Free data period extended

I had originally announced that the master NBA data file would move to a premium (pay) service at the beginning of December.

I've decided to postpone that date, primarily because I didn't get the programming set up yet. When I'm ready, I'll post a notice here, and I'll also email all subscribers of last year's file.

RotoBaller DFS Advice: FanDuel Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks (11/18/16)

10 games make up Friday night's slate, most of which have a ton of daily fantasy appeal. Two offensive powerhouses faces off in the state of California while the new-look Los Angeles Lakers will have one of their toughest tests this season against the San Antonio Spurs.

Russell Westbrook will also take the floor as the Thunder welcome the Brooklyn Nets to Oklahoma City. He should be considered every time he laces up.

These are my daily fantasy NBA lineup picks for FanDuel on 11/18/16. I try to only advise players I believe will outperform expectations and the players I advise are players in my lineup so if it all goes downhill, I'll be tumbling down right next to you. Let's get rolling…

FanDuel DFS Guards

Brandon Knight - SG, @ IND ($4,800)
Proving to be much of a disappointment in seasonal leagues, and an unreliable option for daily fantasy, Brandon Knight finally exploded after nearly three weeks of inconsistency. Knight dropped 32 points in his last contest against the Denver Nuggets, including three from downtown on five attempts.

Infrequently pulling the trigger from behind the arc this season, Knight displayed a proclivity for the long ball before going down with injury last season. In order to return to form, Knight will need to become a three-point threat again. Lucky for him, the Indiana Pacers have allowed the fourth most three pointers made in the NBA. He's inexpensive and will look to build off his best performance of the young season.

Jeff Teague - PG, vs PHO ($6,500)
Bringing the ball up on the other side of the court in the Phoenix/Indiana matchup will be Jeff Teague. Teague has been a solid addition to the Pacers this season and has dished out six or more assists in nine of 12 contests this season. The Suns have allowed 23.3 opposing assists per game this season, 10th most in the league.

While Teague has proved to be generous in the backcourt, his point totals have also stood out. He has dropped 20 or more points in five games in the early going, and is capable of breaking out for 30 on any given night. Luckily for him, the Suns allow the most points in the league; a dismal 116 per contest.

Also Consider: Russell Westbrook - PG, vs BK ($11,400), E'Twaun Moore - SG, vs POR ($4,500)

FanDuel DFS Forwards

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[click here to read the rest of the article on RotoBaller.com]

RotoBaller DFS Advice: DraftKings Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks (11/15/16)

The season is still young so there are things that will eventually change. But for right now, it is a completely legitimate question on whether or not you should draft LeBron James or DeMar DeRozan. Despite DeRozan’s blistering start to the season, he’s still not putting up King James numbers, but the difference is Nate Robinson small. If these two aren’t your favorites to build around, Damian Lillard and Karl Anthony-Towns will gladly take their places.

In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 11/15/16. The DFS lineup picks will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options and value plays on DraftKings.

DraftKings DFS Guards

Ricky Rubio – PG, CHA ($5,700)
In Rubio’s two games back from injury he has total of 10 rebounds, 16 assists, and four steals. People still seem concerned about the fact that Rubio has trouble hitting the backboard with his shot, but he is one of the best guards in the league at rebounding, getting steals, and dishing the ball. The Kris Dunn experiment has to be scaled back so he can catch up with the speed of the game. In the interim Rubio should get his usual minutes and should put up his usually reliable production. Before he goes on an assists streak and gets priced in a different category it would be worth getting on the Rubio train as he showcases his skills to eventually become trade bait for Minnesota.

Lou Williams – SG, BKN ($5,600)
Right now Lou Williams is having the best year of his 12-year career, but he’s still consistently being priced less than or as much as his two backcourt mates, D’Angelo Russell and Jordan Clarkson. All three guards have created a decent rotation of big time shots and timely drives to the basket. But as of now, Williams is the one with the most value because he consistently gives the greatest return on investment.

