There are only four games tonight, but the 12/5 NBA DFS Game Previews & Prop Plays will get you to the long green quicker than a LeBron James “dribble.”
Tired of losing money on your NBA DFS and Sportsbook? Sign up today and become a winner while turning your passion for sports into a second stream of income!
76ers at a Glance: 18th in scoring (108.6), 4th in scoring defense (103.7), 17th in offensive rating (107.8), 4th in defensive rating (103), 17th in pace (100.2).
Stud: C Joel Embiid ($9800/DK). Dud: PF/C Al Horford ($6400/DK). Sleeper: SF/PF James Ennis ($3400/DK).
Wizards at a Glance: 3rd in scoring (118.9), 30th in scoring defense (122.9), 4th in offensive rating (113), 30th in defensive rating (116.8), 2nd in pace (105.2).
Stud: SG Bradley Beal ($8700/DK). Dud: PF/C Rui Hachimura ($5700/DK). Sleeper: SF/PF Davis Bertans ($5800/DK).
Nuggets at a Glance: 23rd in scoring (106.1), 1st in scoring defense (101.9), 21st in offensive rating (106.5), 1st in defensive rating (102.3), 27th in pace (98).
Stud: PG Jamal Murray ($7900/FD). Dud: SG Gary Harris ($4800/FD). Sleeper: PF Paul Millsap ($6000/FD).
Knicks at a Glance: 30th in scoring (100.9), 17th in scoring defense (110.4), 30th in offensive rating (103.1), 23rd in defensive rating (112.9), 29th in pace (97.8).
NBA Stud: C Mitchell Robinson ($5800/FD). Dud: PF Julius Randle ($7200/FD). Sleeper: SG RJ Barrett ($5700/FD).
Rockets at a Glance: 2nd in scoring (120.9), 25th in scoring defense (115.5), 3rd in offensive rating (114.1), 16th in defensive rating (109), 3rd in pace (104.9).
Stud: PG/SG James Harden ($12,000/DK). Dud: PG/SG Russell Westbrook ($8000/DK). Sleeper: SF/PF P.J. Tucker ($5000/DK).
Raptors at a Glance: 10th in scoring (113.1), 7th in scoring defense (105), 8th in offensive rating (111), 5th in defensive rating (103.1), 14th in pace (100.8).
Stud: PF/C Pascal Siakam ($8400/DK). Dud: C Marc Gasol ($4000/DK). Sleeper: SG/SF Norman Powell ($5100/DK).
Suns at a Glance: 6th in scoring (114.4), 20th in scoring defense (113.3), 6th in offensive rating (111.4), 19th in defensive rating (110.2), 11th in pace (102.2).
DFS Stud: SG Devin Booker ($8100/FD). Dud: PF Frank Kaminsky ($4800/FD). Sleeper: PF Dario Saric ($6100/FD).
Pelicans at a Glance: 7th in scoring (113.7), 29th in scoring defense (118.8), 15th in offensive rating (108.8), 25th in defensive rating (113.7), 5th in Pace (104).
Stud: SF Brandon Ingram ($9500/FD). Dud: SG JJ Redick ($4900/FD). Sleeper: PG Lonzo Ball ($5800/FD).
A six-game slate awaits, and the 11/4 NBA DFS Game Previews and Prop Bets will get your week started on the right foot.
Pistons at a Glance: 18th in scoring (108.3), 20th in scoring defense (112), 16th in offensive rating (106.8), 25th in defensive rating (110.5), 17th in pace (101.4)
No Blake Griffin nor Reggie Jackson, the Pistons may also be without PG/SG Derrick Rose ($5800 DK). C Andre Drummond ($10,800 DK) is the only player on this roster that is Fantasy-viable, although PG/SG Luke Kennard ($5000 DK) is averaging 19.5 points in his last two games. I’d be open to rolling the dice on PG/SG Bruce Brown ($3200 DK), whose salary is a major steal and is also assured of getting strong usage, especially if Rose is out. He’s a lock if playing Showdown, but I’d add him in a lineup or two tonight because I think there’s a pleasant surprise here.
Stud — Drummond. Dud — SF/PF Markeiff Brown ($4000 DK). Sleeper — Brown.
Wizards at a Glance — 7th in scoring (117.2), 28th in scoring defense (121.4), 6th in offensive rating (109.5), 27th in defensive rating (113.4), 3rd in pace (107.1).
