The Locks
Kemba Walker- It’s not often that I’m dead set on a point guard pairing in cash games, but that is the case tonight with Kemba Walker and Rajon Rondo. Walker has a solid matchup with the Brooklyn Nets in a game featuring a 228.5 O/U and just a 2.5 point spread. On DraftKings, Walker is way too cheap at $8,300 and is a lock for me there. On FanDuel, I still would be prioritizing Walker, but I could see the argument of dropping to Trae Young for $500 less in a matchup with the Bulls who rank bottom-five in defensive efficiency against PG’s this season.
Rajon Rondo- I was hoping that we didn’t get this news until after lock, but it was confirmed that Rajon Rondo will start again for the Lakers tonight even though Luke Walton said that he planned on it after their last game. Now that we have the official confirmation, Rondo sets up as the best mid-tier guard play on the slate in a prime time tilt with the Milwaukee Bucks — sporting a 239.5 O/U. Rondo has averaged over 30 fantasy points per game as a starter this season, and while the Bucks are a tough individual matchup Rondo is not appropriately priced for his workload in a starting role, and it would be hard for me to avoid him in cash games. In tournaments, the easy pivot is Elfrid Payton in this price range.
Willie Cauley-Stein- If you thought Rajon Rondo was mis-priced…WCS is sitting at a season-low in price at just $5,500 on FanDuel and $4,500 on DraftKings! Not only does this game sport a 237 O/U, but we have attacked the Clippers with center’s all season and with rising rookie Marvin Bagley down injured, we will see a slight rates increase for WCS as well as much more stable minutes. He’s just too cheap, and while he will be massively-owned, I think this is good chalk tonight for cash games.
Secondary Options
LeBron James- The reason I have LeBron listed as a secondary option compared to a lock is because I do think that the best build route on this slate is a more balanced lineup, but with some of the value opening up he will become pretty heavily-owned and is obviously an elite cash game play. I already touched on this game’s truly massive O/U, and with the Bucks installed as 5 point favorites LeBron should see his full workload as the Lakers continue to make a playoff push.
Harry Giles (DraftKings)- It never feels good when Harry Giles is set to be chalk on a slate, but with him priced at just $100 off the minimum on DK, you can see why the field will be interested. He should the backup C minutes for the Kings with Bagley out, and while that may only be 18-20 minutes, he’s north of a fantasy point per minute this season making his salary of $3.1K easily beatable. He’s in play for GPPs on FanDuel, but not near the cash game play he is on DraftKings.
Kyle Kuzma- I debated putting Lou Williams here, who I also like a lot, but with the total rising so much on this game I want all of the pieces I can get, and I love that Luke Walton is starting him at center again tonight. Both of these teams are playing extremely fast-paced over the last month, and while you think of the Bucks as a tough defense they actually have been pretty bad against the three ball which bodes well for Kuzma who is attempting 6 three pointers per game this season.
GPP Plays
Kyrie Irving- There are so many point guards I want to play today, and Kyrie has one of the best matchups of them all against the Washington Wizards. Since the start of February the Wizards rank bottom-three in defensive rating, three pointers allowed and FG% allowed…setting up as what might be the nuts spot for Irving. The Celtics need a W badly and I can easily see a case where Uncle Drew makes an appearance to guarantee a win, we just want the game to stay close enough for him to see a full workload.
Trae Young- I don’t think he has any chance of challenging Luka Doncic for ROY, but Trae Young has been BALLING over the last month for the Hawks and he has silenced seemingly all of his critics over that span. His minutes are much more secure now that Jeremy Lin is out of town, and he’s topped 23 real points in each of his last five games — three of which being 30 or more point performances. This matchup with the Bulls is elite, as they come into tonight bottom-five against point guards in terms of defensive efficiency.
Julius Randle- I would have this as a cash game option, the only thing holding me back is that we are no longer getting him at a discount — he’s priced at $8,000 on DraftKings and $8,800 on FanDuel. Randle has benefited from the Pelicans limiting Anthony Davis’ minutes and now gets a matchup with one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA against big men, the Phoenix Suns.
Written by Ben Hossler (Follow @BenHossler on Twitter)
