January 25, 2015– DFS Basketball Best Value Picks:
A nine-game slate provides us with plenty of options from down to bottom:
The Studs
Kemba Walker, PG ($8,400)
Just three days ago, Kemba obliterated the Orlando Magic defense with 40 points. A couple days before that, he torched the Utah Jazz with 52! That’s how crazy Walker has gone the past week against very stout defenses.
Now imagine what he can do to Sacramento, who plays with the highest pace in the NBA and also allows the most points from its opponents.
Kawhi Leonard, SF ($8,000)
Leonard has not been very good the past three games, but then he doesn’t need to. The San Antonio Spurs casually destroyed Dallas, Phoenix, and Los Angeles in that order and they don’t really need the best from Kawhi.
This Monday will be different, though.
The Spurs are playing the Golden State Warriors in what is expected to be a close game and all the stars playing all the minutes that they can. Plus, Tim Duncan will be sitting this one out so majority of the scoring responsibility will fall on the shoulders of the 2015 Defensive Player of the Year.
The Middle Men
Rudy Gobert, C ($6,400)
Gobert is a double-double guy waiting to happen and a threat to post 2-3 blocks in any game. The Jazz will playing the Detroit Pistons, who is fourth-worst in the league in defending opposing centers so expect the Frenchman to get his fair share.
Andrew Wiggins, SG ($6,700)
Nothing in the past two weeks suggest Andrew Wiggins is a must-draft but in case you haven’t noticed, the Minnesota Timberwolves will be playing the Cleveland Cavaliers, the latter being the one who drafted Wiggins No. 1 overall and traded him for Kevin Love.
Talking about playing a chip on his shoulder, Wiggins torched Cleveland last January 8 with 46 fantasy points, and in his rookie year, the Canadian star’s two-game averages against the Cavs stand at 30 points, 2.5 steals, 1.5 assists, 1.5 rebounds, and three 3PM.
Guess we’ll be expecting something in that vicinity tomorrow night.
The Bargains
Josh Smith, PF ($4,000)
Smith is back to where he belongs and he has been quite solid lately for the Houston Rockets lately. His first game back in Clutch City netted him 26.3 fantasy points and the second outing against Dallas was another solid night: 16 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks.
That, people, is what I call VALUE.
Willie Cauley-Stein, C ($4,500)
WCS has been a very big reason for the Kings’ resurgence as evidenced by his excellent of double-doubles. If he continues to get 29-34 minutes a night, there’s no doubt he can keep that streak up.
Note: All salaries and stats are from DraftKings.
Featured Image via: fivethirtyeight.com
