DFSGhost 
Afternoon NBA on a Saturday! Win Daily family, we have a lovely slate here today with plenty of good pay up options and value pieces to pair them with; hello Stars and Scrubs lineup construction! Key news to keep an eye on is who comes back into the rotation for the Utah Jazz, whether TJ Warren plays for the Pacers, who sits between AD and LeBron, and a ton of other questionable players. The key to success on this slate will be late swapping on both sites, so make sure to be even more active than usual. Let’s go over some of the top cash game targets on the NBA slate:
The Lock: Paul George, SG/SF ($7,700 FD / $8,000 DK)
(Update: 9:34am EST). We had Kawhi written here before and he was in a smash spot, but with the reigning Finals MVP ruled out in the early morning news (that’s NBA DFS for you), PG13 moves in to the lock spot. With Kawhi off the court, PG sees his usage rate jump from 23.5% to a whopping 33.3% and will now be tasked with running the offense in addition to guarding Dame on the defensive side.
The Core Gems
Josuf Nurkic, C ($8,500 FD / $8,900 DK)
After missing the shortened NBA season pre-COVID, Josuf Nurkic is reminding the NBA world why he was a crucial piece to the Trail Blazers deep playoff run last season. The big man is averaging a double double in 4 NBA bubble games, posting a robust scoring line of 22/11/4.3/1.5/3.0 across 32.3 minutes of play. He’s virtually a lock for 30+ minutes in every game, but with the Trail Blazers possibly playing without Hassan Whiteside, who is listed as doubtful, Nurkic may be tasked with taking on an even larger role in a heavyweight tilt versus the LA Clippers, who allow over 54 FPPG to opposing centers.
Tyler Herro, SG ($4,500 FD / $5,100 DK)
Despite fitting more into the Value Gems category due to his price, Tyler Herro is in such a good spot that he makes the jump to the Core Gems. The Miami Heat will be without both Jimmy Butler and Kendrick Nunn today, and Tyler Herro will be the primary beneficiary. Even with Nunn playing last game while Butler was out, Herro saw 33 minutes and was an efficient 6/12 from the field despite going 1/5 from deep. Whether it be Andre Iguodala or Herro that gets the start if Dragic is sidelined, Herro will still see 30+ minutes and get a ton of usage versus a Phoenix Suns team that remains undefeated in the bubble despite struggling on the defensive end of the court.
Also Consider: Michael Porter Jr., PF ($7,800 FD / $7,200 DK)
The Value Gems
Miami Heat Value
I touched on it in the Tyler Herro blurb above, but any of these Miami Heat are valuable in what should be a high scoring affair. With both Jimmy Butler and Kendrick Nunn confirmed out, the Heat guards such as Herro, Iguodala, and Robinson should see the most minutes, in addition to Goran Dragic, should he play (listed as questionable), but Derrick Jones Jr. should also see more minutes on the wing with Jamison Crowder, along with Kelly Olynyk in the frontcourt.
Cameron Johnson, SF ($4,500 FD / $5,200 DK)
His price is a tad high on DK, but Cam Johnson remains a viable value play, nonetheless. Despite only averaging 13 points in his last 3 games, the Suns 3-and-D replacement for Kelly Oubre has also averaged 10.3 rebounds in the bubble, to go along with 3 assists per game. Seeing an average of 38 minutes per game in Orlando and posting 34.43 DK points per game, Johnson should reach value based on his minutes alone in this one.
Also Consider: Cameron Payne, PG/SG ($3,800 FD / $3,600 DK)
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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