The Late Cut: NBA $12,000 Thursday
It is the last day of the 2016-17 NBA Regular season and what a journey it has been. All 30 teams are squaring off today which means there is a heap of value to be found. Whilst there is plenty of value, there is also a lot of uncertainty. Teams and players enter today with varying levels of motivation, some need to win in order to move up the playoff seeds, some need to perform well to secure a better contract, some do not care because they are out of contention, but worst of all, some players may sit out at the last minute. Before entering your lineup, it would be silly to not check twitter for any player news. With a cool $12,000 up for grabs, what better way to celebrate the end of the regular season than with entering a lineup.
Instead of posting a suggested lineup, this version of the Late Cut will focus which cheap players you should be selecting and why.
Ron Baker – PG/SG ($5,400)
Ron Baker, the shot maker has deputised effectively for the Knicks in the absence of usual starting guard Derrick Rose. Baker and his Knicks take on a similarly ranked 76ers outfit, who will not be keen to win as it will affect their draft position. Baker should have the freedom to take his shots which translates into points. At his salary, he is a very good value play.
John Henson – PF ($6,200)
The Bucks are currently sitting pretty in the six spot, and even though their final position is not quite settled (they can drop to seventh) they have decided to rest most of their players. One player who may be elevated to the starting lineup is Henson, who produces well when given opportunities, scoring more than 20 DS points the last four times he has been on court for more than 19 minutes. Henson’s output could explode with more court time and usage and he comes up against the Celtics, who are a poor rebounding team.
Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot – SG ($7,250)
TLC has been in great form closing out the season, finishing with at least 24 DS points in every game this month. TLC has also increased his minutes, which is great for production, playing at least 35 across that time. The 76ers have been dealing with a long injury list, which means that they don’t have a lot of depth to call on, increasing the likelihood that TLC and other will maintain their minutes for the last game of the season. Don’t expect the 76ers to win though, a win could see them jump the Magic for the third spot in the draft lottery.
Domantas Sabonis – PF ($5,000)
With the Thunder safe in the six spot, and Westbrook safe in the record books, the Thunder have shut down their starting core for the last two games for the season. One beneficiary of this is Domantas Sabonis who played a great game against the Timberwolves finishing with 34.25 DS points. Sabonis should receive solid minutes against the Nuggets, who are out of playoff contention. Sabonis should be keen to maximize his potential minutes come the playoffs and the best way to do that is with a strong performance here against the Nuggets.
Vince Carter – SG ($6,950)
It’s not quite farewell for the future hall of famer, as he will have at least four games in the playoffs (probably not much longer), but this match will be the last regular season match the Carter will be a part of after nearly 20 seasons in the league. Carter has shown glimpses of his former self in the last part of the season, where he has taken on a bigger role due to injuries to teammates. Carter should be able to score well against a depleted Mavericks outfit.
NBA SCORING SYSTEM
Base Points
Point Scored = 1 point
Missed Field Goal = -0.25 points
Missed Free Throw = -0.25 points
Assist = 1.5 points
Rebound = 1.25 points
Turnover = -0.5 points
Steal = 2 point
Block = 2 points
Bonuses
3 Point Made = 1 point
Double-Double = 2 points
Triple-Double = 2 points
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