This is our primary in-depth NBA DFS article, and it will be free this season. The goal of this article isn’t just to give you a few plays to plug into your lineup, but to dig a little bit deeper into why projections may (or may not) like certain players. Hopefully, after reading this article, you’ll have a better feel for the slate as a whole. Combining the context from this article with the raw data that is available in our Boom/Bust tool, Projections and Ownership Projections should allow you to build strong lineups and make optimal NBA DFS picks for any type of contest on DraftKings and FanDuel.
Be sure to catch the Awesemo NBA Daily Fantasy Strategy Show every morning on our Awesemo YouTube Channel to get ready for the day’s slate of action on DraftKings and FanDuel!
I plan to update this article with notes at the top until about 5 p.m. EST each day. After that, be sure to check out the Deeper Dive show with Loughy and me from 5 to 6 every weekday and Live Before Lock in the hour leading up until lock each day on the Awesemo YouTube channel.
If you have any questions after reading the article, always feel free to DM me in Slack.
Note: This article takes a very long time to write, especially on slates with a lot of games. In order to get information out earlier in the day, I will post the first few games and then update with the remaining games as I write them on bigger slates. Be sure to check back for updates throughout the afternoon.
NBA DFS Deep Dive: DraftKings + FanDuel Picks | Feb. 24
Houston Rockets at Cleveland Cavaliers (+3.5): 220
Houston Rockets
Eric Gordon and Victor Oladipo are questionable. P.J. Tucker is probable. DeMarcus Cousins and Christian Wood are out.
There is too much injury news pending to confidently say how to approach the Rockets tonight, but it is a good matchup against Cleveland so there will most likely be strong plays here.
John Wall has averaged 1.33 DraftKings points per minute with a 31 percent usage rate and 39.5 percent assist rate in six games alongside Oladipo and without Harden this season. In eight games without either of them on the floor, Wall has averaged 1.25 DraftKings points per minute with a 35.7 percent usage rate and 40.8 percent assist rate. I don’t expect Wall to continue producing fewer fantasy points per minute without Oladipo than when Oladipo plays, but I do expect him to continue being a productive fantasy option regardless of Oladipo’s status.
If Oladipo is out and Gordon is active, then Gordon looks like a strong play as well — particularly on FanDuel where he is only $5,300. Gordon has averaged 1.02 DraftKings points per minute with a 28.4 percent usage rate and 20.3 percent assist rate in seven games alongside Wall without Oladipo or Harden this season compared to 0.97 DraftKings points per minute with a 24.3 percent usage rate and 15.7 percent assist rate in six games alongside Wall and Oladipo.
If Oladipo and Gordon are both out, it should open up more minutes for a combination of David Nwaba, Sterling Brown and Ben McLemore. Nwaba and Brown have seen their salaries increase as a result of Houston’s recent injuries and McLemore is clearly behind both of them in the rotation so it would be difficult to prioritize them, but they would make for viable tournament options.
One note to make on Houston’s overall rotation is that Justin Patton played 21.5 minutes against the Bulls on Monday. A few minutes were garbage time and I don’t think he is a viable DFS option on this slate, but his presence adds a frontcourt body that makes it less likely we get huge minutes from Tucker.
Top DraftKings NBA DFS Picks: John Wall ($8,300)
Top FanDuel NBA DFS Picks: John Wall ($8,500), Eric Gordon ($5,300)
Cleveland Cavaliers
Update: Taurean Prince is listed as probable. He has averaged 26.2 minutes per game in his six starts with Cleveland and 0.73 DraftKings points per minute in those starts.
We don’t have an injury report yet from Cleveland since they played last night. Prince and Larry Nance Jr. both missed that game and I am assuming that the same players will be active tonight. Dean Wade started in place of Prince but only played about 21 minutes. He is a 0.61 DraftKings point per minute player for the season, so it’s difficult to roster him in DFS with any level of confidence despite the minimum salary.
Jarrett Allen posted another big game last night and he should have plenty of success against Houston’s frontcourt tonight. Allen is athletic enough that I’m not overly concerned about the Cavaliers going small to match up with Houston and he has averaged 1.36 DraftKings points per minute and 33.5 minutes per game in six games that Andre Drummond hasn’t played. He has averaged 1.22 DraftKings points per minute overall without Drummond on the floor since joining Cleveland.
