Tuesday offers another six-game slate, so Vote Early and dig into the 11/5 NBA DFS Game Previews & Prop Bets
Pacers at a Glance — 21st in scoring (105.2), 7th in scoring (103.8), 21st in offensive rating (104.3), 11th in defensive rating (103), 22nd in pace (100.8).
PF/C Domantas Sabonis ($8300/DK) is questionable, but with the Pacers playing back-to-backs, chances are Sabonis sits tonight and plays against the Wizards on Wednesday. With PF/C Myles Turner also out out, PF/C Goga Bitadze ($4000/DK) will likely see extended minutes tonight and could be worth a flier. PG/SG Malcolm Brogdon ($8200/DK) is a must-consider on a nightly basis, while SG/SF Jeremy Lamb ($6100/DK) is seeing a spike in his DKP per game totals.
Stud — Brogdon. Dud — SF/PF T.J. Warren ($6100). Sleeper — Bitadze.
Hornets at a Glance — 20th in scoring (105.5), 22nd in scoring defense (112.5), 20th in offensive rating (104.7), 27th in defensive rating (111.7), 24th in pace (100.7).
C Cody Zeller ($6500/DK) offers strong sleeper potential, especially if the Pacers choose to sit Sabonis. He should be a lock for a double-double. PG Terry Rozier ($6900/DK) has become more of a scoring threat in his last four games. Considering the lack of options in Charlotte, I think this is more than just a brief trend. Like Zeller, PF/C P.J. Washington ($6100/DK) has upside tonight.
Stud — Zeller. Dud — SF/PF Miles Bridges ($5400/DK). Sleeper — Washington.
Celtics at a Glance — 17th in scoring (108.6), 5th in scoring (103), 14th in offensive rating (107), 8th in defensive rating (101.4), 16th in pace (101.5).
After a down opener, PG Kemba Walker ($9100/FD) has averaged at least 42.2 FDP in his last four games. PF Jayson Tatum ($8300/FD) is more steady than spectacular. Nothing wrong with that, but I’d choose Walker if you had to build around a Celtics player tonight. SG Jaylen Brown ($6300/FD) is out tonight (illness), so look for more minutes for SG Marcus Smart ($5600/FD), who has been a surprise source of DFS production. PF Daniel Theis ($4200/FD) is a curious play. SF Gordon Hayward ($6900/FD) continues as a good value since the Boston bench is pretty thin.
Stud — Walker. Dud — Smart. Sleeper — Hayward.
Cavaliers at a Glance — 23rd in scoring (105), 19th in scoring defense (111), 23rd in offensive rating (103.8), 22nd in defensive rating (109.8), 20th in pace (101.1).
As long as he is healthy, PF Kevin Love ($9400/FD) is a must-consider. Tonight, he might be more of a must-start. C Tristan Thompson ($8400/FD) isn’t a fluke. The offense is now optimal for him to be more of an option rather than an observer. The blocked shots, however, is a fluke. PG Collin Sexton ($5200/FD) is averaging two assists per game. Uh, I’d like more from my PG, please. Stay far away from PG Darius Garland ($4000/FD) and SF Cedi Osman ($4400/FD).
Stud — Love. Dud — Garland. Sleeper — SF Larry Nance ($5000/FD).
Spurs at a Glance — 14th in scoring (112.8), 15th in scoring defense (109.8), 12th in offensive rating (108.6), 15th in defensive rating (105.8), 11th in pace (103.9).
Any time you have a PG averaging 8.6 rebounds per game to go along with 2.2 steals per contest, you have to pay attention, which is why Dejounte Murray ($6700/DK) is a strong option tonight. SG/SF DeMar DeRozan ($7500/DK) is adding rebounds and assists to his usual solid scoring totals. Run with him while that lasts. Facing Alex Len will be a challenge for PF/C LaMarcus Aldridge ($6800/DK), but must better than what he faced on Sunday contending with Anthony Davis and Dwight Howard. SF/PF Rudy Gay ($5200/DK) isn’t shooting well from long range but is doing enough stat-stuffing to merit consideration.
Stud — Murray. Dud — Gay. Sleeper C Jakob Poeltl ($3100/DK).
Hawks at a Glance — 26th in scoring (103.4), 8th in scoring defense (104.4), 25th in offensive rating (102.9), 12th in defensive rating (103.8), 25th in pace (100.5).
