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Fortunately, we don't have to keep an eye on the weather report tonight, because none of the six games are in the area of the blizzard that forced the postponement of two games Monday. That screwed up my lineup -- and could be a factor Wednesday as well -- so let's just appreciate a normal night while we can.
We've hit that point in the season where injuries are starting to take their toll. With the All-Star break still a few weeks away, these players' bodies are breaking down. It's a long season, and most of these teams haven't had more than a few nights off in a row, so we've seen a number of injuries affect rosters in the last few days. While you never want to see players go down, that is the best way to find bargains in Fantasy.
With Brandon Jennings and Kobe Bryant down for the season, the Pistons and Lakers have huge holes to fill. I'm taking advantage of D.J. Augustin tonight, and probably for as long as it takes for his price to climb over $7,000, where it will probably belong moving forward. I'm also willing to rely on Jodie Meeks tonight, as his price has tumbled all the way back to $4,000 after a pretty tough cold snap. The Pistons don't really have a reliable backup point guard, so Meeks is likely to take on that role, as he did when he dished out four assists Sunday. He ended the game with just 15.4 FanDuel points, but could be in line for a nice boost once his shot starts to fall.
Injuries are the worst part about sports, but we can't cry over spilled milk in the Fantasy world. Identifying those places you can take advantage of before they become obvious is the best way to get ahead of the game, especially in daily, where the prices don't fluctuate as quickly as player values tend to in real life.
Tonight's schedule
Toronto at Indiana
Combined FanDuel points allowed per game:
392.86
I initially had George Hill
in my lineup for this one, because the Raptors' defense has fallen apart
over the last few months. I like the way he is playing since returning
from injury.
Cleveland at Detroit
Combined FanDuel points allowed per
game: 407.25
The Cavaliers' defense has improved greatly
recently, but they have still struggled a bit against big men. DeAndre Jordan had 19-12 on eight field-goal attempts last week, so
don't be afraid of Andre Drummond here.
Milwaukee at Miami
Combined FanDuel points allowed per game:
383.35
I tried to avoid going with Hassan Whiteside, if only because every other person you play against
tomorrow is going to have him in there. Still, he fit so well in my
lineup, I had to see if he can keep this going.
Memphis at Dallas
Combined FanDuel points allowed per game:
387.33
Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph both had great games against the Mavericks last week,
and both should be solid choices tonight. I'm rolling with Randolph.
Chicago at Golden State
Combined FanDuel points allowed per
game: 396.9
It will be interesting to see how the Bulls' offense
does against this Warriors' defense. They might match up well against
them, actually.
Washington at L.A. Lakers
Combined FanDuel points allowed
per game: 397.3
The Lakers are a mess, and the Wizards just kill
Fantasy value, so I'm staying far away tonight.
My roster for Jan. 27 at FanDuel.com:
PG D.J. Augustin, Pistons vs. Cleveland ($6,000)
PG Mike Conley, Grizzles at
Dallas ($7,300)
SG Jodie Meeks,
Pistons vs. Cleveland ($5,100)
SG Jordan Clarkson, Lakers vs. Washington ($3,500)
SF LeBron James, Cavaliers at Detroit ($11,000)
SF Paul Pierce, Wizards at L.A. Lakers($5,100)
PF Greg Monroe, Pistons vs. Cleveland ($8,600)
PF Zach Randolph, Grizzles at Dallas ($8,500)
C Hassan Whiteside, Heat vs. Milwaukee ($6,000)
Best values
D.J. Augustin, PG, Pistons vs. Cleveland ($6,000)
There
was some talk early in the season -- misguidedly, in my opinion --
Augustin would push Brandon Jennings
for playing time. Augustin looked very good for the Bulls last season,
and was one of the first additions to the Pistons' roster when Stan Van
Gundy took over as the President of Basketball Operations, so there was
an assumption that he would go with Augustin over the frustrating but
more talented Jennings. That never came to fruition, but Augustin is
getting that chance now anyways, as a result of Jennings' rupture
Achilles. Van Gundy's offense is Fantastic for point guards, and though
the Cavaliers' defense looks much improved over the last few games,
Augustin should have no problems living up to this value right now; he
had 49.8 FanDuel points in his first game as the starter.