Collin Sexton and Darius Garland offer plenty of upside here as well. Allen’s usage rate is about 10 points lower than Drummond’s and most of the available usage should filter to Sexton and Garland. Both players play huge minutes and, whenever one isn’t on the floor, the other is playing. Sexton has averaged 0.89 DraftKings points per minute with a 27.8 percent usage rate and 16.2 percent in 38.4 minutes per game in the six games that he has played alongside Garland and Allen without Drummond. Garland has averaged 0.91 DraftKings points per minute with a 23.9 percent usage rate and 29.9 percent assist rate in 37.1 minutes per game over those six games.
JaVale McGee is an intriguing tournament option on FanDuel specifically where he is a $3,600 power forward. We can only expect 14 to 16 minutes from McGee, but he has massive block upside which is worth a lot on FanDuel. He has averaged 1.28 FanDuel points per minute without Drummond on the floor this season.
Top DraftKings NBA DFS Picks: Jarrett Allen ($7,700), Collin Sexton ($7,400), Darius Garland ($6,500)
Top FanDuel NBA DFS Picks: Jarrett Allen ($7,600), Collin Sexton ($6,900), Darius Garland ($5,900)
Boston Celtics at Atlanta Hawks (+2): 224
Boston Celtics
Update: Kemba Walker is confirmed out.
Boston played last night so we don’t have an injury report yet. Walker hasn’t played on a back-to-back this season so, while we don’t have confirmation, I am assuming he won’t play tonight. Javonte Green drew the start when Walker was out last week, but Brad Stevens changes his lineups frequently so we will have to wait for an announcement as it could be Green, Payton Pritchard, Aaron Nesmith or Grant Williams among others.
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are the main beneficiaries outside of whoever replaces Walker in the starting lineup. Tatum has averaged 1.37 DraftKings points per minute with a 31.9 percent usage rate and 23 percent assist rate in 35.2 minutes per game in 14 games with Brown active and Walker inactive this season. Brown has averaged 1.22 DraftKings points per minute with a 30.1 percent usage rate and 17 percent assist rate in 34.4 minutes per game in those games.
Tristan Thompson and Daniel Theis will most likely start alongside each other in the frontcourt. Thompson has averaged 0.92 DraftKings points per minute and 23.6 minutes per game in 22 starts with Theis active this season while Theis has averaged 0.82 DraftKings points per minute in 24.8 minutes per game.
Top DraftKings NBA DFS Picks: Jayson Tatum ($9,200), Jaylen Brown ($8,400)
Top FanDuel NBA DFS Picks: Jayson Tatum ($9,400), Jaylen Brown ($8,400)
Atlanta Hawks
John Collins is questionable tonight. Cam Reddish is doubtful after missing last night’s game. Bogdan Bogdanovic, Kris Dunn and De’Andre Hunter all remain out tonight.
Tony Snell started in place of Reddish last night and played 32.7 minutes. He has only averaged 0.60 DraftKings points per minute this season and hasn’t been a productive fantasy producer throughout his career, but he is minimum salary and should play big minutes (especially if Collins is also out) if you are desperate.
Danilo Gallinari started the second half in place of Collins last night and I expect him to draw the start if Collins can’t play tonight. I expect 28 to 30 minutes from Gallinari if he starts, which would make him stand out as a strong value option.
Trae Young has averaged 1.46 DraftKings points per minute without Collins on the floor this season and 1.34 DraftKings points per minute alongside Collins. His usage rate increases from 31.1 percent with Collins to 33.0 percent without him. Young has averaged 36.5 minutes per game over the last month as well. Unfortunately, Young is expensive so it would still be difficult to prioritize fitting him into lineups despite his massive ceiling, even if Collins is out.
Clint Capela has now played at least 31 minutes in five straight games and his playing time would be more secure if Collins misses this game. Capela has been an excellent source of fantasy production this season with 1.31 DraftKings points per minute.
Kevin Huerter came through big for us last night and he is still relatively inexpensive. Tonight’s matchup is more difficult than last night’s matchup with Cleveland, but Huerter’s salary has fallen as a result of poor shooting over his four games prior to last night. Huerter is likely to play 36-plus minutes tonight and has averaged 0.79 DraftKings points per minute this season.
