Daily Fantasy Basketball 2015: Last-Minute NBA DraftKings Picks for March 14
Stephen Curry and a good number of the Golden State Warriors' top players got rest on Friday night on the road against the Denver Nuggets. Steph and Splash Brother Klay Thompson will be back in the lineup on Saturday when the team hosts the New York Knicks.
You know what that means DraftKings players? That's right. You have to draft at least one of them on your team for Saturday night's contests.
Curry is the best option, despite carrying the highest price tag ($9,600) of any DK player on the day. In the previous meeting between the two teams, Curry put up 34.5 fantasy points (22 points, six rebounds and five three-pointers) compared to just 24 for Thompson (16 points and two threes on 5-of-22 shooting).
Obviously, Thompson could have a better shooting night, but he figures to have his hands full chasing the suddenly productive Alexey Shved around on defense.
In his last six games, Shved is averaging 30.3 fantasy points (15.3 points, six rebounds on 11-of-29 shooting from three-point range). He's been a statistical dynamo as he's filled in for Tim Hardaway Jr. Michael Gallagher of NBC Sports highlights Shved's recent shot chart:
I like him as well in one of the most statistically intriguing games of the night. At $5,500, Shved becomes downright irresistible as a draft target.
A fresh Warriors team could put this one out of reach early, which could lead to a high-scoring blowout. That's music to the ears of DK players.
Take a look at my picks for the optimal lineup for Saturday night. Just below the table is a look at three more standouts from the eight selected players:
| PG | Stephen Curry | New York Knicks | $9,600 |
| SG | Avery Bradley | Indiana Pacers | $5,100 |
| SF | Gordon Hayward | Detroit Pistons | $7,600 |
| PF | Ersan Ilyasova | Memphis Grizzlies | $4,800 |
| C | Brook Lopez | Philadelphia 76ers | $6,700 |
| G | Alexey Shved | Golden State Warriors | $5,500 |
| F | Jeff Green | Milwaukee Bucks | $5,400 |
| UTIL | Brandon Bass | Indiana Pacers | $5,200 |
Gordon Hayward ($7,600) vs. Detroit Pistons
With three straight games with at least 38 fantasy points, Gordon Hayward is playing great basketball. On Saturday, he and the Utah Jazz host the Detroit Pistons—and this should be another strong statistical performance from Hayward.
The Pistons have lost eight games in a row. They have surrendered 102.3 points per game in the process. After a day off, Hayward should be fresh and ready to hang some solid numbers on the Pistons.
Brook Lopez ($6,700) at Philadelphia 76ers
All season long, Brook Lopez's minutes have been a bit erratic, but he's made the most of the time he's received. That's especially been the case in his last four games. Lopez has three double-doubles in that time. Most recently, Lopez had 15 points and 14 rebounds on the road against the Miami Heat on Wednesday.
On Saturday, Lopez and the Nets are on the road against the Philadelphia 76ers. The Sixers are thin on the inside without a big with the bulk to contend with Lopez. The 7-footer has averaged 18.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocked shots per game against Philly this season.
Expect another strong performance from Lopez against Philly. He'll be well worth his draft price on Saturday.
Ersan Ilyasova ($4,800) at Memphis Grizzlies
The biggest bargain of the day is easily Ersan Ilyasova.
Not only has Ilyasova been productive in his last six games averaging 25.9 fantasy points per contest, he also has a favorable matchup on Saturday. The Bucks visit the Memphis Grizzlies and the home team's frontcourt has a problem matching up with stretch 4s like Ilyasova.
Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph don't have the mobility to contest the long-range shooters.
He had 11 points and nine rebounds in 25 minutes in the team's first meeting this season. Ilyasova has been receiving more minutes as of late, so that production should increase. For under $5,000, he'll likely produce the most points per salary dollar.
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