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Thank you to the one and only 2Lock for covering me yesterday! We had another great NBA slate and members are making ground on building bankrolls and already taking down tournaments!

We also lead by example and play exactly what we write/discuss in Discord – shoutout the 2Lock for this hit!

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:

• Proprietary Projection Model
• Cheat Sheet
• Articles of the Day

Looking into today’s NBA slate, it’s important to keep up with the news – we have another shorthanded Houston Rockets team as John Wall, Demarcus Cousins, and others continue to quarantine, along with the possibility of Kevin Durant sitting out, and news to follow on a certain duo in LA in LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Let’s get to it:

Point Guards

Trae Young ($9,800 FD / $9,500 DK)

Despite only having five games on today’s NBA slate, the group of elite point guards is not shallow, beginning with the man out of Atlanta. Trae Young has been on an absolute tear two games into the season, averaging 36.5/4.5/8 on 55.6% shooting across 30.5 minutes per game. Playing a Detroit team that averages over 48 FPPG allowed to the point position and lining up versus rookie Killian Hayes, Trae will be able to do whatever he wants on the offensive end of the ball tonight.

*Edit* After Kyrie Irving got announced OUT, I am now locking in one of, if not both Trae Young and Ja Morant in every lineup.

Kyrie Irving ($9,400 FD / $9,000 DK)

It doesn’t take too long to get some news in our player pool with Kyrie Irving possibly suiting up for the first time without Kevin Durant tonight. The latter, who is coming off a gruesome achilles injury, will likely be sitting on the second half of their back-to-back, leaving Kyrie running the offense on his own. Potentially without Spencer Dinwiddie as well, Kyrie has a 34.8% usage rate with these teammates off the court and will be lining up on sophomore Ja Morant, who has been one of the worst defenders DVP in his young NBA career in addition to being turnover prone. OUT

Damian Lillard ($9,400 FD / $10,300 DK)

The forgotten about stud at the position, Dame has been ice cold to start the season – but can break out at any time – and I will be there for it when it happens. While the other three targets at the position are a priority for me over Dame, his volume is simply undeniable for his upside: in their last game versus Houston, Dame dropped a whopping 32/5/9 despite only shooting 11/28 from the field and 5/13 from deep. Should he improve his efficiency from the field and hit the deck much harder in his mid-range, look out.

*Edit* Underrated stud still not pulling ownership after Kyrie Irving was ruled OUT

Ja Morant ($8,500 FD / $8,300 DK)

One of 3-max entries will consist of Harden and the point guard battle in this game. Ja is on a mission to set the league on fire after an impressive rookie campaign and having led the Grizzlies to a play-in position for the playoffs in the West. Playing a relentless number of minutes, Morant is already averaging 36/2.5/8 in the first two games of the season and has a 35.1% usage rate.

*Edit* See Trae Young edit

Honorable Mention: Jamal Murray ($7,100 FD / $7,100 DK)

Shooting Guards

James Harden ($11,500 FD / $11,200 DK)

The most prolific scorer of our generation is a lock on this NBA slate – again. There are no statistics that need to be mentioned here, just play the man. The Rockets will be undermanned again, and he’ll carry them all night long. Last game: 34.3% usage rate, 1.82 FPPM, 44/4/17. 44 points. 17 assists. Are you kidding me?

Dennis Schroder ($6,000 FD / $6,100 DK)

This play hinges on the fact that LeBron sits on the second half of a back-back, but we like to take a stab at where the news will likely trend when writing up plays and follow up afterward. Specifically if Bron sits, Schroder will see a significant bump in usage and work on the offensive side of the ball as he runs the pick ‘n roll with AD and will be relied upon to be the second scoring option.

FD Special: Dillon Brooks ($3,700)

DK Special: Svi Mykhailiuk ($3,600)

Small Forwards

Caris LeVert ($6,300 FD / $6,600 DK)

Similarly to Kyrie Irving, Caris LeVert is in a great spot with Brooklyn injury news to follow. With KD and Spencer Dinwiddie off the floor, LeVert has a whopping 32.8% usage rate as he has been relied upon to run the second unit with Dinwiddie getting the start early this season. With the highest over/under on the NBA slate and with how fast both teams play, I certainly want to attack this one, and LeVert will be a big piece of that.

*Edit* Lock of the slate with James Harden

Jerami Grant ($5,700 FD / $5,900 DK)

These Detroit players have been quite the gems for us early in this NBA season. See what I did there? Gems? Ghost’s Gems. Dad jokes aside, Jerami Grant is finally getting to thrive in an offensive role on a depleted Detroit team after being relied upon solely for his defensive ability in Denver. He’s a strong rebounder, quietly an underappreciated wing defender, and will see a ton of minutes with Blake Griffin out.

Josh Jackson ($4,300 FD / $4,200 DK)

See above – Detroit will be a primary spot for me to get value on this NBA slate and Josh Jackson has been a Win Daily special early in the season. Getting this guy at 0.5% ownership on a 13-game slate was no surprise, but I trust the model 100% and saw Jackson go for 10x value after being a Top-5 value play in our model. With how depleted Detroit is tonight, specifically with Derrick Rose out, Jackson gives us a great option at a terrible SF position.