Top DraftKings NBA DFS Picks: Trae Young ($9,800), Clint Capela ($7,800), Danilo Gallinari ($4,700) if starting
Top FanDuel NBA DFS Picks: Trae Young ($9,600), Clint Capela ($8,200), Danilo Gallinari ($4,600) if starting
Latest NBA DFS Content
- NBA DFS Picks & Building Blocks: Play-In Tournament Day 2! (April 17)
- DraftKings Fantasy Basketball Cheat Sheet: Best Picks From NBA DFS Contest Sims | Joel Embiid (April 17)
- FanDuel Fantasy Basketball Cheat Sheet: Best Picks From NBA DFS Contest Sims | Stephen Curry (April 17)
- NBA DFS Picks & Building Blocks: Play-In Tournament Day 1! (April 16)
- PrizePicks, Sleeper & Underdog Cheat Sheet: Best More/Less Picks Today for NBA, MLB & NHL (April 14)
- Stokastic DFS on Youtube
Golden State Warriors at Indiana Pacers (-2): 231.5
Golden State Warriors
James Wiseman and Kevon Looney returned to action last night. Nobody that is normally in the rotation is listed on tonight’s injury report.
Stephen Curry is reasonably priced for a matchup against the Pacers. He leads the team in usage rate and is second in assist rate this season. He has averaged 1.45 DraftKings points per minute for the season and 34.5 minutes per game over the last month. Curry is expensive enough that his average projection is slightly underwhelming, but he offers plenty of upside in tournaments since few players are capable of scoring as many points in a game as Curry.
Draymond Green played 36.8 minutes last night despite the return of Wiseman and Looney. I expect that we see 33 to 34 minutes more often going forward, but he should still get plenty of playing time. The bigger issue is that I expect his rebounding and block numbers to decrease as he plays more minutes alongside another big — especially Wiseman. Kelly Oubre also played over 36 minutes last night and I expect him to continue playing big minutes as well. His shooting has rebounded after an atrocious start to the season, but his salary has also increased so it’s difficult to prioritize him.
Overall, nothing from Golden State stands out to me tonight as more than a contrarian option in tournaments.
Top DraftKings NBA DFS Picks: Stephen Curry ($10,000)
Top FanDuel NBA DFS Picks: Stephen Curry ($10,000)
Indiana Pacers
Indiana gets a pace-up spot tonight against a Golden State team that has the third fastest pace over the last month. Indiana themselves has played at the 12th fastest pace, so we should get plenty of possessions tonight.
Domantas Sabonis has been outstanding this season but his salary has finally increased to where it’s difficult to fit him into lineups. He is more favorably priced on FanDuel at $9,900 than DraftKings at $10,500 but his salary should keep him low owned on either site. In 20 games played alongside Brogdon without Oladipo this season, Sabonis has averaged 35.9 minutes per game and 1.32 DraftKings points per minute. Malcolm Brogdon has averaged 35.3 minutes per game and 1.11 DraftKings points per minute in those games.
Myles Turner and T.J. McConnell both have tournament upside at their mid-range price points. Turner has averaged 30 minutes per game in 14 games played over the last month while McConnell has averaged 27.7 minutes per game over that time. Turner has averaged 1.03 DraftKings points per minute this season and McConnell has averaged 0.98 DraftKings points per minute with a team-leading 35.7 percent assist rate.
Top DraftKings NBA DFS Picks: Domantas Sabonis ($10,500), Malcolm Brogdon ($8,200), Myles Turner ($6,100)
Top FanDuel NBA DFS Picks: Domantas Sabonis ($9,900), Malcolm Brogdon ($8,200), Myles Turner ($6,700)
Toronto Raptors at Miami Heat (-2.5): 214
Toronto Raptors
Kyle Lowry is listed as probable tonight so he should be rejoining the starting lineup with DeAndre’ Bembry returning to the bench.
