The Slate Starter is a daily first look at to get your daily fantasy basketball lineup-building process started before lock tonight. Each day, we will go through some of the best NBA DFS picks, top stacks and optimal lineup construction for DraftKings and FanDuel. Be sure to check Awesemo’s NBA Starting Lineups page, as it will be updated throughout the day as the NBA injury reports are released and breaking news surfaces. “Stars and scrubs” usually get the most attention, but let’s dive into some midrange options on Tuesday’s five-game slate.
NBA DFS Picks & Optimal Lineup Construction | Nov. 2
Kevin Porter Jr., PG, Houston Rockets
Porter was scooped up by the Rockets after being exiled by the Cavaliers, and he put together a huge close to the 2020-21 season. Unfortunately, he has not been able to duplicate those numbers to start the new season. Still, Porter stands out as an excellent value at just $6,200 against the Lakers on DraftKings. His salary has decreased by $1,600 since the start of the year, and Porter has still averaged a respectable 0.92 DraftKings points per minute. He is coming off more than 36 minutes in his last outing, and he could continue to see a few additional minutes with a foot injury. Expect him to grade favorably in Awesemo’s NBA Projections.
Mike Conley, PG, Utah Jazz
Conley is another player who has seen a sizable price drop to start the year. He is down to just $5,500 on FanDuel, which makes him an interesting buy-low target. The Jazz have been careful with Conley’s minutes – he has averaged just 28.2 through his first five games – but he has 0.85 FanDuel points per minute. Conley has historically averaged 29.17 FanDuel points in 34 games with a comparable salary, which would be more than enough to return value at his current price tag. The Jazz are also in an excellent spot against the Kings. They rank just 25th in defensive efficiency, and they have also played at the eighth-fastest pace. That is a great combination for fantasy purposes. Conley likely will not command much ownership, but he has some upside in this matchup.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker, G/SF, New Orleans Pelicans
Alexander-Walker is another elite value at just $6,100 on FanDuel. Unlike Porter and Conley, Alexander-Walker has been good to start the year. He has scored at least 26.8 FanDuel points in all but one game, yet his price has not really budged. The Pelicans are also dealing with a handful of injuries at the moment. Zion Williamson remains out with a right foot injury, and he is still a few weeks away from returning. Brandon Ingram and Devonte’ Graham are also questionable, and their absences would open up a ton of usage for the rest of the team. Alexander-Walker would be one of the biggest beneficiaries. He has increased his usage rate by 9.4 percentage points with Ingram and Graham off the court this season, giving him excellent scoring upside.
The Pelicans have a tough matchup against the Suns, but Alexander-Walker would still garner plenty of interest in DFS. He would also be an appealing target in the player prop market, and it would not be a shock if the over on his scoring prop was a recommended target in the Awesemo Player Prop tool.
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