Houston Rockets Value

Both Danuel House ($4,100 FD / $4,800 DK) and Jae’Sean Tate ($4,200 FD / $4,100 DK) will see an uptick in minutes with the Rockets being heavily undermanned. With everyone flocking to Danuel House and Sterling Brown on their first game, we were the only ones to have Tate this high in our model and saw him run for 24 DK, good for 8x his minimum price value, at 2% ownership, and outscoring Brown, Nwaba, and House – not bad if I do say so myself. Now, with Tate being more expensive than the others, I’m curious to see where the ownership lands on this NBA slate.

Power Forwards

Anthony Davis ($10,200 FD / $10,100 DK)

Possibly being with LeBron James tonight, AD is in a smash spot. Portland has struggled out of the gate defending bigs, and AD is one of the best to do it in the NBA. A whopping 35.3% usage rate with Bron off the court, AD will have his way with Jusuf Nurkic and Enes Kanter in the paint.

Christian Wood ($8,100 FD / $7,200 DK)

A key focal point in our NBA lineups just a few days ago, Christian Wood is still too cheap here versus Denver. Yes, Jokic is a tough matchup inside. But with the number of minutes this guy is slated to play, he’ll find a way to crush again, especially with backup center Mason Plumlee now in Detroit. Rocking a 27.7% usage rate is nothing eye-popping under normal circumstances, but when you’re sharing the court with James Harden, it is. A 31/13 repeat performance is possible, but even if Wood trends in the 25/10 range, we’ll more than we need out of him at these prices.

Bonus Play: Sekou Doumbouya ($3,500 FD / $3,400 DK)

Centers

Nikola Jokic ($10,000 FD / $9,800 DK)

Another stud that is going to get overlooked on this NBA slate, The Joker is in a prime spot to smash the Houston Rockets. The key? He’s game proof because he’s able to play versus small-ball lineups with his perimeter defending and offensive game. The best passing big man in the game, Jokic is averaging a 26.5/12/12 triple-double in his first two games – if you don’t believe me when I call him a walking triple-double every time I reference him, you will eventually. Game stack this one with Harden/Wood/Jokic.

Clint Capela ($6,500 FD / $5,900 DK)

Making his season debut, I will be overweight on an unowned Clint Capela should we have the news saying he is a full-go with no minutes restriction. Seeing John Collins struggle at the ‘5’ and consistently get into foul trouble has been quite frustrating, but Capela is the piece the Hawks need right now to run the pick ‘n roll with one of the league’s best passers in Trae Young since rookie Onyeka Okongwu is still dealing with injuries.

Bonus Play: Mason Plumlee ($6,000 FD / $5,700 DK): The Win Daily gem…

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

I hope everyone had a nice holiday yesterday! We have another exciting NBA slate ahead with plenty of news to follow, so make sure to stay in Discord for updates as player statuses get updated.

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:

• Proprietary Projection Model
• Cheat Sheet
• Articles of the Day

Point Guards

Damian Lillard ($9,000 FD / $9,500 DK)

Dame Time versus Harden? Yes, please. Damian Lillard thrives in these types of matchups, where he is facing another bonafide NBA superstar and likes to set the tone early and shoot often. He is coming off a performance where he was wildly inefficient, dropping a mere 9 points on 4/12 shooting, which is what will keep his ownership lower than it should be in a matchup that will see close to no defense.

De’Aaron Fox ($8,200 FD / $8,700 DK)

If you listened to any of the preseason NBA podcasts or streams, you’ll know by now just how high I am on De’Aaron Fox and his ceiling. Coming off a season where he averaged 21.1/3.8/6.8 and 1.5 steals per game, Fox plays at a ridiculous pace and carries the Kings offense through a 29.8% usage rate. In a matchup versus CP3 and the Suns, Fox will be able to take advantage of the same backcourt that just allowed Luka Doncic, Josh Richardson, and Jalen Brunson to combine for 56 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists.

Malcolm Brogdon ($7,100 FD / $7,400 DK)

As I wrote in my article for the 12/23 slate where we had 13 games on tap, if you don’t know who Malcolm Brogdon and Domantas Sabonis are by now, you will shortly. Running point for an efficient Pacers offense, Brogdon will be able to take advantage of rookie Coby White, who is impressive on the offensive end of the ball but lacks experience on the flipside. While the Bulls guarded the backcourt extremely well last season, Kris Dunn, who is now in Atlanta, is no longer there, and Tomas Satoransky was a DNP-CD last game. Look for Brogdon and Sabonis to light up the Bulls tonight.

Terry Rozier ($6,400 FD / $7,000 DK)

While chasing a 42-point game is never a good idea, that is not the reason for which I am considering Terry Rozier on today’s NBA slate. While 3rd overall pick, LaMelo Ball, is the future, Rozier does not seem to plan on relinquishing the role any time soon given how he played on opening day. Yes, it was a soft matchup versus the Cavaliers, but the Thunder are even worse having traded most of their playoff roster from last season. With he and backcourt run mate Devonte’ Graham playing 37 minutes apiece on opening day, there is no reason to believe that Rozier cannot exceed value, especially on FD if not paying up at the point guard position, even if Ball gets more run in this one.

Darius Garland ($5,500 FD / $5,600 DK)

With the Cavaliers in NBA purgatory, their roster is simply in shambles. A frontcourt tandem of Kevin Love and Andre Drummond is one that can keep them competitive – or give them two valuable trade assets – but Cleveland needs their backcourt of Garland and Sexton to take the next step this season. Garland had a strong preseason and followed it up with 22/6/6 on opening day versus the Hornets, and he gets another soft matchup here versus Detroit.