Lowry’s return to the lineup makes the rest of the starters look somewhat overpriced in a tough matchup with Miami. Fred VanVleet has averaged 1.11 DraftKings points per minute with a 23.6 percent usage rate and 27.8 percent assist rate in 23 games played with Lowry active this season compared to 1.14 DraftKings points per minute with a 24.8 percent usage rate and 28.5 percent assist rate in six games without Lowry. While the changes in production and rates are not substantial, VanVleet’s salary has increased as a result of Lowry’s absence. Similarly, Pascal Siakam has averaged 1.22 DraftKings points per minute in six games without Lowry and with VanVleet active compared to 1.12 DraftKings points per minute in games where both guards are playing. Both players still offer upside for tournaments, but they are slightly overpriced with Lowry back on the floor. Lowry himself is less expensive and is an interesting mid-range option if his playing time isn’t limited. He has averaged 1.11 DraftKings points per minute and 34.3 minutes per game in 23 games played alongside Siakam and VanVleet this season.
Chris Boucher has typically been playing 22 to 24 minutes recently, but we could see a couple more minutes tonight against a smaller center in Bam Adebayo. The matchup is difficult even if Boucher does find his way into more minutes, but he has averaged 1.22 DraftKings points per minute so he is worth a shot in larger field tournaments as it’s possible he sees 26 to 28 minutes tonight.
Top DraftKings NBA DFS Picks: Kyle Lowry ($7,100)
Top FanDuel NBA DFS picks: Kyle Lowry ($7,400)
Miami Heat
Tyler Herro and Goran Dragic are questionable. Gabe Vincent is probable and Avery Bradley remains out.
Kendrick Nunn played 41 minutes against Oklahoma City with Herro sidelined on Monday and he should be in line for huge minutes again tonight if Herro and Dragic miss the game. Nunn has started nine games with Jimmy Butler and Adebayo both active this season and he has averaged 0.87 DraftKings points per minute with a 20 percent usage rate and 13.5 percent assist rate. His salary is creeping up on DraftKings, but he remains underpriced on FanDuel if Herro and Dragic are out tonight.
Butler has been outstanding this season. He has averaged 1.36 DraftKings points per minute in 32.9 minutes per game. He has averaged 34.8 minutes per game over the last month, however, and I expect Butler to continue getting 34-plus minutes on a regular basis now that he is fully healthy. He has a 26.8 percent usage rate to go along with a 12.8 percent rebounding rate and 37.3 percent assist rate. He contributes in every category on the stat sheet, which helps to increase his floor and consistency.
Adebayo has also been a strong DFS producer this season with 1.26 DraftKings points per minute and 33.9 minutes per game in 19 games played alongside Butler this season. Adebayo leads the team with 35.2 minutes per game over the last month as well.
Top DraftKings NBA DFS Picks: Jimmy Butler ($9,300), Bam Adebayo ($9,000)
Top FanDuel NBA DFS Picks: Jimmy Butler ($9,200), Bam Adebayo ($8,900), Kendrick Nunn ($5,600) if Herro and Dragic are out
Detroit Pistons at New Orleans Pelicans (-9.5): 222.5
Detroit Pistons
Detroit played last night so we don’t have an injury report. I am assuming that everyone available last night will be available tonight.
Saben Lee once again came off the bench and played more minutes than Dennis Smith Jr. last night. As long as Lee keeps coming off the bench, his playing time will be risky because we haven’t seen what the rotation looks like in a game that he hasn’t played well. What we do know, however, is that he is capable of playing well and that, when he does, he can get extended minutes. FanDuel has priced him like a starter very quickly, but DraftKings only increased his salary to $3,800 so he remains a strong value option. One thing to like about Lee is that he has been involved as a playmaker when he is on the floor. In the two games since Delon Wright’s injury, Lee leads the team with 14 potential assists per game. I don’t think that we can expect consistent performances from Lee that are in line with his recent games but, at his DraftKings salary, we aren’t taking on much risk either.
Jerami Grant and Mason Plumlee are the highest upside plays from the Pistons in a favorable matchup against the Pelicans tonight. Grant has averaged 1.01 DraftKings points per minute and 37.1 minutes per game in 11 games played without Blake Griffin this season. His usage rate in those games is 28.3 percent compared to a 25.7 percent usage rate in games played with Griffin active. I expect his per-minute production in the games without Griffin to increase as the sample size gets larger.
