Daily Fantasy Basketball 2015: NBA DraftKings Rankings, Picks for April 7
With just five games to go, the NBA playoff picture is still largely unconfirmed. The Warriors and Hawks have clinched everything in their respective conferences, but other than Portland (who is locked into the fourth seed because of outdated divisional privileges), nothing else is set in stone.
All the teams that are fighting for playoff spots and seeding can be trusted to play the same guys they've relied upon all season. However, Golden State, Atlanta, Portland and many lottery teams cannot be trusted to remain true to their rotations.
For that reason, I'm advising a quick background check on Draftkings, Twitter and/or RotoGrinders before lineups lock every night. Rotations will get wonky, consider yourself warned!
Point Guard
1. Chris Paul ($9,800) vs. Lakers
2. Zach LaVine ($5,900) @ Kings
3. Tony Parker ($5,400) @ Thunder
4. Ray McCallum ($4,600) vs. Timberwolves
5. Tyreke Evans ($7,900) vs. Warriors
LaVine isn't a very good basketball player yet. He can look lost fighting through screens (which point guards spend about 75 percent of their time doing,) he shoots just 33 percent from downtown, and he currently ranks dead last in assist-to-turnover ratio amongst point guards.
That said, the rookie from UCLA is averaging 38 minutes per game over the T-Wolves' last 10. He gets an uptempo matchup against a Sacramento team that doesn't seem to care too much about stopping anybody. Plus LaVine is a 6'5" point guard with a lightning-quick first step and the ability to jump out of the gym. He might not ever make an All-Star team, but he should pile up stats playing nearly 40 minutes against a mediocre opponent tonight.
Shooting Guard
1. Kevin Martin ($6,000) @ Kings
2. Danny Green ($5,400) @ Thunder
3. Ben McLemore ($4,000) vs. Timberwolves
4. Dwyane Wade ($6,800) vs. Hornets
5. Eric Bledsoe ($7,600) @ Hawks
I'm expecting a huge night from both McLemore and Kevin Martin. Neither player plays particularly passionate defense. They both excel in fast-paced offenses where they have space to create shots. I expect this game to be a high-scoring, fast-paced affair.
McLemore gets a boost when Rudy Gay sits. But even if Gay plays (he's questionable,) McLemore should have a big night. According to Draftkings.com, Minnesota allows the most fantasy points in the league to opposing shooting guards. Sacramento allows the third most.
Small Forward
1. Andrew Wiggins ($6,800) @ Kings
2. *Rudy Gay ($7,500) or Omri Casspi ($4,500) vs. Timberwolves
3. DeMarre Carroll ($5,500) vs. Suns
4. Wesley Johnson ($5,000) @ Clippers
5. Kawhi Leonard ($7,800) @ Thunder
Wiggins is attacking the basket and living at the free-throw line. He's had nine or more attempts from the charity stripe in six straight games.
*I like the Kings small forward against the Timberwolves. At this moment, Rudy Gay is questionable and Cousins has been ruled out. Casspi is scheduled to start alongside Gay at this moment as the Kings will go small against Minny.
DeMarre Carroll is a consistent two-way force for the Hawks. He should see an expanded offensive role while starting power forward Paul Millsap sits out.
Kawhi Leonard destroyed the Warriors on Sunday with seven steals. He will play extended minutes if Westbrook and Co. can keep it tight against the surging Spurs.
Power Forward
1. Brandan Wright ($5,200) @ Hawks
2. Tim Duncan ($6,400) @ Thunder
3. Markieff Morris ($6,000) @ Hawks
4. Blake Griffin ($8,800) vs. Lakers
5. Mike Scott ($3,000) vs. Suns
With Alex Len still out, Brandan Wright should continue to reach value.
Markieff Morris will be thrilled to see the combination of Elton Brand, Mike Scott and Mike Muscala defending him. Normally it would be up to the consistently underrated Paul Millsap, but he's out this week.
Everyone who plays Blake Griffin Tuesday night will be crossing their fingers that the Lakers don't get blown out for the second time in three days. If Jordan Clarkson's sorry bunch can keep it tight, Blake should exceed all his season averages against DraftKings' 24th-ranked power forward defense.
Center
1. Enes Kanter ($7,600) vs. Spurs
2. Al Horford ($6,000) vs. Suns
3. Justin Hamilton ($5,000) vs. Kings
4. DeAndre Jordan ($8,200) vs. Lakers
5. Bismack Biyombo ($4,600) @ Heat
Kanter is the second most consistent player on the board. The former center for the Jazz* is averaging 42 fantasy points per game over his last five games. He clearly loves playing with Russell Westbrook.
*I played around with different one-word phrases that could reduce the word count of that sentence—nothing worked. "Former Jazzer," "former Jazzy," even "former saxophonist" just didn't feel quite right.
With no Demarcus Cousins, the Indian Canadian Sensation Sim Bhullar could get some run. He'll likely pile up stats in limited minutes.
