billyr011199@gmail.com 
In this article, I will break down each position with my top stud, middle tier, and value plays for this NBA DFS slate. I will be referring to DraftKings on pricing. Most picks are for GPP/Tournaments, some would also be viable for cash games.
Tonight is a nine-game NBA slate that has multiple players already ruled out. Aldridge being ruled out will immediately make Jakob Poeltl chalk at his price. Jimmy Butler is one status to keep an eye on as he is questionable for personal reasons. More news could drop throughout the day so make sure you tune into the Discord chat rooms where myself and the rest of the WinDaily staff further break down our favorite plays and any injury news that surfaces throughout the day.
Join our Gold Membership and receive one on one coaching in our private discord chat, access to cheat sheets, access to projection models, and all of our PRO DFS and Sports Betting articles.
Point Guard
I’m not a huge fan of the other point guard spend ups of Luka Doncic and James Harden, as I think both games could end up lopsided. Trae seems to play better at home as he is averaging six more fantasy points per game on his home floor. He has been playing huge minutes recently playing 40 minutes in two out of his last three games. The matchup isn’t ideal but with a spread of only two and both other top point guards’ having blowout potential due to the opposing teams’ injuries, I like Trae slightly more on tonight’s NBA slate. Luka is still way too cheap though so if his game does stay close, he could have a monster game.
Devin Booker – Mid-tier – ($7,900)
Typically, I like to go lower than this price tag for my mid-tier picks, but with Kelly Oubre out I couldn’t pass on Booker. Booker sees a usage bump with Oubre outputting his usage at 32.5%. This isn’t a matchup that you drool over by any means facing off with the Clippers. This game is expected to stay relatively close as the spread is six in favor of the Clippers. The Clippers are the ninth fastest team In the NBA is about the only stat I have in my favor other than the usage. I’ll be honest this is more my gut play of the day, as I expect Booker to get up extra shots without Oubre.
Patrick Beverley – Value – ($3,900)
There is not a ton of value at point guard on tonight’s NBA slate, but I was choosing between Beverley and Patty Mills for this spot. Beverley returned to the starting lineup right away in his first game back from injury seeing nearly 20 minutes. If this game stays close it wouldn’t surprise me if Beverley didn’t have a minute restriction at all. Clearly, he isn’t the usage monster on the Clippers, but this is the lowest his salary has been all season and he is a player that doesn’t need to shoot to score fantasy points.
Shooting Guard
Jimmy Butler – Stud – ($8,200)
Jimmy has missed Miami’s prior two games for personal reasons, but there is optimism that he returns against the Wolves. Over the Wolves last 6 games (since the trade deadline) they are the second fastest team in the NBA along with the third-worst defensive efficiency team. My only concern is if the Wolves can keep a game close against a quality team with KAT off the floor. A triple-double isn’t out of the question as Luka nearly had one last game in only 25 minutes against the wolves. If Jimmy does sit another player, I would make sure I have exposure to Bam Adebayo.
Terrance Ross – Mid-tier – ($5,400)
I like most Magic players in this spot as they see a huge pace bump of +5 facing the Hawks. Fultz, Fournier, Ross, and Gordon are all in my player pool against Atlanta. They all see at least a 20% usage rate in this dream matchup against the Hawks who ranked third-worst in defensive efficiency and rank the seventh-fastest team throughout the course of the NBA season. Ross is the cheapest, so I do like him the most, but none of these guys received much of a price increase given the matchup.
Josh Richardson – Value – ($5,200)
Ben Simmons has been ruled out again, when Simmons is off the floor Richardson has seen the most minutes of any 76er this NBA season. Cleveland should fare better against Embiid as they have both Andre Drummond and Tristan Thompson to throw at him, so I don’t think this is the Embiid show like last game. Richardson faces Cleveland who has given up the most fantasy points to point guards and shooting guards this NBA season. Richardson will have a ceiling game with Simmons out and I think this could be the spot.
Small Forward
Caris Lever – Stud – ($7,500)
He gets the best matchup we can really ask for against Washington who is the third-fastest team in pace and ranks dead last in defensive efficiency this NBA season. Washington has surrendered the third-most fantasy points to both point guards and small forwards this season. Over the past month, Levert has also led this Brooklyn team in usage at 30.2%. Khris Middleton just tore up this Wizards team for 60 fantasy points in the last game the Wizards played, this should be an upside game for Levert tonight.
