Streaming options for Week 5 - Who are you guys streaming next week? Here are my thoughts.
Row, row, row your teamGently down the STREAMFantasy, fantasy, fantasy, fantasyTitle's not a dream In these crazy times, fantasy GMs need to be flexible and quick to react. Plenty of games are being postponed, and plenty of fantasy lineups are remaining unfilled. This is where streaming can come in handy and fill those holes left by poor schedules or game postponements. Here are my thoughts on the fantasy basketball streamers for Week 5. Just one word before we go deep into next week. I've been getting some amazing replies to my posts in the past few weeks, and thank you guys so much for this! I just wanted to let you know that the whole RotoBaller crew is working hard to help fantasy GMs out, and there is a ton of quality stuff on plenty of topics on our website, so if you're looking for information about something else as well, you can probably find it here: https://www.rotoballer.com/category/nba-fantasy-basketball-advice
NBA Schedule Guide - Week 5
Very obvious week for streaming. Tuesday with two and Thursday with three will be the days we focus on. All other days have between seven and 13 games played so fantasy GMs should have less difficulty filling up the lineups there. Here's the low-down: Teams with 4 games: Atlanta Hawks Brooklyn Nets Dallas Mavericks Detroit Pistons Golden State Warriors Houston Rockets Memphis Grizzlies Miami Heat Milwaukee Bucks Minnesota Timberwolves New York Knicks Orlando Magic Phoenix Suns Portland Trail Blazers San Antonio Spurs Toronto Raptors Teams with 3 games: Boston Celtics Charlotte Hornets Chicago Bulls Cleveland Cavaliers Denver Nuggets Indiana Pacers Los Angeles Clippers Los Angeles Lakers New Orleans Pelicans Oklahoma City Thunder Philadelphia 76ers Sacramento Kings Utah Jazz Washington Wizards Teams with 2 games: None Number of teams playing each day: Monday: 20 Tuesday: 4 Wednesday: 22 Thursday: 6 Friday: 26 Saturday: 14 Sunday: 16 Back-to-Backs (beware of older or banged-up players who might rest): Monday/Tuesday: - Tuesday/Wednesday: - Wednesday/Thursday: GSW Thursday/Friday: MIL, NYK Friday/Saturday: BKN, CHI, DAL, DEN, DET, HOU, MIA, MIN, PHI, PHO Saturday/Sunday: - Sunday/Monday the following: BOS, CHA, CLE, IND, MEM, OKC, ORL, POR, SAC, SAS, TOR Days with SIX or fewer games: Tuesday: 2 games Thursday: 3 games Teams playing on both Tuesday and Thursday: New Orleans Pelicans (3 games - Tue, Thurs, Sat) Utah Jazz (3 games - Tue, Thurs, Sat) Teams playing on Tuesday: Denver Nuggets (3 games - Tue, Fri, Sat) New Orleans Pelicans (3 games - Tue, Thurs, Sat) Oklahoma City Thunder (3 games - Tue, Fri, Sun) Utah Jazz (3 games - Tue, Thurs, Sat) Teams playing on Thursday: Golden State Warriors (4 games - Mon, Wed, Thurs, Sat) Milwaukee Bucks (4 games - Mon, Thurs, Fri, Sun) New York Knicks (4 games - Mon, Thurs, Fri, Sun) Los Angeles Lakers (3 games - Mon, Thurs, Sat) New Orleans Pelicans (3 games - Tue, Thurs, Sat) Utah Jazz (3 games - Tue, Thurs, Sat) Teams with a GOOD START to the week (three games from Monday to Thursday) Golden State Warriors (4 games - Mon, Wed, Thurs, Sat) Teams with a GOOD END to the week (three games from Thursday to Sunday) Milwaukee Bucks (4 games - Mon, Thurs, Fri, Sun) New York Knicks (4 games - Mon, Thurs, Fri, Sun) Teams with a POOR START to the week (one or no games from Monday to Thursday) Boston Celtics (3 games - Wed, Fri, Sun) Charlotte Hornets (3 games - Wed, Fri, Sun) Chicago Bulls (3 games - Mon, Fri, Sun) Cleveland Cavaliers (3 games - Wed, Fri, Sun) Denver Nuggets (3 games - Tue, Fri, Sat) Indiana Pacers (3 games - Wed, Fri, Sat) Los Angeles Clippers (3 games - Wed, Fri, Sat) Oklahoma City Thunder (3 games - Tue, Fri, Sun) Philadelphia 76ers (3 games - Wed, Fri, Sat) Sacramento Kings (3 games - Wed, Fri, Sat) Washington Wizards (3 games - Wed, Fri, Sat) Teams with a POOR END to the week (one or no games from Thursday to Sunday) None
Baller Streaming Strategy for Week 5
Absolute stars of this week will be players from the New Orleans Pelicans and the Utah Jazz. Although both teams have just three games this week, they play on both two-game Tuesday and three-game Thursday, along with Saturday which has the next fewest games with seven. Furthermore, streaming players from these teams potentially allows you to have a five-game week from the streaming spot. Now, this is in an ideal situation, but you could have a guy play on Monday, then cut him in favor of a player from NOP or UTA, keep him until Saturday and then drop for another player who has a game on Sunday. Keep in mind though that you're probably not the only one streaming in your league so these players won't just wait around for you to pick them up. So it might be worth more to pick one of these guys up before Tuesday if you think they could be gone by then. There are two more teams that play on Tuesday (Denver and Oklahoma City with three games apiece this week), and four more that play on Thursday (Golden State, Milwaukee and New York with four games and LA Lakers with three). We will be taking a look at their players as well. One important thing to remember here though is to always check whether any new games have been postponed before adding a player based on his schedule.
Streaming Options for Week 5
Shallower League Streaming Adds for the Week (Rostered in 25-75 % of Yahoo leagues): Josh Hart, SG/SF, NOP, (27% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, REB, STL Bojan Bogdanovic, SF/PF, UTA, (71% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, FT% Jordan Clarkson, PG/SG, UTA, (67% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, FT% Will Barton, SG/SF, DEN, (56% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, a bit of everything Paul Millsap, PF/C, DEN, (40% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, FG%, BLK/STL Darius Bazley, SF/PF, OKC, (54% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, BLK, a bit of everything Hamidou Diallo, SG/SF, OKC, (37% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS Luguentz Dort, OKC, (25% Rostered) - Strong Cats: PTS, REB George Hill, PG/SG, OKC, (25% Rostered) - Strong Cats: STL, AST, FT%, 3PM Donte Divincenzo, PG/SG, MIL, (70% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, STL, REB Bobby Portis,PF/C, MIL, (60% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, REB, STL Elfrid Payton, PG, NYK, (60% Rostered) - Strong Cats: AST, STL Alec Burks, PG/SG, NYK, (44% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, FT% - buyer beware: still hasn't returned from injury at the moment of writing this Nerlens Noel, PF/C, NYK, (30% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, STL/BLK - buyer beware: plays very limited minutes Marc Gasol, C, LAL, (27% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, BLK Kyle Kuzma, SF/PF, LAL, (41% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS
Shallower League Add
Jordan Clarkson, PG/SG, UTA, (67% Rostered) Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS, FT% If by any chance you're in a league shallow enough that Clarkson is still sitting on your waiver wire, in case you need some help in threes, points and FT% and don't care too much about turnovers don't waste too much time pondering whether to pick him up or not. Clarkson is the offensive leader of Utah's second unit and is averaging 13.4 field goal attempts per game (6.9 from beyond the arc). He is using his 25 minutes a game quite effectively with averages of 17.1 points, 2.9 3-pointers, 48.4% from the field, 93.3% from the line, 4.8 boards, 1.8 dimes, 0.9 steals, 0.3 blocks and 2.1 turnovers. This has him ranked inside the top 80 on Yahoo. These stats are not too much out of the ordinary for Jordan, although he is rebounding a bit more, but is also turning the ball over more than usual. Therefore, he should be on a similar level next week as well, and with games on such scarce days, he could prove vital to you winning your matchup. Furthermore, Utah plays two games against the Pelicans and one against the Warriors. Neither of these teams have had trouble with Covid so there is less risk of the games being postponed.
Deeper League Add
Royce O'Neale, SF/PF, UTA, (23% Rostered) Strong Cats: 3PM, REB, a bit of everything First of all, if someone told me that I would be recommending O'Neale as a pickup at the start of the season, I would have thought that Utah would have to have seven games that week, and he would still be in the "Insanely Deep" category. But lately, we are witnessing crazier things happen than O'Neale playing some of his best ball so far, so why the hell not? His role on the Jazz team is that of a three-and-D role player who usually just sits in the corner on offense and waits to launch a three, occasionally running down the court for a transition basket. Rarely is the ball in his hands to try to create a scoring opportunity for himself or others. The fact that he is playing close to 32 minutes a game and is averaging 5.0 shot attempts says it all. And that is completely fine, just not that attractive for fantasy purposes. Now, things didn't change drastically with Royce's role, but he is doing everything he does just a little bit better. Averages of 7.3 PTS with 1.8 3PM on 50.0 FG% and 62.5 FT%, 7.4 REB, 2.3 AST, 0.8 STL, 0.4 BLK and 1.1 TO are enough for him to be ranked at #103 in Yahoo leagues. If you like what O'Neale brings to the table, which is a little bit of everything, you could do worse in deep leagues. And with such a low usage rate, he is a pretty safe bet that he won't hurt your fantasy team too much even on an off night.
Insanely Deep League Add
Immanuel Quickley,PG, NYK, (9% Rostered) Strong Cats: 3PM, AST, FT% Immanuel could prove to be both a streaming, but also a season-long pickup. Elfrid Payton is the designated starter at the PG position in New York at the moment, and we all know how much their coach Tom Thibodeau likes to play his starters plenty of minutes, but Quickley has been outplaying Payton in their last two games. Even Thibs said that everything is under consideration, so if Quickley was to take over the starting role and get 30 minutes a night, that would be huge for him and his fantasy value. His upside was flashed quite brightly in the previous two contests with him scoring a combined 42 points (16-of-32 from the field, 4-of-5 from the line) with six 3-pointers, along with seven boards, seven dimes, two steals, a block and just one turnover in 25 minutes a game. With four games (one of which is on the scarce Thursday) next week, Quickley is worth a gamble in deep formats and could pay dividends on this investment for months to come.
