On Wednesday, 400 people are going to split $150,000 guaranteed during the NBA Big Score at DraftStreet.
For $55, you will draft a team of three guards, three forwards, one center and two utility players while staying under the $100,000 salary cap. If your team’s score finishes in the top 400, you at least double your money; finish first and you win $50,000 cash!
To help get you started on your roster for Wednesday’s NBA Big Score, here are some value players to consider from Fantasy Alarm's Michael Pichan. Players are listed in a four-tiered ABCD format with specific targets for Guaranteed Prize Payout (GPP) tournaments and players that may be more geared towards Double Up (DU) or cash-game contests because there is less risk involved with them. Just because one player is marked for a GPP or DU does not mean they are only worth playing in said format. All prices and point projections are geared towards DraftStreet:
A-All Star priced players that should put up All Star stats today (target 35+ FP, $16,000-on up)
GPP
Andre Drummond (16%) is back in beast mode as he has doubled up in each of his last three games and gets the benefit of going toe-to-toe with Spencer Hawes whom he has dominated against this season having scored roughly 50, 40, and 69 fantasy points in their three matchups this season (all while Hawes was with 76ers).
I also have a ton of confidence in Clippers center DeAndre Jordan (15.2%), if you wanted to save a few bucks. Jordan is on pace to become only the third player in NBA history, along with Wilt Chamberlain and Dwight Howard, to lead the league in both rebounding and field goal percentage. In addition, Jordan has reached double-digit rebounds in all but one game since the 11th of December and leads the league in rebound chances per game at 19.2, just a hair above Kevin Love of the TWolves. Jordan is also tied for third in the NBA at 2.4 blocks per game, which ensures you of a couple bonus points should you decide to roll with DJ this evening. (I give Drummond the edge over Jordan as Dre has the higher ceiling in terms of getting buckets).
DU
Kevin Love (22%) scored 62 fantasy points in his previous outing against the Hawks, he leads the NBA in double-doubles with a total of 55 and he is surely going to add to that total tonight as the Hawks have the fourth largest rebounding differential in the NBA while allowing the eighth most points per game to opposing power forwards over the last 15 days.
B-rated Ballers: Big-name players with big games, but not as high of a price tag as the top five or so priced players at each position (around 30 FP, $13,000-$16,000)
GPP
Kawhi Leonard (13.6%) is the second ranked small forward in fantasy over the past 30 days behind the leading candidate for MVP, Kevin Durant. So while Leonard is hotter than the San Antonio boardwalk in the summer he also gets a prime matchup against a Nuggets team that is looking like a MASH unit and whom are allowing the sixth most fantasy points to the position on the season.
DU
Jeff Teague (15%) is putting together arguably his best month of the season as he is averaging 17.7 points per game on 47% shooting from the field with 3.5 rebounds, and 6.9 assists. In addition, he has played better at home than on the road, especially of late, where he has exceeded 32 fantasy points in four of his last five home games and gets the luxury of facing Ricky Rubio and a TWolves team that are allowing the fifth most points per game to opposing point guards on the season. If Teague is a little pricey for you then consider Grizzles point guard Michael Conley (13.4%) who finished with 33 fantasy points in his last matchup against the Jazz.
C-as in players that COULD be in line to provide you with good to great value in the mid-tier price range (target 25+ FP, $10,000-$13,000)
GPP
Jarrett Jack (12.4%) has helped Cleveland fans forget about the loss the Kyrie Irving, at least for the moment, as he is averaging 32.7 fantasy points over his last three games including a season-high 47.75 fantasy performance the other night against the. Jack gets an even tastier matchup this evening against a Pistons team who are allowing the second most fantasy points to opposing point guards over the last 15 days, so you know Jarrett should get plenty of opportunities to jack it up tonight.
David West (11.1%) is coming off a 30-plus fantasy performance against the Bulls on Monday. West is averaging 20 points on 61% shooting from the field with six rebounds, and three assists per game in two games versus the Heat this season and tonight’s contest is a home affair for West and the Pacers.
DU
Dion Waiters (11.6%) has been serving it up for fantasy owners over the past week as he has exceeded 25-plus fantasy points in each of his last four games. The Cavs are on the road in Detroit, but that should not affect Waiters potential to deliver as the Pistons are allowing the fourth most points per game to opponents on the season and have won just three games all month while the Cavs are coming into town riding a two-game win streak, led in part by Waiters recent surge of production.
Gorgui Dieng (12.9%) is averaging 33.45 fantasy points over his last five games and if he can go for 11 points and 17 boards versus the reigning Defensive Player of the Year as he did last game against Marc Gasol and the Grizzlies in Memphis then imagine what the possibilities are tonight against the Hawks team of centers who have the fourth worst defensive efficiency rating in NBA over the last 10 games.
D-Discounted Dandies: Players on the cheap whose production may exceed what their discounted price tag suggests. (Double Digit Fantasy Production, $3,500-$10,000)
GPP
Timofey Mozgov (8.4%) has often played somewhat like you would expect a guy with the first name of Timofey would play, but I believe he puts on his big boy pants and delivers for fantasy owners tonight. It is almost certain Mozgov will see 30-plus minutes with all the injuries up front for the Nuggets, including recently losing starting center J.J. Hickson to a torn ACL, and the fact Mozgov and the Nuggets will face a Spurs team whose one glaring weakness has been their inability to defend the center position (allowing the most fantasy points to opposing centers over the last 15 days).
Matthew Dellavedova (7.4%) if you cannot afford Jarrett Jack then consider rostering Dellavedova who will also enjoy the same benefits that Jack will, but at about a 5K discount to your salary cap. Dellavedova has played 25-plus minutes in each of his last three games while finishing with a double-double in two of those three games. His potential for another double-double looks good tonight as he and the Cavs gets the pleasure of taking on a Pistons team that are allowing the fourth most points to opponents this season so that should mean plenty of opportunities for MD to doctor up some buckets and assists.
DU
DeMarre Carroll (10.9%) does not carry the name value of some of the more sexy small forwards in the league, but he is having a career year and will be facing a TWolves team that makes all opposing small forwards look like All-Stars as they are allowing the second most fantasy points to the position over the last 15 days. Carroll should also get some extra opportunities with Kyle Korver reportedly out again tonight and as Vegas sees it, this game is expected to be the second highest scoring affair of the evening as they have the over/under set at 214.5. Add in the fact the TWolves are allowing the third most fast break points to opponents on the season, which will have you signing a carol of your own every time Demarre delivers a fast-break bucket this evening.
A possible lineup for you to consider rolling out in Wednesday night's DraftStreet $150K NBA Tournament:
NBA schedule for Wednesday, March 26th:
Brooklyn Nets vs. Charlotte Bobcats, 7 p.m. ET
Phoenix Suns vs. Washington Wizards, 7 p.m.
Toronto Raptors vs. Boston Celtics, 7:30 p.m.
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Detroit Pistons, 7:30 p.m.
Atlanta Hawks vs. Minnesota Timberwolves, 8 p.m.
Los Angeles Clippers vs. New Orleans Pelicans, 8 p.m.
Miami Heat vs. Indiana Pacers, 8 p.m.
Denver Nuggets vs. San Antonio Spurs, 8:30 p.m.
New York Knicks vs. Sacramento Kings, 10 p.m.
Memphis Grizzlies vs. Utah Jazz, 10:30 p.m.
