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Thank you, Raheem Mostert. The 49ers back’s career day, combined with his 1.6X multiplier and 31.3% ownership, propelled my lineup to cash last week. In fact, Mostert was the only player in my lineup owned in fewer than 60 percent of lineups. That almost certainly will not be the case this week, as we shift our attention from the NFL to the NBA, at least for one week. This is our first foray into NBA contests on SuperDraft, and much like we did early on in the NFL regular season, I think our overarching strategy will be to look for big multipliers wherever possible. However, I will be prepared to use players with lower multipliers if they are the only players I trust.

Guards

Ja Morant X1.5

I’ll probably have a hard time paying him for cash after he had his worst game of the season Wednesday, but it’s hard to ignore his upside in this game. No team has allowed more fantasy points to point guards than the Pistons, and Ja has at least 40 fantasy points in four of his last nine games.

Jeremy Lamb X1.75 and Aaron Holiday X1.75

Lamb has averaged 28.1 fantasy points in his last eight games with Malcolm Brogdon out, while Holiday has averaged 29.8 fantasy points in that same span. The Warriors have allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to point guards this season, and fourth-most to shooting guards. I think I like Holiday better, but it’s close.

Elfrid Payton X1.6

Payton has scored at least 33 fantasy points in the three games R.J. Barrett has missed in the last week. Payton should be a solid cash play again Friday.

Russell Westbrook X1

Westbrook had 56.5 fantasy points against Minnesota two weeks ago, and he's scored at least 60 fantasy points in each of his four games since. Karl Anthony Towns did not play in that meeting, so this should be an even easier matchup. My only concern for Russ is that he'll turn into a pumpkin when James Harden finally breaks out of his shooting slump.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander X1.35

SGA has had at least 39 fantasy points in seven consecutive games, and the Hawks allow the most fantasy points in the NBA. Gilgeous-Alexander had at least 47.5 fantasy points in three of those seven games, so he has a high ceiling as well as a high floor.

Forwards

Zion Williamson X2

Zion scored 32.25 fantasy points in 18.3 minutes in his NBA debut, and if he does that again, he is a must-play at 2X points. On the one hand, there’s no way he goes 4-4 on threes again, and his five turnovers were troublesome. On the other hand, He had nary a steal or block, and that doesn’t seem particularly likely to happen again. I’d rather find three forwards I trust more for cash games, but I don’t know if that is going to happen.

Gordon Hayward X1.55

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are both questionable, and Hayward would almost certainly get a big usage bump if both are out. Whoever starts at power forward would be worth considering as well.

DeMar DeRozan X1.4

LaMarcus Aldridge ’s newfound willingness to take threes has unlocked DeRozan, who has at least 43.5 fantasy points in seven of his last eight games. The Suns have allowed at least 110 points in four of their last five games, and I expect DeRozan to go off again Friday.

Michael Porter Jr. X1.85

Porter has scored at least 40 fantasy points in three of his last four games, and while he may be a little volatile, I’ll have an awfully hard time keeping him out of my lineups if he is active.

Nemanja Bjelica X1.65

Bjelica has scored at least 33 fantasy points in six of his last seven games, and I like his chances of keeping it going with Marvin Bagley out.

Bam Adebayo X1.35

Bam has at least 38 fantasy points in seven of his last nine games, and the Clippers have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing centers this season.

Centers

Dewayne Dedmon X2

With all due respect to the new Robert Horry, the Bulls are terrible against opposing centers, allowing the fifth-most points. Dedmon had 29.50 fantasy points in 31.1 minutes against the Pistons Wednesday, and with Marvin Bagley expected to sit again, Dedmon could easily have an even better game.

Nikola Jokic X1.25

Jokic has scored at least 48.5 fantasy points in three of his last four games, including at Golden State last week. Only the Hawks and Cavs have allowed more fantasy points to centers than the Warriors this season.

Deandre Ayton X1.45

There is a pretty compelling argument to be made that Ayton has the highest ceiling of any center in Friday's slate. Ayton has at least 49.5 fantasy points in three of his last four games, and if he reaches that mark again, he'll top 70 fantasy points with his multiplier. Ayton isn’t quite consistent enough for cash lineups, but it helps that he scored 49.5 fantasy points Monday against this same Spurs team.

Daniel Theis X1.7

Theis had at least 31 fantasy points in four of his last five games, and with Enes Kanter out Friday, he should see even more minutes than normal.

Steve’s Cash Lineup for Friday, January 24:

Aaron Holiday

Elfrid Payton

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

DeMar DeRozan

Nemanja Bjelica

Bam Adebayo

Nikola Jokic

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