NBA Daily Fantasy Helper: Monday 11/9/15
If you've never played daily fantasy basketball before, it's time to start. Unlike traditional leagues, you're able to select the players you want on that specific day only, giving you a different squad to root for each and every NBA night.
Today's lineups can be found here. The information below is to help you understand why particular players are being picked, because we don't want you going into the night completely blind. We want to help you. Keep in mind, however, that things often change up until tip-off, so make sure you're refreshing the optimal lineups as close to the start of games as possible.
Let's get to it.
The Best of the Best
Stephen Curry - The reigning NBA MVP has been the best player in the league by a mile through the first few weeks of this season. Curry not only leads the league in nERD -- our own proprietary metric that measures the total contribution of a player through the course of a season based on efficiency -- but he is destroying the competition. The Warriors star currently ranks first in our player power rankings with an absurd 41.2 nERD, with the next closest player being Kevin Durant at 23. He also leads the league in points per game (33.9), Player Efficiency Rating (40.3), Win Shares per 48 minutes (.490), Box Plus/Minus (18.1) and Value Over Replacement (1.2), among a number of other key metrics all by a wide margin. Despite the fact that the Pistons are not an ideal matchup due to their slow pace and formidable defense, the Warriors have the highest implied team total on the board at 111.8 tonight and Curry should continue to dominate. He is our top overall projected player on tonight's slate.
LaMarcus Aldridge - After signing a huge contract with the Spurs in the offseason, we have yet to see the gaudy numbers that we've come to expect from Aldridge since coming to San Antonio. Don't get me wrong, Aldridge has been very serviceable, averaging 15 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. But he hasn't managed to put together a true breakout performance yet this season. That said, a matchup with the Kings is just what the doctor ordered. Sacramento has allowed the second most points per game in the NBA (111.3), rank 26th in Defensive Rating (108.9) and play at the second fastest pace in the league. They've also given up the third most fantasy points per game to opposing power forwards on the season. Aldridge's price tag is at a very reasonable $8,200 on FanDuel and has fallen all the way to $6,900 on DraftKings. He is a great buy low candidate tonight in a dream matchup.
Top Mid-Range Values
Rajon Rondo - With Darren Collison already ruled out for tonight's matchup with the Spurs, the Kings' backcourt will be extremely thin tonight. Collison was unable to play in Sacramento's matchup with the Warriors on Saturday and Rondo filled in with an absolutely massive workload, posting a 14-point, 15-assist, 12-rebound triple double in a whopping 44 minutes of action. While I don't expect him to play quite as much tonight, Rondo should once again see all the minutes he can handle, and will have a significant boost in his usage rate with his running mate sidelined. While the Spurs are a very strong defensive team, they do struggle to defend opposing point guards, allowing the seventh most fantasy points per game to opposing floor generals this season. Rondo makes a spectacular play in all formats tonight, especially with DeMarcus Cousins' workload in question as he returns from his Achilles sprain.
C.J. McCollum - McCollum has been outstanding to start this season. He's averaging 21.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game with a 27% Usage Rate, and has been Portland's go-to player behind Damian Lillard. The third-year Blazer should have little trouble staying hot tonight in a matchup against a Nuggets' defense that has given up the eighth most points per game (103.5), ranks 22nd in Defensive Rating (105.7) and has allowed the most fantasy points per game to opposing shooting guards on the season. Gerald Henderson is getting close to a return, but until he does McCollum will have no competition for minutes as the Blazers' two guard and will be an elite fantasy option nearly every night.
Basement Ballers
Austin Rivers - The Clippers draw a solid matchup tonight against a Grizzlies' squad that has looked like a shadow of their former selves defensively this season -- Memphis ranks just 25th in the league in Defensive Efficiency (106) and 23rd in Defensive Rating (108). With Chris Paul expected to miss his second consecutive game as he recovers from a groin injury, Rivers will once again slide into the Clippers' starting lineup tonight just as he did on Saturday. Rivers saw 31 minutes of action with Paul out of the lineup against Houston and, despite the fact that he was not impressive last game, Coach Doc Rivers' son should be in store for a big workload once again tonight. While the offense should run through Blake Griffin, the former Duke Blue Devil should reach value easily at minimum price on both FanDuel and DraftKings.
Meyers Leonard - Denver has historically struggled to slow down opposing big men and this season is no different. The defensively-challenged Nuggets have given up the ninth most fantasy points per game to opposing power forwards, which bodes well for Leonard who finally seems to be fully recovered from his ankle injury. The Blazers' forward is coming off of his best offensive game of the young season, pouring in 17 points in 33 minutes against a tough Detroit defense, and should see a similar workload tonight in a much more friendly matchup. He provides great value at just $3,900 on DraftKings and $4,400 on FanDuel.
