Pau Gasol could be tonight’s leading DFS scorer
Tonight, over half of the league will be in action. There are nine games scheduled featuring some very intriguing matchups. The leaders of the Eastern Conference, the Atlanta Hawks, will take on a Phoenix Suns team that is battling for the eighth seed in the Western Conference. Meanwhile, the struggling Toronto Raptors host the Miami Heat, another team fighting for a trip to the postseason.
In Daily Fantasy Sports, injuries are probably the most important thing to monitor. Be sure to check the status of players before inserting them into your lineup. Another tip is to look at the matchup. You want to get as much value out of each pick as you can. Therefore, try to choose players that will be in high-scoring games. You also might want to stay away from players in lopsided matchups. For example, if the Warriors were playing the Knicks, I might not want to pick Stephen Curry since he may sit out most of the second half due to an insurmountable lead.
For the purposes of this column, a stud will usually be a superstar player who costs at least $7,500, a mid-salary player will be within the range of $5,000-$7,400, and best bargains will be within the $3,500-$4,900 price range. The following are suggested players you might want to acquire in order to have a winning lineup tonight.
Visit FanDuel to enter Friday’s fantasy basketball contests 
Point Guard:
Stud: Chris Paul – $10,600 – CP3 got the best of Russell Westbrook in a matchup featuring the two best point guards in the NBA on Wednesday. Paul scored 33 points, dished out nine assists, and grabbed four boards in the victory over the Thunder. Since Blake Griffin went down with his injury, Paul has stepped up in a major way for Los Angeles. He is averaging 45 fantasy points per game over the Clippers’ last ten contests. In a game between two fast-paced, high-scoring teams, Paul should be able to dominate Rajon Rondo and the Mavericks.
Mid-Salary: Ishmael Smith – $5,200 – Smith got his first start of the season in Philadelphia’s overtime loss to Chicago on Wednesday. He took full advantage of the extended minutes by scoring 23 points, dishing out six assists and securing two rebounds. In his last three contests, Smith is averaging 27.8 fantasy points per game. Not to mention, the Sixers face a Kings team featuring Ray McCallum, who isn’t the best perimeter defender. While Isaiah Canaan does diminish some of Smith’s value, he is still a solid play at a reasonable price.
Best Bargain: Shaun Livingston – $4,100 – There aren’t many cheap options at the point guard position who can deliver solid value, but Livingston may be your best choice if you are looking to save cap space. Coming off a double-double, he scored 21 points, grabbed eight boards, dished out three assists and recorded three steals on Sunday. While you won’t see that production from Livingston on a nightly basis, he does have the talent to dominate the opposition. If you are looking to take a risk, Livingston could be your guy.
Other Options: Russell Westbrook, Reggie Jackson, Marcus Smart
Shooting Guard:
Stud: Eric Bledsoe – $8,200 – Bledsoe may be the most expensive option at shooting guard, but he is well worth his price. With Brandon Knight sidelined due to an ankle injury, Bledsoe will have the ball in his hand for the majority of the night when the Suns host the Atlanta Hawks. In his last ten games, Bledsoe is averaging 17.5 points, 6.4 assists, 6.1 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 0.7 blocks per game. He is a triple-double threat whenever he steps on the court. In what should be a close game, Bledsoe is likely to get about 35 minutes of playing time. I don’t foresee Jeff Teague or Kyle Korver stopping the superstar.
Mid-Salary: DeMar DeRozan – $7,400 – DeRozan has been crushing the stat sheet recently. He has scored at least 20 points in each of his previous five contests and is averaging 38.7 fantasy points over that span. He is also seeing major minutes giving him ample opportunity to go off against the Heat tonight.
Best Bargain: Tony Snell – $4,000 – With Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler sidelined for the foreseeable future, Snell has stepped up for the Chicago Bulls as they attempt to keep their title hopes alive. Snell played 45 minutes against the Sixers on Wednesday, and recorded his first double-double of the season. Over his last two contests, he is averaging 25.1 fantasy points per game. At his price, he is about as good of a deal as you can get. However, his ceiling is definitely limited so don’t expect him to drop 35 points and dish out 10 assists.