Kent Bazemore – SG/SF, @MIA ($5,000)
In order, Bazemore’s last five scoring totals are 0, 20, 25, 3, and 17. He has epitomized inconsistency to start the season. But when you couple his total average of 11 points per game with three rebounds, three assists, and two steals per game it begins to become clear why he’s priced where he is. Paying 5k for a player that scores no points is the nightmare of all daily fantasy players. The risk is always there with Bazemore but he’s poised to have the best season of his career. If you can be the one to guess which nights he puts up his big numbers than you deserve every cent of your winnings.

DraftKings DFS Forwards

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[click here to read the rest of the article on RotoBaller.com]

RotoBaller DFS Advice: FanDuel Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks (11/14/16)

With eight games on the slate for tonight, there should be no reason why you can't find enough value to spend up on a few superstars. There is only one superstar I will be spending up on but we will get to James Harden later...

These are my daily fantasy NBA lineup picks for FanDuel on 11/14/16. I try to only advise players I believe will outperform expectations and the players I advise are players in my lineup so if it all goes downhill, I'll be tumbling down right next to you. Let's get rolling…

FanDuel DFS Guards

Jamal Crawford - SG, vs. BKN ($4,100)
I was split between either J.J. Reddick ($4,100) or Jamal Crawford and decided to go with Crawford because of his ability to get shots much easier. Reddick has been a tad quiet this year as the Clippers starting shooting guard and both carry a decent bit of risk. That being said, you know you need to risk a little bit to get the big pay out but either one is a fine play tonight. The Clippers have been dominating and expect the lower-valued Clippers to get the most minutes tonight.

J.J. Barea - PG, at NY ($5,800)
I hate going against the Knicks because I feel like a bad fan, but I need to be honest to all my RotoBaller supporters. The Knicks are garbage on defense, probably because Jeff Hornacek doesn't practice defense, but anywhoooo... J.J Barea has capitalized on his starts for the Mavericks and he has plenty of experience to handle a full workload. With Deron Williams out, J.J. is a much more consistent option with a good price tag, especially if your contemplating 'Streaky' Seth Curry.

Also Consider: James Harden - SG, vs. PHI ($11,600)
Yeah it is Philadelphia but James Harden feasts on these match-ups.

FanDuel DFS Forwards

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[click here to read the rest of the article on RotoBaller.com]

Serves You Right

I'm in the process of migrating to a new server. The old server was over 4 years old, and had been experiencing some signs of hardware degradation.

The plan is to cut over to the new server on Sunday afternoon (Nov 13). I'm not expecting any noticeable glitches, but if you do detect anything abnormal on Sunday afternoon or evening, please feel free to send me an alert (davehall@rotoguru2.com).

If all goes well, you won't even notice.

RotoBaller DFS Advice: DraftKings Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks (11/11/16)

The 2016-’17 NBA season is officially underway. The first few weeks of the season always offer up tough choices, as decisions are largely based off of a small sample size.

In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 11/11/16. The DFS lineup picks will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options and value plays on DraftKings.

DraftKings DFS Guards

Kemba Walker – PG, TOR ($7,500)
Walker has been enjoying an All Star type of season. He’s averaging 23.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 1.9 steals per game. Tonight, he gets a great matchup against the Raptors, who have struggled to guard the point guard this season. Walker is the main scorer for the Hornets, and they will need him to keep up with DeMar DeRozan tonight. He’s still a bit too cheap, and he can safely be used in all leagues.

Rodney Hood – SG, @ORL ($5,800)
Hood comes with a bit more risk than his recent games suggest. He can’t continue to shoot over 50% from the field all season, but luckily, we only need him to do it for one more night. He has been on fire from beyond the arc recently, and hot streaks are a huge part of basketball. He gets a great matchup against the Magic, who have tried to become a more defensive team this season, but it hasn’t worked out well yet. Hood still isn’t all that expensive, and he can be used in all leagues for now.

Danny Green – SG, DET ($4,000)
Green returned to the Spurs starting line in his last game, and he scored 25.25 fantasy points in only 26 minutes. He should see a small uptick in minutes tonight, which only boosts his value. He has much more upside than he displayed in his first game, as he only shot 25% from beyond the arc in that game. He gets a solid matchup against the Pistons, and Green is a safe salary relief option tonight.

