DFSGhost 
A smaller slate awaits us today, but there is plenty of NBA action to be had. We have a potential Western Conference Finals preview, where the Golden State Warriors visit the Phoenix Suns, the battle of New York, and a rematch between the Kings and Lakers, where the teams went to triple overtime just a few days ago. It’s Taco Tuesday’s 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:
Point Guards
Steph Curry ($11,400 DK / $10,800 FD)
The NBA MVP frontrunner is truly on another planet right now. Sporting a 32.1% usage rate for the Warriors this season, Curry has led his team to a league-best 18-2 record, where he’s also tied for first in the league in scoring with 28.6 PPG. Shooting at a 46.6% rate this season, including 42.3% from behind the arc, Curry is on pace to once again average over five 3PM per game, demonstrating his dominance on a nightly basis.
De’Aaron Fox ($8,400 DK / $7,600 FD)
In four games since Luke Walton got fired, Fox has been tremendous. Sporting a 28.5% usage rate in that span, the former Kentucky Wildcat is averaging 22.5/4.3/4.5 on 47.2% shooting, despite having a -23 rating. With the Lakers ranking dead last in the NBA versus primary ball handlers, allowing over 50 FPPG to the position and ranking 28th in assists allowed to the player type, Fox is once again in play versus a familiar foe.
Honorable Mentions:
- Chris Paul ($8,000 DK / $8,000 FD)
- Tyus Jones ($5,100 DK / $4,600 FD)
Shooting Guards
Desmond Bane ($6,000 DK / $5,400 FD)
Drawing the start in Memphis’ first game without the face of their franchise in Ja Morant, Bane propelled the Grizzlies’ offense in a blowout win versus Sacramento. Despite the 20.9% usage rate, Bane was efficient from the field, shooting 58.3% from the field and 57.1% from deep, having made four 3-pointers. With Toronto plummeting to the 29th spot in the NBA versus 3-and-D wings since the absence of OG Anunoby, Bane is primed to thrive in a fast-paced game environment, alongside Dillon Brooks.
Alec Burks ($5,600 DK / $6,200 FD)
With Tom Thibodeau confirming that Kemba Walker has now lost his starting point guard spot and fallen out of the rotation for the Knicks, it’s all aboard the Alec Burks train at this price on tonight’s NBA slate. With a 2.4 assist/turnover rate, Burks is careful with the ball and knows how to run an efficient offense; his usage rate takes a jump from 18.6% to 22.1% as the starting point guard, including having a 27.8% usage rate in his last start, where he posted a 23/7/3 scoring line across 39 minutes.
Honorable Mentions
- Buddy Hield ($6,600 DK / $5,800 FD)
- De’Anthony Melton ($5,100 DK / $5,500 FD)
Small Forwards
Kevin Durant ($11,100 DK / $11,000 FD)
Tied for the lead in scoring with Steph Curry, Kevin Durant has put on an offensive clinic one fourth of the way through the NBA season. Sporting a 31% usage rate this season for the Nets, KD is ever so close to the elusive 50-40-90 club, shooting 54.8% from the field, 41.1% from deep, and 85.4% from the charity stripe; he has four straight games of 37 or more minutes, including playing the final 33 minutes against Phoenix, and carries upside like no other on this slate.
Dillon Brooks ($7,000 DK / $5,800 FD)
On the last Memphis slate, I pointed out how Brooks’ usage rate increases by roughly 4% with Ja Morant sidelined and explained how great his offensive role would be for the foreseeable future. Well, he certainly did not disappoint, dropping 21 points in 21 minutes in what would be a blowout victory for the Grizzlies. Tonight, versus the Toronto Raptors, the Canadian will be tasked with logging a serious number of minutes; to put into context just how efficient he was last game, he took 17 shots in 21 minutes, shooting 47.1%, while scoring at a point – not fantasy point – a raw point per minute. There is no one else I want to play more than Dillon Brooks on tonight’s NBA slate.
Honorable Mentions:
- LeBron James ($10,400 DK / $10,600 FD)
- Scottie Barnes ($7,000 DK / $6,700 FD)
Power Forwards
Julius Randle ($9,400 DK / $8,500 FD)
While the Knicks starting lineup has been abysmal defensively this season, Julius Randle is in a good spot for our NBA GPP lineups because his recent performances simply do not entice the field to play him tonight. However, the Blake Griffin losing playing time to LaMarcus Aldridge and the Nets turning to different looks on offense to keep opponents on their toes in the absence of Joe Harris, Julius Randle will have his way with a Brooklyn interior defense that has allowed over 45 points in the paint per game; Randle has much fewer paint touches per game this season due to having Mitchell Robinson alongside him for most of his minutes, but the upside is there for Randle to dominate the block nonetheless.
Pascal Siakam ($8,500 DK / $7,500 FD)
With OG Anunoby ruled out once again, Siakam is of strong interest not only based on position scarcity alone, but because of his individual matchup against the worst defense in the league. Having scored five straight games in double digits, Siakam has a 24.2% usage rate while logging 34.5 MPG for the Raptors. With Khem Birch ruled out once again, he’ll see some run at the ‘5’ as the small-ball center, but the primary matchup against Jaren Jackson Jr. is simply too good to pass up on, who has a net defensive rating of 112 this season, while his team also ranks dead last in the NBA in defensive rating as a whole.
Honorable Mentions:
- Jerami Grant ($7,300 DK / $8,100 FD)
- Jaren Jackson Jr. ($6,700 DK / $6,500 FD)
Centers
- PF/C eligible players listed above
- LaMarcus Aldridge ($5,700 DK / $6,100 FD)
Honorable Mentions:
- Punt value spot
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