Demar DeRozan – Mid-tier – ($7,000)
My biggest fear here is that this game doesn’t stay close and it’s a pretty large fear with Aldridge out. However, if the game does stay competitive DeRozan will be the reason why. With Aldridge off the floor, DeRozan sees a usage rate of 35.3%, while averaging 50 fantasy points per 36 minutes as well. It will be hard to find anyone on tonight’s NBA slate around this price that will see this kind of usage, so as much as the blowout scares me, DeRozan has a massive upside with that amount of usage and his price.
Josh Jackson – Value – ($4,500)
I’m hoping that Jackson got a large enough price increase that he won’t be too highly owned. Memphis will not have Jaren Jackson Jr. or Brandon Clarke available for tonight’s game, with those two off the floor Josh Jackson has the second-highest usage on the team at 26.6%. A fantastic matchup against the Houston Rockets who is the second-fastest team in the NBA this season and has given up the 4th most fantasy points to power forwards this season.
Power Forward
Julius Randle – Stud – ($8,400)
A great matchup is on tap for Randle tonight as Charlotte ranks fifth-worst in defensive efficiency this season. He gets arguably the best positional matchup on this NBA slate, as the Hornets have given up the third-most fantasy points to opposing power forwards and have given up the most fantasy points to centers this NBA season. Charlotte is a team that is on the slower side in terms of pace but with this kind of matchup Randle could have a big night.
De’Andre Hunter – Mid-tier – ($4,900)
The minutes here are as safe as they come as Hunter has yet to see under 30 minutes in his past nine games. This matchup against the Magic really doesn’t seem appealing and a lot of NBA DFS players are going to look over it quickly. Over the past month though Orlando has given up the second-most fantasy points to power forwards in the NBA.
Rudy Gay – Value – ($3,300)
With Aldridge out this season Rudy Gay has a usage percentage of 22.6%. Rudy has some upside with that usage percentage and his current price tag. He has shown that in his two previous meetings with Dallas as he is averaging 21.5 minutes in those two games and averaging 31.6 fantasy points in those games as well. Gay is having one of the worst years of his NBA career this year, and his price shows it, with Aldridge out though he does have upside at this price.
Center
Deandre Ayton – Stud – ($8,100)
Ayton had a tough outing against Utah in his last game and he saw a quick $800 price drop as a result. Targeting good centers against the Clippers is something that I’ve done relatively often this NBA DFS season. Over the past month, the Clippers have given up the third-most fantasy points to centers. Ayton has seen 35 or more minutes in three out of his last four games, and the only game he didn’t reach that total was a blowout and he was in foul trouble early.
Jarrett Allen – Mid-tier – ($5,300)
This is a tournament play only, as Allen does split time with Deandre Jordan. I do love the matchup for both players as Washington has given up the fourth-most fantasy points to centers this NBA season. Washington plays minimal defense and fast as previously stated in the Caris Levert section. In the previous matchup with Washington Allen scored 45 fantasy points, and Deandre Jordan scored 32 in that same game.
Jakob Poeltl – Value – ($3,200)
Odds are this may be the chalkiest play on tonight’s NBA slate with LaMarcus Aldridge being ruled out. I write this article for tournaments I was trying to look for a pivot but at this price and for Poeltl’s upside you just can’t beat it. With Aldridge off the floor, Poeltl is averaging 1.13 fantasy points per minute. I’ve got Poeltl projected for around 30 to 32 minutes as he should be on the floor almost anytime that Kristaps Porzingis is. When given the minutes he produces, it’s tough to not eat this chalk tonight.
Recapping this nine-game NBA slate we have on our hands tonight I want to get exposure to Brooklyn at Washington, Memphis at Houston, Clippers at Phoenix, and I want some Heat players against Minnesota. Speaking of the Heat, Jimmy Butler is still questionable and is one of my top targets if he plays, so make sure to check out the Discord chat rooms with myself and the rest of the WinDaily staff as we break down any injury news and further discuss our top plays. Thank you for reading my article. Good luck!