DraftKings DFS Forwards

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[click here to read the rest of the article on RotoBaller.com]

Fantasy Basketball Surprises

Every time fantasy basketball season rolls around, that guy your buddy drafted in the last round ends up on the All-Star team and leads that lucky soul to a fantasy championship. Here are 5 players nobody expected to be off to such a hot start.

Myles Turner

Myles Turner showed us flashes of how good he could be last season with the Indiana Pacers, and it appears those flashes were for real. Turner is currently averaging 17.2 points and 7.2 rebounds per game to go along with a very good 54.9 field goal percentage. He is still seeing under 30 minutes per game, but these are great multi-stat numbers if you were able to grab him in the later rounds. If Turner starts to see more playing time, his value will skyrocket even higher.

T.J. Warren

T.J. Warren was probably drafted in the last round of your draft if he was drafted at all. He has rewarded those savvy enough to snag him by averaging 21.7 points and 6.2 rebounds to go along with a decent 46 percent from the field for the Phoenix Suns. Warren is on the floor for about three quarters of every game, and should continue to improve moving forward.

Avery Bradley

While Bradley was generally drafted a bit higher than the other guys on this this list, nobody expected the amount of production he has provided across the board. Avery is averaging 20.6 points, 4.2 assists, and 8.2 rebounds while shooting 50 percent from the field. Players that can fill up a stat sheet like this tend to be taken in the first few rounds, making Bradley a fantastic mid round steal.

Dennis Schroder

Dennis Schroder was handed the keys to the starting point guard spot for the Atlanta Hawks this season. He has been rounding into form, averaging 15 points, 6.5 assists, and 3.3 rebounds per game. As a guy who went in the last few rounds of fantasy drafts, if at all, these are great numbers. Schroder is also capable of catching a hot hand from three-point range, making him especially useful in leagues that score individual stat categories. For a guy who is still getting used to a feature role in Atlanta's offense, he should continue to grow from here.

Joel Embiid

The Philadelphia 76ers drafted Embiid 3rd overall in the 2014 draft, but he ended up missing the next two seasons with a broken foot. Now that he is finally healthy, Embiid looks set to explode. Despite being restricted to about 20 minutes per game while the 76ers ease him into action, Embiid is averaging 18.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3 blocks. This is insane production considering the small amount of playing time he has been seeing. This can only bode very well for those who scooped him up with one of their final picks.

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Scott Levy hails from New York where he recently hung up his sneakers after a mediocre intramural basketball career. When he's not working or out hiking with his dog Baxter you can find him glued to whatever NBA game is on TV, and usually blogging about it afterwards.

RotoBaller DFS Advice: DraftKings Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks (11/7/16)

The three big names on deck tonight are Russell Westbrook, James Harden, and Anthony Davis. All three are priced at over 10k and come with a serious resume. Everyone is going to have one of these and some may even try and squeeze two onto the same team.

Remember, it’s always your best bet, if you have more money to spread around, to get better players that you know won’t go scoreless or barely contribute. Below are some of the cheaper options that have had productive seasons thus far.

In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 11/07/16. The DFS lineup picks will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options and value plays on DraftKings.

DraftKings DFS Guards

Tim Frazier – PG, NO ($6,600)
The New Orleans Pelicans have been plagued by injuries and tragedies to all their stars for a few years now. Jrue Holiday’s situation is unique as he’s taking care of his wife and newborn child. In Holiday’s absence it seems New Orleans has gotten lucky and found a true starting point guard. Frazier has been playing well and is slowly being priced closer to his production level.

Tyler Johnson – PG/SG, MIA ($4,700)
Johnson signed one of the many head scratching contracts this season that left everyone but Pat Riley asking, how did that guy get $50 million? Turns out Riley saw something special as Johnson is now averaging 15 points, four rebounds, and two assists on 53% shooting. All of these are career highs for Johnson who is so far in the running for sixth man of the year and most improved player.

