Welcome to Tristan’s NBA Game Theory (1/5)! In this article, I’ll outline my favorite cash game and GPP options at each of the positions. I’ll utilize our Projections Portal when making decisions about what types of leagues specific players are best suited for. You can get all of my Core Plays along with our Cheat Sheets, projections, and Premium Discord channels with our Premium NBA Package.
| Guards | Forwards |
Centers | Game Stacks |
| A. Simons | K. Middleton | C. Wood | ATL/SAC |
| J. Holiday | Ca. Martin | C. Capela | HOU/WAS |
| T. Herro | O. Brissett | B. Portis | BKN/IND |
| D. Washington Jr | J. Nwora | H. Whiteside | TOR/MIL |
| K. Sykes | N. Little | J. Nurkic | MIA/POR |
*If you don’t already play 3 max entry contests daily, try using the teams provided in the stacks above to maximize upside and correlation in your NBA lineups.
Happy almost New Year!!! A ton of news to get through tonight in an 11 game slate so please please please, don’t forget to check for updates either on Twitter or in our discord channel where news updates are posted and in our premium channel, breakdown of the news! With that out of the way, let’s get to it.
Guards
Cash
First guard I’m looking at for both cash games and GPPs is Anfernee Simons. Without Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum in the starting line-up, we saw Anfernee take 21 shots and also resulting in 8 FTA. He had 7 assists as well so he was not as one dimensional as he usually is, meaning that he did play make and see the ball in his hands as the main ball handler. Of course, he had the narrative of his grandfather dying (rest in peace) which fueled him in that prior game. He played 38 minutes which looks very juicy from a fantasy stand-point and his price is only at 5.3k against a tough Miami PG defense, BUT overall defense has been lack luster the past few games. Miami is missing a ton of bodies and I believe this game will be a close and competitive one. Love his upside tonight and I think he has a floor of around 25 DKP.
Jrue Holiday is someone I’m looking at in a cash standpoint because of his bump in usage and his role without Giannis Antetokoumpo present. He takes on more of a ball handling role with Giannis out and will be going against a smaller defender in Fred VanVleet in this matchup. They are at home and are favored in this match-up, and with Pat Connaughton and Grayson Allen out as well, they are missing a bunch of scoring. It will have to come from Jrue, Middleton, and Portis. Jrue goes from a 24% usage rate to a 30.8% usage rate without Giannis in the line-up.
GPP
Tyler Herro is my GPP guard tonight at 6.9k because they will be facing the Trailblazers who are currently dead last in DRTG. No Jimmy Butler, Duncan Robinson, Gabe Vincent paves the way for Herro to start again. One thing to note, Max Strus is back…so if he does not start I am completely off Herro. I assume Strus will play a bench role because of his COVID protocols he’s been dealing with the past few days, so hopefully Herro can start again. He sees more volume shot wise and has more touches in the starting lineup as well.
Forward
Cash
Khris Middleton is the first F I am plugging in cash games for basically the same reason as Jrue Holiday. No Giannis, no additional wing players… who will score? Middleton has to be their main #1 guy and I will live and die by him tonight even if he goes 4-20. He is coming off a really bad game against the Pistons and I think he’s due for a bounceback. Hoping for 40+ DKP here.
Caleb Martin is my other F for tonight, as he will be seeing over 30 minutes in a matchup against the Trailblazers who I mentioned are dead last in DRTG. They are missing a ton of players, actually both teams are…and though Strus comes back, I believe Caleb is viewed as an important part of this team the next few days as they are missing most of their wings/guards. He puts up defensive stats, rebounds, and can shoot the ball as well. I think this is a prime match-up for him.
GPP
IF IN, Jordan Nwora will be the man I look to today if of course he has no limitations. Milwaukee is missing their key wing players in Grayson Allen, Donte Divencenzo, and Pat Connaughton, along with superstar Giannis. This will open up not only a ton of touches, but usage, shots, and rebounding potential as well for Nwora. If he starts, I will be heavy on him because of his upside in this spot in a high scoring affair against Toronto. Again, I am looking for him to be in AND start with no limitations.
Center
Cash
Christian Wood at 6.2k is ridiculous to be honest. I know he hasn’t had the ceiling games we’ve seen him have the past couple of games, but I don’t know…this seems WAY too low. His last 9 games (excluding his weird disciplinary game) he has had over 30 DKP in all of them besides 1. That seems like his floor against a Washington team that isn’t great at guarding the C spot. He can definitely pull Gafford away from the rim as well, where Gafford isn’t too comfortable. He was priced at 8k + before this week… what in the actual?
GPP
Rudy Gobert missed shoot around which does not bode well for his chances of playing tonight. I am eyeing Hassan Whiteside who should start for Gobert should he miss tonight’s game… which is what I am expecting. Whiteside DID go through shootaround, so it will be strange if this goes the opposite way. If Hassan Whiteside sees 25+ minutes, this could mean a 30+ bomb from him with even higher upside. His floor without Gobert is very high and at a 3.5k price tag he won’t kill you if Gobert DOES get ruled in. High upside, high floor. Pivot here is RUDY GAY
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