Shooting Guards

James Harden ($11,000 FD / $10,900 DK)

The most prolific offensive player in the NBA had quite the offseason; being at the center of wild trade rumors out of Houston, being the center of attention of NBA media, and more, but James Harden is a stone cold lock for me on this slate. Can this game get out of hand? The only way it does is if Harden doesn’t feel like playing, which will not be the case considering Houston is only fielding a roster of 8 players. Even with Russell Westbrook in Houston last season, Harden had the league’s third-highest usage rate at 36.3% and the highest ISO percentage – which can only increase with Westbrook now in Washington. He may very well take north of 30 shots tomorrow and I will be centering my single entry and 3-max builds around him.

Bradley Beal ($8,100 FD / $9,300 DK)

This play gets a whole lot more interesting should Russell Westbrook, who will not play one game of two on back-to-backs, be out. However, even with Westbrook in, Beal makes for a great tournament option considering the field will pair Harden with a value play in most contests. Coming off a season where Beal truly broke out with John Wall injured for the entire season, he thrived having the fifth-highest usage rate in the NBA at 34.4% and saw a similar workload on opening day with 36% en route to a 31/2/3 stat line on 50% shooting.

Donovan Mitchell ($7,700 FD / $8,400 DK)

With Rudy Gobert being tasked with guarding Karl-Anthony Towns and manning the paint, looking for Donovan Mitchell to carry the load on offense versus a Timberwolves team that has luckluster defenders in D’Angelo Russell, Ricky Rubio, and Anthony Edwards as potential matchups for one of the stars from last season’s NBA bubble. Mitchell has the upside we need to take down a tournament, and in a game with a 225.5 over/under, the pace will be there for him to score in bunches. He won’t stuff the sheet with rebounds and assists, making him a risky play, with James Harden soaking up all the ownership at the ‘2’, Mitchell will be sub 2% owned.

Devonte’ Graham ($5,400 FD / $6,700 DK)

He’s a tad expensive on DK, but Graham’s price on FD is laughable. Playing 37 minutes on opening day alongside Terry Rozier, Graham was outshadowed by his backcourt partner’s 42 points, but this will certainly not be the case every night. He was an NBA Most Improved Player candidate last season and offers a ton of upside on both sides of the ball in a marquee NBA DFS matchup versus the OKC Thunder.

FD bonus play: Devin Booker ($7,900)

Small Forwards

This will be a position where we can explore our value options on today’s NBA slate. Rather than writing them all up, make sure to check the projection model to see who is popping in the value column in a group containing Josh Jackson, Sterling Brown, Danuel House, and Isaac Okoro, amongst others.

Power Forwards

Domantas Sabonis ($8,500 FD / $8,500 DK)

I wrote him up for Indiana’s first game and we saw him smash the Knicks for 32/13/5 and 58.3 DK points; if you do not know who Domantas Sabonis is by now, you will by the end of the season. He is the most underrated power forward in the NBA in my opinion and plays a very similar style to Nikola Jokic; a big man with excellent vision, amazing passing ability, and can score many different ways. In a matchup versus an inexperienced Lauri Markkanen and Wendall Carter Jr., Sabonis will provide a solid floor/ceiling combination.

Aaron Gordon ($6,900 FD / $6,900 DK)

Usage is fairly spread out for an Orlando Magic team that is surprisingly balanced with Markelle Fultz, Evan Fournier, Gordon, and of course, Nikola Vucevic, in addition to rookie Cole Anthony coming off the bench. Vuc is the priority for me in my Orlando exposure, as I always love to target Washington’s defense, but where I can, I’ll slide in Gordon for the savings and take advantage of his matchup on the wing.

Christian Wood ($6,700 FD / $5,900 DK)

Being center eligible on DK, Christian Wood will be in the majority of my lineups on both sites tomorrow. With Houston running only 8 active players due to COVID exposure, Wood will see a ton of run in the frontcourt and will be called upon to lead the charge as a secondary scorer to James Harden. While Josef Nurkic is no slouch on defense, the fact that Houston is so undermanned and Wood’s combination of scoring and rebounding in this one makes him an easy target; he is a lock for our cash games.

Centers

Joel Embiid ($9,800 FD / $10,200 DK)

After getting off to a slow start, Joel Embiid showed the NBA just how dominant he can be in the second half of their season debut versus Washington. Being able to score from behind the arc, dominate the post like no other, and be a force on the defensive end, Mitchell Robinson, someone who quickly gets into foul trouble, and Julius Randle will be in tough versus the one known as ‘The Process’. After WD favorite Domantas Sabonis just dropped a near trouble-double on this very same frontcourt, just imagine what Embiid will do tonight.

Andre Drummond ($8,400 FD / $9,200 DK)

A threat to drop 20/20 in on any given NBA slate, Andre Drummond returns home to face his former team in the Detroit Pistons. Opening day gem Mason Plumlee was a force for us and is solid on the defensive end, but Dre is a bully in the paint and will surely give him a hard time on the glass all night long.

Nikola Vucevic ($8,200 FD / $9,100 DK)

One of my favorite targets at the center position on today’s NBA slate, Vucevic will be virtually unowned with everyone paying up for James Harden and other pieces mentioned. Remaining the focal point of the Magic offense, Vuc has a glorious matchup versus Thomas Bryant who was just torched by Embiid in their season debut. Washington has been ranking in the bottom-3 of the NBA DVP versus the center position over the past few years, allowing over 55 FPPG to the position, and it surely won’t change this year.