Plumlee only played 29.8 minutes last night but he has averaged 33.3 minutes per game in eight games played without Griffin or Jahlil Okafor. Plumlee has averaged 1.09 DraftKings points per minute with an 18.3 percent rebounding rate and 22 percent assist rate in those games. His individual matchup with Steven Adams isn’t particularly appealing and the center position has a high opportunity cost so I don’t think he is a priority, but he has 40-plus fantasy point upside at a relatively inexpensive price tag.
Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk started and played about 22 minutes last night with Wayne Ellington out, but Ellington was out for rest so I think he will be back tonight. If he is out, we can look to Mykhailiuk as a minimum priced option with a relatively low ceiling. If Ellington plays, we can view him in the same light as he has averaged 0.78 DraftKings points per minute and 24.6 minutes per game in seven starts without Griffin.
Josh Jackson played about 30 minutes off the bench last night and I expect similar playing time tonight. Jackson is more expensive than I would like, but he offers upside because he is able to contribute as a rebounder and playmaker in addition to scoring. The Pistons need as many playmakers as possible right now since Griffin and Delon Wright are both sidelined. Jackson has averaged 1.05 DraftKings points per minute and 27.1 minutes per game with a 28.7 percent usage rate, 11.2 percent rebounding rate and 11.8 percent assist rate in 10 games played without Griffin this season.
Top DraftKings NBA DFS Picks: Saben Lee ($3,800), Jerami Grant ($7,600), Mason Plumlee ($6,400)
Top FanDuel NBA DFS Picks: Jerami Grant ($7,400), Mason Plumlee ($7,000), Josh Jackson ($5,100)
New Orleans Pelicans
Steven Adams is probable which should push Willy Hernangomez back to the bench.
Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram are almost always the top options from the Pelicans and tonight is no different. Neither player stands out as a priority at their price point or position in the context of the entire slate, but they offer plenty of upside as lower owned pieces of your lineup in tournaments. Williamson has averaged 1.25 DraftKings points per minute in 29 games played alongside Ingram this season while Ingram has averaged 1.18 DraftKings points per minute in those games.
Lonzo Ball has averaged 31 minutes per game over the last month and he has averaged 1 DraftKings point per minute in 27 games played with Ingram and Williamson this season. He offers some upside at his salary given his ability to stuff the stat sheet.
Top DraftKings NBA DFS Picks: Zion Williamson ($8,800), Brandon Ingram ($8,100)
Top FanDuel NBA DFS Picks: Zion Williamson ($8,500), Brandon Ingram ($8,000)
Minnesota Timberwolves at Chicago Bulls (-4): 228.5
Minnesota Timberwolves
We don’t have an injury report from Minnesota yet, but we do know that Jarrett Culver is probable. This will be his first game under the new coach, so I don’t know how he will be utilized but I do know that he is likely to affect the playing time of Jaden McDaniels, Jaylen Nowell and/or Jarred Vanderbilt.
The first thing I noticed when I looked at Minnesota’s rotation from their first game post-Ryan Saunders was that Karl-Anthony Towns played huge minutes. Towns finished last night’s game with 35.8 minutes and he lost about 3 minutes to garbage time. It’s only one game so I don’t know if that will continue, but Towns is someone who has played a ton of minutes per game in the past and it’s perfectly reasonable to think he starts doing it again now. Towns has had some tough matchups since returning to the floor, but that isn’t the case tonight against the Bulls. He has averaged 1.42 DraftKings points per minute with a 26.5 percent usage rate, 16.7 percent rebounding rate and 21.4 percent assist rate in eight games alongside Malik Beasley without D’Angelo Russell this season. I think he makes for a great tournament target at relatively low ownership given his matchup and the potential that he plays 36-plus minutes if this game is competitive based on last night’s rotation.
Beasley and Anthony Edwards are viable mid-range tournament options tonight as well. Beasley has averaged 0.87 DraftKings points per minute and 36.3 minutes per game in his games alongside Towns without Russell this season while Edwards has averaged 0.85 DraftKings points per minute and 33.1 minutes per game in eight starts in those conditions.
