Mitchell Thoennes 
We have a seven-game slate to break down for tonight’s NBA GPP Picks 5/8. The season is winding down, but the WinDaily team is heating up in NBA. Make sure to join our team in the Discord Chat rooms to keep up with our top’s plays. Injury news is a big part of the NBA especially at the end of the season. Look at Toronto they will be without FVV, Lowry, OG, and Chris Boucher tonight. Other injury news to watch is Malcolm Brogdon and Lu Dort are both questionable. We do however have way too many players out to list them all. So, let’s jump into the picks to find out where we may have value or usage increases due to some injuries.
In today’s article, I will be using DraftKings pricing to select my two top players at each position using a GPP/Tournament mindset.
Bombcarlo’s NBA GPP Picks 5/8
Point Guard
Facundo Campazzo – ($5,600)
It has been three straight games Campazzo has played 33 or more minutes and recorded 30 or more fantasy points. The usage isn’t anything crazy at 15% but Campazzo averages a fantasy point per minute without Murray, Barton, Morris, and Dozier. In three straight games, the Denver point guard has scored over 30 fantasy points. His lowest score was 30 in those games he shot 2-10 and still hit value. When a player does that, they are tough to ignore.
Armoni Brooks – ($4,600)
In the past two games both without Tate and one without Porter Jr., Brooks played more than 31 minutes. Those minutes for this extremely scarce Rocket’s roster led to 28 and 40 fantasy points. He goes out and chucks three’s averaging 11.5 three-point attempts in those two games. He didn’t have less than 20% usage in either of those games. If there is garbage time Brooks should absorb it making him a solid option.
Shooting Guard
Caris LeVert – ($9,100)
We must keep an eye on Malcolm Brogdon’s news because if he plays this price is too steep for LeVert. When Brogdon and Turner are off the floor, LeVert leads the Pacers in usage at 28.5%. He averages 1.22 fantasy points per minute without those two and that should increase here against the quickest team in the NBA. We saw Indiana and Washington square up five days ago where LeVert scored over 50 fantasy points. You can play Sabonis as well I may even try to fit Sabonis and Jokic in a lineup.
Gary Trent Jr. – ($5,500)
In his return from a nearly two-week absence, Trent Jr played 36 minutes right away. If he plays that many minutes with all these Raptors out this price is way too cheap. I checked the last game Lowry and FVV both missed, and that game saw Trent record a 31.6% usage rate while scoring over 40 fantasy points. We have a small sample size, but Trent is averaging above a 30% usage rate when all these Raptors are off the court. He draws an Elite matchup against Memphis who has given up the most fantasy points to small forwards this season.
Small Forward
Desmond Bane – ($4,100)
I don’t love picking Memphis players typically but the combination of Grayson Allen being out and Toronto missing several starters has me looking at it. Bane has played 26 or more minutes in three of his last four games and scored 33 or more fantasy points in two of them. The matchup is great against a thin Raptors team that has given up the third-most fantasy points to small forwards this year.
DeAndre’ Bembry – ($3,500)
If you include Aron Baynes the Raptors will have only ten players. Again, it is a small sample size, but Bembry is averaging a 19% usage rate and scoring 1.45 fantasy points per minute with all these Raptors out. He has played 24 minutes in two of his last three leading to at least 21.5 fantasy points each night. The Grizzlies are a top ten team in pace and minutes should be plentiful for Bembry tonight.
Power Forward
Pascal Siakam – ($9,000)
You will likely want to have three Raptors in your lineup tonight due to all their injuries. Siakam has been on a tear recently scoring 70 fantasy points in two of his past three games. A large part of that is due to his 32.5% usage rate or greater in all his last three games. One of Lowry or FVV played in the past three games but tonight they are both ruled out. It is a small sample size but with everyone out for Toronto, Siakam is seeing a 38.6% usage rate and 1.86 fantasy points per minute.
Bojan Bogdanovic – ($6,700)
A big part of me listing this play is the possibility of Utah resting some players since they play a depleted Houston squad. The Rockets over the past ten games have been the third-worst defensive squad and have played at a near top-five pace. Since Mitchell has been out Bogdanovic has seen a hefty usage increase leading to an above 30% usage rate in five of his last six games. That will allow Bogdanovic to pay off this salary against a bad team.
Center
Nikola Jokic – ($10,900)
The Nuggets are another squad that is beaten up late in this season with the likes of Murray, Barton, Morris, and Dozier going down. That leaves the door open for Jokic to have a 32% usage rate while averaging over 1.5 fantasy points per minute. The Nets rank in the bottom ten teams for defensive efficiency and rank tenth in pace this season. A pace-up spot for Jokic against a team that he put up 67 fantasy points against early in the year and Jamal Murray played that game. I smell a triple-double for the Denver big man in a fantastic matchup.
Paul Millsap – ($3,800)
I usually wouldn’t pick a guy at the same position from a team but with Dozier out Millsaps’ minutes have gone up. In the past two games with Dozier out Millsap has played 24 or more minutes averaging above a 20% usage rate in both games. With all these guys out for Denver Millsap is averaging just under a fantasy point per minute. His matchup is juicy and for the current price, he is Millsap has been consistent from a fantasy perspective.
Closing Bombcarlo’s NBA GPP Picks 5/8
The goal is to help you win some money and I hope NBA GPP Picks 5/8 does that. It is a seven-game slate that currently doesn’t have a ton of questionable tags but that can change in a flash. Once we get closer to lock and have more news check out our projection models to find today’s top value picks. Enjoy your Saturday full of sports with two MLB slates, an NBA slate, and a UFC Fight Night. I will be over in UFC Discord as well so hop in the chat and get tonight’s picks!
