In our NBA Fantasy Basketball Daily Shopper series, RotoBaller Brad Leibfried brings you his expert picks for NBA Daily League contests on DraftStreet.
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The Daily NBA Fantasy Shopper: NBA Expert Picks for DraftStreet - 12/04/2013
PG: Kyrie Irving ($13,226): Irving has been a bit up and down this season, but he has been in double-digits scoring each game this year. The disappointing part of his game is not having reached 10 assists seven times, and his two games of zero rebounds. Tonight, he gets a Denver team that is usually not interested in playing defense, so this could well be his night to bust out.
SG: James Harden ($18,323): Although his first game back from injury was below par, Harden’s last two games have been what we would expect from the Rockets guard. Putting up 68 points and 14 assists in those games, Harden has again established himself as the team’s top option. Houston gets Phoenix tonight, which is coming off a game in which they gave up 110 to offensively-challenged Memphis. Harden should exceed even this price tag tonight.
SF: Khris Middleton ($10,461): With a bevy of injuries to the Bucks frontcourt, Middleton has emerged as a solid overall option. Last night he played 33 minutes and put up a solid 14 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists. Coach Larry Drew seems to have a ton of confidence in Middleton, so expect the big minutes to continue. His price tag is starting to sneak up, however he is still a reasonable value for a guy who plays as much as he does.
PF: Ryan Anderson ($14,305): With Anthony Davis out 4-6 weeks, Anderson is doing his best to make Pelicans fans forget about missing their best player. His past two games have seen him go for 31 and 36 points, respectively. Anderson is making his money beyond the arc, as he is averaging an unreal 4.4 three pointers per game over eight games. He will not contribute much in the way of defensive stats, but with Davis out he is asked to be more of a rebounder, which has led him to 32 rebounds in his past four games. Tonight, he will be guarded by Dirk Nowitski, who is by no means a defensive wizard; look for Anderson to have another gigantic game.
C: Timofey Mozgov ($8,531): Mozgov is on what you would call a roll. His past two games look like something out of a video game: 16 points, 15 rebounds and 2 blocks, followed by 17 points, 20 rebounds and 2 blocks. He appears to have taken over the main minutes as center from J.J. Hickson, and until he slows down, he should continue to see plenty of action. Tonight’s matchup is with Cleveland, a matchup that doesn’t seem like it should be something to be concerned about, especially at this price.
U: Andre Drummond ($16,741): After his 31-point 19-rebound game Sunday, Drummond was the talk of the NBA. He only cooled down slightly last night, putting up 10 points and 18 rebounds as Detroit knocked off Miami. Drummond is averaging a 12-point and 13-rebound double-double this year. He shoots a remarkable 63% from the floor, so he won’t hurt you there either. He has very quickly moved up to one of the top salaries available, but if he keeps this pace up, he will continue to be worth the investment.
U: Jamal Crawford ($10,786): Even though he has maintained his role as super sub, Crawford has clearly benefited from the absence of J.J. Redick. He has scored 51 points in those two games, while also dishing out 11 assists last week against the Kings. Although he doesn’t start, Crawford still commands over 31 minutes a game, which puts him on par with nearly every other starter in the league. The matchup with Atlanta tonight is a solid one which should also help his value.
I wish you the best of luck in all your Humpday Fanduel and DraftStreet Daily League Fantasy Basketball selections!