RADIO
FanDuel decided to offset the downside of having just two games on the slate with some enormous prize money in tournament formats. That piqued my interest real quickly, despite not being a huge fan of tournament formats when there are so few players to choose from. The two-game competition tips early tonight - so make sure you're locked and loaded by 6:00 pm EDT. The Hawks are in Washington to get things started and the Bulls travel to Boston for an 8:30 start.
Is there anything we can learn from Vegas tonight? The point total projections for three of the four teams are over over 103, with the Wizards atop the list at 109. The Bulls are the only team with a sub-100 over/under mark, coming in just 97. Not a lot of variance there between the top and the bottom, but I suppose if you were to target a team for cash games, it would be the Wizards as 109 is a solid total. As for the spreads, both lines are in the 5-10 range, with the Wizards favored by 5.5 and the Celtics favored by eight.
In this article, I will be providing you with daily NBA lineup picks for FanDuel on 4/26/17. The picks will range from some of the elite players, to mid-priced options, and value plays. Let's dance.
FanDuel DFS Guards
John Wall - PG, vs ATL ($10,100)
Of the top tier point guards taking the floor tonight - in respect to talent and price - John Wall is in the most opportune position, so I'm paying up for him. Wall has been priced similarly throughout the series and he's failed to hit value just once. Wall's opponent, the Hawks, happen to be quite terrible in defending the point guard position, and they allow a greater +/- to opposing point guards than any other team taking the floor tonight. On top of that, Wall leads all point guards in projected minutes and in projected Usage rate.
Also Consider: Isaiah Canaan - PG, at BOS ($1,800) - value play
Dwyane Wade - SG, at BOS ($7,100)
I'm pretty high on Wade to return back to form tonight with the Bulls desperately needing a victory after squandering their 2-0 series lead. The main reasons I'm so high on Wade are thanks to his moderate price and more so thanks to his Usage Rate and minutes projections - both of which are the highest among shooting guards - at 27 and 35, respectively. Another reason to like Wade tonight is that his two recent performances, in which he failed to hit value, were mainly due to poor shooting performances. On a super limited slate, I'm betting on the all-star with a high floor and perhaps the highest ceiling at this position.
Also Consider: Gerald Green - SG, vs CHI ($3,100)
FanDuel DFS Forwards
Jimmy Butler - SF, at BOS ($10,400)
This may sound a bit repetitive if you just read my Wade suggestion, but I'm also betting on an improved performance in game five. The Bulls were all out of sorts in game four, and whether or not its due to a return from Rajon Rondo or increased ball-handling responsibilities for Butler and Wade, I think their offense will see a marked improvement tonight. On such a small slate, my gut is to go with the guys that have the safest floors but also represent a "tournament ceiling." I namely look for that in two major statistics - minutes and Usage rate. Of all the small forwards in action tonight, no player comes close to Butler's marks of 42 minutes and a 28 Usage projection.
Also Consider: Taurean Prince - SF, at WAS ($4,300)
Paul Millsap - PF, at WAS ($8,800)
Since there's a strong value option at nearly every position (see my Also Consider notes below), I have no problem paying for the top option at each position. If you want to get cute and contrarian in tournaments, there can be a case made for that, but you're going to have roll with some chalk here and there if you are chasing the big prizes. Simply put, there aren't a ton of 50+ potential point guys on this slate, which means you have to roster the few that do hold that potential. Millsap has been playing great in this series, while seeing his fantasy point totals steadily improve. The Hawks are relying on him to play big minutes and a huge role in this offense. Tonight, he's projected for 35+ minutes and a Usage rate just shy of 27.
Also Consider: Nikola Mirotic - PF, at BOS ($5,800)
FanDuel DFS Centers
Marcin Gortat - C, vs ATL ($5,600)
I can't figure out how Gortat's price has remained in this middle tier. He hasn't been destroying value, but he's been above average to damn good, at times, seeing as he's only failed to hit value once in his last seven games. Compared to the other centers on the slate, he projects for a similar Usage rate with a lesser price, and should see more than 32 minutes - which helps keep his floor high.
Also Consider: Dwight Howard - C, at WAS ($7,100)
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