NBA Daily Fantasy Helper: Monday 2/22/16
If you've never played daily fantasy basketball before, it's time to start. Unlike traditional leagues, you're able to select the players you want on that specific day only, giving you a different squad to root for each and every NBA night.
Today's lineups can be found here. The information below is to help you understand why particular players are being picked, because we don't want you going into the night completely blind. We want to help you. Keep in mind, however, that things often change up until tip-off, so make sure you're refreshing the optimal lineups as close to the start of games as possible.
Oh, and if you're interested, check out our daily fantasy basketball heat chart for today's slate. It's full of information like tonight's Vegas lines, team offensive and defensive efficiency ratings, pace, fantasy points against and so much more.
As for today's picks -- let's get to it.
The Best of the Best
Stephen Curry (FD: 10,600, DK: $10,700) - Curry is putting together a historic season, leading the league in scoring (29.7 points per game), Player Efficiency Rating (31.9) and True Shooting Percentage (67.4%) while sitting atop our player power rankings with a 26 nERD. He's in play virtually any time he takes the floor, and tonight against Atlanta is no different in a game that features an over/under of 225.5.
Carmelo Anthony (FD: 9,300, DK: $8,600) - In six games during the month of February, Anthony is averaging 23.5 points, 10.3 boards and 5.2 dimes with a 30.4% Usage Rate in 37.8 minutes per game. He is not only playing some of the most efficient basketball of his career, but he has posted a career-high in assists as well at 4.2 per game. Anthony should see all the minutes he can handle tonight in what Vegas expects to be a very competitive game against Toronto.
Karl-Anthony Towns (FD: 9,000, DK: $8,500) - Towns comes into tonight scorching hot, posting 20.9 points, 12.1 rebounds, 2.1 blocks and 2 assists in 35 minutes per game over his last seven outings. He draws a spectacular matchup against a Celtics' interior defense that has allowed the fifth most fantasy points to opposing centers on the year and should absolutely dominate the glass against a Boston squad that ranks just 20th in the NBA with a -0.9 rebounding differential this season.
Top Mid-Range Values
Isaiah Thomas (FD: $8,100, DK: $7,800) - Thomas earned his first All-Star appearance this season, as he's amassed career-bests in points (21.6 per game), assists (6.7 per game), rebounds (2.4 per game) and Usage Rate (28.8%). He has seen an average of 33.7 minutes per game over his last eight games and should see a similar workload tonight against a Timberwolves' defense that ranks 29th in the league in Defensive Efficiency according to our metrics.
Giannis Antetokounmpo (FD: $7,500, DK: $7,100) - The Lakers have been abysmal on the defensive end this season, ranking dead last in the league in Defensive Rating (111.2) while giving up the third most points per game in the NBA (106.7). They have also allowed the fourth most fantasy points per game to opposing small forwards on the year, which bodes incredibly well for Antetokounmpo, who has scored at least 17 points with 11 rebounds and 3 assists in each of his last three games.
Jabari Parker (FD: $5,500, DK: $5,900) - Parker has seen a major role increase as of late, playing at least 41 minutes in each of his last three outings while averaging 22.7 points, 11 rebounds and 2.7 assists over that span. He should once again see all the minutes he can handle tonight against a porous Lakers' defense, making him dollar for dollar one of the best values on the board tonight.
Basement Ballers
D'Angelo Russell (FD: $4,900, DK: $4,500) - Coach Byron Scott has announced that Russell will remain the Lakers' starting point guard for the remainder of the season, and he should continue to see minutes in the low-to-mid-30s for the foreseeable future. He is coming off of a 15-point, 6-assist, 2-rebound performance in 34 minutes against the Bulls, and he gets another plus matchup tonight against a Bucks' defense that ranks 24th in the league in Defensive Efficiency.
Mirza Teletovic (FD: $4,100, DK: $4,500) - The Suns have leaned heavily on Teletovic over the last two games since trading away Markieff Morris. He's averaging 19.5 points, 6 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 31.5 minutes per game over that span, and should see similar production tonight in what Vegas expects to be a very high-scoring affair in Los Angeles.
Phil Pressey (FD: $3,500, DK: $3,000) - Pressey made his Suns debut last night, filling up the stat sheet with 6 points, 5 assists, 2 rebounds, 3 blocks and a steal in 28 minutes of action. With Eric Bledsoe, Brandon Knight and T.J. Warren all out of commission and Archie Goodwin demoted back to a backup shooting guard role, Pressey should continue to log legit minutes as the Suns' primary backup point guard as long as he remains under contract. He is definitely worth a look tonight considering he can be had for the minimum salary across the industry.
