Daily Fantasy Basketball 2015: DraftKings Optimum Lineup Picks for April 22
NBA fans will shove aside Wednesday night's first two offerings in anticipation of the Los Angeles Clippers and San Antonio Spurs, who conclude the evening's three-game tilt.
While daily fantasy players should pay close attention to the star-studded Western Conference showdown, they can't ignore the other two matchups. Purchasing your priciest player or two from Los Angeles or San Antonio will require some cheaper values, and that's where everyone else comes into play.
Everyone wants the studs for postseason action, but fewer bargain-bin options exist with coaches tightening their rotations. That makes setting a DraftKings lineup a difficult balancing act.
PG Mike Conley vs. Portland Trail Blazers ($5,600)
Affording Chris Paul and Blake Griffin will prove tough, and the power forward receives the nod below. Tony Parker's health muddles his stock, so take a chance on Mike Conley, who holds the night's best matchup.
The Portland Trail Blazers rank No. 23 in DraftKings points allowed to point guards. During Game 1, Beno Udrih instead reaped those rewards with 20 points, seven assists and seven rebounds, but there's no controversy in Memphis.
Playing through an ankle ailment, the starting point guard still scored 16 points during 24 minutes, letting Udrih ride his hot hand through a 14-point win. Yet Conley only tallied one assist, well below his 5.3 season average.
With a few more assists, and hopefully another board or two, he'll make a solid mid-tier play against the defensively challenged Damian Lillard.
Other PG Plays: Chris Paul ($9,900) vs. SA; Jeff Teague ($6,800) vs. BKN; Jarrett Jack at ATL ($3,800)
SG Joe Johnson at Atlanta Hawks ($5,900)
With Philips Arena raining down boos upon him, Joe Johnson needed 17 shot attempts to produce as many points in 42 minutes. From a real-life standpoint, it was the precise inefficient effort that should propel Atlanta Hawks fans to instead cheer Brooklyn Nets general manager Billy King for taking the veteran's massive contract off their hands.
From a fantasy perspective, Johnson compiled 37.5 DraftKings points, combining his volume scoring with six points and six assists. At a $5,900 price tag, such an output makes him a steal.
Johnson is averaging 21.3 points over his last three meetings against Atlanta. With the Nets grasping for straws to avoid a probable sweep, the 33-year-old will keep getting huge minutes and a high usage rate.
Kyle Korver is an interesting 2-guard option for Atlanta, but his price skyrocketed to $5,400 after sinking five threes on Saturday. Johnson is a safer bet at a slightly higher cost.
Other SG Plays: Kyle Korver ($5,400) vs. BKN; Manu Ginobili ($5,100) at LAC; Jamal Crawford ($4,600) vs. SA
SF DeMarre Carroll vs. Brooklyn Nets ($6,200)
Small forward is bleak, with Kawhi Leonard and DeMarre Carroll serving as the two sensible choices. Despite averaging 37.6 DraftKings points over his last 10 games, Leonard is priced at a bloated $8,600.
Carroll, on the other hand, has posted 18.7 points and 8.3 rebounds through three April contests against Brooklyn. His hot second half fell under the radar, as he scored 13.9 points on 52.8 percent shooting, with the rest of the Hawks coasting to the postseason.
The Nets possess the worst defensive rating (105 points allowed per 100 possessions) among all playoff contestants, according to NBA.com. As the Nets try to stymie Korver's shooting, Carroll will continue to succeed with little fanfare.
PF Blake Griffin vs. San Antonio Spurs ($9,700)
San Antonio fared well against power forwards all season, allowing the 10th-fewest DraftKings points to the position. Blake Griffin, however, is no ordinary power forward.
After Game 1's dominant performance, Griffin is now averaging 25.5 points, 10.3 boards and 5.8 assists through four games against the Spurs. None of their big men can match his blend of speed and explosiveness down low.
Especially not Aron Baynes, who will have nightmares about Griffin's three poster dunks from Game 1. Here's one, courtesy of NBA's official Twitter page:
The dunks are fun, but we're all beyond labeling Griffin a one-trick pony. Aside from dropping 26 points, 12 boards and six assists over the weekend, he also contributed three blocks and steals apiece. He's the evening's priciest play behind teammate Chris Paul, and for good reason.
Other PF Plays: Tim Duncan ($7,700) at LAC; Thaddeus Young ($6,100) at ATL; Boris Diaw ($4,400) at LAC
C Marc Gasol vs. Portland Trail Blazers ($7,900)
In his last 10 games, Marc Gasol has exceeded 35 minutes five times. He has averaged 44.7 DraftKings points during those contests, including his all-around Game 1 dominance of Portland.
| 39 | 15 | 7-16 | 11 | 7 | 3 | 48.25 |
A careful manipulation of a small sample size? Yep, but Gasol finished the season with 37.3 DraftKings points per game, 0.6 point behind the costlier DeAndre Jordan. Sunday presented an opportunity to exploit his inconsistency. Now he simply costs a fair price at $7,900.
Gasol closed the season with 33 points against the Indiana Pacers, easing any fears of his health heading into the playoffs. The Memphis big man will now get all the minutes he can handle, and the Grizzlies looked intent on picking Portland apart inside over the weekend.
Other C Plays: Al Horford ($7,100, questionable) vs. BKN; Tiago Splitter ($3,500) at LAC
DraftKings is hosting one-day NBA playoff contests! Claim your free entry by clicking on the link and making a first-time deposit!