Top DraftKings NBA DFS Picks: Karl-Anthony Towns ($9,700)
Top FanDuel NBA DFS Picks: Karl-Anthony Towns ($9,700)
Chicago Bulls
Lauri Markkanen and Otto Porter are still out for Chicago.
Zach LaVine has been excellent this season and now he gets a good matchup against his former team. Minnesota is 20th in defensive rating and 6th in pace over the last month. LaVine has averaged 1.32 DraftKings points per minute with a 32.5 percent usage rate and 22.5 percent assist rate in 12 games played without Markkanen and with Wendell Carter active this season.
Coby White is a high-upside tournament option on DraftKings and a clear mispricing on FanDuel at only $5,700. White has averaged 1 DraftKings point per minute and 34.6 minutes per game in his 12 games without Markkanen and with Carter active this season. Throw in the matchup and he is clearly underpriced on FanDuel.
Speaking of players who are underpriced, Carter still isn’t priced to play 30-plus minutes. He’ll have his hands full on the defensive end with Towns, so there is some risk, but we should get 30-plus minutes out of Carter as long as he isn’t in foul trouble. He has averaged 1.07 DraftKings points per minute in his games without Markkanen this season.
Top DraftKings NBA DFS Picks: Zach LaVine ($9,600), Wendell Carter ($5,800)
Top FanDuel NBA DFS Picks: Zach LaVine ($9,800), Wendell Carter ($5,400), Coby White ($5,700)
San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma City Thunder (-1): 217
San Antonio Spurs
DeMar DeRozan, Rudy Gay, Keldon Johnson, Devin Vassell, Derrick White and Quinndary Weatherspoon are out tonight. LaMarcus Aldridge is available for the first time since February 1st.
It was only a matter of time before we got a COVID game where we have to try and guess what Gregg Popovich is going to do in a situation where we have no prior examples to make predictions from. In general, I think that the safest players to target in situations like this are players who are productive and who were already consistent rotation pieces. On San Antonio, Dejounte Murray and Aldridge fit both categories (though Aldridge’s conditioning is certainly a concern after missing about three weeks). Patty Mills checks the second box and has been relatively productive as well. Lonnie Walker isn’t particularly productive but he has been a regular part of the rotation. Trey Lyles is somewhat productive but hasn’t been a consistent part of the rotation so, while I think he plays enough minutes to be a strong value option tonight, it wouldn’t be surprising if Popovic disagrees with me.
Including the preseason, Murray has played 694 minutes since last season without DeRozan or White on the floor. He has averaged 1.20 DraftKings points per minute. Mills has averaged 1.07 DraftKings points per minute over 570 such minutes. Walker has averaged 0.79 DraftKings points per minute over 523 minutes and Aldridge has averaged 1.15 DraftKings points per minute in 269 minutes. Lyles has averaged 0.77 DraftKings points per minute in 342 minutes played.
Without knowing what the starting lineup will look like, I think these five are the best combination of salary and production tonight for San Antonio.
Top DraftKings NBA DFS Picks: Dejounte Murray ($7,400), Patty Mills ($4,300), Trey Lyles ($3,200), Lonnie Walker ($3,700)
Top FanDuel NBA DFS Picks: Dejounte Murray ($7,500), LaMarcus Aldridge ($5,600), Patty Mills ($3,800), Trey Lyles ($4,000), Lonnie Walker ($3,500)
Oklahoma City Thunder
It’s rare for Oklahoma City to be favored, but that’s the case tonight against a watered-down Spurs team.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is very inexpensive on FanDuel and he is reasonably priced on DraftKings as well. He has averaged 1.22 DraftKings points per minute this season and leads the team in usage rate and assist rate. We should get 34-plus minutes from Gilgeous-Alexander if this game is competitive as well.
Nothing else looks particularly appealing outside of Gilgeous-Alexander. Most of the ancillary players on Oklahoma City are still priced up due to all of the recent injuries and Al Horford will be back on the floor which pushes Isaiah Roby back to the bench.
Top DraftKings NBA DFS Picks: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($8,500)
Top FanDuel NBA DFS Picks: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($7,500)
Charlotte Hornets at Phoenix Suns (-9.5): 225.5
Charlotte Hornets
Gordon Hayward is listed as questionable but, as of now, is expected to play tonight. Devonte’ Graham is out.