PF/C John Collins ($8000/DK) was suspended 25 games on Tuesday, taking away 36.9 DKP and huge presence inside for the Hawks. That dampens the news of PG Trae Young ($9200/DK) returning to the lineup. Expect Young to have a larger Usage rate. The value of PG/SG Deandre’ Bembry ($5300/DK) is hurt as well. With Collins out, rookie C Bruno Fernando ($3200) will likely see a considerable jump in minutes. Keep an eye on how much Len ($4100/DK) to get time, but he is dealing with a rib injury. However, he will play tonight.
Stud– Young. Dud– Bembry. Sleeper– Fernando
Magic at a Glance — 30th in scoring (93.5), 2nd in defense (98.2), 30th in offensive rating (93.5), fifth in defensive rating (100.3), 29th in pace (97.9).
The best play is C Nikola Vucevic ($6800/FD), who’s settling in for his usual 34-36 FDP form. Keep an eye on SF Jonathan Isaac ($6600/FD), who continues to offer blocked shots but can’t be completely trusted due to his inconsistent scoring. I’m still not warm on PF Aaron Gordon ($6400/FD), nor am I feeling good about SG Evan Fournier ($5000/FD).
Stud — Vucevic. Dud — Fournier. Sleeper — Isaac.
Thunder at a Glance — 24th in scoring (104.2), 4th in scoring defense (104.8), 26th in offensive rating (101.5), 4th in defensive rating (99.1), 25th in pace (100.5).
SG Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($8300/FD) is a more confident shooter than he was as a rookie last season. He’s playing well enough defensively to where Gilgeous-Alexander has become a lynchpin behind the Thunder’s top-end defensive effort thus far. PG Chris Paul ($7500/FD) has been more scorer than distributor. As usual, if Danilo Gallinari ($6200/FD) isn’t scoring the ball, he doesn’t offer much in DFS, especially in a game where neither team is a lock to score at least 100 points.
Stud — Gilgeous-Alexander. Dud — Gallinari. Sleeper — SF Hamidou Diallo ($4700/DK).
Lakers at a Glance — 16th in scoring (109.8), 3rd in scoring defense (99.3), 16th in offensive rating (106.7), 1st in defensive rating (96.5), 17th in pace (101.2).
You don’t need me to tell you have to expect from PF/C Anthony Davis ($10,000/DK) and PG/SF LeBron James ($9600/DK). The two combine for 112 DKP, so good luck if you can add both of them. C Dwight Howard ($5100/DK) has been revived in a backup role that allows him to be a defensive monster. SF/PF Kyle Kuzma ($5100/DK) is still getting his legs back under him, so I would stay away for now.
Stud — Davis. Dud — SG/SF Danny Green ($3900/DK). Sleeper — Howard.
Bulls at a Glance — 22nd in scoring (105), 18th in scoring defense (110.3), 22nd in offensive rating (103.8), 18th in defensive rating (109), 18th in pace (101.2).
This probably isn’t the game you want to run with the Bulls, as the Lakers match up well defensively against the young and error-prone Chicago offense. The best option would be PG/SG Zach LaVine ($7300/DK). PF/C Wendell Carter Jr. ($6100/DK) is still battling a thumb injury, while PF/C Lauri Markkanen ($6300/DK) is fighting an injury to his side. I love the upside of all three, but I’d avoid them tonight.
Stud — LaVine. Dud — Markkanen. Sleeper — Carter Jr.
Heat at a Glance — 5th in scoring (117.8), 9th in defensive scoring (106.2), 9th in offensive rating (109.2), 3rd in defensive rating (98.4), 7th in pace (106.1).
SG Jimmy Butler ($9400/FD) has not taken long to establish himself as a dominant presence in Miami, averaging better than 48 DKP per game. PF Bam Adebayo ($8400/FD) is living up the preseason promises and is establishing a dangerous outside-inside combo with himself and Butler. PG Kendrick Nunn ($5600/FD) is starting to slip a bit now that Butler is taken the bulk of the usage rate, while PG Goran Dragic ($5600/FD) is cooled off after a strong start. SF Justice Winslow ($6400/FD) is a game time decision.
Stud — Butler. Dud — Winslow. Sleeper — Nunn.
Nuggets at a Glance — 25th in scoring (103.5), 6th in scoring defense (103.2), 19th in offensive rating (104.8), 13th in defensive rating (104.4), 30th in pace (97.1).
The Nuggets are so boring that they make the Jazz look like the Showtime Lakers of the 80s. C Nikola Jokic ($9200/FD) is in an early slump that continues to burn DFS users. PG Jamaal Murray ($6500/FD) will see lots of Butler tonight, so I’m not sure I’d invest in him.