Value Gems: Check the projection model here. Expect a lot of Houston Rockets.

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

After a very successful first full NBA slate on 12/23, we are back for all the money on Christmas Day. A true NBA tradition, every one of these matchups has high-profile players in them; this not only translates to some interesting lineup builds on both DraftKings and FanDuel, but it also makes the combination of ‘Stars ‘n Scrubs’ all that more attractive. Although it is to a lesser extent than both opening day and the 12/23 slate because we are not on either extreme of a 2-game slate or a 13-game slate, we must still plant our flag somewhere in order to reach the top of the leaderboards – on opening day, it was a condensed player pool, whereas the 12/23 slate was all about identifying which of the 13 games we wanted exposure to. Thus, I will be identifying which players can be in the optimal lineup for both sites and crossing many off my list – if you have any questions, feel free to tag me in Discord, but I will say this, players are not mentioned for a reason.

Before running to the DraftKings, FanDuel, or Yahoo lobby to construct your NBA DFS lineups after reading this article, please make sure to utilize the abundance of tools we have at Win Daily:

• Proprietary Projection Model
• Cheat Sheet
• Articles of the Day

Point Guards

Luka Doncic ($11,400 FD / $10,000 DK)

I mentioned him in my write-up for last slate and how he was a focal point for our NBA cash lineups. Despite not putting up a ridiculous amount of points, he proved to be a necessity because he was over 80% owned in all cash contests – with 50% of the field getting paid out, you need to roster these extremely high-owned players (we call them chalk for future reference) because if they go nuclear and you did not roster them, you are dead in the water. I had also mentioned that Luka sees an uptick in usage with Porzingis off the floor, increasing from 36.8% to nearly 40% — and that’s exactly what happened. Doncic dropped an efficient 32/8/5 without a single 3-pointer and saw a 39.7% usage rate in 36 minutes. Playing against someone that just signed him to a shoe deal, one his idols, and on Christmas Day has all the narrative – and analytics to back it up – that we need to play Luka in this matchup, but with other studs being the priority for me, he’ll make one of my 3-max lines but I will be slightly underweight compared to the field in my 150-max. Luka. LeBron. Primetime. Christmas Day. You do in fact, love to see it.

Kyrie Irving ($8,900 FD / $8,500 DK)

You wanted a Luka vs LeBron narrative? Check. How about a Kyrie back to Boston narrative? Also, check. The shiftiest man in the NBA was back to his old ways in Steve Nash’s new-look Brooklyn offense and was putting defenders on ice in his season debut. Facing Marcus Smart in this one is no cakewalk, but Kyrie has been victorious in this matchup before from his days in Cleveland, averaging 22.7/2.9/5.6 across 33.4 minutes in 7 matchups versus Smart. Still underpriced on both sites, this game has all the appeal we need to get our star power from it: with the second-highest over/under on the slate at 229.5, Brooklyn’s pace in their season debut will force Boston’s hand in choosing to double only one of Kyrie and KD – lock at least one in your lineups with confidence.

Steph Curry ($8,700 FD / $10,200 DK)

Was it a disappointing season opener for the Warriors? Yes, absolutely; they looked lost on defense without Draymond Green in the lineup, Steph got no help with lackluster play from Andrew Wiggins, and this Brooklyn Nets offense may be even scarier than we anticipated in the offseason. Nonetheless, this +10.5 spread is disrespectful to the greatest shooter of all time and his Warriors. With Pat Connaughton and Bobby Portis being the first to come off the bench for the Bucks, the Warriors will not have to deal with the likes of Caris LeVert and Jarrett Allen in this one like they did on opening day and will be able to keep it close. Milwaukee struggles from deep, giving up the most 3pm in the 2019-2020 NBA season with 1,020, good for 13.97 per game. Yeah, they give up a ton, oh, and Curry isn’t too bad of a 3-point shooter.

Jrue Holiday ($7,000 FD / $7,500 DK)

If you’re not playing Giannis Antetokounmpo in your lineup but are playing Steph Curry, I highly recommend getting one of Jrue Holiday or Khris Middleton. With Steph almost guaranteed to carry the Warriors offense on any given night, someone needs to keep pace with the 2-time NBA MVP and 3-time NBA Champion. Enter the prized offseason acquisition, Jrue Holiday. Coming off an inspiring debut with his new team, Jrue shot an efficient 10/16 from the floor en route to 25/6/3 in 38 minutes – 38 minutes! Not many players will see as much action as Jrue on the entire slate, and that alone makes him worthy to be in our NBA lineups.

Jeff Teague ($5,800 FD / $4,200 DK)

The projection model had him as the fourth-best value on a slate with 300+ players, so I cannot wait to see what it gives us for Jeff Teague tomorrow. He’s a stone cold lock for me on DK tomorrow and makes for an interesting pivot on FD to the chalkier options in the premium price range above him. With Brooklyn really pushing the pace, I’m not expecting many rotations where Brad Stevens runs both Daniel Theis and Tristan Thompson on the floor at the same time, rather, he’ll stagger the two to counter the 1-2 punch of Jordan and Allen at the center position for the Nets. Enter Teague, who will be a primary benefactor of an up-pace matchup with Kemba Walker sidelined once again.

