3 NBA Defenses to Exploit in Daily Fantasy Basketball

New Orleans Pelicans

Many people, including us, thought the Pelicans were poised for a true breakout season after Anthony Davis' great season and the Pelicans' appearance in the playoffs a year ago. As Dale Redman touched on yesterday, that has not been the case -- something is wrong with the New Orleans Pelicans.

Actually, there are a few -- and one of them is defense. That's bad for the Pelicans but good for daily fantasy hoopers. The Pelicans have been one of the top defenses to target as they rank 29th in opponent points per game, 28th in Defensive Rating and third in pace (102.5 possessions per game). These all combine to make a recipe for success for fantasy performers.

That is exactly what's happened through their first four games. Sure, Steph Curry has gone off against New Orleans on two separate occasions, and that's tough. But in the two games not against the Warriors, the Pelicans have surrendered a duo of 40-plus fantasy point performances. They've been particularly taken advantage of by guards. Why?

Well, it's pretty black and white. New Orleans allows their opponents to shoot lights out from all over the floor. Opponents shoot 48.3% from the field and 40.9% from beyond the arc against them, making 11.3 three-pointers a game. Those three numbers place them 27th, 27th and 28th in the league, and as a result, the Pelicans rank 29th among all NBA teams in Effective Field Goal Percentage (54.6%). So don't be afraid to target high-volume shooters against the Pelicans -- it could especially pay off in nightly tournaments.