Other Options: Victor Oladipo, J.J. Reddick, Austin Rivers
Small Forward:
Stud: Rudy Gay – $8,200 – Rudy Gay is the best small forward playing on Friday and he is well worth his steep price. The veteran swingman has scored at least 23 points in each of his previous four outings, and is averaging 40.9 fantasy points over that span. The Kings take on the Sixers tonight, which should bode well for Gay. Philadelphia doesn’t have anyone with the strength or length to stop him.
Mid-Salary: Nicolas Batum – $6,400 – Since Wesley Matthews suffered a severe ankle injury, Batum has been asked to step up for the Portland Trail Blazers. In his last four outings, he has averaged 36.6 fantasy points per game. He has been incredibly consistent, and can contribute in every single statistical category. Look for him to totally dominate the Detroit Pistons tonight. Try to find a way to squeeze him into your lineup.
Best Bargain: T.J. Warren – $4,100 – Warren may not be the ideal guy to have in your lineup, but if you want to have enough cap space to get guys like CP3 or Pau Gasol, you are going to need to roster some cheaper players. With Brandon Knight out for the Suns, T.J. Warren is seeing extra minutes. On Wednesday against the Timberwolves, Warren scored 17 points, grabbed five boards, and generated one steal in just 19 minutes of action. If he gets just a few more minutes of playing time, he could deliver some of the best bang for your buck. He may be a risky play, but you can’t win without taking a risk at some point, can you?
Other Options: Tobias Harris, Matt Barnes, Mike Dunleavy
Power Forward:
Stud: Pau Gasol – $9,200 – Gasol produced his sixth straight double-double against the Sixers on Wednesday, his 44th of the season. His 27 points and 16 rebounds equated to a whopping 47.2 fantasy points. Going up against the Charlotte Hornets, Gasol should be able to dominate a frontcourt that is without Al Jefferson. I wouldn’t be surprised if Gasol ends up the high-scorer of the night.
Mid-Salary: Kenneth Faried – $6,500 – Faried continues to dominate at center for the Nuggets with Jusuf Nurkic continuing to nurse an ankle injury. The Manimal is averaging 34.1 fantasy points over his last five contests, and is doing a phenomenal job protecting the paint. The big man has also produced eight blocks in his last three games. Going up against a weak frontcourt in Golden State, expect Faried to secure yet another double-double.
Best Bargain: Marvin Williams – $4,200 – With Cody Zeller and Al Jefferson out for the Hornets, Marvin Williams will see plenty of minutes against the Bulls. In 32 minutes against the Kings on Wednesday, Williams produced 13 points, seven rebounds, one assist and three blocks. Williams should produce a dynamite performance, especially considering his low price.
Other Options: Greg Monroe, Nikola Mirotic, Marcus Morris
Center:
Stud: DeAndre Jordan – $9,500 – Despite being slightly cheaper that DeMarcus Cousins, DeAndre Jordan has arguably the most upside at center in the NBA. Jordan has grabbed at least 14 rebounds in each of his last 10 games. In his last two outings, he is averaging 19 points, 17 rebounds, two assists and a block. You can’t get much better than that. Despite a tough matchup tonight against former Defensive Player of the Year, Tyson Chandler, Jordan has shown no signs of slowing down, and will not disappoint.
Mid-Salary: Gorgui Dieng – $5,800 – Minnesota’s starting center, Nikola Pekovic, has been struggling on the court and is also dealing with ankle soreness. This has opened the door for Gorgui Dieng to steal the starting center role. Dieng has produced at least 20 fantasy points in each of his last six outings, and may begin to see more minutes due to coach Flip Saunders’ fading trust in Pekovic. If Minnesota can remain in striking distance against Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder, Dieng could be one of the biggest sleepers of the night.
Best Bargain: Spencer Hawes – $3,800 – Spencer Hawes continues to start for the Clippers, and although he might not be a trustworthy option, he does have some upside at a very low price. Hawes sees plenty of minutes with Blake Griffin still sidelined, and has shown signs of life over the last month. Dirk Nowitzki will likely be tasked with guarding the big man, a factor that may contribute to a solid outing for Hawes. Dirk is a sub-par defender meaning Hawes may be able to find some open space. If he can hit his jumpers, he could manage to produce an above-average outing.
Other Options: Nikola Vucevic, Joakim Noah, Kelly Olynyk
Enter Friday’s fantasy basketball contests at FanDuel
Matt Brandon is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from Matt, check out his archive.
