This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
Just five games are on the slate Saturday, so choosing which players to anchor your lineup becomes more important with the limited options available. Here's a look at today's value plays.
Point Guard
Russell Westbrook, OKC vs. LAL ($10,500): Westbrook is the most expensive player on FanDuel today, but given the matchup at home, consider him worth it. The Lakers have allowed more fantasy points to opposing point guards than any other team by a wide margin. Both D'Angelo Russell and Lou Williams have struggled defensively, creating a position where Russell Westbrook could a full produce 10-15 more fantasy points than the second-best point guard option. It's no surprise that Westbrook has been a fantasy monster again this season, scoring at least 50 FanDuel points 11 times this season.
Jeremy Lin, CHA vs. WAS ($5,100): Is this the return of Linsanity? While we can't explain exactly what is going on with the hairdos, we can tell you that Lin has taken his production to another level this month. He has produced a minimum of 5.6-times value on his salary in five of the last seven contests, capped off by a monster 35-point performance while drawing the start for Nicolas Batum (illness) against Toronto on Thursday. Lin is still a nice value play off the bench, where he has been averaging 22 minutes per game this season. He becomes an excellent play if he draws another start at shooting guard because the Wizards have allowed the second-most FanDuel points to opposing twos this season.
Shooting Guard
Lou Williams, LAL at OKC ($5,200): This is another spot where you can take advantage of FanDuel and their lax position eligibility. Williams has started at point guard since the beginning of December, and he has paid off at least five-times his price tag in six of those nine starts. The Thunder are 25th in point guard defense this season due in part to the high level of pace (eighth) they play on offense. That fits perfectly into Williams' style, who is known for his run-and-gun offensive game. At the bargain price, you really only need 15 points with a few rebounds and assists thrown in to earn his return.
Small Forward
Trevor Ariza, HOU vs. LAC ($5,700): If you decided to pay up for Westbrook or Harden, it will be tough to squeeze in the top-tier small forwards like Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony. The Clippers have an ugly four-man rotation of small forwards, which means they don't have a consistent player that they trust to play big minutes at the position. Ariza has been a trustworthy cash play in December, scoring between 24 and 33 fantasy points in each game this month, excluding the two games that he missed due to a back injury.
Power Forward
Serge Ibaka, OKC vs. LAL ($6,400): Ibaka is coming off a strong showing Thursday against a tough Cleveland front line, scoring 23 points with nine rebounds, good for nine-times his value on FanDuel. The matchup improves greatly against a Lakers front line that has allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to opposing power forwards. The Lakers have also decided to start Larry Nance, Jr. at power forward, a rookie that really should be playing the three instead of the floor. The game logs haven't shown enough consistency for anyone to trust Ibaka in cash games, but the matchup is strong enough for you to roll Ibaka into GPP lineups.
Clint Capela, HOU vs. LAC ($5,000: If you're looking to save cash at power forward, Capela makes for an intriguing option. He has managed to post a double-double in two of the past three games and cleaned up on the defensive end with four blocks against the Lakers on Thursday. This game projects to have the top point total at 213.5, giving Capela a good shot to repeat his recent production, particularly on the glass.
Center
Steven Adams, OKC vs. LAL ($4,000): By now you're probably sensing a theme here: we're stacking against the Lakers. When a team like L.A. has the record that they have, you can expect the defensive metrics to be bad. The center position is no different, as the Lakers check in with the third-most fantasy points allowed to centers this season, and are less than one point from being the worst overall. Adams isn't much of a scorer, but he can fit into your roster as a cheap option if you're looking to save salary.