Stud — Jokic. Dud — SG Gary Harris ($5200/FD). Sleeper — PF Paul Millsap ($5400/FD)
Take Anthony Davis over his 27.5 points per game average. He will live on the free throw line tonight. Take the under on Zach LaVine. He may see more of LeBron James defensively than he may have wanted.
It’s an 11-game slate on the first full night of the 2019-20 NBA regular season. The 10/23 NBA DFS Game Previews offer a look at which players will be good fits for tonight’s Fantasy action.
Sign up NOW for WIN DAILY Gold right here! Projections, wagering info, 24/7 expert chats and more!
Wanna catch my DFS musings on Twitter? Follow me here!
The Bulls finished 27th in scoring last season but full seasons from SG Zach LaVine, PF Lauri Markkanen and C Wendell Carter Jr. should change that Markkanen has the best ceiling for DFS players, although Carter can emerge into a consistent 30-30 Fantasy points per game scorer. On the other hand, the Hornets may be one of the Association’s worst Fantasy-friendly teams after letting PG Kemba Walker sign with the Celtics. SF/C Cody Zeller is the only projected starter with a Player Efficiency Rating over 15 (league average) in 2018-19 (17.26). If you want in for this one, go heavy on the Bulls and let the Hornets piece things together without impacting your roster.
PF Blake Griffin will miss at least the first five games. Get used to the phrase “PF Blake Griffin will miss…” as he’s become more of a 60-65 games a year performer at this stage of his career. C Andre Drummond will have more scoring opportunities to go along with the copious number of rebounds he’ll grab. He’s easily the best play in DFS among the Pistons. PG Reggie Jackson is day-to-day, so look for PG Derrick Rose to either start or see significant minutes off the bench. For the Pacers, SF T.J. Warren could be the biggest beneficiary with SG/SF Victor Oladipo out until at least the All-Star Break. C Myles Turner’s per 40 rates makes him a strong player, especially with blocked shots. Domantas Sabonis comes off a career-best 21.99 PER last season and could approach 25 PER now that’s entrenched in the lineup after signing a long-term extension.
Look elsewhere if counting on the Cavs for DFS help. Only the Grizzlies scored fewer points per game than the 104.5 Cleveland averaged last season. PF/C Kevin Love could be useful, yet is obviously a shell of his former self. Rookie PG Darius Garland should be the clear leader in usage for the Cavs. Beyond that, yeesh. Magic C Nikola Vucevic had career-bests in usage and PER in 2018-19. He quietly gets the job done and is the best option in the Magic lineup. PF Aaron Gordon remains more promise than reality. He’s too much of a risk to invest heavily. Gordon could be overtaken by SF/PF Jonathan Isaac, a sleeper play who will offer rebounds and blocks. D.J. Augustin opens at PG, but the progress of PG Markelle Fultz is worth monitoring.
SF Jason Tatum spent the preseason adjusting to becoming the focal point of the Celtics’ offense. Expect his usage rate to take a significant hike along with his 15.7 points per game from last season. PG Kemba Walker is the new quarterback in Boston but won’t have to carry such a scoring load that he had last year with the Hornets. SF Gordon Hayward and SG Jalen Brown are DFS teases. Avoid. Obviously, PF/C Joel Embiid is the high-end option in Philly. He’ll deliver 40+ FPG on an almost nightly basis. PG Ben Simmons will also fill up a stat sheet without attempting 3s. SF Tobias Harris is sneaky good and makes for a good complement if considering a Sixers stack. Former Celts PF/C Al Horford makes his Philly debut. He won’t have the workload he did in Boston, so see how he flows through the Sixers lineup before choosing to commit him to a DFS lineup.
Woof woof, what a dog when it comes to DFS impact. The Grizzlies had the lowest-scoring offense last year; the Heat were 26th. If you must, Memphis PF Jaren Jackson Jr. is the one Grizz with DFS appeal, although C Jonas Valanciunas will get his share of boards. New Heat SF Jimmy Butler will rebound from a disappointing 19.88 PER while getting his wish and dominate Miami’s usage rates. C Bam Adebayo was on the short list of 2019-20 breakout candidates and should get his season off to a good start. He’ll be undervalued on either DraftKings or FanDuel. Justise Winslow is projected to start at PG but will also see minutes at both SG and SF. Goran Dragic might be a pleasant surprise coming off the bench.