Other Deep League Options for the Week (Rostered in less than 25% of Yahoo leagues)
Jaxson Hayes, C, NOP, (4% Rostered) - Strong Cats: FG%, REB, BLK Nickeil Alexander-Walker, SG/SF, NOP, (21% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS - buyer beware: could see a drop in minutes upon Lonzo Ball's return J.J. Redick, SG, NOP, (12% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, FT%, PTS Royce O'Neale, SF/PF, UTA, (23% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, REB, a bit of everything Joe Ingles, SG/SF, IND, (2% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, AST, a little bit of everything - buyer beware: missed his previous couple of games due to Achilles soreness Georges Niang, SF/PF, UTA, (0% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, 3PM - buyer beware: should see a drop in minutes upon Joe Ingles' return Derrick Favors, PF/C, UTA, (11% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, BLK, FG% - buyer beware: plays just 16 minutes a game so far this season Gary Harris, SG/SF, DEN, (18% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, STL, a bit little of everything - buyer beware: missed his previous couple of games due to personal reasons Monte Morris, PG/SG, DEN, (20% Rostered) - Strong Cats: AST, FT%, 3PM P.J. Dozier, PG/SG, DEN, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, 3PM JaMychal Green,PF/C, DEN, (16% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, REB, STL/BLK Facundo Campazzo, PG, DEN, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: AST, 3PM Mike Muscala,PF/C, OKC, (2% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, FT% - positive circumstance: more minutes while Al Horford is out Theo Maledon,PG, OKC, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, AST - positive circumstance: rookie factor Isaiah Roby, PF/C, OKC, (2% Rostered) - Strong Cats: REB, 3PM, FG% - positive circumstance: more minutes while Al Horford is out Aleksej Pokusevski, SF, OKC, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, REB, BLK - positive circumstance: rookie factor Kenrich Williams, SF/PF, OKC, (0% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, REB - positive circumstance: more minutes while Al Horford is out Kevon Looney, PF/C, GSW, (2% Rostered) - Strong Cats: FG%, REB, BLK/STL Eric Paschall, SF/PF, GSW, (12% Rostered) - Strong Cats: PTS, REB Kent Bazemore, SG/SF, GSW, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, STL/BLK, REB Brad Wanamaker, PG/SG, GSW, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: FT%, 3PM AST Damion Lee, SG/SF, GSW, (2% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, STL Bryn Forbes,PG/SG, MIL, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, FT% D.J. Augustin,PG, MIL, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, AST Pat Connaughton,SG/SF, MIL, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, REB, FT%, STL Austin Rivers, SG/SF, NYK, (19% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, PTS Kevin Knox II, SF/PF, NYK, (2% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM Immanuel Quickley,PG, NYK, (9% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, AST, FT% Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, PG/SG, LAL, (13% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, FT%, STL - buyer beware: sprained his ankle on Friday (Jan 1st), no news on his availability yet) Talen Horton-Tucker, SG/SF, LAL, (10% Rostered) - Strong Cats: FT%, REB, STL/BLK Wesley Matthews, SG/SF, LAL, (1% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, STL Alex Caruso, PG/SG, LAL, (4% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, AST, STL - buyer beware: is currently in COVID-19 protocols - check his availability before adding Markieff Morris, PF/C, LAL, (2% Rostered) - Strong Cats: 3PM, REB Hopefully, some of these guys will help you win your next week's matchup and get you that one step closer to winning the whole thing!
Iko- The Book of John: How John Wall got his body, mind and swagger back
As the Washington Wizards were finalizing plans to go finish the 2019-20 NBA season in the Orlando bubble, then-Wizards guard John Wall had plans of his own — but needed to make a phone call and a request first. Technically, Wall says he could have joined the Wizards in the bubble — and even played — but wanted to make sure his body was better than ever before stepping back on the basketball court. “Well, I was already ready to come back on the court before the pandemic,” Wall told The Athletic in an exclusive interview. “I could have played last season around the All-Star break or even in the bubble. But I wanted to wait until I felt I was 110 percent to be back where I wanted to be. That’s what I did and that’s why I’m getting off to a good start this season.” Wall had been sidelined since January 2019, getting surgery on his left heel on Jan. 8 before rupturing his left Achilles tendon three weeks later after a fall at home. As part of his rehab process, Wall worked closely with Wizards assistant coach Alex McClean, with the point guard opting to continue his recovery process in Miami, where he spends his offseasons away from his Potomac home. Although Wall and McClean were part of the same organization, the two have a longstanding close relationship dating to McClean’s playing days at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va. Beginning during the Las Vegas Summer League in July 2019 and continuing for the next three months, Wall and McClean worked out, starting with some light activities before slowly ramping up their schedule. At first, Wall could only walk. When McClean first got down to Miami, Wall couldn’t run or jump. Doing anything involving putting weight on his toes was painful, so a lot of emphasis was put on his set shot, essentially the only thing he could do. Wall had to tweak his muscle memory just to get the familiar feeling back. Some months later, Wall could jog again. When training camp and the season rolled around and Wall could do more with his legs, he would workout either at the team facility in D.C. when the Wizards were at home or would find gyms when the team went on the road. Like Wall, McClean had torn his Achilles before — both, in fact. While he didn’t have the sort of career that Wall had, he still knew the pain and process rehabbing that sort of injury entailed. Right before the world was hit with the coronavirus pandemic, Wall had actually been working out with some of the Wizards players. A rusty Wall wasn’t in game shape but still shone as the best player on the floor — he just needed fine-tuning. So in the summer of 2020, as the Wizards coaching staff was getting ready to make the trip from Washington, D.C. to Orlando, Wall asked the organization if McClean could join him in Miami instead — to which they happily obliged. “I had been living there before I got injured,” Wall said of Miami. “The year before, I had built a house there, so that’s why I rehabbed there. I had another guy that I trusted with the PT work and weightlifting process. And then I brought a guy, Alex McClean, who works for the Wizards to come and do my basketball workouts (with me). So bringing that all together, that’s a few that were part of my team and helped me put in the work that I did.” With the duo in South Beach, it was now time to strategize and come up with the best plan to get Wall back to his best, if not better. For Wall, taking a page out of the LeBron James/Russell Wilson playbook was necessary — cultivating the perfect offseason environment with the right blend of people and programs necessary to keep his body in peak physical condition. There would be monthly benchmarks to reach, seeking a steady increase in all facets of gameplay. “My primary goal was just to stay healthy but get back as strong as possible,” Wall said. I knew that all the hard work that I put in would pay off when I had the opportunity to step back on the court. I took my time and didn’t rush back. Wall’s plan to perfection was a six-month, carefully-mapped out course involving a number of individuals and locations: • There was McClean, the Wizards assistant coach who worked side-by-side with Wall on a daily basis, overseeing all operations. • There was Dr. Zach Colls, his physical therapist, who joined Wall in Miami and was there to support him during the mental journey that rehab takes you on. • Andy Luaces, the owner and founder of Core Fitness Miami, a strength and conditioning gym. • And Stanley Remy, the owner of The Miami Perimeter, a sports performance facility and host of Remy Runs. “I’ve known John since he first got out of college,” Remy said. “One of my main clients, Brandon Knight — obviously he went to Kentucky — they were good friends. “When I first connected with him in the offseason, he had a teammate, Jeff Green, who was in Washington with him at one point. They connected and we all worked out together for about a week or two. We became super cool after that. This summer we reconnected. He had his Washington Wizards coach Alex (McClean), who was down also working with him all summer. Obviously not knowing that he was going to get traded from the Wizards, they wanted to keep eyes on him, make sure he was doing what he was supposed to do because this was a big year for him.” A typical day in Miami would see Wall wake up around 6 or 7 in the morning. Depending on what Wall wanted to do first, his cardio consisted of either running on the Alter-G machine, an anti-gravity treadmill designed for rehab, or he would opt for a bike ride. The latter was more of the competitive side of him, stemming from a bet he and McClean made in February on who would lose more weight. Because the pandemic had closed most things in the nation’s capital, the two had purchased mountain bikes in D.C. and rode them around the city, tracking their distance. One time, Wall and McClean actually ended up racing for 30 miles before realizing they still had to go back. “That’s 60 miles, fuck,” Wall said. Down in South Beach, although restrictions were a bit looser, the bike rides had become a big part of their routine so they purchased two more. After cardio, Wall would head to CoreFit to work with Luaces. Over the years, CoreFit has become one of Miami’s go-to spots for pros across all sports during their various offseasons. Conditioning-wise, Wall was a long way off from his desired shape but he wanted to focus on his agility, lower leg strength and explosiveness. Luaces coordinated those sessions and McClean would join in on the daily workouts to keep Wall motivated. Wall also started lifting weights and at his peak, he was deadlifting 525 pounds. “Everything,” Wall said of the areas of his body he wanted to work on. “The most important thing for me was my legs. I had just torn my Achilles so I had to get my calf muscle back stronger and do other things that I probably never worked on before in my career. My main focus was getting my legs back stronger and I think it’s paid off.” Right after, Wall would grab a shake and head to Remy’s gym for on-court drills and to participate in Remy’s infamous NBA pickup runs. In the evening, Wall would wind down with Peloton classes and massages. A full day’s work, from eight in the morning until eight at night, for weeks. For someone like Wall, a high-level NBA player with a superior IQ, keeping him engaged during on-court drills was of the utmost importance. McClean had to get creative and came up with games to keep Wall’s mind and reflexes sharp. For example, in one drill, Wall would have to keep his hands on his waist the entire time. He would lose points if his hands came up, even slightly. Players like Rodney Purvis, Alonzo Gee and Angel Rodriguez were brought in to assist, giving Wall more bodies to work with and preventing him from feeling isolated working out alone. In a lot of these exercises, Wall wanted to work on his shooting, a part of his game that has been maligned for his entire 11-year career. “Alex trained him every day and also core fitness, but I watched every day,” Remy said. “You can tell he was working on his ability to shoot the ball. Just getting his explosiveness back, which he did, and he’s gotten better at shooting the basketball. Just being in the best shape possible. Those two things, it looks like they were trying to highlight for sure. “ Of course, the main attraction of the day were those Remy Runs. NBA players playing in some organized form of offseason basketball has become a must-watch staple since the 2011 lockout, and the beauty of it is the ability of high-level games to sprout all over the country. To mentally prepare himself for these games, Wall would watch his old film. Specifically, he watched footage from two playoff series: the 2017 first-round series against the Atlanta Hawks and the 2017 conference semifinals against the Boston Celtics. In those two series, Wall played at a high level, averaging 29.5 points, 10.3 assists and 1.7 steals against the Hawks and 25.1 points, 10.3 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.3 blocks against the Celtics. “Just working on it man,” Wall said. “Working on it and watching basketball. I watch all types of basketball no matter what it is — women’s, men’s, kids — I just love to watch the game.” It would be unusual for an NBA player to watch film before an offseason pickup game, but because of his competitive drive Wall couldn’t help himself. He wants to win at all times and is a basketball junkie at heart. “He always participated in my runs,” Remy said. “He was someone who actually made me take those runs seriously because he’s someone that likes to play in the summertime. I think it’s important to play and train, I think they’re equivalent. You don’t want to just lock someone in a gym just do a bunch of drills every single day. Eventually, mentally, they need to see bodies go against people and they need to compete. That’s a big part of their development.” “We use these runs as a point of development. Being able to utilize a lot of stuff that we’ve