NBA Daily Fantasy Helper: Friday 3/15/19

If you're new to daily fantasy basketball -- maybe you started your DFS journey during the MLB or NFL seasons, or maybe basketball is your sport and this will be your first year giving it a shot -- you're in for a treat. The NBA scene changes hugely on a week-to-week, day-to-day, and -- depending on injury news -- even a minute-to-minute basis, making every slate a unique one that requires an ever-changing approach.

With so much changing so quickly, we're here with plenty of tools to help you out. We have daily projections, a matchup heat map, a lineup optimizer, and a ton of other great resources to help give you an edge.

We'll also be coming at you with this primer every day, breaking down a few of the day's top plays at each price point.

Let's take a look at who you should target on today's main slate.

Best of the Best

Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,800): Since February 1, only Russell Westbrook and James Harden have averaged more FanDuel points per game than Giannis' 55.7, and if we just look at the games Harden has played with Chris Paul back in the lineup, Giannis moves up to second. That should have his sub-$12,000 price tag catching your eye right away, as Harden is sitting $700 more expensive than Antetokounmpo. Giannis doesn't draw an especially strong matchup tonight, though the Miami Heat have struggled to the tune of a 23rd-ranked defensive rating since the All-Star break, and the 5.0-point spread in this game makes the spot more interesting than it might be otherwise. It suggests we're not dealing with much risk of a blowout here (especially compared to Harden, who is dealing with a 13-point spread), meaning Giannis should be locked in for big minutes here, giving him a very strong floor for fantasy scoring.