DFSGhost 
Playoff scenarios are ramping up in the NBA and teams are jockeying for seeding with ~15 games left in the season. It’s a Mojito Monday edition of the Gems – let’s ride.
One thing I want to clarify based on the questions I have received over the past few years is that I will never list a player under the $5,000 price tag simply because I use the projection model to identify all targets in this range and below. While there are often plenty of options that I like at $5,000 and less, since I often find myself with not only one – but multiple – in my NBA DFS lineups, you all have access to the very model I use to make my own selections, so when asking yourself: “Should I use player X or player Y?”, make sure to check the model because that is how I make all of my own decisions and I truly ride or die by it on a daily basis.
Before running to the DraftKings, FanDuel, or Yahoo lobby to construct your NBA DFS lineup after reading this article, please make sure to utilize the abundance of tools we have at Win Daily:
Minnesota Timberwolves @ San Antonio Spurs (+6)
Despite the number of studs playing on this NBA slate, it’s a matchup between the Timberwolves and Spurs that grades out best for me. Respectively, Minnesota and San Antonio rank 2nd and 4th in the league in pace this season, and with this being Minnesota’s third game in four days, in addition to the Spurs having rested the majority of their starters in their last outing, there is a lot to like about this particular game environment.
Minnesota Timberwolves (-6)
With Patrick Beverley (ear) missing Saturday’s game with an injury, his status for tonight remains up in the air. Should he miss tonight’s game, Malik Beasley would be in line for another start, but my attention is turned to the frontcourt with Karl-Anthony Towns. The Spurs struggle mightily versus skilled big men, ranking 24th in the NBA overall, in addition to being 23rd in scoring and 28th in rebounding. If you are going elsewhere with your studs, have a look at Jaden McDaniels, who will likely be getting the start for Jarred Vanderbilt (quad), who is out tonight.
San Antonio Spurs (+6)
After resting in their last game versus the Pacers, it’s all systems go for Dejounte Murray & co. tonight. The Timberwolves struggle versus primary ball handlers, ranking 20th in the NBA in both scoring and assists allowed, and with continuous rebounding struggles, Murray is in a position to thrive, especially if Beverley remains out. Murray has now scored 20 or more points in six straight games, where he has sported a 31.9% usage rate and has posted a 25.5/8.7/8.2 scoring line on 48% shooting.
Chicago Bulls @ Sacramento Kings (+5)
We can say what we want about the Chicago Bulls and their struggles versus top tier teams in each conference, but tonight’s matchup versus Sacramento is one of the best on the NBA schedule for our lineups. While I want to highlight the trio of DeMar DeRozan, Zach Lavine (knee), and Nikola Vucevic, who are all in good spots in their respective individual matchups, do not overlook Alex Caruso, who made his return to the lineup after a length absence and played 29 minutes, posting a 11/1/4 scoring line with four steals and 28.3 DK points.
On the Kings side, Domantas Sabonis has now posted a double-double in eight straight games, sporting a 23.9% usage rate during that span and having posted an 18/13.4/6.4 scoring line on 57.9% shooting. In a matchup versus Vucevic, Sabonis gets a friendly matchup versus a Bulls defense that ranks 28th in the NBA in scoring allowed versus skilled big men.
Honorable Mentions:
- Charlotte Hornets @ OKC Thunder (+9)
- Milwaukee Bucks @ Utah Jazz (+1.5)
- Joker vs. Embiid
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