been working on, trying to get better at during the summertime. And also the level of competition — we want guys to compete against other NBA guys because it gives you a sense of realness. You get to see yourself against guys that you play against throughout the year. Obviously, guys aren’t going super 100 percent but then James Harden comes in for a week or two, it intensifies everything — everyone’s playing at a high level. They see another superstar in the building and others keep coming. It just creates mentally that competitiveness that you need during the summer. Makes it more serious instead of guys just going through the motions, brings them in and they compete at a high level. It intensifies what they need to be working on. It’s a measuring stick. During these games, Wall showed out. Names like Andre Drummond, Iman Shumpert, Harden made appearances at the gym, but Wall met every challenge and steadily raised his game. With every night, the bounce and lift in his legs slowly returned. One of the memorable moments from those runs was the night Wall recreated his signature slam, the exact same dunk he and McClean had watched in their daily highlights sessions. As the entire gym oohed and aahed, Wall looked at McClean and started laughing. “He was coming down in transition on the left side and he slowed down and went from fast to slow, and back to fast, and just dunked it so hard,” Remy said, recalling the dunk. “I was like, ‘Okay, he’s back’ and the emotion and the whole gym felt it. Everything, he does it with emotion, but he has so much different motivation, different people writing him off. You could tell every day there’s a chip on his shoulder. Practice, workouts, games, it doesn’t matter what it is. “We had over 50 NBA players coming to these runs in the summer. Wall was our MVP, absolutely,” Remy added. “This is my second year of giving that award. The first thing I look for in giving this award is consistency and attendance. Every week we’re playing two to three times a week and he’s there. First one there, last to leave. I just watched him continue to get better every single week. Once I saw the athleticism and quickness back, I knew it was over. Just working to make shots, becoming a better shooter. I watched him night in and night out work on it after the runs, staying another hour and a half perfecting it. I saw a level of focus that I haven’t seen and it was tremendous. I knew he would have a great year just because of how locked in he was. This was a different type of locked in.” For Wall’s 30th birthday in September, he spent the week doing charity work. Wall traveled back to the D.C. area and New York with his foundation, helping children out with over 400 back-to-school packages, his seventh annual program. Because the gym at the Player’s Association was closed, Wall played at Basketball City in Chelsea Piers. That week, Wall played at any and every gym he could find in the area, desperate to get some sort of work done. After New York, Wall went down to his hometown in Raleigh, N.C., to visit his old high school, Word of God Christian Academy. Wall was accompanied by Carter Whitt, a collegiate player at Wake Forest who’s also from Raleigh. In October, with the Lakers crowned as champions and the rest of the NBA world in offseason mode, Wall’s rehab circuit took him to Los Angeles — another popular spot for pickup games. Wall trained every day at the late Kobe Bryant’s Mamba Sports Academy, an unofficial training camp for him before linking back up with his Wizards teammates. The Brooklyn Nets were also in Los Angeles at the time and worked out at the same gym. Wall wanted to scrimmage against the Nets conglomerate, which featured Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Caris Levert and DeAndre Jordan. He put his team together, playing with Isaac Bonga, Shelvin Mack and free agents Isaiah Thomas and De’Andre Bembry. Games took place every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The runs were set in playoff-like fashion, a best-of-seven series. It was during these games where those around the gym saw Wall look like the five-time All-Star that he is. In the first series, Wall’s team swept the Nets. It was a pleasurable experience for Durant and Irving seeing a good friend get back to his best. “For sure,” Wall said. “It’s been a lot of moments. Even before the bubble and the pandemic, I felt like I was back. I think just having an opportunity to play against guys like Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving out in L.A. and seeing me play at a high level, knowing how special those two are. They were letting me know I still have a lot of time left in the league and the ability to do what I do.” Wall’s eyes were watching De’Aaron Fox the entire possession and he had a point to prove. It was Jan. 2, just the second game of Wall’s new career with the Rockets since a December trade, but he didn’t need any longer to show the Sacramento Kings and the world that he was back. Wall drove on Kings guard Buddy Hield and put him in the post, backing him down before a quick turn and one-handed hook shot. Swish. Coming down the floor, Wall motioned to the ground, indicating that Hield was too small to guard him. The old, fiery Wall was coming back. On the next defensive possession, Fox’s pump fake had sent Danuel House flying out of the picture and he was met with his old friend Wall defending him on the left wing. Fox attempted a crossover but Wall’s quick hands beat him to the spot, knocking the ball away from Fox momentarily. Both players immediately dove for the ball on the ground, but Wall’s quickness saw him win the battle, knocking the ball off of Fox and out of bounds. As the sideline official signaled Rockets ball, Wall jumped up, flexed his arms and screamed to the heavens. It was a moment that would have truly resonated with Houston fans had there been the normal 20,000 instead of a few thousand scattered around Toyota Center, but Wall didn’t care. Never mind the fact that Wall finished the game with an impressive line of 28 points, six assists, four rebounds, two blocks and three steals. It was a message to the doubters and naysayers. Wall never doubted his ability to return to a high level of play for a second. “No. Hell no,” Wall said when asked if he’s surprised at his start to the season, which has seen him average 17.1 points, 5.5 assists, 4.3 rebounds per game along with a career best 82.1 percent from the free throw line. “No I’m not surprised. I know how much work I’ve put in and I’ll say the NBA is a lot easier than what it was before. It’s a lot of switching one through four, one through five. And it’s a lot of spacing, all shooters out there and guys that can make one-on-one plays. That’s what I pride myself on being able to make, one-on-one plays, create shots for myself and for my teammates. I knew it would be a lot easier at least compared to when I came in the league where the paint used to be packed and you might have one shooter out there.” It was the culmination of a journey that has been filled with its triumphs and tragedies. The birth of his sons and the loss of his mother are two things he constantly refers to because those are situations that drive and push him. “Just my two sons, the passing of my mother, that was more motivation for me,” Wall said. “All the doubters saying I couldn’t be back to my old self and that I was done. That’s all I really need. I don’t need too much, man. I motivate myself because I love to play this game at a high level. Doesn’t matter if we get paid for this or not, I’m just happy to be able to play the game I love. You see me even without fans in the crowd, I play with a lot of passion.” Wall was put in an awkward situation as soon as he arrived in Houston, forced to become a part of the Harden saga that consumed the franchise for months. However, he wasn’t going to let that serve as a distraction from what he was sent to Houston to do — win basketball games. “Just sticking to it,” Wall said. “Even though we knew the bubble was going on and we didn’t know when this (next) season would start. I was like, ‘I hope it’s not gonna be another year until I get to play in front of fans or even see me on TV!’ I’m glad we came to an agreement where I have the opportunity to play and fans get to see me and see all the hard work I’ve put into this. A lot of people said it’s only pickup I’m playing against and can’t do it in the NBA anymore, and I’m still finding myself. It’s good to see real pros every time you step on the floor.” Wall isn’t the only new face in town, as Stephen Silas was hired in late October to be the next Rockets head coach. It’s a relationship that has become incredibly strong from Day 1. The bond between a head coach and point guard is important, but Silas speaks to Wall more than anyone on the team. Whether it’s bouncing ideas off of one another, working through the offense, or taking the lead on defense, those two are in constant communication. Wall has also become the leader of this team as it heads into a new era. During film sessions, Wall speaks up and points out things that the team is doing on the floor, both positive and what teammates need to improve on. In the games Wall wasn’t playing, he could still be seen on the bench walking around the sidelines having talks with players and coaches. “I’m a big leader,” Wall said. “I’m very vocal. I like to talk. When I first came in the league, I used to lead by example but now I have years in and I like to speak up on certain things.”
Hi everyone! I am working non-stop provide the best research and analysis regarding DraftKings (NASDAQ: DKNG). I originally posted my overall investment thesis on the company a few weeks back and now I am breaking down and analyzing the latest news and developments regarding DKNG! And no, it is not the ticker symbol for Donkey Kong. DraftKings in my opinion, is the best pure play investment if you want some exposure to the sports betting, iGaming, and daily fantasy sports space. They're founder led (3 founders to be exact) and they're invested into the company themselves right alongside all of us shareholders or potential shareholders. Within the last week, there has been some exciting developments regarding DraftKings. I will share them below: DK Gift Cards Are Live! You can buy a DK gift card as a stocking stuffer for Christmas if you want. I’m really excited to hear this news. It’s only going to increase the brand awareness of DK and that’s what we want. According to the press release on DK’s investor relations website, they’ve partnered with InComm Payments to facilitate the launching of the gift cards. InComm payments is a global leading payments technology company that has a network of retailers that DK will be able to leverage through this partnership. Convenience stores like 7-Eleven, Speedway and Dollar General are just some of the many convenience stores in Incomm Payments’ network that DK will be able to leverage. For now, the gift cards will be offered in $50 and $25 denominations. The great thing about this to me is that they’ve beat their competitors to this. That shows managements initiative and ability to get things done which I complimented when I first picked this company. As of right now, you’re not going to be seeing any “FanDuel” (boo FanDuel *thumbs down emoji*) gift cards in the stores. Tim Richardson, the Senior Vice President at InComm Payments was quoted as saying “DraftKings will benefit from having its brand present in tens of thousands of Incomm Payments’ retail partner locations across the US”. Overall, good news for DK. New York State – Getting desperate? Do they need some online sports gambling revenue? I want to make this clear before I write about this topic – sports betting is already legal in New York state. The problem is, it’s only legal in brick and mortar (retail) locations. Just under a dozen upstate casinos can operate brick and mortar sports books at the moment. In typical DK fashion, they’re already active in a casino in New York State. DK offers in person brick and mortar sports betting through the Del Lago Resort Casino in Waterloo, NY. My news update I’m sharing is that it appears New York state might be considering expanding to online sports betting too due to a budget shortfall they’re experiencing (they need more tax revenue). This news came out on Wednesday, 12/16/20 during the day time. Governor Cuomo had a press conference during the day. The press conference was primarily focused on giving an update on the COVID-19 pandemic in New York state. During the presser, the topic of New York state’s budget shortfalls came up. As a possible financial solution, Cuomo said “Are there other ways to get revenue? How about marijuana? How about sports betting?” He’s referring to the possible tax revenue that could be collected if sports betting offerings were expanded beyond just the brick and mortar offerings. What if every New Yorker could place a sports wager from the comfort of their own home on their cell phone? The battle for legalizing online sports gambling in New York has been going on for years. Governor Cuomo has always been opposed to it. One of the reasons Gov. Cuomo has cited in the past is that he thinks a constitutional amendment would need to be made to New York state law to allow for mobile sports betting in the state. However, one state representative from New York that has been pushing hard for online sports gambling begs to differ. In response to Cuomo’s comments in the presser earlier that day, State Senator Joseph Addabbo said that there would be no constitutional problem with mobile sports betting because the servers could be placed on site of grandfathered in physical casinos. Addabo said that New York state’s need for revenue is “real and immediate” This is a situation to keep a close eye on. The impacts of legalizing mobile sports betting in NY would be substantial for DK as it would open the population of 20 million people in NY state the opportunity to place