Shooting Guards

Paul George ($7,600 FD / $8,700 DK)

I’ll be severely underweight yet again on DK with him being priced with the likes of Kyrie Irving, but his position eligibility on FD makes him an interesting target, especially if you’re not playing Kawhi Leonard. This could be a chance for Paul George to redeem himself from their playoff exit versus these same Denver Nuggets, but PG will certainly be in tough versus the likes of Will Barton on the wing – if he can switch onto MPJ and Gary Harris all game long, look out for another great performance from PG13.

Khris Middleton ($7,400 FD / $7,400 DK)

Similarly to what I said above with regards to Jrue Holiday, if you’re playing Steph Curry and not playing Giannis, you need to consider Middleton to be your main runback. With Golden State being smaller than most teams up the middle in a similar fashion to Boston, Middleton may not duplicate his 14-rebound performance from opening night, but he can certainly reach double digits. Add in the fact that he looked good distributing the ball and scoring on 50% of his field goals, Middleton has sneaky upside amongst the mid-range targets.

Eric Bledsoe ($5,600 FD / $5,600 DK)

At a mere $5,600 on both sites, Eric Bledsoe is trending to be one of my favorite targets tomorrow before running the projections. Starting alongside Lonzo Ball, Bledsoe saw a whopping 34 minutes of action in his Pelicans debut, second to only Brandon Ingram. With Jimmy Butler being preoccupied with both Ingram and Zion, look for Bledsoe to shoulder another heavy workload in the first game of the NBA slate.

Dennis Schroder ($5,000 FD / $6,300 DK)

Dropping a near triple-double in his Lakers debut, Dennis Schroder is severely unpriced on FD and still affordable on DK. While I am not anticipating a duplicate performance because of LeBron and AD having much better games this time around, Schroder’s ability to log heavy minutes and act as a secondary scorer whenever James or Davis leave the floor has him a part of my player pool.

Donte DiVincenzo ($4,500 FD / $4,700 DK)

He won’t wow you with anything other than his scoring ability, but DiVi has strong upside on this NBA slate because of the number of minutes he will log compared to that of other value plays. With Milwaukee playing the entire starting unit 27 or more minutes considering how shallow their bench is, he makes for a premier option on a slate where we’re starving for value to jam in the studs.

Small Forwards

LeBron James ($11,000 FD / $10,000 DK)

Is there much of an explanation as to why we should be considering LeBron James on Christmas Day? This will be Bron’s 15th Christmas Day game, where he currently averages 25.8/7.7/6.9 across 38.3 minutes of action. While both he and AD looked sluggish on opening day, this is a premier bounce back spot with how vulnerable Dallas is on defense without KP in the lineup.

Kawhi Leonard ($9,500 FD / $9,800 DK)

He’s likely going to be the lowest owned stud on the slate, and it’s not because he’s not in a good spot, but rather that others are simply in better ones. By no means do I like to target Denver’s defense, so I will be underweight in my MME pool and he will not make my single entry builds, but should the Nuggets continue to start MPJ on the wing, look for Kawhi to walk all over him on the offensive end of the ball and surprise people on this slate.

Jaylen Brown ($7,500 FD / $7,000 DK)

After a breakout campaign last season, JB started the new season off strong by dropping 33/5/3 across 37 minutes versus the Bucks in a 122-121 victory. With the Brooklyn Nets playing an up-pace, high-tempo type of game, both JB and Tatum are in an environment to thrive in this matchup, especially JB with Durant likely guarding Tatum for the majority of the game. With Jeff Teague being the calming influence on the offensive end, I’m expecting Brown’s volume and efficiency to propel the Celtics to be competitive in this one.

Brandon Ingram ($7,300 FD / $8,300 DK)

Coming off an impressive season that ended with a Most Improved Player award, BI was at it again in the Pelicans debut and scorched the Raptors for 24 points on 10/19 shooting to go along with 9 rebounds and 11 assists. He’ll be in tough if Jimmy Butler lines up on him more often than Zion, but if not, he’ll walk all over anyone else that draws this matchup.

Others to Consider

• Caris LeVert ($5,800 FD – won’t play him on DK)
• Will Barton ($5,200 FD / $6,300 DK)
• Tyler Herro ($5,000 FD / $5,600 DK)
• Joe Harris ($4,300 FD / $5,300 DK)
• Nic Batum ($3,500 FD / $4,500 DK)

Power Forwards

Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,600 FD / $10,900 DK)

The back-to-back MVP infamously missed a free throw to send their opening game versus the Celtics to overtime, but just the fact that he led the charge in overcoming a 14-point, 4th quarter deficit shows just how good he is. Nobody will be able to guard him in this matchup and with the Warriors lack of interior defense, Giannis is pricey, but worth it given his potential to put up 70+ should the Warriors keep this one close.

Anthony Davis ($10,600 FD / $10,300 DK)

Sure, he did look awfully inefficient in their debut, but with Dwight Powell and Maxi Kleber slated to guard Anthony Davis, he can bounce back in a huge fashion that you will not want to miss out on. Dallas quietly had one of, if not the best offense in the entire NBA last season and really pushed the pace, slotting in as the third-fastest team in the league, which will bode well for AD in transition. Look for him to stuff the sheet on both ends of the court.

