tonight. Russell Westbrook $10500 and Kevin Durant $10100 may not have to play much in the second half of a mismatch in Philadelphia. Enes Kanter $5200, Randy Foye $3100 and the second unit could thrive in garbage time.
The Kings want this frustrating season to end, so DeMarcus Cousins $10200 is more likely to explode (figuratively) at home against a weak rival than on the road against a desperate playoff contender. At PF I prefer Anthony Davis $10000, a machine on the five-game road trip who will put on a show for loyal fans in New Orleans.
Stephen Curry $10300 is a nightly threat for 30 points but this is a huge game for Mavericks, who have lost six of seven and are in danger of missing the playoffs. The Warriors are more interested in managing minutes for their big guns down the stretch (and staying unbeaten at home) than running up the score.
$160,000 Contest Free To New Users
The $160K Sharpshooter is only a $3 buy-in (FREE with your initial deposit at DraftKings) where the top 12,800 finishers (from up to 61,333 teams) win cash. First place earns $12,000. The deadline is 7:00 EDT; join before it fills and you can make lineup changes until each player’s game begins.
Or, try the $30K Hot Shot (also free to new users) — 2,302 finishers (from up to 11,500 teams) win cash, $2,000 to the winner. Unlike pools where anyone can enter up to 200 times, it’s limited to three teams per person.
Because Minnesota doesn’t play much defense, James Harden $10400 and the Rockets can take advantage. If Dwight Howard $7500 avoids foul trouble against Karl-Anthony Towns $8300, both could be profitable. Ricky Rubio $6900 has three straight double-doubles and Zach LaVine $6000 hit six triples for 28 points on Wednesday. Trevor Ariza $5700 and Michael Beasley $4100 are good value for the home team.
Andre Drummond $8100 had another double-double (18 & 18) and all five Pistons starters scored 14 or more in a tough loss to the Hawks on Wednesday. Stan Van Gundy will continue to ignore his bench, so Kentavious Caldwell-Pope $5600, Tobias Harris $6300 and Marcus Morris $5100 are all attractively priced against weak opposition.
Damian Lillard $9200, C.J.McCollum $6400 and Mason Plumlee $4000 lead the Trail Blazers into New Orleans after a very tough loss against the Spurs. They are locked in a four-way race for the final three playoff positions but this may not be a cakewalk. Ryan Anderson $5700 scored 29 in a rare Pelicans road win on Wednesday, while newcomer Tim Frazier $3400 made an immediate contribution with 14 points and nine assists, and is expected to start against his former team.
After sitting out on Wednesday, LeBron James $9300 (rest) is my top choice at SF. Kyrie Irving $7800 can exploit the Magic guards and Kevin Love $7100 also has a great matchup but the Cavaliers just want to beat Orlando, with the Big Three playing no more than necessary. If Victor Oladipo $7400 and Mario Hezonja $3900 keep it close enough that Cleveland’s stars play normal minutes, LBJ is affordably priced and fresh.
Although Celtics at Raptors is on NBA-TV, the schedule-maker has done Toronto no favors. It’s their fourth game in five nights, the last two on the road. Kyle Lowry $7900 might get a night off, and our man Bismack Biyombo $4600 has to be tired after the game of his life (16 PTS, 25 REB, 2 BLK) in last night’s big win over the Pacers. Boston has dropped four of five to some very good teams, falling from third in the East into a four-way scramble for playoff seeding. Amir Johnson $3700 will enjoy the homecoming, Jared Sullinger $5600 has been sharp and Isaiah Thomas $7300 is always dangerous.
A meaningless game in L.A. between two awful teams still has DFS potential. With four games under his belt, Brandon Knight $7000 meets D’Angelo Russell $6700. If Kobe Bryant $5300 (shoulder) takes the night off, Jordan Clarkson $5700 and Devin Booker $6500 can trade buckets all night. Alex Len $6800 vs. Julius Randle $6300 is another interesting battle. However, the Suns were totally eclipsed 103-69 last night in Utah, so you might want to avoid all of them and consider the Lakers.
Today’s sample lineup is classic stars-and-scrubs, with two high-salaried studs, two midrange guys and four bargains. I’m punting the center spot and keying on three Rockets. Keep a close eye on breaking news, especially at this time of year. Injuries or rest can dramatically affect player values and create unexpected opportunities.
| Pos | Premium | Midrange | Bargain |
| PG | Stephen Curry $10300 | Isaiah Thomas $7300 | Tim Frazier $3400 |
| SG | James Harden $10400 | K. Caldwell-Pope $5600 | K. Caldwell-Pope $5600 |
| SF | LeBron James $9300 | Trevor Ariza $5700 | Michael Beasley $4100 |
| PF | Anthony Davis $10000 | Julius Randle $6300 | Amir Johnson $3700 |
| C | Andre Drummond $8100 | Dwight Howard $7500 | Enes Kanter $5200 |
The Fantasy Spin features DFS advice every day of the NBA season. Follow Kent Williams @SheridanFantasy for updates.