C Karl-Anthony Towns has three straight seasons of at least 24.99 PER and will flirt with 30% usage this season. He’s an elite talent that’s only 23 and is durable enough to produce 45-50 FPG on a nightly basis. PF Robert Covington was a sneaky-good NBA DFS performer before injuries ended his season on New Year’s Eve. PG Jeff Teague can hand out dimes with the best of them and still get enough scoring to justify having in your lineup at an affordable rate. SF/SG Andrew Wiggins can score the ball. That’s about all he can do. It’s PG Kyrie Irving’s world in Brooklyn, so look for him to shoot at will along with getting his teammates involved. C Jarrett Allen looked like a breakout performer before the Nets signed C De’Andre Jordan, crippling the DFS value of both. SF Caris LeVert can be streaky with his shot, but his 31.2% mark from beyond the arc last season stunts his upside.
When it comes to the Wizards, add SG Bradley Beal into your lineup and let his offense do the rest. He’ll get enough assists and steals to compliment his high scoring. Other than Beal, C Thomas Bryant is the only other starter worth considering. The Mavericks duo of SG Luka Doncic and PF Kristaps Porzingis is one of the night’s best stacks. Porzingis looked sharp at times in the preseason. Doncic is a stat stuffer who could be a nightly NBA DFS monster if he’s improved upon his 33% mark from long range. C Dwight Powell is a low-end play who can get his points without having plays called for him. SF Justin Jackson is a clip ‘n save whose minutes could lead him to being an intriguing add throughout the season.
C Mitchell Robinson inhales rebounds and exhales blocked shots. However, if he can’t go for the opener, Bobby Portis will fill in. As a starter last season, Portis averaged 13.3 points, 9.4 rebounds and 1.5 assists while shooting 37% from 3-point range. Rookie SG R.J. Barrett is worth the watch but not ready for DFS consideration. The Spurs still go through PF/C LaMarcus Aldridge, who can still deliver high end Fantasy scoring at age 34. SG/SF DeMar DeRozan comes into this season with six straight seasons of at least 20 points per game. Count on him stretching it to seven. C Jakob Poeltl opens the season as the starter but keep an eye on Trey Lyles. The former Jazz and Nuggets PF/C has solid Per 40 numbers and could emerge as a pleasant surprise if given the chance to start.
The one certainty on the new-look Thunder is PG Chris Paul handing out 8-10 assists along with knocking down 17-20 points and getting a steal or two. SF Danilo Gallinari remained healthy last season and could score 18-22 points per night if he can avoid the injury bug. C Steven Adams will be a modest DFS value play. Utah’s best Fantasy option continues to be C Rudy Gobert, who has averaged at least 13.8 points, 10.7 rebounds and 2.3 blocked shots per game in each of the past three seasons. Gobert could flirt with a 70% field goal percentage this year. Newcomer PG Michael Conley won’t need to score as much as he did with the Grizzlies, but his offensive game is there if needed. SG Donovan Mitchell is a good NBA DFS option, yet could see his scoring production take a mild dent with the additions of Conley and PF Bojan Bogdanovic.
The most Fantasy-friendly game on the schedule. C Nikola Jokic is a legit MVP candidate and an anchor for any DFS roster. Jokic is money well spent. PG Jamaal Murray should take the next step toward stardom. He managed a 25.9% usage rate last season and should continue at that level, even as Jokic recorded a 29.4% rate. SF Will Barton and SG Gary Harris can also be useful Nuggets. You could go with Jokic and Trail Blazers PG Damian Lillard as anchors in a west coast NBA DFS lineup and not look back. C.J. McCollum is a good complement to Lillard as both should combine for 48-50 points. New C Hassan Whiteside offers blocks and rebounds for Portland to go along with enough scoring to consider adding him in a one-game stack.
This could be the most entertaining game of the night. The Kings’ backcourt of PG D’Aaron Fox and Buddy Hield is as entertaining and Fantasy-friendly a guard combo. Pair them together and watch the points (real and Fantasy) come alive. PF Marvin Bagley III is earmarked for a breakout campaign, while SF Harrison Barnes should see some Fantasy appeal. The Suns will be fun for DFS users. SG/PG Devin Booker is going to fill the stat sheet on his way to competing for the scoring title. C Deandre Ayton isn’t far off from being an elite Fantasy scorer. That happens once he continues to raise his usage rate. SF/PF Dario Saric is built for the Suns’ uptempo attack and will be a strong Fantasy contributor. SF Kelly Oubre Jr. is sneaky-good and would be part of a stack mixing the two teams.
Sign up NOW for WIN DAILY Gold right here! Projections, wagering info, 24/7 expert chats and more!
Wanna catch my DFS musings on Twitter? Follow me here!
"*" indicates required fields
