NBA Daily Fantasy Helper: Tuesday 11/10/15
If you've never played daily fantasy basketball before, it's time to start. Unlike traditional leagues, you're able to select the players you want on that specific day only, giving you a different squad to root for each and every NBA night.
Today's lineups can be found here. The information below is to help you understand why particular players are being picked, because we don't want you going into the night completely blind. We want to help you. Keep in mind, however, that things often change up until tip-off, so make sure you're refreshing the optimal lineups as close to the start of games as possible.
Let's get to it.
The Best of the Best
Anthony Davis - While he has not looked quite as good as many expected, Davis has still put up some gaudy numbers to start the season. The Pelicans' star is averaging 25.2 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.8 blocks, 2.3 assists and 1.3 steals per game with a 28.2% Usage Rate in a whopping 38.2 minutes per game. With New Orleans incredibly banged up right now, The Brow should remain among the league leaders in both playing time and usage for the foreseeable future. Tonight, he draws a dream matchup against the aging Dirk Nowitzki and a Mavericks squad that has allowed the second most fantasy points per game to opposing power forwards this season. Davis is our top overall projected player on the board tonight in a game that Vegas expects to be a shootout.
Kevin Durant - Following a season in which he played just 27 games due to a foot injury, Durant has shown little signs of rust to open his 2015-16 season, pouring in 30.1 points while adding 6.9 boards, 2.9 dimes and 1.4 blocks per game. The former MVP finds himself ranked inside of the top five in the league in scoring, Player Efficiency Rating (29.2), and Win Shares per 48 minutes (.288). He ranks third in our player power rankings with a 20.5 nERD. Durant seems to be working excellently in tandem with his running mate Russell Westbrook, and both should continue to be elite fantasy options as long as they remain healthy. Tonight, KD gets a tremendous matchup against a defense (the Wizards) that has given up the most fantasy points per game to opposing small forwards in a game that Vegas anticipates will be the highest scoring contest on tonight's slate. He makes an outstanding play in all formats.
Top Mid-Range Values
Hassan Whiteside - After a breakout campaign a year ago, Whiteside has done his best to prove that he is no one-hit-wonder, averaging 14.7 points, 10.9 boards and a league-leading 4 blocks per game. The Heat big man has seen 30-plus minutes in all but two games this season and has seen his Usage Rate climb up to a respectable 21.8%. With a matchup against a Lakers team that has allowed the second most points per game in the league (110.7), ranks 29th in Defensive Rating (109.8) and plays at the seventh fastest pace in the league, virtually everyone in the Miami rotation is in play tonight. However, Whiteside is my favorite among the bunch in a matchup with the struggling Roy Hibbert. Do not hesitate to plug the Heat big man into your lineup on all platforms tonight.
Isaiah Thomas - With Marcus Smart already ruled out for tonight's game against the Bucks, Thomas will draw the start at point guard for the Celtics and should be in store for a huge workload. IT2 has been outstanding when given the opportunity to play big minutes, amassing 27.1 points, 8.4 assists and 2.5 steals on a per-36 minute basis and could see close to that amount of playing time tonight. Michael Carter-Williams remains out of the Bucks' lineup with an ankle injury, which means Thomas will get the pleasure of matching up against Tyler Ennis, Jerryd Bayless and Greivis Vasquez, none of whom have earned a Defensive Rating better than 110 on the year. The Celtics' point guard should have his way with that trio en route to a huge fantasy outing tonight.
Basement Ballers
Kristaps Porzingis - Remember when Knicks fans almost rioted when New York selected Porzingis with the fourth overall pick in this years' draft? Well since then, all the Knicks' rookie has done is average 12.3 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game while garnering serious consideration as an early season rookie of the year candidate. Porzingis is coming off of back-to-back double-doubles and should only continue to see his workload and usage increase as he progresses through his rookie season. With his price tag still at just $5,400 on FanDuel and $5,700 on DraftKings, the Latvian star is dollar for dollar one of my favorite plays on the board tonight.
Justise Winslow - As I mentioned earlier, the Heat get a very favorable matchup tonight against the Lakers. While Winslow has yet to start a game in his young NBA career, he has played a major role for Miami so far this season. He's seen at least 30 minutes of action in each of his last three games -- as well as four of his last five -- and, although he has not scored in high volume, has the ability to fill up the stat sheet that is so valuable in daily fantasy. He will likely be guarded by a combination of Kobe Bryant, Nick Young and Lou Williams, all of whom have a Defensive Rating of 111 or worse, and should have plenty of opportunities to accumulate fantasy points tonight. He is an absolute steal at just $3,600 on FanDuel and $3,700 on DraftKings.
