NBA

NBA Daily Fantasy Helper: Wednesday 3/20/13

The normally slow Jazz will be running against Houston tonight, and increased possessions means increased value for Big Al.

We know that people play all sorts of fantasy platforms, not just from from our friends at StarStreet but on other platforms such as DraftStreet, FanDuel, and Draft Kings as well. So once again, we have four optimized rosters, all for you, the numberFire reader. One is for free here; the others can be found in our Premium section.

As always, the full tables for today's action are available at our Daily Fantasy Projections page. Make sure to check it out to see where the best values are for your team.

StarStreet Optimized Roster

PlayerPositionProjected FPCostValue
Dwyane WadeG37.93$14,0002.71
Tim DuncanF38.38$13,7002.80
Al JeffersonC33.88$12,8002.65
Kemba WalkerG30.7$11,7002.62
Brook LopezC33.1$10,9003.04
Omer AsikC27.1$9,8002.77
O.J. MayoG26.38$8,8003.00
Tiago SplitterF-C23.45$8,5002.76
Jamal CrawfordG23.7$8,4002.82

Fan Duel, Draft Kings, and DraftStreet Optimized Rosters

For the optimal rosters for the other main players, be sure to check out our brand new Daily Fantasy Optimized Rosters for our Premium members. We know that you're killing it with our picks; maybe now you'll help us continue to help you win each night, every night.

Access to the optimal rosters is immediate, and you'll have it constantly updated for the latest injury news and updates from around the league. The best news of all? For new subscribers, you can use the promo code WELCOME and get it 50% off what was already the reduced price. Think of the savings!

Learn More About Premium

The Best of the Best

Kevin Durant - Yes, he's costly. But today, just like yesterday, Durant brings value as well. While he may have been 0-6 from long range, Denver's fast-paced style allowed him to finish with 34 points, seven rebounds, and five assists (and six turnovers, but you know). Even if he gets there ugly, he'll still get there. That even goes when he plays Memphis, who is second in defensive rating in 28th in pace. But while that would be the perfect storm for most players, smart fantasy experts will see Memphis' .514 effective field goal percentage (eFG%) against small forwards (highest of the five positions) and Durant's 30.5 PPG against them in two games this year.

LeBron James - This is probably going to be one of those "high priced guys, then fill your team with low-priced options" days. When LeBron and Durant are both projected for big games, you often have no choice but to ride them. That's certainly the case for LeBron going against his old buddies, the Cavaliers. Cleveland sits 27th in both defensive rating and defensive rebound percentage, 29th in defensive eFG%, and first in their ability to weep secretly while LeBron tears them apart.

Tim Duncan - You'll see a lot of hate thrown David Lee's way for his horrific defense this season, but really, has Andrew Bogut been that much better? Opponents are shooting a weak .482 eFG% against him this season, yes, but he also allows other centers to collect 16.0 rebounds per 48 minutes on him as well, 2.1 more rebounds than he collects himself. With Lee and Bogut defending him, it's no wonder that we're expecting a big game from Timmay. His 21.5 PPG and 11.5 RPG against them in two contests this year isn't a surprise, either.

Top Mid-Range Values

Al Jefferson - Run, run, and run some more! The normally slow (20th in pace) Jazz run into a Houston squad tonight that has the quickest pace in the league, a game that probably ranks close to must-win status for both teams. That's why I'm not worried about Jefferson's playing time; Houston's 20th defensive rating and .524 eFG% allowed to opposing centers has me not worried about his points, either. Houston does have the top defensive rebound percentage in the NBA, but even a tempered 9.2 projected rebounds is enough to have Big Al on most optimized rosters.

Mo Williams - Hey, we've found yet another one who will be doing some running in Utah tonight. Williams seems to be still struggling getting his shooting stroke back; there's a reason we have him projected to only shoot around .450 eFG% tonight. Extra possessions means more chances at assists as well though, and with 5+ dimes in three of his past four games against slower teams, his projected 5.9 assists tonight is easily an obtainable goal.

Omer Asik - There is one thing the Jazz big men don't do very well, and that's grab defensive boards: Utah sits 22nd in the NBA with a 72.5 percent defensive rebound rate. On the other side, you have Omer Asik, who grabs 13.1 percent of available offensive boards, which is good for Top 10 in the League. Irresistible force meets movable object, and the result is plenty of rebounding and cheap points opportunities for the Houston center tonight.