NBA Daily Fantasy Helper: Wednesday 10/12/16
Continued success in daily fantasy basketball on FanDuel is all about being tapped into the NBA scene. That's why we're here to help.
Over the course of the season, players get banged up and miss time, paving the way for lesser-known, second- and third-stringers to get some burn.
As for the preseason, well, that's pretty much how it is every night, as minutes are reduced for stars and increased for reserves. You still want to find minutes, which tend to be fairly evenly distributed, and projecting preseason minutes can be tricky.
Here are some players you can target when building your lineups tonight.
Best of the Best
Kawhi Leonard ($7,900) - Kawhi Leonard's minutes are generally something of a concern during the regular season, but he doesn't need many to be a viable play in the preseason. On Monday against the Detroit Pistons, Leonard racked up 20 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals in 25 minutes. He does a bit of everything, making his limited minutes valuable even if his shot isn't falling.
Giannis Antetokounmpo ($8,400) - There aren't many high-priced guys to pay up for who you can honestly be confident about. Karl-Anthony Towns saw his minutes drop from 27 to 21 in his past two games as head coach Tom Thibodeau wanted to run a deeper rotation, and his production plummeted accordingly. Paul George is likely out tonight. Giannis Antetokounmpo has played 23 and 24 minutes in his two preseason contests but attempted just 8 field goals in each. Still, with George banged up, Antetokounmpo should be squaring off against Jeff Teague and Monta Ellis in the backcourt. Even with just more than 20 minutes, he should be able to produce enough to justify playing him, as you aren't very restricted by salary on this slate.
Mid-Range Options
Jeff Teague ($6,200) - This is a good lesson for the regular season. Again, superstar Paul George missed the Indiana Pacers' game on Saturday, practice on Monday and Tuesday, and isn't likely to play tonight against the Milwaukee Bucks. That should put the ball into the hands of Jeff Teague, who poured in 21 points, 3 assists, 3 rebounds, and a steal in 25 minutes on Saturday. Small forward C.J. Miles also missed on Saturday and might play tonight, but Teague is still an interesting play without George.
Thaddeus Young ($6,000) - Sometimes, you need to take what you're given. News will open up as we approach tip-off as to who is sitting and who is playing, but Thaddeus Young is a strong target if George is out and no other big news breaks. Young played 27 minutes on Thursday and 28 on Saturday against the Chicago Bulls. He underwhelmed in his most recent outing -- 9 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, and 4 turnovers -- but put up 16 points, 8 boards, 4 assists, and a steal on Thursday. The minutes should be fine without George, and he can produce across the stat sheet.
Basement Ballers
Rodney Hood ($5,300) - Gordon Hayward broke his finger last week, putting Rodney Hood into the fantasy spotlight. On Monday against the Los Angeles Clippers, Hood dropped 17 points with a minimal sprinkling of peripherals: 3 rebounds and 1 assist. What we're focusing on most, though, is the 28 minutes. Hood will have to step up in Hayward's absence, and it's looking as though that's starting in the preseason.
Jamal Murray ($4,000) - Murray tweaked his ankle on Sunday, so you'll want to check on his status before setting your lineup and forgetting about it. He played 21 minutes in that game but racked up just 6 points, 3 boards, 4 assists, and 4 turnovers. The more important number here, to us, is the 32 minutes he played on Friday. He racked up 16 points on 17 attempts to go along with 7 rebounds, 6 assists, a block, and 2 turnovers. Gary Harris is out for a few weeks, so Murray should get some burn provided that his ankle isn't holding him back. But as for every day in the NBA, you'll need to be alert as news breaks close to tip-off time.
