Daily Fantasy Basketball 2015: NBA DraftKings Studs and Duds for April 1
News flash: Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook is a DraftKings stud. OK, so you and anyone else familiar with the NBA already knew that. What you should also know is that on Wednesday, Westbrook and the Thunder host the Dallas Mavericks. That's been an especially good matchup for Westbrook this season.
In three games, the statistical league MVP is averaging 56.5 fantasy points per game against the Mavs. The Thunder should also be well-rested. They haven't played since Sunday, March 29. With two days' rest this season, Westbrook is averaging 24.9 points, 7.1 rebounds and 7.3 assists.
It'll cost you $12,700 in DK salary, but it'll probably be well worth it to draft Westbrook.
On the flip side, I may not be as eager to tab the Portland Trail Blazers' Damian Lillard. He and the Blazers are hosting Chris Paul and the Los Angeles Clippers. Lillard hasn't played exceptionally well against the Clips this year.
In three games, Lillard is averaging 34.5 fantasy points per contest. That's 4.9 fewer points than Lillard is averaging overall this season. With a good number of solid point guard options out there, Lillard isn't the best value at point guard or guard. Here's a look at more studs and duds for Wednesday's games.
Studs
George Hill ($7,500) at Boston Celtics
Who's hot? George Hill, that's who. Hill scored 28 points, grabbed six rebounds and dished three assists in the Indiana Pacers' 111-106 loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday.
It marked the seventh time in his last 10 games that he eclipsed the 20-point mark. It's the third time he's had at least 25. As the Pacers roll into Beantown to take on the Boston Celtics, while battling for a playoff spot, Hill should again be the Pacers' best DK option.
The last time he played against the Celtics, he put up 30 points, five rebounds and eight assists. The impressive stat line equated to 49.8 fantasy points. With the way he's playing, $7,500 is a bargain for Hill.
Jason Thompson ($3,600) at Houston Rockets
There has to be a low-cost stud whose value is based on his salary. You can't have a player any cheaper than $3,600 who stands to make any impact in a DK contest.
Kings star DeMarcus Cousins is battling a calf injury, and there's talk of shutting him down for the remainder of the season. Per Michael Wallace of ESPN.com, Kings head coach George Karl said:
"I [told Cousins], "Instead of thinking about shutting it down, let’s try to find some days that you can get your body rested." We might schedule a piece of our games and (rest Cousins) again. I think Cousins likes to play and I think he’s doing it because he wants to play at a higher efficiency. It gives me an opportunity to experiment a little bit. At home, I’d like to go in and (let Cousins play) every game. But on the road, I might experiment a little bit more.
"
On Wednesday, the Kings are on the road against the Houston Rockets. The player likely to get the most playing time with Cousins out is Jason Thompson. Quite honestly, Thompson hasn't made the most of his opportunities to play of late, but there's reason to believe he could play well against the Rockets on Wednesday.
In two games this season against Houston, Thompson has averaged 33.8 fantasy points per game. If Thompson gets just over half of that production on Wednesday, he'll be a steal at his current DK salary.
Another Dud
Giannis Antetokounmpo ($7,000) vs. Chicago Bulls
The Greek Freak hasn't scared the Chicago Bulls all season. Despite his length and athleticism, he's had a hard time putting up good fantasy numbers against the Bulls. Chicago will provide the opposition to the home-standing Milwaukee Bucks.
In three games against the Bucks' division rivals, Giannis Antetokounmpo is averaging just 20.8 fantasy points per contest. Chicago is also coming to town on three days of rest. It should be fresh and invigorated as the team inches toward 100 percent health and the postseason.
You could try to predict a breakout performance for Antetokounmpo, but the safer decision would be to go in another direction. For $7,000, there's a hope that a player will produce somewhere between 32-40 fantasy points. Based on what Antetokounmpo has done against Chicago, who could feel comfortable that he'll produce that kind of effort?
Drafting another small forward is the right move.
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