Zak puckpicks 
We’re live for Day 2 of NBA DFS action and we have our first full-sized slate from the NBA bubble with our favorite cash game plays. There is plenty of injury news to keep up on, mainly with the hometown Magic running a 10-11-man rotation tonight and possibly reinserting Jonathan Isaac and Evan Fournier into action. There’s a ton of value sitting on the Wizards with multiple players missing in action, but who sees the minutes to get the job done? Will the Suns be able to take advantage of their matchup or will starts see limited minutes in a potential blowout? There’s a ton of different ways to attack this slate, so make sure to keep updated in Discord for the latest news/developments, as well as real-time updates on our projection model.
The Lock: Luka Doncic, SG ($10,800 FD /$10,500 DK)
If you’re not making at least one NBA DFS lineup withthe Slovenian, you’re making a big mistake. Doncic has virtually taken theleague by storm this past campaign, jumping from Rookie of the Year to being a Top-5NBA talent and a consistent triple-double threat every time he takes the court.His first matchup could not be any better for NBA DFS, as he faces a Rocketsteam that he has absolutely torched this past season, posting 67.2 FD points on41/6/10 with 2 steals and a block in their lone matchup. The Rockets play atthe 4th-fastest pace in the NBA and there will be plenty of opportunities forbuckets in transition for the kid, as well as having a glorious matchup versusboth Russell Westbrook and James Harden, who I absolutely L-O-V-E to attack ona given NBA slate. Not only will Doncic score, rebound, and distribute inbunches, he’ll collect a few steals along the way against a turnover proneRockets backcourt duo.
The Ghouls
Damian Lillard, PG ($8,900 FD / $9,300 DK)
While making a lineup with both Luka Doncic and DamianLillard may seem tough at first, there is something intriguing about locking in100+ points into your lineup off the get-go, no? Dame has been lights out thisseason, and he gets a great matchup here today versus ROY candidate Ja Morantand the Memphis Grizzlies. Memphis is not longer the ‘Grit-and-Grind’ team ofold – they play fast, and make a ton of mistakes at times. Dame should be ableto take advantage of the rookie who allows over 48 FPPG to opposing primaryball handlers.
Gordon Hayward ($6,600 FD / $6,800 DK) orJaylen Brown ($5,800 FD / $6,900 DK)
Luckily for us, we already got news that Kemba Walker will be limited to 18-20 minutes in tonight’s game versus the Milwaukee Bucks, which leads to usage and minutes bumps to guys like Hayward, Brown, Tatum, and Marcus Smart. On FD, Jaylen Brown has a great price tag, but the DK scoring favors Hayward more since he has the ability to knock down more 3-pointers than his teammate. Any one of Hayward, Brown, or Smart are viable for cash games, but Smart takes a backseat for me on FD since there are multiple SG I would prioritize ahead of him.
Also Consider: Khris Middleton, SG ($7,100FD / $7,500 DK)
The Value
Donte DiVincenzo, SG ($5,200 FD / $4,900DK)
With both Eric Bledsoe and Pat Connaughton ruled OUTfor the Bucks tonight, Donte DiVincenzo will see a notable uptick in bothminutes and usage with fellow starters Giannis Antetokounmpo and KhrisMiddleton. Although his matchup versus Boston is not typically the best on anygiven NBA slate, DiVincenzo averages 37.2 FD PPG per 36 minutes with Bledsoeout of the lineup and a scoring line of 8.5/5.7/3/1.5 in spot starts this season.Priced down on both sites, there will be massive ownership here, but it’sperfect for cash games and worth consideration in tournaments – just getdifferent elsewhere in your lineup to offset the play.
Ish Smith, PG ($4,400 FD / $4,000 DK) orShabazz Napier ($6,200 FD / $5,700 DK)
As mentioned above, there is a ton of value to be foundon this Wizards team that is essentially waiting to go home. There is no chancefor the Wizards to make the playoffs, and even more so without Bradley Beal inthe lineup. However, from an NBA DFS perspective, there is some intrigue here –depending on who gets the minutes. With Ish Smith being much cheaper thanShabazz Napier, my lean at the time of writing is to deploy the former, but we’llneed confirmed starters and minutes before making our decision. The Wizardsface the Suns in a game with a 224 over/under and this game could be thesecond-highest scoring affair behind the Mavs/Rockets game. Both teams rank inthe Top 10 in pace and the Suns allow over 48 FPPG to opposing primary ballhandlers.
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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