Tonight brings a 5 game slate starting at 7p.m. ET.
The “Droppin Dimes,” article will go over my favorite plays for the slate. It will consist of three to five core plays along with a few additional plays and a few value plays. You won’t always see the highest-priced players or the most obvious plays. Players listed first at each position are my favorite and a good start to build a lineup around.
(Note: All pricing and fantasy points are based on DraftKings but can be used for all sites.)
Keep an eye on the injury status of players as they can be ruled out right before lock.
If/Then….(Injury scenarios)
- IF Deandre Ayton is out then JaVale McGee and Frank Kaminsky are great value plays. This also gives a boost to Jae Crowder
- IF Donovan Mitchell sits out then Joe Ingles, Jordan Clarkson and Bojan Bogdonavic get a boost in usage.
- IF Joel Embiid sits out then Andre Drummond is still a good play at his price. Also, Georges Niang gets a boost along with Tyrese Maxey, Shake Milton, Seth Curry and Furkan Kormaz. Embiid, Simmons and Harris off the floor frees up a lot of usage.
NOTES:
FPPM= Fantasy Points Per Minute, FPPG= Fantasy Points Per Game, PPG=Points per Game, Value=Projected points/salary(This will differ depending on the site).
Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia Sixers ($5500/$5400)
The Sixers are still down a few key players and this allows Maxey to play more minutes and pick up more usage. Playing over 30 minutes a game and averaging 25.6 FPs on the year. Last time out against the Pistons he dropped 35.5 FPs . Love the upside in this matchup agaain.
Also consider: Russel Westbrook– no James tonight gives him a boost against his old team, Kevin Porter– playing a ton of minutes, Chris Paul
Value: Cade Cunningham-playing minutes now, just not hitting shots. Still too cheap for his upside, Shake Milton
Mikal Bridges, Pheonix Sunx ($5100/$5200)
Bridges is coming off a 42 minute game and is averaging 33 minutes on the season. Double-digit points in all games this year and shooting 57% from the field. A nice pace up game against a poor Rockets defense will give Bridges some opportunity for upside.
Also consider: Tyler Herro- playing well and a good pace up spot against a team that is not playing together right now
Value: Joe Ingles, Ducan Robinson
Josh Giddey, Oklahoma City Thunder ($5800/$$6000)
Giddey has been one of the more consistent rookies this year getting it done in all categories. Averaging 11 points, 5.7 rebounds, 5.9 assists 1.5 steals and just shy of a block a game. He played the Lakers earlier this year and put up 38 FPs and has shown a ceiling of 47 so far this year. The Lakers are not the same defensive team this year with Westrbook coming in and some of the other players they lost last year, so Giddey is in line for another good game.
Also consider: Jinny Butler, Bojan Bogdanovic
Value: Carmelo Anthony, Matisse Thybulle- played 38 minutes last game.
Darius Bazley, Oklohoma City Thunder ($4600/$5600)
It looks like Bazley is back playing consistent minutes around 30 plus right now (32,27,30) past three games. He was a 6K player at the beginning of the season and has some inconsistent games, which brought his price down to under 5K now. Averaging 24.5 FPs and this is under his current price value which would be 5K. Also, he just played the Lakers a few games ago and dropped 41 FPs in 32 minutes. He most likely will not get the 41 again, but I can see him exceeding 30 in this pace up spot tonight.
Also consider: Jerami Grant, Kelly Oooooooooooolynyk
Value: Georges Niang, KJ Martin
Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat ($8100/$8800)
Lets start with the Heats opponent tonight-the Celtics. They are not a good defensive team this year and more like a run an gun team. The Celtics are actually running at a much faster pace this year as well, so this is nice pace up spot for the Heat (+5.4 possessions). Bam has been playing at a high level over the past two games averaging 24 points 14.5 rebounds a block and steal. Here is another good spot for him tonight.
Also consider: Joel Embiid-now questionable- check his status before lock(Insert Andre Drummond if he sits), Christian Wood
Value: Derrick Favors, Frank Kaminsky- only if Ayton sits
CORE PLAYS
- Tyrese Maxey
- Bam Adebayo
- Darius Bazley
- Matisse Thybulle
Dimes Play(GPP Play of the Night) Under 5k Player with low ownership and upside
Alpheren Sengun- with Theis out Sengun should see some additional minutes tonight and his price has come down a few hundred dollars. A productive player when on the court.
**Options to help build lineups- Take these core plays and enter into optimizer with your favorite setting(rating, FBrating, FBprojections, FunkProjections, ownership or ratings). OR use this article to help you build a lineup with some of your favorite plays. The Dashboard is also a great tool to help build lineups- It contains a good variety of stats and projections from multiple sources.
Good Luck!