C.J. Miles - SG/SF, IND ($4,100)
Miles has been hot from three and is on a scoring tear of late. As long as the Miles train is humming along at 15 points per game he is worth considering in DFS. The veteran player has gotten hot for a month or two before but has never been able to put together a full season of consistent scoring. Right now he’s hot though, so until he shows he isn’t, there is a tremendous amount of value in the Indiana wing man.

DraftKings DFS Forwards

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[click here to read the rest of the article on RotoBaller.com]

RotoBaller DFS Advice: DraftKings Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks (11/4/16)

The 2015-’16 NBA season is officially underway. The first few weeks of the season always offer up tough choices, as decisions are largely based off of a small sample size.

In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 11/04/16. The DFS lineup picks will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options and value plays on DraftKings.

DraftKings DFS Guards

DeMar DeRozan – SG, TOR ($8,000)
DeRozan has consistently been exceeding, which is why his price tag is so surprising tonight. He has been an elite scorer this season, as he has taken more than 20 shots per game and he’s averaging 36.3 points per game. He has also adds 5.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.5 steals per game, as well. He gets a decent matchup against the Heat, who have been far from an elite defense this season, but do like slowing the pace down at times. Still, DeRozan is a big enough part of the offense to be used in all leagues tonight.

J.J. Barea – PG/SG, DAL ($4,800)
Barea has been a pleasant surprise for the Mavs this season. He’s playing big minutes off the bench, and he has been a solid scorer. He adds a few extra stats each game, as well, which gives him good upside. He gets a great matchup against the Blazers, who are one of the fastest paced teams in the NBA. That will give Barea a few more extra possessions for fantasy points. He’s still fairly cheap, and he can be used in all leagues until his price jumps a bit more.

Sean Kilpatrick – SG, BKN ($4,400)
Kilpatrick was one of the best players in the NCAA when he was at Cincinnati, but that hasn’t transferred to the NBA. Still, he has plenty of upside and he has looked great through five games this season. He played the majority of his minutes at point guard after Jeremy Lin was injured, and he get more minutes at point guard tonight. He’s coming off a huge game against the Pistons, and while he isn’t like to repeat that effort, he should easily be able to exceed value tonight.

DraftKings DFS Forwards

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[click here to read the rest of the article on RotoBaller.com]

RotoBaller DFS Advice: FanDuel Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks (11/3/16)

Welcome to another night of daily fantasy basketball. With only five games to choose from, it is essential to hit on all of those value players. This article will help! Who is ready to see Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant square off for the first time since Durant landed in Golden State? I sure am.

In this column, you will find my daily fantasy NBA lineup picks for FanDuel on 11/03/16. These NBA DFS lineup picks will range from some of the elite players, to mid-priced options, and value plays on FanDuel. Good luck tonight. May November forever be in your favor.

FanDuel DFS Guards

Russell Westbrook - PG, at GSW ($12,200)
Russell Westbrook's price tag is growing by the game, but it is still not high enough to avoid him. He has over 55 fantasy points in all of his first three starts this season, and against the Phoenix Suns, he posted over 80. He is shooting the ball over 20 times per game, dishing out assists, and grabbing rebounds. He contributes in all stat categories, and a triple-double has been expected at this point. Westbrook can be used in both 50/50 contests and tournaments.

Zach LaVine - SG, vs DEN ($6,000)
Zach LaVine looked great in his last game. He posted over 35 fantasy points in only 29 minutes on the court. The Minnesota Timberwolves dominated the Memphis Grizzlies, resulting in the starters sitting out the fourth quarter. LaVine had 31 points already, along with four rebounds and two assists. He should be able to score tonight against the Denver Nuggets, a team that is not known for defense. LaVine's price tag is reasonable, and his upside is great.

Also Consider: Evan Fournier - SG, vs SAC ($6,000)

FanDuel DFS Forwards

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[click here to read the rest of the article on RotoBaller.com]

RotoBaller DFS Advice: DraftKings Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks (11/2/16)

The stars of the NBA have wasted no time shining in an explosive start to the 2016-2017 season.