wagers on the DK Sportsbook app through the comfort of their home. I imagine it wouldn’t be too difficult for DK to mobilize once they get the green light for mobile betting as they already have the standing relationship with Del Lago Resort Casino for in person betting. The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) granted DK a provisional license to conduct online gaming and sports betting in the state of Michigan For this update I also want to be clear – retail (brick and mortar) and mobile sports betting are already legal in the state of Michigan. It’s just that there’s a lot of yellow tape for Sportsbooks like DK to navigate within a state even after sports betting has become legalized. This provisional license provided by the MGCB was provided to DK and 14 other sportsbooks (including rival FanDuel) on Thursday, December 10th last week. Now there are just a few more regulatory requirements that DK has to meet in the state of Michigan before they can go live. According to http://www.michigan.gov, “Before launch happens, the platform providers must complete additional regulatory requirements including independent testing of platforms and games and MGCB approval of their internal controls, which ensure gaming integrity. The firms also must secure occupational licenses for certain employees.” You can read the full article on Michigan’s government website here. Knowing that DK has a knack for being quick to mobilize once they’re given opportunities in respective states, I fully expect them to pass these last few tests with flying colors. The DK Sportsbook app has already been available in the state of Michigan for “free to enter” games. Once they pass the last few requirements, actual wagers will be allowed to be placed. And money will be allowed to be made! Another promising sign coming out of the state of Michigan, is that on November 30th, 2020, DK became an official sports betting partner of the Detroit Pistons, the NBA basketball team in Michigan. DK Chief Business Officer, Ezra Kucharz, was on the record after the deal closed saying “As our first professional team activation in the state of Michigan, we are thrilled to join forces with the Detroit Pistons ahead of our pending market introduction”. In my opinion, I anticipate we’ll be seeing DK online sports betting in Michigan some time in early 2021. This concludes my update and analysis on DraftKings. TL:DR
Draftkings now offers gift cards and you can buy them in convenience stores (first sports betting company to do so)
DraftKings received a provisional license to conduct sports gambling in Michigan
Governor Cuomo of NY said he would consider legalizing "mobile sports betting" to raise additional tax revenue
If you would like to read my original deep dive and analysis on DKNG, you can check it out here:
10 NBA DFS Plays for Wednesday! +DVP +Tiers Screen Shots ~ CheatSheeetPros.com
NBA Breakdown from CheatSheetPros! Article Link for Screen Shots: https://www.cheatsheetpros.com/post/10-nba-plays-for-wednesday-from-cheatsheetpros QUICK NEWS AND NOTES: NBA is changing throughout the day so if you are new to NBA DFS then you need to be ready to make pivotal moves 30 minutes prior to lock.Just another reminder if you are new that was post this NBA CheatSheet every Thursday in our “Free” Facebook group for people to try out. (Link is at the bottom of article.)I post it in the morning and then update and post it again 60-90 minutes prior to lock. VALUE PLAYS: It is difficult to project a low priced guy this early in the day.Most of the best value plays pop up inside that last hour prior to lock.I would suggest no matter what tools you are using that when finding a value play look at their FPPM (Fantasy Point Per Minute) production over the season and last 5 games.I see so many “value plays” that are chalky but the guy has a FPPM of 0.65 or 0.72 and they just don’t do anything.I prefer guys with a FPPM over 1.00 but at least over 0.90 at a minimum.Also, a GUARD/CENTER value play usually performs better than a random forward because they are more involved.That’s just my two cents. PLAYERS THAT WE LIKE ON THE SLATE TONIGHT! LUKA DONCIC – Luka has the highest ceiling of any player and he is priced under $11k on DK. In his last 6 games played he has hit 86.3 and 87.5 DK points so the main point is that he has done it TWICE and it was not a single random game. The red flag for me is that Utah plays at a very slow pace so use him but don’t lock him in tonight. STEPHEN CURRY – He is 9300 and has an easy 6x match tonight. He just played MIN and went 34 minutes, took 21 shots and put up 53.5 DKPs. He is a great CASH GAME play tonight as he has around a 5x floor and 6x upside. For that reason I don’t like using him in GPPs as we need to shoot for 6x-7x or higher with the higher cash points this year. MALCOLM BROGDON – He is 8600 but coming off a 60.3 DK point game tonight and might be without Sabonis. If Sabonis is out his usage rate is around 27%. MIKE CONLEY – As I am writing this article I noticed Donovan Mitchell was just ruled out. This gives Conley a usage bump from 23% up to 27.2% and priced at only 6100 tonight I have a lot of interest in him. This also puts Jordan Clarkson is play at 5900 who is playing at 1.20 FPPM and should see a boost from his 23 minutes per game. ** NEWS TO MONITOR!** KENDRICK NUNN – Jimmy Butler still OUT, Tyler Herro and Goran Dragic both Q for tonight so Nunn could see another huge minutes boost if one or both of them are ruled out. Make sure to check the updated NBA sheet tonight for the changes because this could be a big one! Nunn is priced at 5700 on DK and playing around a fantasy point per min. This means if he is projected for 35 minutes that is around 35 DKPs putting him at around 6x value. GORDON HAYWARD – He is priced at 7500 and that still feels a little cheap. He is coming off a 43 DKP game but prior to that he hit 57.3 and 50.5 DKPs. If you have followed me in the chat or read any of my stuff you know mid 7K player with 50 DKP upside is my jam! IND may also be without Sabonis tonight which would help Haywards upside! Hay~Hay for the win! No, I’m not talking about the rock eating chicken from Moana! Sorry that is my comical humor for the day. DEMAR DEROZAN – He was priced up to almost 9000 earlier this season and he is down to only 7100. Yes this guy is a roller coaster but he has upside at this price tag. In his last 5 games he has 2 games in the mid 20’s (blah!) but he has 3 games over 43 DKPs and that is over 6x value pushing 7x. Game total is a decent 223 with a tight +4 point spread tonight. If he can play 30+ minute she will crush value, the game where he was in the mid 20’s for DKPs he played 27 and 25 minutes and they won one by 20 and lost one by 22. So if the game stays close as Vegas thinks it will he is a good value play tonight! PHO PLAYERS: I wanted to focus on Mikal Bridges since we are lumping the forwards together but noticed a trend. Mikal has upside with a 51 DKP game on January 22nd where he shot 8 for 15 and grabbed 10 boards and he is priced at only 5300, that is 10x upside! He has several games that are 5x and just shy but the 9x and 10x ceiling is something we need to take down a GPP. Look at our NBA cheatsheet you have DeAndre Ayton – Mikal Bridges – Chis Paul and they are rotating monster games! If you enter a 3 max tourney I would do a lineup with EACH of them. Chris Paul is coming of a 56.8 DKP game, prior was Mikal 51 & Ayton 48.3 and prior to that is was Ayton at 62.3. I WOULD NOT play all 3 together but don’t mind Mikal & Ayton as these seem to pop at the same time. CLINT CAPELA – This guy has been on FIRE for us as he has smashed every time we wrote him up in an article! He is coming off a short 45 DKP game but prior to that he hit 63.3 and 76 DKPs. Tonight, he gets a BKN team that can’t guard the rim. BKN allowed BAM to put up a 26-10-5 line where they only scored 98 points in the game, the prior game BAM put up a 41-5-9 line and in the game prior against CLE Jarrett Allen and Drummond combined for 38 points and 22 boards. Capela who has been on fire is priced up to 9100 but has easy 50-60 DKP upside against this team. MYLES TURNER – If Sabonis is OUT (currently Q) I love some Myles Turner at 7500. He has put up 42, 49 and 41.3 DKPs over his last 3 games and he has a massive usage bump with Sabonis off the floor that jumps from 18% to 23.2%. Another mid 7K guy with pushing 50 DKP upside. If Sabonis is in I don’t mind him but don’t love him. DVP BREAKDOWN, TIERS SCREEN SHOT & TIERS STRATEGY USED LAST NIGHT ARE INCLUDED IN THE ARTICLE LINK ABOVE. Since Reddit does not allow screen shots I am unable to add here but feel free to click the link if you would like to see those items as I enjoy sharing them! Free Group Link: www.Facebook.com/groups/HazeSheets/ Premium Group Access: www.CheatSheetPros.com Twitter Follow for DFS plays & Sports Bets: https://twitter.com/CheatSheetPros Thanks for reading & good luck! Haze
ESPN Lakers-Thunder trade grades: Who wins the Dennis Schroder-Danny Green deal?
The deal Lakers get:Dennis Schroder Thunder get:Danny Green, 2020 first-round draft pick (No. 28) Note: This expected trade can be formally agreed to in principle on Monday and finalized after the Lakers make their first-round pick (No. 28) on Wednesday.
This deal feels unusually difficult to grade from the Lakers' perspective because of what we don't know about their prospects when free agency opens on Friday. The reigning champs could have as many as seven rotation players hit unrestricted free agency, depending on the status of player options for Avery Bradley, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, JaVale McGee and Rajon Rondo. Dwight Howard and Markieff Morris will be unrestricted free agents as well. The uncertainty is particularly large in the backcourt, which is presumably why the Lakers targeted adding a guard. We saw during the 2020 playoffs when Rondo stepped into a larger role -- averaging 24.7 minutes per game, up from 20.5 during the regular season, and even more MPG (26.0) during the NBA Finals -- how useful it was for LeBron James to have a second playmaker to help carry the load. Schroder fits that bill. If Schroder is indeed replacing Rondo, it's amusing because the veteran Rondo was a popular comparison for the German prospect when Schroder entered the NBA draft in 2013. They've evolved in different ways since then, with Schroder proving far more of a score-first point guard and a far better scorer in the NBA. Rondo has never come close to touching the 18.9 points per game Schroder averaged last season (Rondo's career high is 13.7), while Schroder's decision-making and playmaking haven't proved as strong as advertised. He has topped out at 9.7 assists per 100 team plays in his career, a mark Rondo has beat 12 seasons running. Schroder is also a weaker defender than the engaged Rondo we saw at times during the postseason. Just how well Schroder fits will depend in large part on whether last season's improvement as a shooter was a fluke. Having never previously shot better than league average from 3-point range (his career high was 35% in 2014-15), Schroder knocked down 38.5% of his attempts, pushing him above league average in true shooting percentage (.575) for the first time as well. Schroder is a quality foul shooter (83% career), and his improvement is also explained in part by attempting more catch-and-shoot 3s than he had before. Per Second Spectrum tracking, Schroder is a career 37% shooter on catch-and-shoot attempts, as compared to 28% on pull-ups. Last season, a career-high 75% of his attempts were off the catch because he was playing more off the ball alongside Chris Paul and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. As compared to signing Rondo to a multiyear contract at age 34, Schroder is surely a better investment. Getting younger by dealing the 33-year-old Green for 27-year-old Schroder is also a positive for the league's oldest team last season, weighted by minutes played. Still, this deal carries two big risks: First, the Lakers have lost a wing option by dealing Green, their marquee addition in free agency last summer. Yes, I hear you, Lakers fans: Green was a disappointment in L.A. By nature, 3-and-D wings tend to see their value fluctuate in the eyes of observers based on how often those 3s tend to go in. (Caldwell-Pope's Lakers career is pretty much a case study in that effect.) And last season, they didn't go in frequently enough for Green, who shot 37% during the regular season and slumped all the way to 34% during the playoffs. As a result, Green dropped behind Caldwell-Pope in the Lakers' wing pecking order and might have been behind Bradley had the latter not opted out of participating in the NBA bubble.
As we project forward to next season, however, Green's track record (he's a career 40% 3-point shooter and has hit 39% in the playoffs despite his recent high-profile struggles) makes him a far better bet as a shooter than Schroder. My SCHOENE projection system forecasts 39% 3-point shooting for Green in 2020-21 and 36% for Schroder.
Losing the 6-foot-6 Green also leaves the Lakers smaller on the wing. Caldwell-Pope is 6-foot-5 and Bradley (who may or may not return) is 6-foot-3 and better suited to defend the point guards with whom Schroder will now perhaps be matching up. So the second important free-agency variable is what wing with size the Lakers might be able to attract with their midlevel exception to replace Green. The second risk the Lakers are taking is one of alternative cost, or opportunity cost. If they're committed to keeping Kyle Kuzma, this year's first-round pick was the Lakers' best trade chip, and Green their best expiring contract for matching salary. They now have that much less flexibility looking ahead to the trade deadline. In value terms, the Lakers surely sold low on Green and appear to have bought high on Schroder. We'll find out in the next week or two whether the results of free agency justify that decision.
