These fantasy basketball picks are the recipe for DFS success tonight!

Last night, some of my favorite plays went off for huge nights. Paul Millsap and DeMarcus Cousins were the top overall scorers at any position, and even Ryan Anderson got in on the action. Kyle Korver put up another dud, and Anthony Davis was solid, albeit unremarkable. Remember, studs and duds are determined based off of return on salary, not total points.

Studs:  DeMarcus Cousins (51.50), Paul Millsap (50.00), Anthony Davis (46.75), Ryan Anderson (33.00), Kobe Bryant (39.00), Thabo Sefolosha (24.75)

Duds:  Giannis Antetokounmpo (19.25), Kyle Korver (17), Samuel Dalembert (8.75)

Today’s Top Plays

Guard:

John Wall ($16,700) vs Dallas – If I’m paying up for a PG today, it is for Wall. He has played like a man possessed at home (51.75, 59.25, 53.00, 36.75), and is an auto-play for me when he suits up at the Verizon Center. Devin Harris is OUT for a team that already ranked 24th against opposing PG, meaning that Jameer Nelson will see additional time against Wall. He has always been a below-average defender, and at the ripe old age of 32, he has close to zero chance of slowing down Wall. Jose Juan Barea could see some time in this matchup as well, and is a better defender than Nelson, but is still nowhere near the caliber of player that Wall is. Expect Wall to easily post a double-double in this one en route to one of the highest scores on the night. 

Eric Bledsoe ($13,600) at Detroit – Bledsoe’s value is very minutes dependent, and for the first time this season he has seen 30+ minutes in three consecutive games. Detroit sits at 23rd in the NBA against SG, and Bledsoe makes for a tremendous GPP play this evening. He can fill up the stat sheet in every category, and should see plenty of chances tonight in a game with a 204 point total. 

Iman Shumpert ($9,200) vs Minnesota – Shumpert is as close as there is to a must-play for me tonight. Priced under $10,000 with HUGE upside, he makes for a great cash and GPP play tonight. He returned from injury last night and posted a 21/8/8 line in 36 minutes, which was good for 48.25 FP. With Carmelo Anthony banged up, the Knicks could look to Shumpert to do more in this one, and his price tag makes him the best bargain on the board.

Bojan Bogdanovic ($6,250) vs Milwaukee – With one of the lower totals on the board, the Milwaukee/Brooklyn game isn’t one that I will be targeting outside of a single value play. Bojan leads all rookies in MPG, and could make for a great value play tonight at just a shade over minimum salary. He played 41 minutes and scored 22 points against the Heat last time out, and while you don’t expect that sort of production in a tougher matchup, 18+ FP more than pays off his price tag. It isn’t often that you’ll find a player who is this cheap that averages over 30 minutes per game. 

Forward:

James Harden ($18,650) vs Los Angeles Lakers - Look, we all know that Harden is a SG. Fortunately for you, multi-position eligibility is alive and well in the lobby! With solid value at Guard tonight, I’ll be rostering Harden at SF in some lineups. I’ll make this one simple for you. The Lakers are one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA, and Harden is one of the best offensive players. He is 6th in the NBA in usage rate, points per game and minutes per game. He has scored the 3rd most points in the NBA and has made 24 more free throws than any other player. Harden can do it all and can be used as an anchor for your lineups tonight.

Tobias Harris ($13,050) vs Los Angeles Clippers – Among Forwards who are playing tonight, the only players averaging more FP per game than Harris are LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony. Considering his price is still barely $13,000, he is a steal tonight. He has at least 44.75 FP in three of his last five games, and is in a great spot against a Clippers team that has struggled on defense this season, and sit at 23rd against opposing SF. Harris makes for a great cash game play with GPP upside. 

Chandler Parsons ($12,400) at Washington – One of the most unique players in the NBA comes at a bargain price tonight. Parsons got off to a slow start this season, but is a matchup nightmare for any opposing player. At 6’9″, he holds a 2″ advantage over the aging Paul Pierce, not to mention the enormous gap in athleticism. Parsons has only played 30+ minutes in 2 of his last 7 games due to the fact that Dallas has blown out their opponents on numerous occasions. This one should stay close, and I expect big things from Dallas’ big free agent acquisition.

Anthony Bennett ($6,850) vs New York - Bennett will see all the minutes he can handle tonight with Nikola Pekovic, Thaddeus Young, and Ronny Turiaf all out. His first start was a successful one, posting a 10/7/4 line and 23.75 FP. The Knicks rank 23rd against opposing PF, and Bennett’s price is just too good to pass up.  

Center:

Gorgui Dieng ($10,100) vs New York – I already chronicled the Timberwolves’ injury woes. Those also apply here to the man so eloquently named “Gorgeous Dong” around the industry. He is a high-energy player that can do it all. He was a tremendous shot-blocker in college and has shown signs of becoming a great defender and rebounder in the NBA. The opportunity is there tonight, and the price is reasonable. I’ll have quite a few shares of him tonight, as will many in the industry. 

Steven Adams ($7,900) at Denver - I’ll likely be fading this game in general, but if you are looking for a punt down low, Adams is the way to go. Denver ranks in the bottom 5 against SF, PF, and C, much like they did last season, and Adams could make them pay at a discounted price. He has posted at least 20 FP in three straight games, and I expect more of the same in a dream matchup.