3 Daily Fantasy Basketball Players to Avoid on 12/5/16
In daily fantasy basketball, finding players you want to roster is a lot easier than finding players to avoid.
You can find a ton of great information and research on guys you might want to include tonight in your DFS NBA lineups, but what about some guys you may want to lessen your exposure to, or even fade altogether?
Avoiding players whose matchups or situations aren't as great as they seem can often be just as important as finding the best targets each night. After all, it takes only one player to sink a lineup. Searching for the landmines could mean the difference from winning or losing your contests.
Harrison Barnes, SF, Dallas Mavericks
FanDuel Price: $6,200
Any doubters left about Harrison Barnes' ability to lead an offense may need to reconsider. The Dallas Mavericks' newest addition has been stellar with Dirk Nowitzki out, but tonight he faces a unique challenge that might make him a landmine.
The Mavericks have been playing solid defense this season, but so have the Charlotte Hornets and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. The Hornets are holding opposing small forwards 0.82 FanDuel points per minute this season, and Kidd-Gilchrist has had a lot to do with it.
Even though Kidd-Gilchrist is still getting his legs back after basically being out two seasons, his defense has started to come around. He is holding players he defends to just 41.6% shooting from the floor and 33.6% shooting from deep. His length and quickness makes for a tough battle against Barnes, so look for the Mavs' swingman to be a landmine tonight.
Jordan Clarkson, SG, Los Angeles Lakers
FanDuel Price: $5,200
Jordan Clarkson has yet to take advantage of the Los Angeles Lakers' backcourt injuries. Louis Williams dropped 40 points on the Memphis Grizzlies in their last game, but Clarkson has been disappointing from a DFS perspective lately.
Even though he has the ability to get hot and ruin this suggestion, against the Utah Jazz that's going to be harder to do. Our own Brett Oswalt highlighted the Jazz as one of the main teams to avoid playing against in DFS -- and for good reason. They rank last in pace and they are holding teams to an effective field goal percentage of just 47.8%.
The Jazz have also been great against shooting guards, and Rodney Hood's defense has helped that a lot. The Jazz are allowing only 0.77 FanDuel points to opposing two guards, so with Clarkson slumping and with the tough matchup, I would avoid him and most of the Lakers tonight.
JaMychal Green, PF, Memphis Grizzlies
FanDuel Price: $5,000
JaMychal Green had one of his best games of the season over the weekend with 16 points, 13 rebounds, and 3 blocked shots against the Lakers. However, the New Orleans Pelicans are another problem, because with all of the Grizzlies' injuries, Green is one of the only players available tonight to guard Anthony Davis.
Foul trouble or just a lack of energy left for the offensive end might ruin Green's chances of putting up another huge game tonight, but Davis' defense has been an unheralded story this season.
Players that Davis defends are shooting just 42.0% from the floor and 52.1% shooting from within 10 feet from the basket. Considering all of the areas of concern and his recently increased price tag, lay off Green tonight.
