This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
We have another robust night of NBA games with 10 more slated for Saturday. There's a lot of options out there and finding the right value guys is going to be key. Of the games we have for tomorrow I think the Mavericks/Warriors, Clippers/Nuggets, and the Celtics/Raptors look like the main three we should be targeting. All should have high totals with low spreads and solid uptempo paces. With the season winding down, teams with nothing more to play for are checking out some of the bench pieces and playing starters a few less minutes. Other teams that have clinched are resting starters for their playoff push and letting the back ups play more minutes. It's a very tricky time to be playing NBA daily fantasy and you need to monitor the injury and inactive reports closely. Here's a look at some value options that we have our eye on:
Saturday Value Plays
Point Guard
Deron Williams ($6,600) Nets vs. Hawks: $6,600 might not seem like a value play, but when you have point guards that cost twice as much and others that are 50 percent more expensive, he begins to look like a bargain. Williams has been a man on a mission lately. He has been over 30 fantasy points in six of his last seven games. He has been averaging about 32 minutes per contest, and the only time he fell short of that total, or the 30-fantasy-point mark, was when he played 22 minutes against Cleveland a few games back. All of his averages are up during the last two weeks. His scoring is up to above 15 a game; his rebounds are over six per game; his assists are close to nine per game; and he has even chipped in with over 1.5 steals/blocks per game. Williams is averaging over 36 fantasy points per game through his last seven games and has been a big reason for the Nets' current surge in the standings. His team is also playing at a much faster pace lately with seven of their last 10 ending up with triple-digit points scored. Vegas is expecting them to reach right around 100 again tomorrow, and if the Hawks rest a few starters, that total can climb even higher. He is not a "cheap" option per se, but based off his recent results, I think Williams presents the best value at the point guard slot for Saturday.
Shooting Guard
O.J. Mayo ($4,100) Bucks vs. Magic: Mayo is back from injury and back as a big part of this Bucks rotation. He has played 27 minutes now in back-to-back games and has averaged 17.5 points, four rebounds, four assists, and two steals since his minutes have jumped. That puts his averages at over 30 fantasy points for only $4,100. That makes him a guy who is returning over seven points per thousand dollars of cost, which keeps you on pace for over 400 total points and a GPP win. He gets a Magic defense tomorrow that has been pretty porous all season. The Magic have allowed seven of their last eight opponents to reach triple digits on them, and the way Mayo is attacking the defenses, I think he could be involved in a large portion of those points Saturday. He has a floor of over 20 which would be what he needs to keep you on pace for 300 total points. His upside, as we saw Friday, is close to 40 fantasy points, and no one is going to argue with a guy returning 10 points per thousand of cost on their team at any position. While I do not see a repeat of his monster game from last night, his price is still too cheap to ignore with a safe floor and upside.
Small Forward
Otto Porter ($3,700) Wizards vs. Grizzlies: He has done an amazing job while filling in for Paul Pierce (rest) these last few days. Pierce may even be back Saturday, but after what Porter has shown, I still like porter Saturday either way. Obviously, if Pierce is out, I think Porter is a must start. Even if Pierce is back, though, Porter has shown the ability many expected him to flash coming right out of college. He has averaged over 28 fantasy points in 28 minutes during his last three games. With a price tag of only $3,700, that means he is returning over seven points per thousand dollars of cost. He has shown the organization and coaching staff what he can do with some minutes, and I think even with Pierce back, they will find him some time on the floor. The Grizzlies are banged up a bit, and that vaunted defense is not what it once was. I'm not expecting another 35 point performance out of Porter, but if he gets you over 20, than he made value. His ownership will be pretty high coming off his recent stretch, but when a guy has upside and is this cheap, he opens your roster up to some high-priced studs you otherwise would not be able to afford.
Power Forward
Marvin Williams ($4,800) Hornets vs. 76ers: Williams has really benefitted with Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (ankle) and Cody Zeller (shoulder) out. He has stepped into the starting power forward role and produced better than he had earlier in the season when given the same chance. Williams has not scored less than 24 fantasy points in any of his last five games with an average of 28 during this run. He has played an average of 33 minutes per game and has averages of over 12 points, six rebounds, two assists and two blocks/steals per game. His averages work out to 27 fantasy points, which is almost six points per thousand of cost for him. Throw an extra few rebounds and a couple of easy buckets on William's averages, and he has a good shot for 30 points and upside for your rosters. His minutes are safe due to injuries, and his matchup and pace make him a sneaky good option that has been going overlooked. Williams can make you value and allow you to squeeze in a stud without losing any upside on your rosters.
Center
Brandan Wright ($4,900) Suns vs. Jazz: When Alex Len (nose) is out, I always look to roster Wright. Len is expected to miss another week because of a surgery he just had, and therefore, the value is open for the Suns' reserve big man. I know everyone is going to say that he has a tough matchup with Gobert, and I completely agree, but at only $4,900, he needs just 25 points to pay it off. He is averaging over 29 points per game when he sees over 28 minutes, and with no Len, I expect that type of court time for him tomorrow. As good as the Morris twins are, neither one of them is a good matchup for the size or strength of Favors and Gobert. I think in order to stand a chance tomorrow, the Suns will need Wright on the floor for 30 minutes or more. Even with a slight dip in production due to a matchup with the Stifel Tower, I think he has an excellent shot to reach 25 points tomorrow and pay off his value number. I will caution that his upside is capped due to the slower pace and defensive matchup, but he is another guy who should make value and allow you room to roster an extra stud player or two.
