DFS: Basic NBA Strategy - Chasing Minutes Played

Remember the old saying, “You can’t score if you don’t shoot”? Daily fantasy basketball takes it a step further: “You can’t score if you don’t play.”

One of the best ways to maximize your DFS roster is to ensure that you’ve rostered players who spend the most time on the court. Unlike the other three major pro sports, playing time is the single biggest factor in determining player value; aside from a few remarkable exceptions, the players who see the court the most are also the most valuable DFS commodities.

Here’s a breakdown of the top 10 players in minutes per game during the 2014-15 season:

Take Harden, Irving, James, Davis, Wall and Lillard out of the equation - they’re six of the top-25 offensive players in the NBA, so it’s no surprise they’re near the top in minutes played - and you’re left with four of last season’s most intriguing DFS cases:

• Butler was a DFS stud in 2014-15, routinely returning value thanks to his league-leading minutes total. Butler was rarely overpriced, making him the en vogue choice in both GPP and cash-game formats thanks to his ability to put up points, rebounds and assists.

• Wiggins began slowly, which depressed his salary and made him one of the top DFS choices for most of the second half of the season. His value did eventually catch up to his talent, but DFS players routinely wound up with incredible value from Wiggins.

• Oladipo improved enough offensively to return great value most nights, though his shooting remains below-average and he still turns the ball over far too much. Still, a 17/4/4 guy is valuable in DFS - especially at the salary he carried for most of the year.

• Ariza didn’t have the ceiling of the others, but he had one of the highest floors of any player in his salary range thanks to all those minutes. He also shot nearly seven 3-pointers per game, making just under 2 ½ for some great additional value.

Here are a few ways to evaluate whether a player is in for a big-minute night:

Is he a star? This is perhaps the simplest question to ask when filling out a roster of high-minute contributors. You may only have room for one high-salary player, so make sure to keep an eye on his minutes; not just how many he racks up, but what he does with them.

Does he get involved? It isn’t enough to have a guy on the floor for 30+ minutes a night if he doesn’t do much with them (here’s looking at you, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.) Any roster candidate needs to be a player who will get shots, rebound and/or pass the ball.

Is there a lineup change? Occasionally a team will shake things up in order to improve its chance of winning. That could mean big things for your lineup if you’re able to capitalize on a bench player being moved into the rotation - giving you potential big minutes for cheap.

Is there an injury? This can have an even more profound effect on daily fantasy fortunes. Not only do injuries force starting lineup changes, they can also leave teams short of bench options - thereby creating more opportunities for the starting five to soak up the minutes.

Should you opt for the “studs and scrubs” roster strategy - made up of a combination of high- and low-salary players - here’s how to find the best cheap options from a minutes perspective:

Seek out sixth men: If you can’t afford to roster a lineup full of high-minute starters, look at doing the next best thing: Adding high-floor reserve players. The first man off each team’s bench tends to be the one who accrues the most playing time and carries the most value.

Look for short benches: Teams with short benches can provide value beyond the possibility of starters playing heavy minutes. Consider bench options on teams running short on reserves; those players should have low salaries and will almost always return value.

Bet against brittle players: The NBA season is one of the most demanding in sports, with athletes playing hurt all the time. If you know a guy is nursing an injury but playing through it, don’t hesitate to snag his backup; there should be ample playing time for the reserve.