Bryan Armetta breaks down Friday’s four-game featured NBA slate to find two undervalued players to slot into your lineups.
A select four-game featured NBA DFS slate is on tap for Friday. That means the options are somewhat limited for those building fantasy basketball lineups. Regardless, there’s still value to be found tonight. If anything, landing an underpriced player becomes even more important this evening.
Which players should fantasy managers target on Friday? Here are two names to consider tonight in DFS and season-long fantasy formats.
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PG T.J. McConnell, Indiana Pacers vs. NOP ($4,800)
T.J. McConnell has been a favorite on this list all season, and for good reason. The scrappy veteran isn’t the most prolific player, but he’s a jack of all trades that’s perfect in DFS formats. Through 29 games, the guard is averaging 10.0 points, 2.3 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.2 steals. In addition, he’s shooting an efficient 54% from the field. However, his playing time can range anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes on any given night. That makes it difficult for fantasy managers to trust the 11th-year pro.
With that being said, McConnell doesn’t need a massive workload to deliver fantasy points. That’s especially true against one of the NBA’s worst teams. The Pelicans have been abysmal on both sides of the ball this season. It’s no surprise that they’ve surrendered the 14th-most fantasy points to opposing point guards. New Orleans also ranks inside the association’s bottom three squads in points and assists allowed. McConnell has notched at least 21.5 fantasy points in six of his previous seven outings. A safe floor, combined with lackluster competition, bodes well for the pesky playmaker.
C Yves Missi, New Orleans Pelicans at IND ($4,300)
We’ll hang around Indianapolis for our next pick, this time looking at the visitors. This battle between tanking clubs feels like an ideal spot for some under the radar picks. Yves Missi is far from a household name, although he has shown some promise. This season, the second-year pro has delivered 5.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game. That’s despite playing just over 18 minutes a night. When given a larger workload, the center has shown he can produce. Look no further than Wednesday, in which Missi tallied 12 points and 12 rebounds over 34 minutes vs. Brooklyn (36.5 FPTS).
If Missi logs anything close to half of tonight’s contest, he could enjoy another stellar performance. After all, Indiana is one of the NBA’s worst clubs inside the paint. The Pacers are giving up the eighth-most fantasy points to opposing centers. In addition, they’ve allowed the most rebounds per game in basketball (57.3). Much like McConnell, Missi has a somewhat safe floor. The big man has notched at least 20 fantasy points in each of his previous three appearances. Keeping that in mind, he’s a fun dart throw to round out your lineups tonight.