This article is part of our FantasyAces NBA series.
RotoWire aims to help you win on Fantasy Aces, as we break down a few value plays for this weekend. We'll highlight several priced no higher than $4,750, leaving you plenty of room to fit in a few superstars.
Guards
J.J. Redick, LAC at SAC (Fri.) ($4,300)- Redick draws the coveted Kings two-guard defense matchup on Friday, making him a nice value play at his modest price tag. The veteran guard dropped 22 on Sacramento in their last meeting on Jan. 16, a scoring haul that included five three-pointers. He also scored 23 points against them on Halloween, and he has been hot lately as well. Redick has respective fantasy point totals of 30.75 and 25.25 over his last two games, draining 10 threes over that span. The Kings also continue to have the worst unit against shooting guards in fantasy points (60.9), points (23.0) and three-pointers (3.2) allowed per game this season.
D'Angelo Russell, LAL vs. MEM (Fri.) ($4,450)- Russell is still getting settled into his starting point guard role, but has already started to pay dividends. He tallied 38.00 fantasy points against his Friday opponent, the Grizzlies, in their meeting in Memphis on Wednesday, and he now draws them for a return game Friday. Although Russell's Lakers are the ones with the widespread reputation for being porous against point guards, the Grizzlies have quietly been vulnerable themselves at times this season. They rank as a bottom-10 unit in points allowed per game (22.4), and are tied with the Kings and Nuggets for most three-pointers yielded to the position per night (2.6).
Ronnie Price, PHO vs. MEM (Sat.) ($3,850)- Price has taken the reins at point guard for the hapless Suns and has been one of the few bright spots in the latter stages of their current 13-game losing streak. He's coming off 26.75 and 28.50-fantasy point outings in his last two starts, and will draw that same Grizzlies defense we just elaborated on in Russell's entry that can sometimes be susceptible to opposing point guards. What's more, he'll catch them on the second half of a back-to-back and should receive more than enough minutes to provide a solid return on his price.
E'Twaun Moore, CHI at ATL (Fri.), vs. POR (Sat.) ($4,100)- Moore has had a couple of down performances during his starting tenure in Jimmy Butler's (knee) stead, but he has been on an upswing in recent games. He's tallied 28.75, 33.50 and 24.25 fantasy points in his last three, respectively, and was between 22.00 and 39.25 fantasy points in four of the previous seven as well. The minutes have been plentiful, and with backcourt mate Derrick Rose questionable again Friday with his hamstring ailment, Moore could be in for even more playing time. He'll draw two nice matchups over the weekend to boot, as Moore should get his fair share of opportunities against Kyle Korver's defense Friday, and then will be involved in a fast-paced affair Saturday against a Blazers squad giving up the seventh-most fantasy points per game (57.6) to opposing two-guards this season.
Forwards
Markieff Morris, WAS at PHI (Fri.), vs. CLE (Sun.) ($4,750)- Morris has progressively gotten acclimated to his new digs in the nation's capital, and he could be on the verge of claiming the starting power forward spot. His minutes have steadily climbed from 20 to 28 over the past three games, and his fantasy production has followed suit. Friday, he's likely to find willing facilitators to another boost in his totals in the form of a Sixers frontcourt that has been a swinging gate against opposing fours this season. They've given up the second-most fantasy points (66.3), third-most points (21.9), seventh-most rebounds (11.1), second-most assists (3.7) and second-most blocks (1.5) per game to the position this season. While he'll certainly encounter more resistance in his Sunday matchup versus the Cavs, Morris should be able to win his share of battles against Kevin Love and company in what should be a fairly fast-paced and competitive matchup.
Matt Barnes, MEM at LAL (Fri.), at PHO (Sat.) ($4,450)- The veteran gets a return match Friday against a Lakers squad he just rang up 40 fantasy points against Wednesday, and he then draws an even better matchup Saturday in which what should be fast-paced game at Phoenix. Both of his opponents check in as bottom-10 units against small forwards in most offensive categories, with the Suns also surrendering the second-most fantasy points per game (60.1) on the season to the position, and the Lakers checking in fourth-worst (59.5) in that category. Particularly relevant in Barnes' case is the generosity that both teams have exhibited on the glass against opposing threes, as the Lakers and Suns rank third and fourth-worst, respectively, in that metric.
Mirza Teletovic, PHO vs. MEM (Sat.) ($3,950)- Teletovic becomes another potentially outstanding value play in that Suns-Grizzlies game, particularly in light of his 41.25-fantasy point explosion against the Nets on Thursday. However, the veteran forward had been hot even before the breakout game, scoring between 21 and 35 fantasy points over the previous four contests as well, even while only playing over 30 minutes once. Teletovic has been on fire from long distance over that span, draining multiple threes in each game and totaling 16 overall. The Grizzlies are known for a stout frontcourt, but Teletovic is likely to draw some action against the second unit and doesn't have to do an inordinate amount to pay off what is still a very modest price tag.
Centers
Myles Turner, IND vs. CHA (Fri.) vs. POR (Sun.) ($4,700)- Turner's price continues to be very reasonable given his recent production, and the fact that he'll draw two plus matchups over the weekend adds to his already considerable appeal. The rookie has picked up right where he left off before the All-Star break, scoring 33.75, 29.50, 27.75 and 32.50 fantasy points in the four games since play resumed. He's been solid on both the scoreboard and the glass, and will have the benefit Friday of facing off against a Hornets defense that ranks in the bottom 10 in fantasy points, points and rebounds surrendered to opposing fours this season. The Blazers figure to put up a bit more resistance in their Sunday matchup, but Turner's outstanding size should enable him to win his fair share of battles down low against a largely unremarkable Portland frontcourt.
JaMychal Green, MEM at LAL (Fri.), at PHO (Sat.) ($3,700)- Green's price hasn't quite caught up to his new starting role and corresponding bump in production, making it the right time to pounce on him and gain considerable roster flexibility elsewhere. He's scored between 21.50 and 36.75 fantasy points in three of his first four starts as part of the domino effect of Marc Gasol's season-ending foot injury, with the other game during that span consisting of a 13.50-fantasy point outing over just 20 minutes against a tough Raptors frontcourt. He also posted a near double-double (12 points, nine rebounds) versus his Friday opponent, the Lakers, this past Wednesday. Saturday, he'll draw a Suns frontcourt that resides just outside the bottom 10 in fantasy points allowed per game to opposing fours (62.0) this season, and that is a bit more vulnerable to the position now that Markieff Morris has left town.