LaMelo Ball and Terry Rozier should see big minutes again with Graham out, though the matchup against the Suns isn’t very appealing. Ball has averaged 1.18 DraftKings points per minute and 32.1 minutes per game in his five starts alongside Rozier and Hayward without Graham this season, but it’s likely that he plays 35-plus minutes if this game is competitive. Rozier has averaged 1.15 DraftKings points per minute and 32.2 minutes per game in those games while Hayward has averaged 1.02 DraftKings points per minute and 30.3 minutes per game (but that includes the last game that he left early). All three are high-upside tournament options who don’t stand out as great cash options.
Top DraftKings NBA DFS Picks: Gordon Hayward ($6,900)
Top FanDuel NBA DFS Picks: LaMelo Ball ($7,800), Terry Rozier ($7,300), Gordon Hayward ($7,100)
Phoenix Suns
The Suns are another team that are difficult to prioritize right now because they are fully healthy. They do have a good matchup against the Hornets, however, as Charlotte is in the top 10 in pace and bottom 10 in defensive efficiency over the last month.
Chris Paul has averaged 1.17 DraftKings points per minute and 31.3 minutes per game in 25 games played alongside Devin Booker this season while Booker has averaged 1.06 DraftKings points per minute and 34.5 minutes per game. Either player is capable of blowing up and breaking this slate open tonight, but neither of them project as the most likely candidates to do so.
Deandre Ayton is similar to Booker and Paul in that nobody would be surprised if he puts up a big game, but on average he is priced where he should be. He has averaged 31.5 minutes per game over the last month and 1.07 DraftKings points per minute in the games he has played with Booker and Paul active.
Top DraftKings NBA DFS Picks: Chris Paul ($8,300), Devin Booker ($7,700), Deandre Ayton ($6,900)
Top FanDuel NBA DFS Picks: Chris Paul ($7,500), Devin Booker ($7,700), Deandre Ayton ($6,400)
Los Angeles Lakers at Utah Jazz (-9): 218.5
Los Angeles Lakers
Anthony Davis is out. LeBron James, Kyle Kuzma and Markieff Morris are probable. Dennis Schroder is also out.
This game is much more interesting on the late slate than the main slate as it features two teams that are strong defensively and doesn’t offer much that stands out on the main slate.
James is obviously a strong play if you can fit him into lineups, but I’m not going out of my way to roster him as a 9-point underdog against one of the best defenses in the league.
Kuzma will most likely start and has averaged 0.94 DraftKings points per minute and 32.8 minutes per game in seven starts this season with Davis inactive and James active. His price tag is more appealing on FanDuel than DraftKings, but I don’t see him as a great option on either site.
Alex Caruso, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Talen Horton-Tucker and Wesley Matthews are likely to once again combine for more than 100 minutes tonight, but their individual playing time depends on game flow and who is playing well. This makes them low-floor options in a bad matchup on a slate where we have a team missing half its’ normal rotation.
Top DraftKings NBA DFS Picks: LeBron James ($10,900)
Top FanDuel NBA DFS Picks: LeBron James ($10,400)
Utah Jazz
Mike Conley and Rudy Gobert stand out as the two most appealing options from Utah. The reason is that Conley’s return to the lineup takes minutes and/or per-minute production away from all of the other rotation players except for Gobert. That leaves the two of them as the only players who aren’t overpriced tonight. Conley has averaged 1.11 DraftKings points per minute and 29 minutes per game in 23 games played alongside Donovan Mitchell this season. He played 29.3 minutes against Charlotte on Monday so I don’t have any concerns about his playing time. Gobert has averaged 1.25 DraftKings points per minute and 29.6 minutes per game this season in games with both of Mitchell and Conley active.
Top DraftKings NBA DFS Picks: Mike Conley ($6,100), Rudy Gobert ($7,500)
Top FanDuel NBA DFS Picks: Mike Conley ($5,600)
Follow us on all of our social channels! Check out our Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube for more great Awesemo content.
Looking for more DraftKings and FanDuel daily fantasy basketball and NBA DFS picks content? We have loads of articles, data, DraftKings and FanDuel cheat sheets and more on the Awesemo NBA home page. Just click HERE.