📷 Back when the Thunder acquired Schroder from the Atlanta Hawks for Carmelo Anthony in the summer of 2018, giving up a conditional first-round pick because Schroder's contract was so much less onerous, the idea was Oklahoma City could eventually deal him to help replace the pick. Lo and behold, that's exactly what has happened. In fact, the Thunder could end up way ahead in terms of draft picks if they're in the lottery in 2021-22. In that case, the pick Oklahoma City sends to Atlanta becomes second-rounders in 2024 and 2025. Two seasons with the Thunder rehabilitated Schroder's value, which was limited after spending the previous two years as a starter on lottery teams. Oklahoma City moved Schroder to a bench role, a better fit for his score-first mentality, and cashed in at the peak of Schroder's value after he finished second to Montrezl Harrell in Sixth Man Award voting. Now, the question is whether the Thunder can do the same thing with Green. With the franchise heading toward some version of a rebuild, it's certainly possible Green never makes it to Oklahoma City. If he is part of the 2020-21 Thunder, they can hope Green shoots well for the first few months of the season, which might make him valuable to a contender before the trade deadline. If not, dealing one expiring contract for another hasn't really cost the Thunder anything down the road.
The NBA tradition continues as we have a great five game slate on Christmas Day, thankfully without the Knicks for once! It is LOADED with star power as the NBA are no fools when they create the schedule. Luka Doncic, LeBron James, Jayson Tatum, Steph Curry, Nikola Jokic…the list goes on and on. We’re going to go through each position and figure out who we’re locking into our cash games in the NBA Cash Game Breakdown 12/25!
What We Look For In Cash Formats
High Floor – We need players we can trust to get us to a certain value almost no matter what. If they have a poor shooting night, they can still do enough other things to score 4-5x.
Chalkiness – We need players who are going to be highly rostered. If a player is 70% or higher (Luka on Wednesday night) and they go off without you, that’s likely the end of your night.
Positional Strength – Especially on FanDuel, sometimes a position is going to be very thin and needs prioritized.
Ghost’s Model – This model needs to be the Bible as far as projections. My article will mostly be written the night before. I’m telling you this up front – Trust. The. Model. We can’t always update the articles and it won’t lead us astray. If it’s on a player that isn’t mentioned in mine, trust it.
Late News – Another very important aspect to stress – do not play a slate if you can’t update close to tip. The NBA changes in an instant. One piece of news can change everything.
Point Guard
Luka Doncic ($10,700 DK/$11,300 FD) – Luka is the perfect fit for the floor that I talked about. He shot poorly from the floor to start in the first game of the season. At one point, he was 2-9 and finished just 11-26. Still, he scored right about 50 DK points and still rocked a 40.7% usage rate. He might be a hair tougher to fit since we’re lacking a ton of value, but there’s no doubt of the extremely high floor Luka has without Kristaps Porzingis in the lineup. Kyrie Irving ($8,900 DK/$8,900 FD) – Whew, did Kyrie look phenomenal in game one. It’s not just the hot shooting, he looked like he was engaged and at full strength. We get the narrative of heading back to Boston and there’s no fans to heckle him, which honestly helps in my eyes. Irving has a 24.7% usage rate and a 1.52 FPPM in the first game, which will more than pay the bills in this spot. I lean Kyrie>Luka just because of the price difference. Kyrie getting you 45-50 will be more valuable than 65-70 from Luka with the $2,000 spread out across the lineup. Jrue Holiday ($7,500 DK/$7,000 FD) – The Milwaukee Bucks (-10) Wager $10 on MIL📷Win by 10:$19.36 have sacrificed depth for star power and the first game might show a pattern. All of Holiday, Giannis and Khris Middleton played at least 36 minutes and Holiday played 38. Minutes equals production when we’re talking players of Holiday’s caliber. The blowout concern is real, but if the Bucks are up big Holiday will help them get there. He had a 22.8% usage rate in the first game and that’s plenty with so many minutes. Jeff Teague ($4,200 DK/$5,800 FD) – The biggest lock on the slate for DK is none other than Teauge since he has an actual role. In playing 25 minutes off the bench, Teague went nuts for 19 points and kicked in three boards and four dimes. For those of you new to NBA, being the leader off the bench is a lot of times better than being the fifth starter. Teague had a 27.1% usage rate, second to only Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in game one. He gets a pace up spot and should shine once again. If he doesn’t he’s likely to be the highest-owned player in cash so it won’t kill you. Honorable Mention – Steph Curry – He’s much easier to fit on FD and I do worry he doesn’t see enough minutes to pay off the DK price. However, the Bucks have yielded three-point attempts at the highest rate in the league going back to last year. They gave up 40 in the first game. If they let Steph shoot, we know what will eventually happen.
Shooting Guard
Paul George ($8,700 DK/$7,600 FD) – I greatly prefer PG13 on FD, where I have to have two shooting guards. George went bonkers for 33 points on Wednesday with a 28% usage rate. It’s not the best game to target overall, but he wouldn’t kill you on FD even if his real points go back to around 24. Khris Middleton ($7,400 DK/$7,400 FD) – This is pretty much a copy and paste from Holiday. Middleton will be tasked with big minutes if the game stays close and he should be asked to elevate his game. If the Bucks continue to log big minutes, even players not named Giannis have a higher floor than in year’s past. His 1.56 FPPM was almost identical to Greek for at least one night, though he was red-hot from the floor. Eric Bledsoe ($5,600 DK/$5,600 FD) – This is a play that I like better on DK since he’s the bigger bargain. Bledsoe can be a little frustrating at some points, but he looked right at home with the Pelicans in his debut. He played 34 minutes, scored 18 points and tacked on six assists. His FPPM wasn’t crazy high at 0.97 but the 21.7% usage rate would be fine in big minutes. He’s sharing the floor with Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson, and should be able to get some easier dimes on a nightly basis. Dennis Schroder ($6,300 DK/$5,000) – Schroder had a ceiling game which has him a hair expensive on DK but an absolute lock on FD. His price didn’t move on that site, for whatever reason. Both LeBron and Anthony Davis scuffled Wednesday, and Schroeder picked up the slack and flirted with a triple-double. That’s not going to happen often but he’s the starting point guard with Bron and AD. He’s going to fall into production and be a scoring threat with or without them on the floor. Donte DiVincenzo ($4,700 DK/$4,500 FD) – He played 28 minutes and is cheap, and should be carrying a little more of the load with the depth pillaged away for Milwaukee. The good news is if the game gets out of hand, it think he stays on the court longer than the big three. I’m not totally in love with him for cash, but if he’s the last man in I would get behind it if you love everything else. *Note\* Tyler Herro is only PG/SG on DK, and we’ll get to him in the SF portion since that’s how he’s listed on FD.
Small Forward
LeBron James ($10,000 DK/$11,000 FD) – It’s LeBron coming off an average game on Christmas Day against a team that is not great defensively. You don’t think he hears Luka is an MVP favorite in the preseason? LeBron will be looking to prove a point. Likely a little easier to fit on FD and a bit more needed with two SF to fill. Jaylen Brown ($7,000 DK/$7,500 FD) – I’ll never tell you that you’re wrong if you go with Kawhi Leonard at this spot. However, Brown is $2,000 cheaper, in a pace up spot and is the sidekick to Tatum in Boston with Gordon Hayward in Charolette. Brown poured in 33 points in game one and had a 29.3% usage rate. Giddy up. Brandon Ingram ($8,300 DK/$7,300 FD) – He’s easier to fit on FD but you can’t go wrong in either. Sure, you probably don’t get the near triple-double again but Ingram continues to improve by leaps and bounds. I think he’s still going to be the usage rate leader at the end of the year and the first game was 28.1%. If Jimmy Butler happens to sit, this matchup gets even juicier. Caris LeVert – ($7,200 DK/$5,800 FD) – LeVert is a huge pricing difference and that means I probably can’t get there on DK. On FD however, he’s near a lock to my eyes. He ran off the bench all by himself with Kyrie or KD, which is a huge piece of information. I think they leave him alone on the second unit. For one, it helps the Nets as a team. They can rest both Kyrie and KD at the same time without sacrificing offensive capability. It also still elevates LeVert’s trade value if the Nets goes for a third star (not to diss LeVert). Either way, the 34.9% usage rate for LeVert is massively underpriced on FD. Joe Harris ($5,300 DK/$4,300 FD) – This is about as low as I can go at the position and Harris did a little bit of everything. He chipped in 10 points, had seven rebounds and two assists. Ghost hit home on the point that with Kyrie and KD garnering all the defensive attention, Harris flies under the radar and is a sharpshooter. I don’t think you run both on Harris and LeVert, but you can use either or. Tyler Herro ($5,600/$5,000 FD) – Herro is only a cash play if Butler is out. Fortunately, that’s the first game of the day and we’ll know what we need before the slate even gets going.
Power Forward
Giannis Antetokounmpo ($10,900 DK/$11,600 FD) – I’m more likely to get my Bucks exposure from other pieces, but there’s not really a safer bet to hit 50 fantasy points on any given slate than Greek. Jayson Tatum ($9,300 DK/$9,800 FD) – He’s my favorite stud on the slate. The 40.4% usage rate is tantalizing to say the least, as is a 1.52 FPPM. That’s Luka-level usage and even if it drops a little bit, Tatum is underpriced. He’s in a run and gun spot and probably the most attractive game on the entire slate. Kevin Durant ($9,800 DK/$8,500 FD) – Still massively underpriced on FD, Durant looked like he had never dealt with an injury in his life on Tuesday. He flirted with a 30% usage rate and scored a 1.64 FPPM. He’s just a smash play on FD and I’m not going to complain if you play him on DK. Anthony Davis ($10,300 DK/$10,600 FD) – He deserves to be motioned, and you can play him for sure. However, just look at the PF position. We’re in love with KD and Tatum is my favorite. I can only play two, so AD won’t make the cut for me. I don’t think he plays that poorly again and who on the Dallas side could actually stop him? Paul Millsap ($4,900 DK/$4,900 FD) – This is really DK-only but since we need value and don’t have a lot, we’ll take the minutes where we can. Even without the OT factored in, Millsap played over 30 minutes. When a player is under $5,000 we need to at least consider him.
Center
Nikola Jokic ($10,100 DK/$9,700 FD) – Is there a better center than the Joker in the league? I don’t really think so when he’s engaged and he had a triple-double in the first game of the season. Denver rolls as Joker rolls, and he’s such an incredibly unique talent. The matchup is tougher than Wednesday with Serge Ibaka but it’s not enough to worry about. The 29.1% usage rate is what we chase and he’s a triple-double threat every time on the court. Montrezl Harrell ($6,000 DK/$51,00 FD) – I don’t think he has the same type of game as he did the first night, but he’s coming in chalky. That’s fine for cash, even if we don’t think he replicates the results. I’m with Ghost that if AD is rolling, Trez likely won’t be doing a ton. I will say if the Lakers go 10 deep into the rotation, maybe that helps Trez a bit. He’s chalky and in cash that can be all that matters. Ivaca Zubac ($5,300 DK/$4,700 FD) – Zubac played 26 minutes and scored 11/6/1. Nobody has ever accused Joker of being a lockdown defender and they really don’t have a true backup center in the traditional sense. Win Daily Poster Boy Mason Plumlee is in Detroit now. Zubac on the second unit approaching 30 minutes is more than enough to pay off.
