Another Friday has come and I promise you it won’t leave until we’re done making some cash tonight. Tonight’s match-ups present so much value that we’ll be hard-pressed not to make some extra income. I have provided the value-plays that I believe will make the difference in your winning tonight. Low-priced, high-value options that will leave you enough cap space to bring in your ‘bigs’. As always (and I know how hard this can be) check the daily line-ups prior to tip-off. Note: Don’t fret, I listed one Spur but not one that Pops will likely sit. Here’s some of the players I’ll add to my Draft$treet roster for Friday night.
***FRIDAY NIGHT NBA FREEROLL ALERT!!!***
Luke Ridnour PG Minnesota Timberwolves ($10,308) Tonight there are many great choices at the PG position but tonight I’ll be investing my cash into reliable money-making players. Ridnour fits that bill. I’m rolling with ‘Cool Hand’ Luke tonight as his price is just too low to ignore. The upside is unlimited here as Barea is still recovering and Rubio is still on limited minute watch which only means mores minutes for Luke. Also, add into the mix that his game has picked up since Love was kidnapped by the Taliban. He’s leading the point for the Wolves and spending ample time on the floor which in turn has led Ridnour to average 25 fantasy points in his last 10 starts. Projection: 16 pts / 5 ast / 4 reb / 1 blk / 1 stl
Jeff Teague PG Atlanta Hawks: 34 Fantasy Points
Tyreke Evans SG Sacramento Kings ($12,801) I love scenarios like this one tonight that involves Evans in this game against the Thunder. The Thunder are one of the better teams on the defensive end of the court but the one thing that they don’t have is an answer on how to stop Tyreke. Trust me, they’ve tried but just can’t seem to get it done. Tyreke is a great start play tonight and he’s got the numbers to prove it. Evans provided 33 fantasy points by scoring 21 points, 2 assists, 4 boards and 3 steals against the Thunder last month. Start Tyreke tonight and if he stays out of foul trouble (which I think he will in this spot, otherwise I wouldn’t be taking him so don’t worry your heads over that thought) we’re money. Projection: 23 pts / 4 ast / 4 reb / 3 stl
Ricky Rubio SG Minnesota Timberwolves: 30 Fantasy Points
Kyle Singler SF Detroit Pistons ($9,724) Kyle has made an impact on this Pistons team and the coaching staff has taken notice. One of the indicators of his playing prowess has been his added time on the floor. Not very long ago Kyle was barely logging in 25 minutes per start; that number now resides in the neighborhood of 31 minutes per game. Kyle must be doing something right. Singler’s cost is near bargain-basement pricing and for what he brings to the table how can you not start him? Kyle facing the Heat tonight will not pose one problem for this Duke alum given the fact that Kyle earned his keep the last time out. In that meeting last month, Singler scored 12 points, 2 assists, 5 rebounds and 1 steal giving him a final tally of 21 fantasy points which I might add is almost two times his value. Kyle will come through tonight as a low radar play so take this ‘tree-top flyer’ as he’ll leave you that extra cap space you’ll need to invest in the ‘beast’ of your choice. Projection: 14 pts / 5 ast / 7 reb / 2 stl
Kawhi Leonard SF San Antonio Spurs: 25 Fantasy Points
Jason Thompson PF Sacramento Kings ($6,985) We’ve got two great things going for us by starting Thompson this evening. History and incompetence. First the history angle, in today’s segment of “History Repeats Itself”, Jason will start against the Oklahoma City Thunder tonight and continue where he left off last month. JT blasted the Thunder for an amazing 29 fantasy points (15 points, 4 assists, 6 rebounds, 1 block and 1 steal) in that game and will be guarded by the once great Serge Ibaka (who hasn’t done crap as of late) which should pose no threat. Now that we’ve gone over the history aspect of this choice tonight, let’s take a look at the incompetent part of it. Ya see, Jason plays for Keith Smart who isn’t quite, well, smart. This knucklehead (if he has any hope of righting this team’s ship, 16-24) better get his head out of his rear and get Thompson into that line-up for big minutes tonight. Recently, Smart has seen and felt the error of his ways by passing over Thompson for rookie Thomas Robinson over the last couple of games. Bad move and big mistake. Look for Jason to start, grab a bushel full of minutes and bring in a solid stat line, ultimately making Coach Smart regret he ever made that stupid mistake the other night. Tip: Hey Smart!!! If it’s not broke then don’t fix it !!! (I just made that up). Projection: 14 pts / 1 ast / 6 reb / 2 blk / 2 stl
Nene Hilario PF Washington Wizards: 36 Fantasy Points
Larry Sanders C Milwaukee Bucks ($13,545) Here is my favorite value-play of the entire day. Larry’s past against this Cleveland team also falls under the category of our second “History Repeats Itself” play of the day. This meeting tonight will be the fourth time that Larry has met up with Cleveland this season and I’m sure Sanders is looking forward to it. In the previous three games Larry has posted-up an average of 10 points, 1 assist, 10 rebounds, 1 steal and get this, 4 blocks. It’s hard not to snatch up an extremely low-priced starting center that will log in big minutes and has averaged 31 fantasy points over the course of 3 games versus the same team. So make it easy on yourself and start him. Projection: 12 pts / 2 ast / 15 reb / 3 blk / 1 stl
Emeka Okafor C Washington Wizards: 37 Fantasy Points