Jayson Tatum ($9,800 FD / $9,300 DK)

Another pay up option on FD, you can see where I am going with the PF position over there – DO NOT pay down whatsoever. Tatum is one of four players I am considering at the position and is truly blossoming into a franchise cornerstone. His defensive ability has been on display since his days at Duke, but with Tatum now dropping stat lines such as the 30/7/2 he did on opening day, his price tag is well deserved in this pace up spot versus KD and company.

Kevin Durant ($8,500 FD / $9,400 DK)

He’s criminally underpriced on FD and needs to be in all of your lineups there. On DK, KD is expensive but benefits from a shallow PF position and showed that he is back from his achilles injury in full force. The 7-footer looked smooth as ever in their opening day thrashing of his former team and will be a cog to the Nets offense all season long.

Centers

Nikola Jokic ($9,700 FD / $10,100 DK)

No safer option at the center position than The Joker and he will STILL go overlooked with Montrezl Harrell garnering most of the ownership. Why? I’m not sure – Joker just dropped 29/14/15 like it was nobody’s business and is a true force to be reckoned with on both ends of the court. Yes, he was mentioned in the 12/23 article for GPPs so I hope you got your exposure, but if you did not, do not make the same mistake twice.

Montrezl Harrell ($5,100 FD / $6,000 DK)

Why he is the chalkiest option at the position, I truly cannot tell you. I said it a million times on 12/23 to NOT play him with AD because if one goes off, the other one; the other day, AD struggled, and Harrell got more run than he typically will. With AD having the softer of matchups here versus Powell/Kleber instead of Ibaka like the other day, I’ll be fine with this in cash but a hard pass in GPPs.

Deandre Jordan ($4,500 FD / $5,600 DK)

The projection model loved Jordan the other day, and he truly came through with 23 fantasy points in only 17 minutes of action, good for 1.35 FPPM. Anticipate him to get more run here with the Celtics keeping this one much closer than the Warriors did and having true centers for him to match up with in Daniel Theis and Tristan Thompson.

Value Gems: Check the projection model here

I’ve said this twice now, but I simply cannot stress it enough: remember to review the NBA projection model and NBA cheat sheet 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

Welcome back, NBA DFS fans, to another season of NBA DFS with Win Daily Sports and your daily edition of Ghost’s Gems. For both present and future reference, the Gems article will feature plays viable for both DraftKings and FanDuel, for both cash and tournament (GPP) play. If I can make one recommendation for NBA DFS amongst all factors to consider, it would be to keep up with the news heading to lock; if you cannot be in front of your computer one hour before lock, you are at a severe disadvantage compared to the field since players will get ruled out on a daily basis because of load management, possible COVID cases, and arising injuries from morning shootaround; this is where we get the majority of our value plays from since there are now bench players getting the minutes of a starting player at much cheaper salaries.

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:

• Proprietary Projection Model
• Cheat Sheet
• Articles of the Day

Now, let’s get to one of, if not the biggest NBA DFS slate of the year:

Point Guards

Luka Doncic ($11,400 FD / $10,000 DK)

The slate begins with the priciest player in the league, third-year sensation, and MVP favorite, Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks. A walking triple-double, Doncic averaged 28.8/9.4/8.8 across 61 games in the shortened 2019-2020 season and led his Mavericks to a playoff berth. Now, without his running partner in Kristaps Porzingis for the first month of the season, Luka will look to get the Mavs off and running to begin the new campaign. Sporting a 36.8% usage rate last season, good for second in the NBA, Doncic saw this rise to nearly 40% with KP off the floor – a small uptick, but an increase, nonetheless. With the Phoenix Suns team adding Chris Paul in the offseason, their defense will be improved, but this was still a unit that allowed over 48 fantasy points to opposing primary ball handlers last season; Doncic is a focal point for your cash builds.

Trae Young ($9,700 FD / $9,400 DK)

A tournament pivot off of Luka Doncic, enter the man whom he was traded for: Trae Young. With the additions that the Atlanta Hawks made in the offseason, expectations are high, but none are greater than those on the third-year point guard to take the next step in a similar fashion to how Doncic did so last season. Coming off an impressive 29.6/4.3/9.3 stat line in 60 games played last season, Trae fell just short of the elusive 30/10 club, finishing second in the NBA in assists behind only LeBron James. Sporting a 34.9% usage rate, Young is the Hawks offense and there’s no reason to believe he’s slowing down any time soon; the addition of Clint Capela gives him a legitimate pick and roll partner and up-pace, transition matchup versus sophomore Coby White sets up Young in a potential slate-breaking performance on the NBA’s first full slate.

Ben Simmons ($9,200 FD / $8,700 DK)

The former Rookie of the Year slots in as one our tournament plays for today’s NBA slate and is coming in extremely unowned. Facing the Wizards was a ton of fun for opposing fantasy players and their games were always ones we kept an eye on, but that got even stronger when they traded franchise cornerstone, John Wall, for Russell Westbrook. Known for his raw athleticism, triple-double, and simply stuffing the stat sheet, Westbrook is one of the worst defenders DVP and will be no match for the Aussie on the defensive side of the ball. Allowing over 49 FPPG to opposing primary ball handlers, Washington wasn’t able to defend the position last season, and it may have gotten even worse with Westbrook sliding in here. Moreover, they played at the 7th-fastest pace last season and just added one of the fastest players in the league to their backcourt, making for a great game environment for Simmons.