Core Four (ALWAYS subject to change in Discord)
Jayson Tatum/Jeff Teague/Montrezl Harrell/Kyrie Irving Thank you for reading and make sure you follow me on Twitter at u/bucn4life! Be sure to sign up for an ALL ACCESS GOLD ACCOUNT account here at Win Daily Sports. Gain access to our Projection Models and jump into our Discord where we will have our experts talking plays across every sport and slate!
The New York Knicks: (Almost) Five Decades of Failure
May 10, 1973 - 1973 NBA Finals, Game 5 - "3 seconds to play, they give the ball to Chamberlain who drops it in...1 second to play. One. The Knicks are hugging each other and having some fun...but they inbound it, the clock goes...the game is over and New York has won the ball game!" Well done, Knicks! You won your second championship in franchise history against the Laker Empire, and have cemented yourselves among the greatest teams in NBA history. Sure, your team is aging but the future is looking brighter than ever. Let's look into your future. 1974 - Unfortunately the title defense is unsuccessful. You get utterly massacred in 5 games by the Celtics. And to add insult to injury, Willis Reed announces his retirement from the NBA. Hopefully this won't be a sign of things to come! 1975 - The team barely squeaks into the playoffs but unfortunately falls to the Rockets. Be sure to remember that team 19 years from now. 1977 offseason - Unfortunately your HOF coach Red Holzman just isn't gonna cut it anymore. It's time to bring back a legend - Willis Reed is your new head coach! Now don't fuck it up. 1978 - The Knicks return to the playoffs and win another playoff series against the Cavs. Unfortunately they are then swept by their crosstown rivals in Philadelphia. 1979 - Turns out Willis Reed decided to be a fucking idiot and has pissed off the Madison Square Garden president. The team brings back Red Holzman as their head coach. Who knew that former players RARELY pan out as successful head coaches?! 1981 - Only took you a few years but you made it back to the playoffs again. But you are then swept by the Bulls in the first round. Remember that team. 1982 - Red Holzman decides to throw in the towel after a mediocre 33-49 season. Sucks that he couldn't go out stronger, but he was a great head coach. 1983 - Regardless, you still made it back to the playoffs just in time for another second round sweep from the 76ers. 1983 offseason - You managed to land prized free agent Bernard King! You got yourself a great player! Now go make some noise! 1984 - The team returns to the playoffs and barely squeaks by an emerging Pistons team in the first round. Unfortunately they run into that OTHER Empire in the Celtics, and fall in 7 games. You've got lots of promise. Keep it going. 1985 - Did I say promise? I meant to say an embarrassing collapse into the pits of hell as Bernard King injures his knee and ends up in rehab. 1985 NBA Draft - At least you're garbage enough to land a top prospect in the draft! By some sort of miracle...and perhaps some shady book cooking by David Stern, you managed to win the NBA's first ever Draft Lottery and won the player that led Georgetown to the 1984 National Championsip - Patrick Ewing! Now we're talking! 1986 - Despite Ewing winning Rookie of the Year, you guys are still trash. Enjoy the basement. 1987 - We need to find a new head coach. This Rick Pitino guy led Providence to the Final Four this year. Let's bring him along. 1988 - You make it back to the playoffs at last, and new draft pick Mark Jackson wins Rookie of the Year! Unfortunately you are then embarrassed by the fucking Celtics again. 1989 - Now you're starting to turn things around. You won the Atlantic Division and another playoff series! Your time is now! 1989 NBA Playoffs, Second Round - That's what we all thought. You get a taste of your new playoff nightmare - the GOAT! Otherwise known as Michael Jordan, as his Bulls torture you slowly over the entire course of 6 games. Have fun hearing that name for the next decade or so. 1990 - Unfortunately Rick Pitino has decided to go back to coaching in college, but your new head coach, assistant Stu Jackson has managed to lead you back to the playoffs! You come back from a 2-0 series deficit and beat those fucking Celtics in a playoff series for once! Yeah, fuck Boston and their dead dynasty! 1990 NBA Playoffs - Unfortunately you are then put out to pasture by the Bad Boy Pistons in 5 games. 1990 - You manage to trade for another face of the franchise to the Warriors for John Starks. Good hire. 1991 - Unfortunately it is not enough as you are swept by those fucking Bulls in the first round again! 1991 offseason - After failing to make it past the second round for god knows how long we need a real head coach again! Let's bring in ex-Lakers head coach and 5-time NBA Champion Pat Riley! 1992 - You return to the playoffs and put an end to the terror of the Bad Boy Pistons once and for all in the first round. Just in time for your annual defeat at the hands of Jordan's Bulls. Again. Well, at least things are looking up for you again. 1993 - You're finally a championship contender again! New acquisitions Charles Oakley, Anthony Mason, Greg Anthony, and Derek Harper help you finish with a 60-win season and the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference! You breeze past the first two rounds and return to the Conference Finals for the first time in over 15 years! Your time is now. 1993 Eastern Conference Finals - Unfortunately, the team proceeds to choke away a 2-0 series lead to guess who? Those FUCKING BULLS AGAIN! And that Bulls team goes on to complete a 3-peat in the Finals! You get a trophy of herpes. 1993 offseason - GREAT NEWS! MICHAEL JORDAN HAS BEEN HANDED A 2-YEAR SUSPENSION BY DAVID STERN FOR HIS GAMBLING HABITS! THE WINDOW IS FINALLY OPEN! 1994 - The Knicks finish strong with yet another Atlantic Division title and the #2 seed in the Eastern Conference. With Jordan gone the Eastern Conference is sure to be yours! Get going! 1994 NBA Playoffs, Second Round - AT LAST! THE BULLS HAVE FINALLY BEEN DEFEATED!! YAY!!! NOW THE CHAMPIONSHIP IS UP FOR GRABS! Now who are they playing next, the Indiana Pacers?! Pfft, the Knicks have got this in the bag! 1994 Eastern Conference Finals - Ugh, you're down 3-2 in the series to the fucking PACERS of all teams? Fucking hell, just get it over with so I can hit the booze-wait...the Knicks...didn't choke?! They're heading back to MSG for a Game 7?! Say it isn't so! 1994 ECF, Game 7 - YOU DID IT! You made it back to the NBA Finals! All the pain and heartbreak is finally over. And you're facing off against another team looking to end championship heartbreak in the Rockets, led by Ewing's old college rival in Hakeem Olajuwon! Eh, they've made it far enough. It's your fucking time now! Bring that Larry O' Brien trophy home to New York! 1994 NBA Finals - You're DOING IT! You're one game away from winning your first title in 21 years! Sure the OJ chase may have spoiled this moment, but you are one game away now. Finish the job! 1994 NBA Finals, Game 6 - Unbelievable! John Starks is on fire as he continues to make 3-pointer after 3-pointer as he chips away at the Rockets' lead! You're only down by 2 with seconds remaining with the ball in Starks' hand. If he makes this shot at the buzzer he'll become not only Finals MVP, but also a legend in New York sports...now let's savor this moment. "Found Starks...Rockets don't want to foul, STARKS FOR 3! CAME UP SHORT! The game is over and it will go to a 7th and decisive game on Wednesday!" And then Hakeem the Dream comes in to spoil your plans. Oh well, at least you have a shot in Game 7-OH RIGHT! They never mention that, do they?! 1994 NBA Finals, Game 7 - Hakeem the Dream comes to life in Game 7 and flat out crushes the Knicks' title dreams with his own two hands. All of New York City's 5 boroughs then demand John Starks' head to be paraded down Times Square for completely falling apart during the game. At least New York got to see the Rangers win the Stanley Cup...I guess? 1995 - New year, fresh start. It's time to avenge last year's Finals defeat...but unfortunately the Pacers are looking for revenge. They nearly blow it but they still seal the deal in Game 7 as Patrick Ewing fucks up the tying basket in the final seconds of play. Fucking hell where's my bottle of Jack? 1995 offseason - And now Pat Riley has decided to fuck off to Miami. Your new head coach is Don Nelson. Eh, could be worse I guess... 1996 - Weird. Nelson is then fired after 59 games after not getting along with the players and is then replaced by Jeff Van Gundy. Well, he does lead you back to the Playoffs and you managed to allow us to laugh at Cleveland again. Unfortunately this is when things make a turn for the worse. Michael Jordan is back from his gambling suspension and his 72-win Bulls then pulverize you in 5 games. Great. 1997 - You have another strong season and you have a 3-1 series lead against the Heat in the second round. Don't fuck this up... 1997 NBA Playoffs, Second Round Game 5 - "PJ Brown throws Charlie Ward...watch out! This one's gonna get really ugly! PJ Brown picked Charlie Ward up and threw him into the photographer's row! I don't know what began this struggle but I did see PJ Brown pick Ward up and heave him upside down!" Oh Jesus Christ, an all out bloodbath takes place on the court and numerous Knicks players are acting like fucking idiots. And as a result your ENTIRE STARTING FIVE gets suspended for Games 6 and 7! Just fucking wonderful. 1997 NBA Playoffs, Second Round Game 7 - And as a result, the Heat manage to erase a 3-1 series deficit and win the series in 7. Hmm, maybe if you didn't decide to try and kill Miami's players this wouldn't have happened, eh? YOU BLEW IT!!! 1998 - Well, your window is beginning to close on you yet again. You're the 7th seed in the East and you're facing...MIAMI AGAIN?! Ugh...just get it over with already by hurting Miami's players so I can hit the booze again...wait...the Knicks didn't...choke? Even though there was another brawl at the end of Game 4 the Knicks still won the series? Say it isn't so! 1998 NBA Playoffs, Second Round - It isn't as that was just a fluke and the Pacers use Chinese water torture on them for 5 games. Have a nice day. 1999 - And now is where the true horror begins, Knicks fans. You have a new owner at the helm. This name shall haunt you for the next two decades: James. DOLAN.BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!lightning strikes And it turns out your team is now on it's final legs. Patrick Ewing is aging rapidly, John Starks was traded back to Golden State for this Latrell Sprewell guy who nearly killed his coach, Charles Oakley was traded to the Raptors for Marcus Camby, Jeff Van Gundy is on the brink of losing his job, and the team barely made it into the playoffs as the 8th seed in the East. And they're facing...Miami again. Yeah, I'm aware that 8 seeds can beat 1 seeds but you are one of the worst 8 seeds in recent memory. Just die a quick death already and get out of my face. 1999 NBA Playoffs, First Round Game 5 - "Allan Houston...Houston ducks under...GOT IT!! WITH 8/10ths LEFT!!" Oh my god...you're aren't seriously... "Porter got it away...NO GOOD!! Just missed! And the New York Knicks have become the second #8 team in NBA history to knock off a #1!" My god you fucking did it again! And while making NBA history at the same time! Well, at least you won a playoff series again I guess. I'm not sure if you can keep it up... 1999 NBA Playoffs, Second Round - You did not...you seriously allowed us to laugh at the Hawks again? AND you made the Conference Finals...as an 8 SEED?! 1999 Eastern Conference Finals - MY GOD YOU FUCKING DID IT! YOU MADE THE NBA FINALS AS AN 8 SEED! My god I just pissed my pants at lightspeed watching this moment. Hopefully you can keep this Cinderella run going. It's almost as if this is destiny... 1999 NBA Finals - Unfortunately the clock struck 12, and you get massacred in 5 games by Tim Duncan, David Robinson, and the Spurs. Still a successful season though. Very successful. I honestly don't think a feat like this will ever be accomplished in the NBA again. An 8 seed in the NBA Finals? That's just unheard of. Well, at least things are looking up for you...for a little while longer. Better luck next year boys. 2000 - Well, you have definitely improved on last year's record. You're the 3rd seed in the East with a 50-32 record. And you're facing the Pacers in the Conference Finals again. You got this. 2000 Eastern Conference Finals - Unfortunately they don't, as the Pacers finally get over the hump and make their first NBA Finals. Shit. I hope this isn't a sign of things to come and you don't make it back here for another couple decades...please? 