Today is Groundhog Day and there’s a strange sense that we’ve seen this movie before. Eight NBA games tip off at 7:00 Eastern, including a few mismatches, not always the easiest to predict for DFS purposes.
Be careful using LeBron James $10600, Kyrie Irving $8700 and Kevin Love $8700. They may start against Philadelphia, but there’s no reason to play their usual minutes or run up the score. This could actually be a night for Tristan Thompson $5200, Iman Shumpert $3000 and Matthew Dellavedova $3000 to get extra run. For the Sixers, Robert Covington $5000 and Nerlens Noel $5200 are reasonably priced.
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Clippers at Nets is also one-sided, with no incentive for the visitors to play their best. Chris Paul $9300 and Blake Griffin $9600 might be wrapped in towels for the last 20 minutes. DeAndre Jordan $7800 will be needed against Brook Lopez $6200 and Mason Plumlee $5400; Spencer Hawes $3200 could finish up.
Atlanta goes for 20 straight and Anthony Davis $10800 stands in their way. He missed only one game with a groin injury and the Pelicans upset the Clippers thanks to Ryan Anderson $5600, Eric Gordon $6200 and Alexis Ajinca $4100 playing superbly. Ironically, all three lose fantasy value as AD makes the team so much better. Anderson will come off the bench, Ajinca won’t play much and Gordon won’t get as many touches. It’s probably moot, as Jeff Teague $7400 is too quick for Tyreke Evans $7900 and even if the Brow slows down Paul Millsap $8200, that leaves Al Horford $7900 with room to operate. Kyle Korver $5200 is Mr. Consistency.
The nightcap is a dandy. Memphis is playoff-bound and Phoenix is desperate to hold the #8 spot. Zach Randolph $8600 and Marc Gasol $7800 are consistently great but Mike Conley $7000 has not been himself for about three weeks. Goran Dragic $6300, Eric Bledsoe $8000 and Isaiah Thomas $5400 might all pay their way if the Suns go small, with Markieff Morris $6000, Marcus Morris $3300 and Brandan Wright $3000 their most mobile bigs.
Can’t see Orlando threatening the Thunder but Nikola Vucevic $8500 is playable and if Victor Oladipo $6800 (Achilles) sits out again, Evan Fournier $3700 is a possible bargain. Russell Westbrook $10100 remains valuable even when Kevin Durant $10000 plays; KD was quiet in his return from a toe injury on Saturday but that was a defensive struggle (85-74) against the Grizzlies and there will be only token resistance by the Magic. Here’s a sample lineup that uses both OKC stars and hopes for a track meet.
The Hornets are trying to reinvent themselves. Cody Zeller $5500 and Al Jefferson $7600 are banging inside, and with Brian Roberts $4600 now at PG, Lance Stephenson $4600 became a playmaker, with a career-high 13 assists on Saturday. John Wall $9100 should torch B-Rob and Bradley Beal $5900 is a nice price, but the Wizards have been known to underestimate opponents and their bigs are inconsistent.
Milwaukee is hurting badly. Already thin up front because of the Larry Sanders show, Zaza Pachulia (calf) and Ersan Ilyasova (groin) are injured, making John Henson $4600 the best healthy big man. Brandon Knight $7200 vs. Kyle Lowry $8000 will be entertaining and DeMar DeRozan $7000 might dominate. Although Jonas Valanciunas $5400 has all-star talent, Amir Johnson $4400 has played more lately. The Raptors have won six in a row with Greivis Vasquez $4000 starting at SG, Lou Williams $4800 first off the bench and Patrick Patterson $4100 also firing away. If the Bucks are trailing, O.J. Mayo $4500 and Jared Dudley $4100 might take more shots than starters Khris Middleton $5300 and Giannis Antetokounmpo $5600, though the Freak helps in other categories.
Still without a healthy point guard, the Timberwolves will have a difficult time in Dallas. There’s talk of Ricky Rubio $6000 (ankle) and Mo Williams (hip) returning but both are ‘questionable’ and with Rajon Rondo (eye) out indefinitely, Devin Harris $3100 should be in daily lineups and picked up in many traditional leagues. Andrew Wiggins $6900 just played the game of his blossoming career (33 PTS, 4 STL) against Cleveland, inspired by the presence of the man he was traded for. Nikola Pekovic $5300 is starting, Gorgui Dieng $6700 is coming off the bench and those salaries will soon swing in the other direction. Kevin Martin $5100 is no match for Monta Ellis $7500 right now and Tyson Chandler $6300 should neutralize Pek.
| Pos | Premium | Midrange | Bargain |
| PG | R. Westbrook $10100 | Goran Dragic $6300 | Devin Harris $3100 |
| SG | Monta Ellis $7500 | DeMar DeRozan $7000 | L. Stephenson $4600 |
| SF | Kevin Durant $10000 | Andrew Wiggins $6900 | Jared Dudley $4100 |
| PF | Anthony Davis $10800 | Markieff Morris $6000 | Amir Johnson $4400 |
| C | Al Jefferson $7600 | Tyson Chandler $6300 | Spencer Hawes $3200 |
The Fantasy Spin features DFS advice every day of the NBA season. Follow Kent Williams @SheridanFantasy for updates.