Washington is going to dial up the pace. They’re dead in the water if they fall into playing a Pistons-like pace. SG Bradley Beal ($9400 DK) is a sniper off to a solid start. You’re not going to get much beyond his scoring, so you’re screwed if he’s not bringing the offense. I like rookie PF Rui Hachimura ($5700 DK), although he faced reality against the Timberwolves on Saturday when he managed all of six DKP. PF/C Thomas Bryant ($7400 DK) also had a rough go on Saturday and will have to contend with Drummond tonight. I’d politely pass on him. PG Isaiah Thomas ($4900 DK) is pace-dependent in that he’ll give you solid DKP off the bench when the Wizards run and gun. However, he’s a major liability if it becomes a half-court game.
Stud — Beal. Dud — PG/SF Isaac Bonga ($3400 DK). Sleeper — PF/C Mortiz Wagner ($3400 DK).
Pelicans at a Glance: 4th in scoring (118.3), 29th in scoring defense (122.5), 5th in offensive rating (110), 28th in defensive rating (113.9), 7th in pace (105.7)
You’ll want a piece of the action in this game. If this doesn’t go over 240 total points, my Monday will be sad. SF Brandon Ingram ($8900 FD) passed concussion protocol and will be in the lineup tonight. He has a 28.6 Usage rate and I’m betting he could do more with a 32-34 UR. You have to like how PG Lonzo Ball ($7400 FD) is progressing, yet I’m not sure if I’d play him knowing he’ll have to deal with Kyrie Irving ($9700 FD). His PER (Player Efficiency Rating) is climbed to where you can see Ball as at least a league-average starter. Active or not, I’d stay away from C Derrick Favors ($5900 FD). SG Jrue Holiday ($8300) has been more of a distributor in his two games back from a sore knee. The Pels run a fast enough pace to where both Ball and Holiday can get 5-7 assists per night.
Stud — Ingram. Dud — Favors. Sleeper — PF Jaxson Hayes ($3800 FD)
Nets at a Glance — 3rd in scoring (118.7), 26th in scoring defense (119.5), 10th in offensive rating (108.6), 20th in defensive rating (109.3), 8th in pace (105.6)
Irving is going at a 35.8 Usage rate. I’ll bet he hits 40 at some point this season. He’s probably the PG you’ll want in the lineup tonight since both teams will run at a breakneck speed. Some days, SG Caris LeVert ($6500) looks like the second scoring option, then there are days like Saturday when he can’t manage 22 FDP. C Jarrett Allen ($5200 FD) continues to play like someone who should be getting more minutes from De’Andre Jordan ($5900 FD). SF Taurean Prince ($4800 FD) had the massive effort against the Rockets on Friday but is more like the complimentary type he showed on Saturday.
Stud — Irving. Dud — Jordan. Sleeper — Allen.
Rockets at a Glance — 1st in scoring (121.3), 30th in scoring defense (127), 3rd in offensive rating (111.4), 29th in defensive rating (116.6), 1st in pace (108.9).
PG Russell Westbrook ($9800 DK) will sit, so I think we may see some vintage James Harden ($10,800 DK) tonight. This will look more like the Rockets of last season, so expect Harden to be more at ease offensively. Like almost everyone in a Houston uniform, C Clint Capela ($6200 DK) didn’t show up in Miami on Sunday night, but Capela will also see a rebound in production tonight. No Westbrook means more opportunity for SF/PF Danuel House ($4500 DK), who I think will become a solid DFS option once P.J. Tucker ($5000) comes down to earth.
Stud — Harden. Dud — SG/SF Eric Gordon ($4000 DK) Sleeper — House.
Grizzlies at a Glance — 19th in scoring (106.6), 25th in scoring defense (119.4), 29th in offensive rating (97.7), 21st in defensive rating (109.4), 4th in pace (106.9)
The scoring hasn’t translated into success, but this is not your daddy’s Grizzlies. These kids run and it makes all the sense the world to get a piece of the action out of them tonight. The Rockets are playing defense as if they’ve just learned the definition of the word, so that means I’d invest in PG Ja Morant ($6600 DK) and PF/C Brandon Clarke ($4800 DK). Clarke will see a bump in minutes since its questionable that PF/C Jaren Jackson Jr. ($5900 DK) will sit tonight. C Jonas Valanciunas ($6000 DK) is a solid option, especially if the Rockets are just going to shoot 3s and offer extra rebouding chances.
Stud — Morant. Dud — SG/SF Dillion Brooks ($4800 DK) Sleeper — Clarke
Bucks at a Glance — 2nd in scoring (119.2), 19th in scoring (111.2), 4th in offensive rating (111.3), 12th in defensive rating (103.7), 9th in pace (105.4)
The Timberwolves are without C Karl-Anthony Towns ($10,300 FD), who is serving a suspension from his brawl with Joel Embiid last week. That will mean a heavy dosage of interior assaults from SF Giannis Anetetokounmpo ($12,000 FD). This could be a monster night from him if he decides to take advantage of the hole in the T’Wolves interior. I’m starting to like PG Eric Bledsoe ($6300 FD) now that he’s put together a pair of solid outings for DFS users. On the flip side, SG Khris Middleton ($7300 FD) has been a DFS dog for two straight games and I’m not sure the fleas are all gone. Stay far, far away from C Brook Lopez ($5200 FD), even with Towns out.
