James Harden has a favorable matchup Sunday
As the legal battle plays out in New York, daily fantasy sports websites are filled with action at all levels. NBA is particularly enticing as there is a fresh opportunity and a chance to improve every day.
It’s got a different feel than the NFL where you prepare all week for one day of games. In NBA DFS, the action is fast and furious and the hour leading up to tip-off is among the most exciting in fantasy sports.
Sometimes you won’t know if a player is starting until shoot around or shortly before tip-off. If you’re on the West Coast like I am you may have a hard time checking starters and setting lineups. It sounds hectic but once you embrace the excitement and uncertainty that’s when things really get fun!
If you decide to use this lineup make sure you get into the habit of looking on Twitter. This is an integral part of your routine if you want to become a daily fantasy NBA grinder. That’s where you’ll find up-to-the-minute info on whether or not an NBA players is suiting up or not.
If you decide to play this lineup use it as a starting point and branch off and make your own as well. Compare and contrast the results and start developing your own reads in the process. While you should take in as much info as you can at the end of the day it’s important to come up with your own reads if you want to become self-sufficient in the long run.
New FanDuel users get a free entry into an NBA DFS contest where the top-half wins! 
Point Guard
Brandon Knight (PHO@TOR) $7,900
Knight has posted several monster stat lines over the past two weeks. He had 70.5, 61.2 and 55.8 fantasy point games in that span. He can contribute steals, which are worth two points, and has two four-steal games in his past seven. This game looks like it could be fast-paced and competitive. Both teams have excellent point guard/shooting guard combos that can end up with monster fantasy stat lines. You could go the Toronto Raptors route as well and use Kyle Lowry.
Elfrid Payton (BOS@ORL) $6,700
There aren’t many players in the association with the athleticism of Elfrid Payton. That’s saying a lot in a league full of some of the best athletes in the world. He hasn’t hit his stride and is still developing but has an upside that he can turn on in any game. The risk and inconsistency is weaved into his price tag. $6,700 is cheap enough where if he ends up a dud my whole lineup won’t tank in the process.
Shooting Guard
James Harden (HOU@NY) $10,700
The “Bearded One” is one of my favorite daily fantasy basketball plays on any given night. He’s always kind of in play and he’s often a very tough fade. The entire team is funneled through him and he doesn’t play defense. This opens up a potential offensive explosion for whoever he ends up in a duel with. The Knicks may have a hard time making things competitive but they are soft defensively giving Harden an opportunity to hit 45+ fantasy points even if it turns into a blow out.
Eric Bledsoe (PHO@TOR) $8,500
Starting Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight sets up for a negative correlation play on the surface. The thinking is that if one goes off the other may not reach value. In a game with a 204 over/under, I like both of their chances to hit value. Bledsoe and Knight are reasonably priced for what they could end up with by the end of the game. In this one Bledsoe has a 50+ point upside and if he falls in the 40-point fantasy point range it will be worth it.
Small Forward
DeMarre Carroll (PHO@TOR) $6,100
Carrol has struggled with plantar fasciitis in early November, missing two games before returning to the hardwood. He’s since shaken off the injury but has yet to find any real consistency. It’s somewhat of a risky play in cash games. At $6,100 it’s worth it and I could easily see him end up with 35+ fantasy points in what projects to be a competitive game.
Robert Covington (PHI@MEM) $6,300
Covington is on a fantasy tear as of late. He’s hitting his stride having just recently peaked at 57.9 fantasy points in the last game. On a team with a serious talent deficiency, Covington is an every-night start. You should put him on stand by and plug him in every time he plays until his price point climbs up into the $7,500-$8,000 range.
Power Forward
Luis Scola (PHO@TOR) $4,600
Scola really made my night more stressful than it should have been on Saturday. He had a premium matchup against the Washington Wizards but only ended up with around 13 fantasy points. That’s the type of output that kills your lineup.
I ended up cashing anyways but it makes me reluctant to start him. In daily fantasy you have to have a short-term memory much like an NFL corner back. It’s all water under the bridge, as holding resentment against a player could prevent you from profiting in the long term.
Scola is a starter with a $4,600 price tag. Don’t overthink it in this spot, especially if you also played him on Saturday.
Terrence Jones (HOU@NY) $5,600
Jones is another guy who I’m not too excited about starting tomorrow. He was healing from a “lacerated eyelid” early in November and re-aggravated the injury last game, putting up a DFS dud in the process. I wanted to start Markieff Morris here, but three Phoenix Suns in one lineup may be overkill in this spot. Jones is the same price and playing the Knicks which is a good enough reason for me to take another chance on Jones.
Center
Bismack Biyombo (PHO@TOR) $3,600
With Jonas Valanciunas out for now, it will be up to Biyombo to patrol the paint. He doesn’t have the offensive upside that “Big Val” has but at $3,600 who cares? Just plug him in and hope he posts another 30 fantasy point night like he did on Saturday. Even if he ends up with 15-18 fantasy points it will be well worth the risk.
New FanDuel users get a free entry into an NBA DFS contest where the top-half wins!
Arash Ghaemi is a correspondent at FantasyPros. You can also find his work at DraftShot.com and follow him @DraftshotAsh.
