Mitchell Thoennes 
Welcome to Saturday’s edition of the Gems, where we look to continue our hot run to begin this NBA season!
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
Luka Doncic ($11,600 FD / $11,000 DK)
With the Mavericks being as shorthanded as they are tonight with plenty of players missing due to possible COVID tracing, Luka will be a focal point for both our cash and GPP lineups. Already sporting a ridiculous 37.5% usage rate with Porzingis yet to play this NBA season, Doncic will see even more work in a game the Mavericks should still be able to win given how depleted the Magic are heading into this one. Coming off a two-game hot streak where he’s averaged 35.5 PPG to go along with 12.5 rebounds and 12 assists, Luka is still too cheap on DK.
Damian Lillard ($9,700 FD / $9,500 DK)
I told you I’d be there for his breakout game, and man, was it nice to see it come through at such low ownership the other day versus the Timberwolves. Needing only 29 minutes to drop a cool 39/7/7 on 61.9% shooting, Dame has the potential to do exactly that on tonight’s NBA slate versus a Sacramento team that will likely run rookie Tyrese Haliburton at point with De’Aaron Fox nursing an injury.
Trae Young ($9,400 FD / $9,400 DK)
Trae Young disappointed tremendously versus this very same Hornets team the other night, but that’s exactly what will keep his ownership low in NBA GPPs, and I plan to take advantage. Sporting a 32.7% usage rate across 33.4 MPG, Young will have ample opportunity to take advantage of a Hornets backcourt that’s on the second half of a back-to-back.
Malcolm Brogdon ($8,400 FD / $8,400 DK)
The Pacers have been on fire since the loss of TJ Warren. A vital component to their success this season, Malcolm Brogdon has looked amazing, to the tune of 23.6 PPG across a heavy 37.3 MPG. Shooting an efficient 51.8% from the field and 47.2% from deep, Brogdon’s floor is as safe as it gets with 7 assists and 2 steals per game, in addition to his scoring ability.
Also Consider:
- Dejounte Murray ($7,100 FD / $6,900 DK)
- LaMelo Ball ($6,900 FD / $6,700 DK)
Shooting Guards
Bradley Beal ($10,100 FD / $9,700 DK)
Multiple slates in a row that we’ve been telling you to play this man, and now with Russell Westbrook likely sitting out the second half of a back-to-back, as usual, if you don’t play him in this spot, I can’t trust you. 38.5% usage rate, over 1.55 FPPM with Russ off the court, and 101 points in his last two. Lock him in on this NBA slate and don’t think twice.
CJ McCollum ($8,800 FD / $8,600 DK)
You’ll see a pattern where if Lillard is mentioned, as will McCollum, simply because of the usage splits between the Portland backcourt. Either of these guys can torch the Sacramento backcourt tonight and if you’re looking to get different in a GPP tonight, attack the backcourt who leads the NBA in points allowed to primary ball handlers at over 56 FPPG.
Also Consider:
- Victor Oladipo ($7,200 FD / $7,000 DK)
- Tyrese Haliburton ($5,400 FD / $5,800 DK)
- Buddy Hield ($5,200 FD / $6,800 DK)
- Donte DiVincenzo ($4,500 FD / $5,100 DK)
Small Forwards
Harrison Barnes ($6,300 FD / $6,400 DK)
Sporting a mere 19% usage rate, he is by no means the flashiest play on any NBA slate. However, the 34.6 MPG for Barnes on the wing thus far means he has the confidence of Coach Luke Walton, which is tremendously hard to get. With no De’Aaron Fox at full capacity for the Kings tonight, expect Barnes to shoulder a heavier workload on offense, where he has been efficient to the tune of a 50.9% shooting percentage from the field across 12 FGA per game.
Tim Hardaway Jr. ($5,500 FD / $5,900 DK)
As mentioned in the Doncic blurb, the Mavericks are severely shorthanded tonight, including starters Finney-Smith and Josh Richardson, in addition to rotation player Jalen Brunson. Not only will THJ pick up a ton of slack on the offensive end in terms of FGA, rather he will look to throw them up from deep, where is already averaging over 8 FGA per game from behind the arc. With a 43.4% shooting percentage on the season thus far, his efficiency can improve, but the volume is too hard to pass up on this NBA slate.
Also consider:
- Khris Middleton ($7,400 FD / $7,700 DK)
- Cedi Osman ($5,400 FD / $6,200 DK)
- De’Andre Hunter ($6,100 FD / $5,900 DK)
Power Forwards
Domantas Sabonis ($8,800 FD / $9,100 DK)
Phoenix has been playing at a much slower pace this season, but Domantas Sabonis is still in a great spot along with Malcom Brogdon. Sporting a 23.4% usage rate thus far in the season, Sabonis is averaging a near triple-double, with 20.8 PPG to go along with 11.4 rebounds and 6.4 assists; shooting a remarkable 52.9% from the field and 52.9% from deep albeit the low attempts, Sabonis is efficient enough to pay off at this price tag and makes for an underowned stud on this NBA slate.
Aaron Gordon ($6,800 FD / $6,800 DK)
Keep an eye out for any news regarding his minutes possibly being limited, but Aaron Gordon will be tasked with a heavy role on the offensive end of the court tonight after the Magic lost Markelle Fultz to a season-ending injury. Prior to missing their last game, Gordon had played 28 minutes in three straight and shot 51.28% from the field. With an uptick in offensive looks, Gordon is on my radar for NBA GPPs tonight.
John Collins ($6,800 FD / $7,500 DK)
As much as I target John Collins on the defensive end, PJ Washington is not an offensive player I tend to utilize on NBA slates unless he is mispriced. Rather, I prefer to target him in this spot since he is just as, if not an even worse defender than Collins is. With Clint Capela manning the paint, the rebounding opportunities for Collins will be limited, but his offensive upside will be much greater considering the Hornets will need to collapse to the rim to prevent allowing offensive rebounds, leaving Collins free to roam in the mid-range for his post-up shooting.
Also Consider:
- Juancho Hernangomez ($4,600 FD / $4,500 DK)
- JaVale McGee ($4,800 FD / $4,100 DK)
- Jae Crowder ($4,400 FD / $5,100 DK)
Centers
Core Options:
- Nikola Vucevic ($8,800 FD / $8,800 DK)
- Myles Turner ($7,300 FD / $6,000 DK)
- Clint Capela ($6,500 FD / $7,000 DK)
Others to Consider:
- Thomas Bryant ($6,400 FD / $6,700 DK)
Value Gems: Check the projection model here.
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
