Daily Fantasy Basketball 2015: NBA DraftKings Strategy for May 15
Whoever designed the NBA's second-round schedule did not have daily fantasy's best interest in mind.
While one slate offers LeBron James, James Harden, Blake Griffin, Chris Paul, Derrick Rose and more, this pair of games bestows Stephen Curry and... umm... others. It's tough to unearth fantasy goodness when none of the four teams are averaging over 100 points per game this round.
| Atlanta Hawks | 98.6 |
| Golden State Warriors | 95.8 |
| Washington Wizards | 95.8 |
| Memphis Grizzlies | 88.8 |
On the bright side, this is the last time DraftKings players must deal with this pairing of games. If necessary, the Golden State Warriors and Memphis Grizzlies will play Game 7 on Sunday while the Atlanta Hawks and Washington Wizards settle the stalemate on Monday night.
Let's dissect these matchups one more time for Friday.
Point Guard
| Stephen Curry | @ MEM | $10,400 |
| Jeff Teague | @ WAS | $7,200 |
| Dennis Schroder | @ WAS | $4,600 |
Is it safe to use Stephen Curry again? After two dreadful shooting performances, the baby-faced MVP rebounded during Golden State's last two victories.
He's averaging 43.1 DraftKings points in the series, far below what he needs to hit value at $10,400. Yet there's a simple case for rostering him: Where else will you spend the money?
Games 2 and 3 represent the worst-case scenario, and neither was a doomsday outcome. As long as he keeps firing away with 10.2 three-point attempts per game this round, only another ice-cold shooting night will hamper Curry from delivering some utility.
In the other matchup, Dennis Schroder has gotten the green light lately, taking at least a dozen shots in each of the last three games. The reserve guard is averaging 24.85 DraftKings points this series, making him a nice bargain at $4,600.
Shooting Guard
| Bradley Beal | @ ATL | $8,400 |
| Courtney Lee | vs. GS | $4,700 |
| Vince Carter | vs. GS | $3,000 |
With Tony Allen expected to return, per Yahoo Sports' Marc J. Spears, Curry's splash sibling is a suboptimal play at $7,400. Pass on Klay Thompson and pay up for Bradley Beal, who continues to shine this postseason.
During nine postseason games, the 21-year-old is averaging 22.8 points, 4.8 assists and 5.4 rebounds. Against Atlanta, the shooting guard has fared even better.
| 41.6 | 24.4 | 41.0 | 2.2 | 5.6 | 5.4 | 1.8 | 44.1 |
Although John Wall returned on Wednesday night, the Wizards can't expect him to shoulder the load with five fractures in his wrist and hand. Beal, who scored 23 points on 21 shot attempts through 42 minutes, remains Washington's top scoring option for Game 6.
Going down the bargain bin, Vince Carter is averaging 15.2 DraftKings points against Golden State. Even with Allen back, the former star should receive enough minutes off the bench to make a dent at $3,000.
Small Forward
| Paul Pierce | vs. ATL | $5,800 |
| Otto Pierce | vs. ATL | $5,700 |
| Andre Iguodala | @ MEM | $4,200 |
Depending on the contest, Paul Pierce or Otto Porter is the way to go at small forward.
In the midst of a breakout postseason, Porter has cooled down over the past two games, going 4-of-17 with 13 combined points. A hefty price tag hasn't joined his fall back to earth, but the 21-year-old has flashed tremendous upside, generating 30-plus DraftKings points four times this postseason.
For that, he remains a strong tournament play. In 50-50 contests, Pierce is the steadier choice for $100 more. The veteran has posted 24-25 DraftKings points in four of five bouts against the Hawks, bursting out for 38.25 in the other match. Pierce's low floor makes him a comforting option in cash fields.
Just don't start taunting your opponents until both games are over.
Power Forward
| Zach Randolph | vs. GS | $7,600 |
| Nene Hilario | vs. ATL | $4,800 |
| David Lee | @ MEM | $2,800 |
This is a trap. It has to be a trap. Nene Hilario is the bane of DFS players' existence, mixing lavish contributions with game-costing duds. After scoring two points through Games 1 and 2 against Atlanta, the good Nene has arrived.
| 5.9 | 30 | 17 | 7-9 | 7 | 4 | 35.75 |
| 5/11 | 31 | 12 | 6-8 | 7 | 4 | 27.75 |
| 5/13 | 29 | 9 | 4-11 | 6 | 1 | 23.5 |
Despite the colossal risk of him letting everyone down, the alternatives aren't too impressive. Everyone priced below him constitutes a pure punt, and none of the top-three power forwards have merited their cost.
| Paul Millsap | 35.35 | $8,400 | $237.62 |
| Draymond Green | 33.2 | $7,900 | $237.95 |
| Zach Randolph | 33.05 | $7,600 | $229.95 |
Someone unwilling to play the "Which Nene shows up?" game should turn to Zach Randolph, who started the series with three straight 20-point games. He has still mustered double-doubles in two subsequent subpar fantasy outings.
For a penny-saving play, David Lee logged 15 minutes in Game 4 and 17 during Game 5. Replacing an injured Marreese Speights, the former double-double machine can scrape together some points off the bench.
Center
| Al Horford | @ WAS | $8,500 |
| Marc Gasol | vs. GS | $8,200 |
| Mike Muscala | @ WAS | $2,300 |
Marc Gasol and Al Horford are two of this slate's hottest players. In fact, slotting one at center and the other at utility isn't the craziest strategy for Friday night. It will, however, mean forgoing Curry or Beal.
Gasol has averaged 18.8 points, 10.4 rebounds and 41.7 DraftKings during the conference semifinals. Over the last three games, he has fired 58 combined shots. Against the Wizards, Horford has compiled 17.6 points, 10.4 rebounds, 2.4 blocks and 45 DraftKings points.
Picking one could boil down to which fits better into the lineup, with Gasol listed for $300 more. While Atlanta's center contains more upside, Memphis' big man has a higher floor. Plus his club faces a must-win Game 6 while Horford's Hawks sport a 3-2 cushion.