2000 offseason - Actually it may be. Patrick Ewing is gone as he has been traded to the SuperSonics. Now is where the suffering begins. 2001 - At least Allan Houston and Latrell Sprewell led you back to the playoffs as the 4th seed in the East. Unfortunately it's not enough as you are then force-fed poutine down your throats by the Raptors. We're losing to Toronto now, eh? 2002 - And it gets even worse. Jeff Van Gundy has resigned and now your window has slammed shut on your face. You're terrible again! Not even Houston and Sprewell can save your from this disaster! 2003 - And it gets even worse. Say hello to your new GM. A name that will haunt you for years to come. Isiah Thomas. lightning strikeBWAHAHAHAHAHAH! 2004 - You still somehow pull a playoff berth out of your ass. And you are swept by the Nets. It's as if you were never there... 2005-11 - And the misery continues. Dolan and Isiah continue to run you into the ground by making poor draft picks like Eddy Curry, signing old players to overpriced contracts, and sexual harassment lawsuits aplenty against Isiah. 2011 - You've been garbage for far too long. It's time for you to make a move. You trade a nice package to the Nuggets to obtain Carmelo Anthony And after throwing a shitload of money at Amar'e Stoudemire you return to the playoffs for the first time in a while only to get swept by an old rival in the Celtics. Old habits die hard, don't they? 2012 - After acquiring this Jeremy Lin guy and staring a new trend called "Linsanity", you return to the playoffs one again and face your old foes in the Heat. Who they proceed to curbstomp you in 5 games as key players get injured and Amar'e Stoudemire decided to be a fucking idiot by punching a glass door guarding a fire extinguisher. If only you weren't such a fucking idiot Stoudemire... YOU BLEW IT!!! 2013 - At last, this is your best season in ages. You win the Atlantic Division for the first time in almost 2 decades and you win 54 games, which is good enough for the 2nd seed in the East, and that's despite the fact that you lost Jeremy Lin and Landry Fields in free agency. You win a playoff series for the first time in over a decade against those hated Celtics, but unfortunately, your old rivals in the Pacers are waiting. And they put you down in 6 games. There's always next year though... 2013 - Or not. Turns out James Dolan is a fucking idiot and signs another idiot GM to the helm. Phil Jackson. WILL THE SUFFERING EVER END?!!! 2014-present - And it turns out that was just a fluke, and you're utter cow manure again. What an utter travesty. I would explain more, but Tree explained the Knicks' failures in the modern era better than I ever could. All that talent they've had over the years and they couldn't even win ONE championship? A shame. If it wasn't for Olajuwon's block in Game 6 of the 1994 Finals I bet this team's history would have been drastically different than it is today. That one moment literally sealed the Knicks' fate, and likely for a LONG, LONG time to come. This team still has the fourth longest championship drought in the NBA. They've had to watch as two of their division rivals in the Celtics and Raptors have managed to win championships in the modern era. They've had to watch as they have slipped into irrelevance in the New York sports world as even the goddamn ISLANDERS of all teams have managed to become more relevant than they are. Even the sentient Derp known as the Giants have managed to have more success. And so has the Buttfumble known as the Jets. Even the LOLMets have been more successful too. And I haven't even gotten to the worst part of this yet. James Dolan is still in his mid-60s. Which means you'll likely be waiting at least another 2 decades until he's on his final breaths of life. For now, enjoy the basement, Knicks fans. I hope you have enough liquor to last you 20 years.
NBA legend Michael Jordan makes bet on DraftKings, will also advise board
This is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 12%. (I'm a bot)
DraftKings Inc said on Wednesday basketball legend Michael Jordan will take an undisclosed equity stake in the fantasy sports and gambling company and join its board as a special advisor. Shares of the company jumped more than 13% to $41.86 in premarket trading. Jordan, a six-time NBA champion who led the Chicago Bulls' dynasty in the 1990s, is a Basketball Hall of Famer who owns the Charlotte Hornets. An autographed and well-worn pair of his Nike Air Jordan sneakers fetched a record $560,000 at an auction in May. Jordan has agreed to take an equity interest in DraftKings and will provide strategic and creative advice on areas including product development and marketing, the sports betting company said on Wednesday. DraftKings was taken public earlier this year by an entity founded by Hollywood executives Jeff Sagansky and Harry Sloan in a deal that valued the company at $3.3 billion. There has been long-term optimism in the growing market for U.S. sports gambling, even as the COVID-19 pandemic has led to broadcast networks and sports leagues either postponing or rescheduling games and seasons.
Summary Source | FAQ | Feedback | Topkeywords: company#1sports#2Jordan#3DraftKings#4year#5 Post found in /news. NOTICE: This thread is for discussing the submission topic. Please do not discuss the concept of the autotldr bot here.
Hey FB Community!!! I hope everyone is having a good week. Last time, I post here I did a “who to watch out for.” However, this time I would like to talk about “maximizing your WW pick-ups,” this week. I know this is kind of late already since its being Monday and all, but there may be still time to make moves! To save time, I am going to give you guys who I am picking up and why, and if you guys would like to share who you are picking up and why that would be great! I hope we can help one another out this week and get that W. Also this is a very long post, so if you dont wanna read it all I would totally understand. ENJOY! SO LET’S GET STARTED!! Websites I am using are: https://hashtagbasketball.com/nba-defense-vs-position https://hashtagbasketball.com/advanced-nba-schedule-grid https://basketballmonster.com/playerrankings.aspx This is a list of criteria on how I would “Maximizing your pick-ups” (No certain order)
Look for B2B
Matchups
Minutes= Opportunity=Value
If your potential pick up hits two of the three on the list then you have most likely maximized your pick-up! Monday (12/9) Nine NBA games! (No B2B) (However I am really only focused on one match-up) Golden State vs Memphis Grizzlies. I’m really focused on Memphis Grizzlies players in this match-up because of golden state’s defense. They are just flat out horrible. Using our first link provided, we can see Golden state ranked really badly in defending guards (PG/SG) and horrible at defending (SF). There are two-three potential pick-ups. - Jae Crowder (SF)- Honestly, hits two of our three criteria. Clear path to minutes and his match up is spicy since GS ranks in the lower half of the middle tier in terms of DVP (defense vs position). These next two pick-ups are most likely wash because of the recent news that came out about Ja Morant, but if Ja doesn’t suit up please take a look at Tyus Jones/ De’ Anthony Melton as GS is in the bottom five in terms of DVP on Pgs. Tuesday (12/10) Four matchups (three B2B) (Two team, I am focusing on is the New York Knicks) They are playing a b2b and their match ups are spicy as they can be. They play both Portland and Golden State. Which both teams ranked horrible at defending against Point Guards. Which means I’m focusing on either picking up: -Frank Ntilikina (PG) Steal specialist -Elfrid Payton (PG) All-production -Dennis Smith Jr (PG) Offensive minded I would like to remind people this is a major gamble because you do not know what PG will start/get the most minutes/ etc. I went with Payton since he gives the all production, but he hits two of the three criteria on the list (B2B, matchups) *Next team, I would focus on is Denver Nuggets (Tuesday& Thursday Match-ups) The main reason why I am focused on the Nuggets is not because of their match up for Tuesday (against 76ers), but actually their match up for Thursday. If you have a full loaded line for Wednesday. This might be your best possible move. The main person, I would target here is Gary Harris. I’ll explain my reason on the Thursday match-up. Wednesday (12/11) Eleven match-ups (two B2B) IMO, you honestly don’t need to pick up anyone here. You should be close to a full line up. However, if you are like me drop Jae or your Monday pick-up and prepare for Thursday-Sunday games. Thursday (12/12) Four Match-ups (One B2B) You could potentially pick up someone on the 76ers since they play a B2B but they play Boston and then New Orleans. I’m not too high on anyone for this B2B matchups, but if I would select someone it would be: -Matisse Thybulle (SG): Stock Specialist. If you pick him up and he gives you at least 6 stocks between two games then it was a good pick up, but with Josh Richardson looking prime to return soon and could take away Matisse minutes. I would avoid him at all cost, if this happens. So the one match-up, I am focused on is the Denver Nuggets Vs Portland Trailblazers. Alright this is probably where, I lose most of you and I completely understand, but the guy I am betting my chips on is Gary Harris. -Gary Harris (SG) offensive mind shooting guard with a steal or so a game. In the past two weeks, he is ranked inside the top 100 according to BBM. Portland is in the middle-to low of the pack in terms of DVP, and Gary Harris also has a clear path of minutes. If Gary can give me a couple of threes with good FG% and a steal. I’m happy with my pick up. Friday (12/13) Nine Match-ups (6 B2B) (multiple Match-ups, I am focusing on) *-P.J Tucker (Rockets) Stocks, Threes If available: I am selecting him since they play Orlando and Detroit. Tucker has been killing it this year; no one is taking his minutes away, and he has a nice match up with Detroit as they ranked dead last in guard PFs. He hits the trifecta in terms of our criteria. -Joe Ingles (SF): All-around game. Their match-up is against GS. They’re middle to low tier when guarding SF. He has been inserted into the starting line up in place of Mike Conley. If Mike Conley is back out on the floor by the time this matchup starts then don’t pick up Joe. *-P.J Washington (PF) potential 1/1/1 guy. Plays Chicago. Chicago is in the bottom at guarding PFs. P.J has a clear path to minutes, P.J needs to avoid foul trouble. However P.J might already be picked up in your league or he might not play since he just hurt his ankle this past Sunday. **Clippers play a B2B against Minnesota and Chicago players like Pat Bev could get some extra run. Saturday (12/14) Eight Match-ups (2 B2B) Honestly, Both teams who play in B2B aren’t really exciting, but if you kept Gary Harris then you could use him here since OKC isn’t good at defending against SGs. The Knicks however are surprising good at guarding against Sgs. However, they are bad at giving up the three from the SG position. If Gary Harris can hit a couple of threes. That’s a win imo. Another intriguing match-up is the Spurs vs the Suns. The Suns ranked in the middle of the pack in terms for defending the Center. However, They are in the bottom in terms of Fg% for opposing Centers, and they give up a ton of rebounds to opposing centers, and opposing Centers block a ton of shots on them as well. If you need some rebounds, Fg%, or blocks; Jakob Poeltl might be a nice streaming option. -Jakob Poeltl ( C ): Traditional Center, Ranked 34th in the past two weeks according to BBM, might not see a lot of minutes, so that could be a problem. However if he is able to provide what you need, then its worth it. Sunday (12/15) Six Match-ups (No B2B) A couple of Match-ups I am focusing on, Orlando vs New Orleans and Charlotte vs Indiana. NO is in the bottom half of defending against Centers. If Nikola Vucevic is out and if you need Big man stats Mo Bamba or Khem Birch could be a decent option for you. -Mo Bamba: ( C ) Block specialist with a three ball. Could hurt FG% -Khem Birch ( C ) Low end all-around player, gets more minutes than Mo. The Indiana Pacers ranked in the bottom half of defending against PFs. If P.J Washington is healthy, he has potential to provide value in this game. Look at Friday’s match-ups for details on P.J Washington.