Coby White ($6,200 FD / $6,500 DK)

We had mentioned Trae Young on the flipside of this matchup just above, and now we go right back to the same matchup – but at a much more affordable price tag on both sites. Not only are both Kris Dunn and Shaquille Harrison off the roster, but Tomas Satoransky is questionable due to COVID protocols and has only practiced once with no preseason action. The White/Lavine backcourt set fire to the NBA during the preseason, and they are both the present, and the future of the Bulls. White’s opposing matchup, Trae Young, lead the league in turnovers last season at 4.8 per game and will give White ample opportunity for steals and buckets in transition.

Dejounte Murray ($6,200 FD / $5,600 DK)

With Derrick White ruled out for this contest due to a toe injury, Dejounte Murray should get the majority of run at the point guard position for the Spurs. Playing at the 6th-fastest pace in the NBA last season, not only is Murray facing a Memphis team that he can take advantage of in transition, but his individual matchup is also juicy versus Ja Morant, who was one of the worst defenders in the league DVP at the point guard position.

DK bonus play: Jeff Teague ($4,000)

Shooting Guards

James Harden ($10,800 FD / $10,400 DK)

The Beard drew a ton of criticism in the offseason for demanding a trade, showing up to camp late and out of shape, and simply not seeming committed to Houston. Yet, here we are, as he suits up for his Rockets coming off a season averaging 34.3/6.6/7.5 in 68 appearances and an absurd 36.3% usage rate. You locked him every time Westbrook was out, well get used to it, because he’s in Washington now.

Devin Booker ($8,400 FD / $8,900 DK)

Look no further than the young stud facing Luka Doncic when lining up a game stack on tonight’s NBA slate. Devin Booker is set to hit the court with new running mate, Chris Paul, and will benefit greatly from a hybrid role of primary ball handler when CP3 is off the court, and as a spot-up shooter playing off-ball when he is on the court. Dallas fared well against 2-guards last season, allowing an average of 41 FPPG, but Devin Booker is simply different on the offensive end and the Mavs defense takes a hit with KP out.

Donovan Mitchell ($8,100 FD / $8,000 DK)

One of the breakouts in the NBA bubble last season, Donovan Mitchell is fresh off a max contract extension and ready to take the next step. In a game versus the Trail Blazers that has a 227.5 over/under and a 1.5 spread, Vegas knows this one will be close and dominated by the star power in the matchup. Mitchell, who will be seeing a ton of CJ McCollum, has a glorious matchup versus a backcourt who allowed over 49 FPPG to opposing primary ball handlers. Fast-paced, star power, high over/under, and a tight spread – giddy up.

Zach Lavine ($7,900 FD / $7,900 DK)

Known as a high-flying slasher, Zach Lavine has drastically improved his shooting in the offseason and is another key component of our Atlanta Hawks/Chicago Bulls game stack. You can play him solo or with Coby White, as the two are set to combine for over 50% of the usage on the offensive end; the Hawks were decimated by 2-guards last season, averaging the third-most FPPG against in the NBA and Lavine averaged 21.3/5.7/4/1.7/1 in 3 appearances versus the Hawks last season.

D’Angelo Russell ($7,500 FD / $7,200 DK)

A pure tournament play, the 1-2 punch of DLo and KAT is set to take this Timberwolves team over the hump – or at least try to. Facing a miserable Pistons team, there should be very little defense in this one and the two will be able to run the pick n’ roll fairly easily all night long. His shooting ability gives him the upside we need in tournaments, and he’s essentially coming unowned with everyone around him in the same pricing tier.

Devonte’ Graham ($5,700 FD / $6,400 DK)

With rookie sensation LaMelo Ball now in the backcourt, Devonte’ Graham will have much more room to operate on the offensive end. Sure, we may not see a full 36 of the Ball/Graham duo just yet, but it won’t take long when the Hornets realize what they have in their future backcourt that can be surprisingly effective in a weakened Eastern Conference. Coming off a much-improved season, Graham sees a Cavs backcourt matchup versus Collin Sexton, who is purely offensive, likes to play fast, and is turnover prone. While he won’t be the guy to consistent drop 25, he’ll fill up the sheet nicely here and provide some much-needed value in the mid-range on both Fd and DK.

Small Forwards

Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,500 FD / $10,200 DK)

Coming off his second MVP award in the past two seasons, the Greek Freak is set to wreak havoc in the NBA once again. Having signed the largest contract in NBA history and now playing with an improved roster than saw a notable addition in Jrue Holiday, there is not much to say about Giannis – he averages a whopping 1.9 FPPM and is as safe as it gets to getting a floor in NBA DFS and offers a ceiling like no other for tournament play.

Brandon Ingram ($7,300 FD / $8,600 DK)

Last season’s Most Improved Player, BI is overpriced on DK but offers us a great option at a shallow SF position on FD. With the Raptors being a team that often matches the playing the style of their opponents, look for the Pelicans to really push the pace in this one, just as they did all of last season, and for BI to take advantage. He’ll be in tough versus the likes of Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby on the wing, but with Zion drawing so much attention on the offensive end, the arching jumper of BI will be able to provide us with a nice ceiling game should his shot drop early and often.