Stud — Antetokounmpo. Dud — Lopez. Sleeper — Bledsoe
Timberwolves at a Glance — 5th in scoring (118), 21st in scoring defense (112), 14th in offensive rating (107.5), 9th in defensive rating (102), 2nd in pace (107.6)
Whatever they’ll miss from Towns defensively will be made up offensively. Look for PF Robert Covington ($5700 FD) to benefit from Towns’ absence with a jolt in his usage rate. SG Andrew Wiggins ($6900 FD) gets about 4-7 extra field goal attempts and I’m sure you’ll see PG Jeff Teague ($6200 FD) become more aggressive with his shot as well. C Gorgui Dieng ($4000 FD) showed he still has game with 42.1 FDP against the Wizards on Saturday and should be a good low-end option as he will be able to get rebounds and a blocked shot or two.
Stud — Covington. Dud — Wiggins. Sleeper — Dieng
76ers at a Glance — 10th in scoring (115), 10th in scoring defense (106), 12th in offensive rating (108), 5th in defensive rating (99.5), 5th in pace (106.5)
They’ll do fine without Joel Embiid tonight. The Suns will want to run and gun, so that translates into extra opportunities for PG/SF Ben Simmons ($8500 DK) and SF/PF Tobias Harris ($7000 DK). PF/C Al Horford ($6900 DK) will get the bulk of the touches Embiid usually gets. I do like the upside of SG/SF Josh Richardson ($4600 DK) tonight, so plug him into a lineup or two.
Stud — Simmons. Dud — SG/SF Mattise Thybulle ($3400 DK). Sleeper — Richardson.
Suns at a Glance — 9th in scoring (115.2), 9th in scoring defense (106), 8th in offensive rating (109.1), 7th in defensive rating (100.4), 12th in pace (103.8)
PG/SG Devin Booker ($7900 DK) is warming up just SF/PF Kelly Oubre Jr. ($6300 DK) is beginning to cool off. C Aron Baynes ($5100 DK) has been a revelation since coming into the lineup and could be able to exploit the defensive void of the Sixers not having Embiid. PG Ricky Rubio ($6500 DK) had three steals on Saturday and is one of the reasons why the Suns are playing surprisingly good defense. SF/PF Dario Saric ($4700 DK) is boom-bust. Play at your own risk.
Stud — Booker. Dud — Oubre. Sleeper — Baynes.
Trail Blazers at a Glance — 11th in scoring (113.8), 24th in scoring defense (113.3), 9th in offensive rating (108.7), 17th in defensive rating (108.2), 10th in pace (104.7)
I’m not paying $10,300 for Damian Lillard (FD), at least not tonight. There’s too much concern this becomes a blowout and Lillard spends much of the fourth on the bench. I will pay the $6700 (FD) for C.J. McCollum, though. C Hassan Whiteside ($7500 FD) is a gametime decision. Don’t risk it. SF Rodney Hood ($4300 FD) is questionable with a knee injury. PF Skal Labissiere ($3900 FD) could get extended minutes if Whiteside is still sidelined.
Stud — Lillard. Dud — Whiteside. Sleeper — Labissiere
Warriors at a Glance — 16th in scoring (109.2), 27th in scoring defense (120.8), 18th in offensive rating (108), 30th in defensive rating (117.3), 14th in pace (103).
At the very least, there are some potential bargains to be had in Golden State. I like what I have seen from PF Eric Paschall ($5800 FD) and will plug him into a lineup or two. SF Glenn Robinson III ($5300 FD) has always had upside and is getting the minutes to prove it. SG D’Angelo Russell ($9400 FD) is questionable, opening up more minutes for the likes of PG Ky Bowman ($4400 FD). SG Damion Lee ($3900 FD) will get quality minutes off the bench.
Stud — Paschall. Dud. Lee. Sleeper — Bowman.
Over/Under Player Predictions
I think Harris hits the glass enough to produce a double-double in what should be a fun, high-scoring affair. If points are coming hot and heavy on both ends of the court, then Rubio should exceed 6.5 assists easily. Go over on both.
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!
At WIN DAILY®, our motto is to “change your game and change your life.” We want to help you win that bet, parlay, and big DFS tournament and have some fun while you do. Our goal is to help you turn your love of sports into a profit center while playing responsibly and enjoying your time with a like-minded community.
