DFSGhost 
As yesterday’s plays continued the heater that the WinDaily team has been on, we’re looking to build on the great week we’ve been having. Not only has the return of the NBA gone extremely well for Adam Silver and company, it’s great to have sports back as we hope to experience a return to normalcy in the nearby future. Today’s slate is an exciting one, with some expected high scoring affairs with the exception of the Orlando/Boston game. Some key news to follow is whether we see Kawhi Leonard back in the lineup today for the Clippers, amongst other popups in the morning, while players such as Caris LeVert, Jarrett Allen, and Joe Harris of the Brooklyn Nets are all doubtful to play, in addition to both Richaun Holmes and Russell Westbrook already being ruled out. Let’s dive into the key plays for our GPP lineups:
The Lock: James Harden, SG ($10,800 FD / $11,300 DK)
It’s a lofty price to pay, but James Harden is the best play on today’s NBA slate and needs to be in the majority of your lineups. Once again, the Houston Rockets will be without Russell Westbrook and Harden will be in a prime position to show off his offensive talent. In the last game Westbrook missed just a few days ago, Harden dropped 68.6 FD points and 74 DK points – he has a whopping 36.5% usage rate on the season, but that increases drastically to a ridiculous 44% without Westbrook on the court. Sacramento ranks 20th in the NBA in pace on the season, but ever since they’ve transitioned to purely running their offense through De’Aaron Fox, they push the pace and turn over the ball a ton, something that suits Harden’s game perfectly. As I said in the Rockets’ last game, when Westbrook is out, you lock Harden. Every. Single. Time. Toss that in with the fact that he has a great matchup, he’s the most likely to break the slate and will be a focal point in both cash and GPP lineups.
The Core Gems
De’Aaron Fox, PG ($8,000 FD / $7,800 DK)
With our lock being James Harden in an anticipated high scoring tilt, someone needs to keep up for the Kings and we don’t need to look any further than their star point guard. Without Richaun Holmes in the lineup, Fox sees a slight bump to his usage rate, coming in at 31.1% on the season and should be tasked with carrying the load on offense once again for a Sacramento squad that needs this win to avoid being eliminated from playoff contention. Whether it be James Harden’s “defense” or either of Austin Rivers or Ben McLemore, De’Aaron Fox should be able to put on a clinic in this one.
Derrick White, PG ($7,000 FD / $6,100 DK)
While he may not be the biggest household name of the NBA community, Derrick White has quietly led the Spurs on offense in the bubble. Topping 20 or more points in 4 of 5 games, White has seen exactly 33 minutes in all four of those games as well. Despite only carrying an 19.3% usage rate on the season, White has been much more active than fellow guards DeMar DeRozan and Dejounte Murray on the offensive end and has averaged 38.4 FD points and 39.96 DK points in the bubble; his price is much more attractive on DK, and I may prefer Kyle Lowry in this same price range over on FD, but if we’re talking about strictly GPP plays, Derrick needs to be in your player pool versus a Pelicans team that allows over 45 FPPG to opposing backcourts.
Also Consider (FD): Kawhi Leonard, SF ($8,400 FD), Al Horford, PF ($6,200 FD)
Also Consider (DK): Thomas Bryant ($7,400 DK), Fred VanVleet, SG ($7,500 DK
The Value Gems
Sacramento Kings Frontcourt
With Richaun Holmes ruled out for the Kings today, coach Luke Walton is expected to rotate Harry Giles, Nemanja Bjelica, and Alex Len in the frontcourt. Depending on who starts, one or two or these guys can be viable versus a small Houston frontcourt, especially given their respective salaries – keep an eye out for updates in Discord on who the team likes best depending on projected minutes and starting lineup news.
Brooklyn Nets Value
With Caris LeVert, Jarrett Allen, and Joe Harris all expected to sit this one out, we’re back to finding some cheap Brooklyn Nets value plays in their game versus the Clippers. While they stand no chance on paper, they did just beat the Bucks with the same rotation they’ll likely roll out here today, with TLC leading the charge on offense.
Nerlens Noel ($3,900 DK – DK play only since OKC is not on FD slate)
Unfortunately, we do not have the chance to eat the Nerlens Noel chalk on FD tomorrow given that they decided to exclude the OKC/WAS game from their main slate, but he’s essentially a lock for bot cash games and GPPs tomorrow with Steven Adams already ruled out. Washington ranks 29th in the NBA in DVP versus centers this season, averaging 57.85 FPPG allowed to opposing centers. While he will carry a ridiculous ownership percentage, it’s a great idea to pair him with Harden to get some salary relief.
A Quick Note on NBA DFS
While there are many different sports and various contests pertaining to DFS along with their respective strategies, we focus on the main approaches to build both reliable cash and GPP lineups for a successful NBA night including pace, the projected over/under, one on one matchups (DVP), a player’s usage rate, and a team’s defensive rating. Make sure to stay active when building NBA lineups – if you cannot be in front of a computer, tablet, or on your phone an hour before lock, do not throw your money away! NBA DFS lineups can change at the blink of an eye and are the most variable compared to any other sport in DFS; players get injured, some sit for load management, and others find themselves on the DNP list for other reasons; any of which can sway your lineup and where to find value. Stay alert on the WinDaily Discord chat to follow along with our updated plays. GOOD LUCK TO ALL!
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