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In our NBA Fantasy Basketball Daily Shopper series, RotoBaller Brad Leibfried brings you his expert fantasy basketball lineup picks for NBA Daily League contests on DraftStreet.
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NBA Fantasy Shopper: Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks (1/14)
PG: Kyrie Irving ($16,162): Coming off of a complete stinker, Irving should be poised for a big game against the defensively challenged Lakers. Prior to his 7 point and 5 assist game against the Kings, Irving had put up 41 points, 13 assists, 10 rebounds and 5 steals in his prior two games. He has really picked up his game over the past two weeks after struggling early in the NBA season with his shot. A matchup with the Lakers, who give up 105.1 points a game, second worst in the NBA, makes for a great fantasy lineup pick.
SG: Lance Stephenson ($12,568): Stephenson has been one of the best all-around players in the NBA this season. He only scores 13.3 points a game, but has also averaged 6.7 rebounds and 5.2 assists a game so far this year. He also leads the NBA in triple-doubles which proves his versatility to not only the Pacers but your fantasy team and lineups. Tonight he gets to face the Kings who give up 103.6 points a game and allow opponents to shoot nearly 47% from the floor. Another triple-double is not out of the question for Stephenson.
SF: Josh McRoberts ($9,113): Another player who does not contribute a ton of points but can provide tremendous fantasy value is McRoberts. He only scores about 8 points a game, but is a good passing big man and can also be a defensive force. A prime example is his last two games, where we saw him put up 8 assists, 5 steals and 4 blocks. With so much value placed on defensive stats, it is easy to see how he can outplay his value for the night in daily fantasy lineups.
PF: Jordan Hill ($10,047): Hill will be a much better play if Pau Gasol is ruled out, and he is currently a question mark for the game. He has been about as inconsistent as any player in the NBA this year with games of 18 points and 13 rebounds followed up by a 4 point and 4 rebound performance the next night. However, if Gasol is out Hill should be in line for huge minutes which generally has been a great thing. His game tonight against the Cavs should be a great chance for him to put up big numbers, and he will be expected to slow down Anderson Varejao and Tristan Thompson. A 15 point and 11 rebound line should be about what to expect tonight.
C: Anderson Varejão ($14,306): Speaking of Varejao, the Brazilian big man has played much better since the loss of Andrew Bynum. Over his past 15 days he is averaging 10.1 points, 13.5 rebounds and 1.1 blocks a game. Before last game, Varejao had posted seven straight games with over 12 rebounds and at least 1 block. Varejao should also benefit from the lack of defense from the Lakers, and when Varejao can score he becomes a legitimate threat for a huge night. Even though his price is a bit high for fantasy lineups, he should have no problem besting his value.
U: Amar’e Stoudemire ($8,320): It is hard for a player as well known as Stoudemire playing in New York to go under the radar, however he is doing just that. The one time superstar has taken to his role as a bench player effectively, and over his past two weeks is putting up 12 points and 6.3 rebounds a game in just 23 minutes per game. With Tyson Chandler likely out again, Stoudemire should be in line for a boost in playing time. Even though the Bobcats are one of the better defensive teams in the NBA, Stoudemire should be able to exploit their weak bench for a solid game tonight.