Lessons and Mistakes Learned in My 15-Month Adventure So Far
Like Buffett says: "You don't know who's swimming naked until the tide goes out." Meaning: In a rising market-- everyone looks like a genius and posts monster returns. It's only during a crash do we see what separates the professionals from the amateurs. And full disclosure-- for the past three weeks since Feb 21, I have been positively reamed from every which way in my positions (long AMD & MU). I'd started day-trading Jan 2019 (after being inspired by the show, Billions) and had been doing pretty until Feb 21 but the past three weeks have been totally humbling and has revealed to me that I am a total amateur. If I get out of this alive, I'll know now it was completely luck and that I'm totally not a genius. All that said, I thought I'd take this opportunity to share some hard-learned lessons I've learned these past 15 months. This stuff more applies to active traders (as opposed to investors, which is why I'm not posting this in /investing). Humble Advice from a Beginner re Active Trading
Get proficient on the Quantopian platform.To be clear: I am in no way associated with Quantopian. I just use one of their free accounts for data exploration, pricing info, and analysis. But it's really awesome; I regret not knowing it better before I started. Yes, you will need to know a little Python and Pandas (a programming language and a software library package) but it's incredibly basic and easy to use. Eons ago, I was once a history a major. If I can figure it out, so can you.
The market is difficult to time. Here's the stat that is always tossed about: "If you missed the ten biggest up-days of the past xyz years…" As consequence: Know your time horizon and always have an "investment thesis." As the ol' saying goes: "Bulls make money. Bears make money. Sheep get slaughtered."
Keep an eye on "Wall Street Week Ahead" posts on /stocks.(I can't believe I didn't know about sub sooner… I guess you don't know what you don't know… bigbear0083 is a national hero; someone give this person a Nobel prize.)
And specifically-- if you're day/swing trading any specific stocks, follow the stock's sub, if it exists. Eg. I just learned about /amd_stock a month ago and have been following it ever since. In particular-- I wish I'd know about this post of catalysts last year.
Go straight to the source. The next two economic indicators I'm most paying attention to are the US Labor Bureau Stats and ISM numbers on April 1 & 3. (More on that at the bottom.)
Finally: (And again, just my humble 2c.) Get a wife. (Or a husband/life-partner, etc). YMMV on this one, but personally, it's helped me tremendously. When you're parked in front of your computer the entire weekend crunching numbers and scouring news, you need someone to feed you. Also, someone to periodically bug you to leave the apartment to go out for walks for fresh air. Marriage is net good.
Things I did Wrong
Use the candlestick charts; not just the line charts.
Deleveraging spills over, even into safe asset classes, during historic plunges. Three weeks ago, I kept huge positions in memory and semiconductors thinking, "Oh-- if the market melts down from COVID-19, it'll only be travel, movie theaters, dining out, etc. that plunge." I had 100% erroneously thought that in a downturn, asset classes not directly affected would be shielded. I was totally wrong. What I know now, which I wish I knew three weeks ago, is that in a massive downturn, all asset classes will plunge. And here's one major reason why: Investors, big banks are usually highly leveraged. When the pandemic hit, they took huge hits on the "losers" (airlines, oil, etc). In order to smooth out the losses from the losers, folks are forced to sell winners as they dramatically deleverage positions to cover margin calls/retain capital position. Therefore, even "winning" stocks/classes will be affected in a downturn. Maybe, in the long term, data centers/semis/memory/etc, may come out ahead. But none of that matters in the hyper-short term (on the magnitude of weeks). I made this mistake in my mental model. Never again. (If there is a next time.)
Things I did Right
Use a Roth IRA as a "pace account." Put ETFs and some blue chips in here and then just leave it. Having a pace account allows you to easily compare how you're doing with your active trading against your passive strategies at any given point in time.
My Personal Future Outlook (aka, Guess)
Again, I'm not a professional so take this with a grain of salt. But here's where I think things are going: I agree with RBC: SP 2300 is the Maginot-Atlantic-Wall-Mason-Dixon-Rubicon. Either we hold this level (expecting a "garden variety recession") or an utter bloodbath ensues. My personal belief (well, more like hope and prayer) is that we hold the line with intraday bottoms going as low as SPY (~232) which is the bottom we hit on Dec 26, 2018. (For reference, we ended Friday at SPY 269 but did sink as low as 248). We'll find out next week; in particular, on Monday.
Last Wednesday, Trump gave the single most catastrophic Oval Office address I've ever seen. On Thursday morning, markets acted accordingly. Friday's Rose Garden address was better. I am now praying/hoping for sideways action until the ISM report on April 1 and Jobs report on April 3.Everything hinges on these two reports. (Btw, February 2020's job report was absolutely spectacular. In fact, BLS actually revised Dec 2019 and Jan 2020's numbers upwards.) Right now, I feel raw utter panic has gripped the country. People see barren aisles at Whole Foods and Trader Joe's. They see five-hour queues at Walmart and Target. People can't buy toilet paper and water…. etc. Schools are closing, NBA/NHL seasons are canceled. Movie releases are getting postponed. (God, even the mighty Vin Diesel, King of Coronas, couldn't hold out against the Corona virus…) Etc.
My bet (hope and prayer) is the BLS and ISM numbers on April 1 & 3 won't be as bad as people are expecting. If that's the case, the market will absolutely rocket into the stratosphere. (I made this prediction several weeks ago and I'm holding to it.) I am personally guessing that we're about to witness the shortest bear market in the history of bear markets and the fastest recovery man has ever seen. If there is contraction, I believe it'll be very short-lived. (Maybe one quarter at most.) We'll see. (I can elaborate more on my theory if anyone's curious. But since this post is getting really long; I'm just going to omit that theory here.)
My humble opinion is that this panic is 100% overblown and we're in an emotional nosedive right now. People think the sky is falling and there is no guidance of any kind right now to indicate how bad things will be. So everyone's bracing for the worst. I saw some guy on Seeking Alpha yesterday proclaiming Dow ~17,000… (No link for him as I think he's a complete nut. But I guess we'll see who's the fool… him or me…)
Futures open at 6p ET tonight. That'll be the first indication of what next week may look like.
The Fantasy Executive's Daily NBA Rundown - Wednesday, December 23rd SI NBA Fantasy and Gambling analyst Corey Parson breaks down his best bets, top picks and occasionally some DFS thoughts on The Most Important Matchups and Best Bets for Wednesday’s NBA Slate. Matt LaMarca BETTING, NBA Wednesday, January 20, 2021. After a small, two-game slate on Tuesday, the NBA is back in full swing on Wednesday. There are 10 games to choose from, starting with three contests at 7 p.m. ET and wrapping up with a trio of games at 10 p.m. ET. One of the most intriguing matchups features the NBA player props: 4 best bets For Wednesday, February 10 By Vikas Chokshi. 10 hours ago. We have a nine-game NBA slate tonight featuring a couple of fun matchups including Hawks-Mavericks and Best NBA Bets for Wednesday, December 23rd. Heat (-3.5) -110; Wizards (+7) -110; Rockets (-6.5) -110; There are sure to be other alluring bets once moneylines and game totals drop at the top online betting sites, but for now, these are my top NBA betting picks for Wednesday’s slate. Just three wagers on a massive 13-game slate? Yes, it feels light, but right now, we are only working with The top 3 NBA bets of the night for Wednesday, Feb. 3. Share this article share tweet text email link Nick Schwartz. February 3, 2021 5:06 pm. We typically offer our picks for individual games each night here on Rookie Wire, but we’re launching a new series today that will feature our overall top 3 bets of the night across the league. We’ll be looking at bets on the point spread, over They reveal their best bets for The American Express and supply top picks for the NBA and college basketball for Wednesday, January 20. The guys open with their top NBA props for Wednesday, as Mike goes with Damian Lillard Over 33.5 points vs. Memphis at 10 p.m. ET. Larry is looking for Kristaps Porzingis to go Under 2.5 made three-pointers when the Mavericks take on the Pacers at 7 p.m. ET. The Most Important Matchups and Best Bets for Wednesday’s NBA Slate. Matt LaMarca BETTING, NBA Wednesday, January 13, 2021. Wednesday features a full night of NBA basketball, but it’s not as full as it was expected to be. Three of the 10 scheduled games have been postponed due to COVID-19, bringing the total number to seven for the season. Six of those postponements have come since Sunday It’s a busy night in the NBA with two nationally televised matchups featuring playoff contenders – but the best options for bettors may be with less flashy matchups on Wednesday. With nine NBA games set to tip off, there’s plenty of action on BetMGM. Here are our best bets of the night: NBA Best Bets - Wednesday, January 13th. Los Angeles Lakers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (+8) Total: 218 . The Lakers are in Oklahoma City tonight for their third straight road game. Best player prop bets for Wednesday’s NBA slate: Hayward looks to remain red hot. NBA. 11:21AM . Wed 13th January 2021 . NBA. 11:21AM . Wed 13th January 2021 . Matthew Lowrimore See Bio Matthew Lowrimore @Sixfigurematt . [email protected] . Matthew has been with Pickswise for over a year now, covering a wide variety of sports. His main passion is college football and that is the sport
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Jonathan Coachman is joined by expert sports bettors Larry Hartstein, Tim Doyle and Mike Barner to handicap tonight’s NBA slate. It’s a packed day of sports ... Jonathan Coachman is joined by expert sports bettors Mike McClure and Larry Hartstein to dish out their best bets for a loaded night of NBA and college baske... It’s a large slate of NBA games on for Wednesday evening, and Jordan Sharp is back to release his two best NBA picks for the 11-game slate of action tonight.... Best Bets for Wednesday's NBA Games: Gambling Picks for Bucks-Kings, Blazers-Celtics, and More Best Bets for Wednesday's NBA Games: Gambling Picks for Bucks-... Jimmy the Bag runs down the best picks for Wednesday's action. If you enjoyed this video, please be sure to like, share and subscribe, and to stay notified o... First up is our new NBA DFS and betting show, The Tip-Off, with Kayla Knierim, Chris Spags and Eric Lindquist. Then, Dave Loughran and Adam "ShipMyMoney" Sc... Jonathan Coachman is joined by expert sports bettors Mike McClure and 'The Maestro' Larry Hartstein to dish out their best bets and props in the NBA and coll...