Tobias Harris ($6,600 FD / $6,200 DK)

One of the games we want exposure to, Tobias Harris finds himself as the cheaper, low-owned pivot to the tandem of Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. A model of consistency and offering a surprisingly high ceiling on any given night, Harris will be able to thrive in Doc Rivers’ new system of spacing and shooting. With the Wizards struggling versus wings all season long, they give us no reason to believe this will change any time soon, especially with the points Harris can score in transition given the turnover opportunities Westbrook presents on the other end of the ball.

Danilo Gallinari ($5,700 FD / $5,100 DK)

Coming in as the prized acquisition of a tremendous offseason for the Hawks, Gallo is simply too cheap for someone that will be seeing a ton of minutes on the wing. Sure, the frontcourt is a bit crowded now that Clint Capela is healthy and John Collins remains, but Gallo can slot in comfortably at the 3 should the Hawks choose to utilize him in such a fashion. The Bulls will be playing mostly small, so I assume Capela to be the one to take the hit and for Collins to get minutes at the 5, leaving Gallo in a glorious matchup versus Lauri Markkanen.

Larry Nance ($5,100 FD / $5,900 DK)

Filling in for the injured Kevin Love, Larry Nance Jr. is a nice value on FD and great mid-range option on DK today. With KLove off the court, Nance sees a drastic increase in usage, from 15.3% to 23.4% and is currently projecting to play just over 31 minutes. Averaging just over 1.07 FPPM, Nance will be able to take advantage of a miserable Charlotte frontcourt that was decimated by both power forwards and centers last season.

Power Forwards

Pascal Siakam ($8,000 FD / $7,600 DK)

After having a tremendous season just a few months ago, Siakam struggled mightily in the NBA bubble, most notably in the series versus the Celtics which saw the Raptors get eliminated from playoffs. A matchup versus the likes of Zion will be no fun on the defensive end, but on the offensive end, Siakam will be able to take advantage of both him and Ingram with his post/interior play and spin moves.

Domantas Sabonis ($7,800 FD / $7,400 DK)

The most underrated PF in the league in my opinion, Domantas Sabonis was quietly one of the most productive players from an NBA DFS perspective last season. He is always underpriced for his ceiling of 50+ points and gets a nice matchup versus Julius Randle and the Knicks who allow over 48 FPPG to opposing PF.

Zion Williamson ($7,700 FD / $7,500 DK)

The sophomore is set to make waves in his second season; he’s coming in lighter on his feet, in better game shape, and finally healthy. Sure, the wings of Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby will be a tall task, but Zion is pure athleticism and score in many different ways.

Christian Wood ($6,400 FD / $6,300 DK)

Christian Wood could not have landed in a better spot than the Houston Rockets this offseason. Sure, Boogie looked great in preseason and it was unbelievably fun to watch the former Kentucky duo of Cousins/Wall do their thing coming off serious injuries, but Wood will be the primary benefactor when Houston turns to small ball – he can get up and down the court with ease and fits the playing style of Harden and Wall perfectly.

Davis Bertans ($4,700 FD / $5,500 DK)

Bombs away for one of the best 3-point shooters in the league! With Rui Hachimura ruled out for the Wizards, look for Bertans to be getting the majority of the minutes at both the ‘4’ and on the wing.

Centers

Nikola Jokic ($9,700 FD / $9,600 DK)

The best passing big man in the NBA, The Joker has an amazing matchup against Hassan Whiteside and Richaun Holmes tonight. Looking to be in elite form in the preseason, Jokic was dropping near triple-doubles in only 25 minutes of action. He’s a threat beyond the arc, where both Whiteside and Holmes will not venture, and can dominate the post versus two inferior defenders.

Joel Embiid ($9,400 FD / $9,800 DK)

Want to talk about mismatches? I am a big fan of Thomas Bryant – seriously, I think he has a breakout campaign, but man is this going to be tough for him in the post. Bryant is not an outside defender neither and will struggle to get to Embiid when he steps behind the arc and will get beat off the dribble quite a bit to overcompensate. Averaging over 58 FPPG allowed to opposing centers, the Wizards are a defensive disaster as a whole, but the PG and C positions are primary points of attack, and it just so happens that we have Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid together.

Karl-Anthony Towns ($9,400 FD / $9,700 DK)

Playing Detroit in the frontcourt used to be scary – the days of having Greg Monroe, Andre Drummond, and most recently, Christian Wood, are now gone. Enter KAT. A threat from 3, in the post, and one of the best passing big men in the game, KAT gets a Pistons squad that allowed over 55 FPPG to opposing centers and he is finally healthy.

Andre Drummond ($8,400 FD / $8,000 DK)

Much more confident in this play on Opening Night 2.0 considering Kevin Love has already been ruled out, Drum has a legitimate shot for a 20-20 game in his matchup versus Cody Zeller and Bismack Biyombo, who combined to allow over 56 FPPG at the center position last season.

Deandre Ayton ($7,600 FD / $7,300 DK)

With the majority of players flocking to the Doncic/Booker game stack, Ayton is in a great spot for a tournament pivot to get exposure to this game and offers just as high, if not an even higher ceiling than his young teammate in this game. In a matchup versus the likes of Maxi Kleber and Dwight Powell, Ayton has the ability to dominate the post and will see a drastic improvement in offensive efficiency now that he can run the pick ‘n roll with CP3.

Remember to review the projection model and cheat sheet for a further player pool and to ease a decision between two players, in addition to finding additional value plays, as well as updates in Discord throughout the day as the news trickles in. You can find me on Twitter @DFS_Ghost