Zach Randolph, PF, Grizzlies at Dallas($8,600)
Randolph
has been about as consistent as they come of late, racking up at least
35.9 FanDuel points in seven of eight since returning from an injury.
That includes a solid 37-point outing against the Mavericks last week
that saw him rack up 15 rebounds in 40 minutes of action. Randolph is a
rebounding machine, and the Mavericks are one of the worst rebounding
teams in the league, ranking 21st in offensive rebound percentage and
29th on defense. Randolph's rebounding gives him a very high floor in a
scoring format that rewards 1.2 points for every board, so expect him to
feast tonight.
Jordan Clarkson, PG, Lakers vs. Washington($3,500)
As
you'll see next, I'm pretty much staying away from the Lakers at all
costs at this point. Byron Scott can't decide which of his veterans he
hates less, and playing time and shots have been inconsistent as a
result. However, Clarkson is the closest thing the franchise has to a
future at this point, and he is going to find playing time plentiful at
this point. He has played 29 and 28 minutes in each of the first two
games after Bryant's season-ending injury, and has a chance to
contribute for your team as their starting point guard. His production
has given little reason to feel confident, but if you're looking for the
bargain-basement value at a position that doesn't have a lot of good
options anyways, Clarkson is your guy.
Overpay of the night
Jordan Hill, C, Lakers vs. Washington ($5,500)
As
the most expensive player on the roster, Hill is just standing in for
the rest of the guys here. He is an avatar for the Lakers' overall woes,
though he also has very little value on his own anyways, with fewer than
20 points in each game since Bryant's injury. Until (unless?) Scott can
settle on a consistent rotation and hierarchy offensively, I'm not sure
I want to tough anyone on thise team. We've seen Scott shuffle his
rotation without much warning, and that's a dangerous thing for Daily
Fantasy. Hill, Ed Davis, Carlos Boozer, Nick Young Jeremy Lin... They could all be productive
on any given night, but how can you trust any of them individually?
Daily mailbag
Want to get Chris' attention? Follow him on Twitter and ask all the questions your heart desires. You can also ask your questions in an email. Just shoot a note to fantasyhoops@cbsinteractive.com.
@miggs721: I dropped Tyler Zeller for Brian Roberts? Good move? Already have DeAndre Jordan, Hassan Whiteside, and Markieff Morris at center.
CT: As much as I like the growth Zeller has showed this season, this is probably the best move to make. He was a clear fourth in your center hierarchy, and isn't too high up on the pecking order of his own team. He fits Brad Stevens' offense well, but isn't guaranteed enough minutes and touches to fully take advantage of that. I'm not terribly high on Roberts' Fantasy value -- he's averaged 4.0 assists per game in 45 starts over the last two seasons -- but you've got a better chance of value from him at this point, probably by way of a trade.
@noremaksnilloc: If you have Jusuf Nurkic but see Robin Lopez on the wire do you make that move or stand pat if you're in first place?
CT: Lopez can be a very useful option in category-based leagues, and Nurkic has hit a wall since joining the starting lineup, so I would pull the trigger on this. However, this tweeter also mentioned that he is deep at the center position, with Ruby Gobert, Andre Drummond, Anthony Davis and Jonas Valanciunas, so might not even use Lopez as a starter consistently. Lance Stephenson is available here, and that's the way I would go if I was making that decision. Stephenson's been a massive disappointment, but the Hornets might need a lot from him with the news of Kemba Walker's surgery coming out. If the decision is between someone you might not even start or Stephenson, go for the upside and hope Stephenson can find the form that made him so electrifying last season.
Waiver wire flier
Lance Stephenson, G, Hornets
The fit with Stephenson and
Walker has been an awkward one from day one, since both players need the
ball in their hands and neither is a particularly confident spot-up
shooter. The Hornets have made no secret of their desire to move
Stephenson via trade, and it seems likely that we'll see him moved
before long. However, if I'm looking for a buy-low opportunity,
Stephenson is it. The fit issues can be solved later, but Stephenson
could step into a big role with Walker sidelined up to six weeks with
surgery. You're still getting 6.1 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game from
Stephenson this season, so if he can just figure out how to get his shot
fixed, you could get a steal for the second half, no matter where he is
playing. Oh yeah, and don't drop Walker until we're sure how long he is
out for. Meniscus procedures are tough to gauge, because timelines vary
so widely. Derrick Rose missed most of
last season with his, while Metta World Peace
was back on the floor within a few weeks of his own procedure. Until we
know for sure what the plan of action is, don't just dump Walker.
However slim, there is a chance he will be back sooner thann you think,
and that's worth waiting on.