Fantasy Basketball Picks 11-22-14
These fantasy basketball picks will guide you to the top of the leaderboard tonight!
Zach Randolph dominated as we thought he would, but Anthony Davis was a big letdown considering his huge price tag. Stephen Curry followed suit with a down game by his standards as well. Bradley Beal continued to produce since his return, and Gorgui Dieng continued to be consistent. Remember, studs and duds are determined based off of return on salary, not total points.
Studs: Zach Randolph (41.75), Bradley Beal (30.50), Eric Bledsoe (30.50), Paul Millsap (38.00), Gorgui Dieng (28.50), Aaron Brooks (19.50)
Duds: Stephen Curry (31.75), Alec Burks (12.25), Anthony Davis (33.75), Kawhi Leonard (17.50), Marreese Speights (13.75)
Today’s Top Plays
Guard:
Kyle Lowry ($15,050) at Cleveland – Lowry is yet another player that is consistently productive, yet is never talked about. He is averaging 18.4/5/5.8 so far this season, which is good for 35.1 FP per gaem. He has posted between 30.25 and 40.75 in each of his past 5 games, and the matchup with Kyrie Irving on a back-to-back is ideal. He already has one triple double this season, and is a threat to post one any time he hits the floor. Given the price and matchup, Lowry is my favorite PG play tonight.
Tony Parker ($10,950) vs Brooklyn – It doesn’t get much more volatile than targeting one of the Spurs’ “Big Three”, but Parker’s price tag makes him a very intriguing option tonight. He gets a matchup with Deron Williams and Brooklyn, who sit at 29th in the NBA against opposing PGs. Parker remains one of the best PGs in the game, but has the luxury of not needing to perform at an elite level each night, given the Spurs rotations and Gregg Popovich using his wizardry to sit players on back-to-backs. Watch his status before game time, but if he goes, he could be a great GPP swerve at a discounted price.
Donald Sloan ($10,800) vs Phoenix – Sloan was a popular play early in the season, mostly due to the rash of injuries the Pacers had in the backcourt. His matchup tonight against the Suns looks great. Phoenix ranks 24th against opposing PG and 20th against SG. Sloan burst back onto the DFS scene with a 30.75 FP performance last time out against Charlotte, and he draws another solid matchup at a great price.
Bradley Beal ($10,650) at Milwaukee – Beal returned from injury and has done it all over the past two games. First game back, he scored 21 points to go along with 3 rebounds and 3 assists, then followed it up with a solid 12/5/5 line against the Cavaliers. He played 32 minutes against Cleveland, and looks to be performing at a high level. I’m going to enjoy the price tag here, which is significantly lower than it is on other sites. Plug Beal into your lineups with confidence against a Milwaukee team that is 24th against SG this season.
Jarrett Jack ($8,450) at San Antonio - Jack is averaging 17 points, 3 assists, and 3 rebounds per game over his past five, and has done so under the radar. Tony Parker has never been a great defender, and Jack is seeing a great amount of time off the bench. He is one of the best value plays on the board tonight.
Forward:
Gordon Hayward ($14,500) vs New Orleans - Hayward is a rare breed of player who can play the 2 or the 3 and contribute monster stat lines given the right situation. This game is the perfect situation. The Pelicans rank dead last in the NBA at defending opposing SF, and Hayward has the skills to post near triple-double numbers each night. Many DFSers may be off of him tonight, given his last 3 games of less than 23 FP, but he has eclipsed 46 FP 4 times already this season, and I expect big things from him tonight.
Tobias Harris ($13,700) vs Miami – I don’t think I need to tell you why Tobias is a great option tonight, especially considering the price. Miami is league average against SF, and Harris has posted 44.75, 32.25, 49.25, 32.75, and 43 FP over his last 5 games. He is remarkably consistent, and the Magic rely on him to stay competitive each night. His price won’t stay at this level for long if he keeps up this sort of production, and I’m taking advantage.
Jabari Parker ($9,700) vs Washington – The #2 pick in this year’s NBA Draft is beginning to round into form. His past two games have resulted in 38 points, 4 assists, and 13 rebounds, which is good for 66 FP. Granted, one of those games was a 3 OT thriller where he played 42 minutes, but he followed it up with a solid stat line at Toronto. His minutes aren’t quite where you would hope they would be, but at sub $10K, he makes for an interesting option against a team that is top-10 against every position except SF (19th).
Anthony Bennett ($5,450) vs Sacramento - Allow me to get you some medication for the deep burn Bennett gave you and your lineups the other night. Now that you’re more comfortable, Bennett is still an interesting play at near minimum salary. He posted a 20/3/1 line in 32 minutes against the Spurs, and Sacramento ranks 19th against PF. He is a tremendously risky play, but at this price, you don’t need much.
Center:
Nikola Vucevic ($16,200) vs Miami – My love for Vucevic has been well documented over the course of the season, and tonight he has an extra special place in my heart. Miami has struggled against big men for quite some time, and still rank 22nd against Centers. Vucevic is an absolute machine down low. He has posted a double-double in 11 of 15 games this season, and has at least 8 rebounds in all but one game. He is averaging 18.4/11.8/2.6, and 38.8 FP per game. Pound for pound, he is one of my favorite plays of the night.