Oklahoma City doesn't seem too lonely anymore, Kevin Durant now a memory of a team looking to taste glory for the first time in franchise history. They will be truly tested for the first time this season against the Los Angeles Clippers. Keep an eye on that contest.

In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy NBA lineup picks for DraftKings on 11/02/16. The DFS lineup picks will range from some of the elite players, to mid-priced options, and value plays on DraftKings. Without wasting anymore time, let's get down to business!

DraftKings DFS Guards

Derrick Rose - PG, NYK ($5,700)
Brandon Jennings has been starting at point guard for the New York Knicks (just two games) but let's be clear about something; the backcourt in Madison Square Garden belongs to Derrick Rose. New York's matchup against the Houston Rockets, if there was ever a better opportunity, will be the team's best offseason acquisition's coming out party in the only other professional uniform he has slipped on besides one of the Chicago Bulls.

Any time the Rockets come to town, and the invisible defensive play of James Harden becomes oh so evident, it's wise to take notice for daily fantasy. Rose is still extremely cheap for what he's capable of. Give him some time to get acclimated in a new city, but we could see the hype surrounding his injury-prone career sooner than we think.

Russell Westbrook - PG, OKC ($12,900)
At this point, Westbrook's price could skyrocket to $20,000 and he'd still be a shoe-in to exceed projection. With ease. Westbrook has posted two straight triple-doubles, and was one assist shy in Oklahoma City's first game of the season. It's safe to say that he is the Thunder, that the absence of Kevin Durant has not affected him in the slightest.

Understandably, in three wins this season, the Thunder have beat the Lakers, the Suns, and the 76ers; three of the league's worst. The real test will be handed out on Wednesday night against an also undefeated Los Angeles Clippers. Expect this game to be high scoring with all the firepower set to take the court.

Andre Roberson - SG/SF, OKC ($4,100)
If anything, we should be pleased with Roberson's minutes played. With little room to score because of the aforementioned Westbrook seemingly hogging every offensive statistic in existence, Roberson has quietly produced for daily fantasy at a very affordable price. His stats won't blow you away, but he is capable of making up for his less than stellar scoring abilities. Last week against the Suns, Roberson posted five steals, 11 boards, and nine points.

We don't need him to do much, and heading into a Western Conference showdown against the Clippers, he'll have plenty of opportunities to do just enough.

DraftKings DFS Forwards

. . .

[click here to read the rest of the article on RotoBaller.com]

RotoBaller DFS Advice: FanDuel Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks (11/1/16)

After yesterday's short four-game slate, NBA fantasy players have to be excited about tonight's action. There are various games to attack, a lot of great value, and a few solid expensive options as well.

Good luck tonight. May November forever be in your favor.

FanDuel DFS Guards

Stephen Curry - PG, at POR ($8,700)
Stephen Curry is far from the elite point guard that he was last season, mainly due to Kevin Durant stealing a few of his shots, but he is still a great tournament option. He has double-digit three-point attempts in two of his first three games, and the Portland Trailblazers, despite their solid defensive play, love to push the pace of the game. Damian Lillard and Stephen Curry are going to go back and fourth tonight, in what should be fun for the casual fan and fantasy player.

Evan Fournier - SG, at PHI ($6,000)
Evan Fournier is playing big minutes for the Orlando Magic right now. He showed flashes last season, especially earlier on. In his last start, he posted over 25 fantasy points in 38 minutes of action. The impressive part is that he has over 37 minutes in two of his first three starts. The Philadelphia 76ers are borderline pathetic on defense, and Fournier should have no issues scoring. Use him in tournaments tonight on FanDuel for his price tag.

Tim Frazier - PG, MIL ($5,500)
Tim Frazier is too cheap. His last performance (18.3 fantasy points in 25 minutes on the court) likely scared away a couple of fantasy owners, but he should return to form. In his first two games of the season, he posted over 40 fantasy points in each. The Milwaukee Bucks are tough defensively, especially Giannis Antetokounmpo, but Frazier will find open shots, as the defense focuses on Anthony Davis. Use him in both 50/50 contests and tournaments.

FanDuel DFS Forwards

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[click here to read the rest of the article on RotoBaller.com]