NBA - November 16th Starting 5
The NBA season is finally here! We have such an exciting season up ahead and plenty of opportunities to win some money! There are four key things I look for in a player to have the highest probability of being optimal!
Price
Opponent DvP
Minutes
Usage
These four statistics paired together are the best suitors to find a gem. Almost everyone I mention below hits on atleast 2 of these if not all of them! Hopefully this will help you be more successful while building lineups and give you a higher chance of winning the big bucks!
I would also like to note that I write these articles early in the day. It is always beneficial to check @Underdog__NBA for lineup changes. Those changes could have a direct effect on some of my "favorite plays" in the sense that if a cheap guy that was one of my favorites doesn't start, then they might no longer be a favorite play or even a play at all. Check out my Twitter @HeatingUpDFS or join the Discord for any updates on favorite play changes!
Socials
If you enjoy all of the content, there are multiple ways to show support! We have a Twitter and Discord Channel that you can join for up to the hour line up discussion and slate overviews! Click the links below to join/follow!
Slate Starters
Below are some of the slate dynamics involved during the writing of this article. The entire slate could possibly change between the time I finish writing this and lock, so be sure to join the discord for any updates!
None for once! Everyone is healthy or we already know their injury designation
PG: Chris Paul ($6,700)
It is a 2 game slate. Don’t get cute and fade the most obvious play on the slate. Paul without Curry is on a whole different level from a ball handling and usage perspective compared to his normal role. He scored 34 DK points last night in a low scoring affair. I think he can best that tonight.
Other PGs in Play:
High: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($10,600)
Mid: Spencer Dinwiddie ($6,900)
Cheap: Brandin Podziemski ($4,600)
SG: Caleb Martin ($4,100)
This could be the leverage play we need tonight. It will be his first game back from injury which raises a lot of eye brows as to what the role will be. I see no reason he doesn’t play around 20 minutes and if he can dust off the cob webs and play similar to how he did in the playoffs he should be able to hit value tonight. It is a small slate and a lot of guys will get up there in ownership. Martin might be one of those guys that just no one goes to and is the key to make everything work. It is a big risk, so the guys below probably grade out a lot better from a projection standpoint.
Other SGs in Play:
High: N/A
Mid: Klay Thompson ($6,600) or Josh Giddey ($7,000)
Cheap: Josh Richardson ($4,800)
SF: Andrew Wiggins ($5,100)
Even with Klay “coming back” he is just far too cheap for Curry being out. This is a tough spot against Dort who is a great defender, but they might opt to put Dort on Klay from time to time. He put up 24 DK points last game shooting poorly, being in foul trouble and having multiple turnovers. I just don’t see a reason he can’t be a good value tonight when there isn’t much value to be had.
Other SFs in Play:
High: Mikal Bridges ($8,000)
Mid: Royce O’Neale ($5,000) or Luke Dort ($5,500)
Cheap: Jaime Jaquez Jr. ($4,500)
PF: Dario Saric ($5,200)
This is a free square. No Steph or Draymond means he should probably play 30+ minutes. He has scored 28 and 37 DK points in the last two games. He is just far too cheap for the role he will be expected to play in this one. He can force Chet to stretch out of the paint which opens up driving lanes and can also hit the 3 ball himself. Don’t overthink this one.
Other PFs in Play:
High: N/A
Mid: Cameron Johnson ($5,900) or Jalen Williams ($6,100)
Cheap: Haywood Highsmith ($4,600)
C: Bam Adebayo ($9,200)
You have to spend your salary somewhere and this is where I would opt to do it. Bam is playing out of his mind right now with Herro out, scoring 50+ DK points in 5 straight games. Brooklyn hasn’t been anything special against Cs and if you can get Claxton into foul trouble you can feast against them. Just the other night Goga and Moritz Wagner ate them up down low after Claxton got into trouble. With Butler in a tough matchup against Royce and Bridges, the benefactor should be Bam. It is that simple.
Other Cs in Play:
High: Chet Holmgren ($7,500)
Mid: Nic Claxton ($6,100)
Cheap: Kevon Looney ($5,400) or Day’Ron Sharpe ($4,400)
