Christopher Day 
Best day of the week with an exciting NBA slate, what a time to be alive. Some injury news across the entire pricing grid tonight makes this slate like every other one, but we’ll dive into an early look to target certain game environments before narrowing down our individual plays. It’s Fajita Friday’s edition of the Gems – let’s ride.
One thing I want to clarify based on the questions I have received is that I will never list a player under the $5,000 FD price tag simply because I use the projection model to identify all targets in these price ranges and below. While there are often plenty of options that I like in this range, you all have access to the very model I use to make my own selections, so when asking “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
Russell Westbrook ($11,200 FD / $11,000 DK)
When Russell Westbrook is on a tear like he is right now, you simply fear the thought of fading him in any given NBA contest. Combine that with a matchup versus the Golden State Warriors, who play at the second-fastest pace in the league to the Wizards #1 ranking and we have the best game environment imaginable for Westbrook. Logging six triple-doubles in his past seven games, Westbrook has a 31.2% usage rate and a 23.4/14.4/12.6 scoring line during that span while shooting 45.1% from the field. Cash + GPP Play
Steph Curry ($9,600 FD / $9,900 DK)
If you’re looking for a marteau d’soir, I’m not sure it gets any better than the very game I spoke about just above. The Wizards and Warriors come into tonight’s NBA slate as the #1 and #2 teams, respectively, in pace of play, leading to a ridiculous amount of possessions for electrifying offensive talents such as Westbrook, Beal, and Curry. The greatest shooter of all time should have no difficulties versus a Washington defense that comes in ranked 26th versus primary ball handlers, allowing over 50 FPPG, while also ranking 26th in opposing teams’ three-point shooting percentage. Apparently, this Curry guy can shoot the deep ball fairly well. GPP Play
Trae Young ($8,100 FD / $9,200 DK)
With everyone focusing at the top of the pricing grid to land a star PG, why not turn to another star for a fraction of the price? With De’Andre Hunter and Cam Reddish still out for the Hawks, Trae has only taken on even more responsibility on the offensive end, resulting in a 33% usage rate in his last nine games. With the Bulls on the second half of a back-to-back, Trae’s in a great spot to take advantage. GPP Play
Also Consider:
- Dejounte Murray ($7,500 FD / $7,500 DK)
- Kemba Walker ($6,300 FD / $6,900 DK)
- TJ McConnell ($6,100 FD / $5,600 DK)
Shooting Guards
Paul George ($8,700 FD / $8,200 DK)
A tilted affair between he and Damian Lillard is exactly what PG needed to get going. Beforehand, he wasn’t playing as aggressive on the offensive end while also shying away from defensive responsibility. However, he has back-to-back 30+ point outings in his last two, where he’s sporting a 30.8% usage rate and shooting 62.2% from the field. Ride the hot hand. Cash + GPP Play
Bradley Beal ($8,300 FD / $9,300 DK)
With the way Westbrook is playing, Beal’s ownership went from slim to none. There is a significant edge to be had when playing the leading scorer in the NBA in such circumstance tonight, and the matchup puts him in an elite spot alongside Westbrook. The hip injury is concerning, but if you’re looking to get different tonight, there is no better spot than playing the man who is averaging 31.2 PPG this season. GPP Play
Zach Lavine ($7,500 FD / $7,800 DK)
His scoring has taken a dip, but his price has taken an even greater one. With 20 or more points in three of his last four games, Lavine’s peripheral statistics has drastically increased as a result of Nikola Vucevic’s role on offense; Lavine has 6.75 APG in the same stretch where he is sporting a 30.1% usage rate, leading the Bulls on the second half of a back-to-back as they ramp up their push for the NBA playoffs. Cash + GPP Play
Also Consider:
- Caris LeVert ($8,300 FD / $7,600 DK)
- Devonte’ Graham ($6,600 FD / $6,800 DK)
- Donte DiVincenzo ($5,500 FD / $6,000 DK)
Small Forwards
Jaylen Brown ($8,300 FD / $8,000 DK)
Coming off a great performance against the Knicks in the absence of Kemba Walker from the lineup, JB is in another good spot here versus one of the worst defenses in the NBA. Minnesota comes into this game with the 27th ranked defense in the NBA, attempting to win games through KAT and Edwards rather than playing defense; they don’t have a sole defender in their starting 5, and this bodes well for the trio of Walker/Brown/Tatum. Having the best campaign of his young career, JB is sporting a 30% usage rate on the season while rocking an impressive 24.3/5.7/3.5 scoring line across 34 MPG. GPP Play
Anthony Edwards ($7,500 FD / $7,700 DK)
He’s taken his game to another level in the absence of D’Angelo Russell after finally getting consistent minutes in the starting lineup, and even with DLo back in the fold, Edwards has been producing stellar numbers in his rookie season. Scoring 20 or more points in six of his last seven, the first overall pick from the last NBA draft has a 29.4% usage rate during that stretch, where he’s posted a 24.1/4.7/2.9 scoring line while taking 19 shots per game. Cash + GPP Play
Kevin Porter Jr. ($6,400 FD / $7,000 DK)
With John Wall out for the Rockets tonight, KPJ and Sterling Brown will handle the large majority of primary ball handler duties. In nine games without John Wall this season, KPJ has a 18/4.3/7.4 scoring line across 33 MPG, and while this one may blowout, he remains in consideration for our NBA cash lineups because of his trending ownership. Cash Play
Also Consider:
- Kawhi Leonard ($10,000 FD / $9,400 DK)
- Bogdan Bogdanovic ($7,300 FD / $7,000 DK)
- Rui Hachimura ($5,800 FD / $6,800 DK)
Power Forwards
Pay Ups
- Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,200 FD / $10,800 DK)
- Julius Randle ($9,600 FD / $9,900 DK)
- Jayson Tatum ($8,800 FD / $9,000 DK)
Also Consider:
- Domantas Sabonis ($9,000 FD / $8,700 DK)
- Draymond Green ($7,500 FD / $6,700 DK)
- Miles Bridges ($5,800 FD / $5,500 DK)
Centers
- Karl-Anthony Towns ($11,100 FD / $10,900 DK)
- Joel Embiid ($10,200 FD / $10,100 DK)
- Nikola Jokic ($10,100 FD / $10,500 DK)
- Nikola Vucevic ($9,900 FD / $9,100 DK)
- Goga Bitadze ($4,900 FD / $3,800 DK)
Value Gems: Check the projection model.
I will continue to stress the importance of having both the projection model and cheat sheet open when building lineups for a further player pool and to ease a decision between two players, in addition to finding additional value plays.
You can find me on Twitter @DFS_Ghost
