NBA

NBA Daily Fantasy Helper: Friday 11/13/15

Kevin Durant is out of the Thunder lineup, which means Russell Westbrook is virtually a must play.

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

Russell Westbrook - Kevin Durant will not be in the Thunder lineup and that means it's time to fire up Westbrook. In the 40 games that Westbrook played he put up a ridiculous 30.6 points, 9.1 assists, 7.7 rebounds and 2.1 steals with a massive 40% Usage Rate in 35.1 minutes per game. He averaged 53.6 FanDuel and 57.1 DraftKings points without his running mate a year ago, and should be in store for another huge outing in a matchup against the lowly 76ers tonight. The last time Westbrook faced Philadelphia without Durant, he posted a monstrous 49-point, 15-rebound, 10-assist triple-double, scoring an utterly ridiculous 86 points on FanDuel and 93.8 on DraftKings. This season, the 76ers are winless and much of the reason has to do with their porous defense. They've allowed the 24th most points per game (106.5),  rank 29th in the league in Defensive Rating (110.8) and have given up the fifth most fantasy points per game to opposing point guards this season. Westbrook is as close to a must start as it gets.

DeMarcus Cousins - After missing four games with an Achilles injury, Cousins has come back with a vengeance, averaging 27 points, 10.5 boards, 2 assists a steal and a block in 35 minutes per game since returning to the Kings' lineup. Tonight, Bookie draws a tremendous matchup against a Nets squad that ranks just 24th in the NBA in Defensive Rating (108.3), allowing the sixth most fantasy points per game to opposing centers over their last seven games. Cousins will likely see a lot of Brook Lopez, who has never been known as a defensive stopper -- he's accumulated a less-than-stellar 108 Defensive Rating this season -- and should have little trouble reaching value in a game that Vegas expects to be a high-scoring affair.

Top Mid-Range Values

Ryan Anderson - With Anthony Davis expected to miss his second consecutive game Anderson should start at power forward for New Orleans tonight. In two starts so far this season, the Pelicans' forward has posted an impressive 19 points and 10 boards with a 25% Usage Rate in 36.8 minutes per game. Additionally, he is averaging 19.4 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists on a per-36 minute basis and should see all the minutes he can handle tonight. Although he does draw a relatively tough matchup against Toronto, given his projected volume and usage with Davis out, Anderson makes a solid play in all formats at just $6,200 on FanDuel and $6,000 on DraftKings.

Rajon Rondo - Just like Westbrook and Anderson, Rondo gets a significant boost due to a teammate's injury. Darren Collison will miss his fourth straight game tonight. Over the last three games with Collison out of the lineup, Rondo has scored 12 points per game while adding 14 assists, 9.6 boards and 3.3 steals in a whopping 46.6 minutes. He also posted two triple-doubles over that span. The Kings' point guard should be in store for another massive workload tonight in a plus matchup against the Nets and makes a strong play once again, despite his increasing price tag.

Basement Ballers

Nemanja Bjelica - Bjelica has been red hot as of late, averaging 12.25 points, 8.25 rebounds and 4 assists while playing 32.25 minutes per game. The Timberwolves are on the second night of a back-to-back and, although he's yet to be ruled out yet, Kevin Garnett rarely plays in the second half of back-to-backs. If KG sits, Bjelica could see minutes in the mid-30s or higher, but is definitely in play regardless at the low price of just $4,600 on FanDuel and $5,000 on DraftKings. Buy low on him while you still can.

Ed Davis - With Meyers Leonard out for tonight's matchup against the Grizzlies, Davis will fill in as the Trail Blazers' starting power forward. The former Laker forward has been impressive when on the floor this season, 10.5 points, 12.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.2 blocks on a per-36 minute basis and should see a solid workload against a Memphis defense that has surprisingly struggled this season. Considering the Grizzlies have allowed the sixth most fantasy points per game against opposing power forwards, Davis is dollar for dollar one of my favorite plays on the board tonight at just $4,700 on FanDuel and $4,100 on DraftKings.