Sunday features a very small three-game slate starting at 8 p.m. ET.
Let’s dive into some of the top plays on the slate using the FantasyLabs tools and metrics.
Also, don’t forget that for large-field tournaments, you can utilize our Lineup Optimizer to effortlessly create up to 150 lineups, or use our Lineup Builder if you like to hand-build your lineups.
Note: Projections and Leverages Scores/Ratings may change throughout the day after this article is posted. The NBA DFS landscape changes quickly.
Consult the NBA Player Models directly for any updates as we get closer to lock. Use our FanDuel promo to get three months of free NBA League Pass.
NBA DFS Point Guard Picks
Stud
Compared to the forward and center positions, the guards may be a way to get different on this three-game slate. Ja Morant is the stud to target, as he has scored over 30 points in four of his last six games. He is averaging a career high in rebounds and assists while still scoring 27.8 points per game. The Grizzlies are playing on a back-to-back, and they beat the Pelicans by 15 points Saturday night while Morant only played 31 minutes. On Sunday, they are implied for a slate-high 122.25 points.
This is already the third matchup between the Grizzlies and Kings, as they have split their first two. In those two games, Morant is averaging 28 points per game while shooting 51.3% from the field. The Kings rank fifth in pace and 22nd in defensive rating this season while allowing 116.7 points per game. Morant should get plenty of opportunities to pay off his salary on both sites and could easily end up being the best pay-up option due to this great matchup.
Value
Playing alongside two elite scorers, Celtics point guard Marcus Smart has been able to rack up a career-high 7.4 assists per game. Not only is Smart a great facilitator, but he is also a great defensive player, as he leads the Celtics in steals. Smart is a player who doesn’t have a high ceiling, but his floor is what makes him an awesome value point guard. He is as consistent as they come and always has the chance to mess around and deliver a double-double.
Among all of the point-guard-eligible players, Smart has the highest projected Plus/Minus on FanDuel and the fourth-highest on DraftKings. His usage rate fluctuates from close to the single digits all the way to the mid-20s. The one thing that stays consistent is his assist numbers. The Nuggets are allowing 26.3 assists per game, which is tied for the second-highest in the league, making this a great opportunity for Smart to dish out double-digit assists and find his way to 10 points for the double-double.
Fast Break
De’Aaron Fox has shown a similar upside to Morant at times, but he is priced much cheaper on both DraftKings and FanDuel. Over the last two games, Fox has recorded a double-double in each while averaging 27.5 points, 11.5 assists, and 49.9 DraftKings points per game. The Kings have won back-to-back games by one point, and Fox is playing heavy minutes. Regardless of the tough matchup against the Grizzlies, Fox has averaged 29.5 points per game in their first two meetings.
NBA DFS Shooting Guard Picks
Stud
Jaylen Brown is the clear-cut stud shooting-guard option, especially if Bradley Beal is unable to play once again. Brown has scored over 50 DraftKings points in four of his last eight games. Not only is Jayson Tatum attempting 20-plus field goals per game, but so is Brown. Both rank inside the top nine in usage rate, as this is the best duo statistically in the league. One of the best parts about this duo is they each can have a ceiling night during the same game.
That may be put to the test playing against the Nuggets, who are 13-3 at home this season. The Celtics are still 1.5-point road favorites, as they lead the league in Offensive Rating (117.3) entering Sunday’s games. The Nuggets do rank 24th in defensive rating, and Brown can exploit this matchup. Brown is one of the best tournament plays on any given slate, as he can pop off for 30-plus points any night and is much cheaper on both sites than his teammate Tatum.
Value
The best source of value on this three-game slate is going to come from the Bucks, who are 6.5-point favorites against the Wizards. Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday are out, while George Hill who closed last game is questionable. Our first Bucks value is starting shooting guard Grayson Allen. Allen is averaging double-digit points for the third-straight season while playing a career-high 27.4 minutes per game. With Middleton and Holiday out, they need his scoring.
Priced at $4,000 on DraftKings and $4,100 on FanDuel, Allen ranks in the top three on both sites in projected Plus/Minus for shooting guards. Getting exposure to Allen and other Bucks guards like Jevon Carter and Pat Connaughton is a great way to round out lineup builds. At this salary, Allen is projected to be one of the highest-owned players on both sites. Playing alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo, scoring attempts will be available, and Allen is a pure scorer.
Fast Break
Bradley Beal has been a question mark to play seemingly all season. He has missed the last two games, but he is currently questionable to play Sunday. Make sure to monitor his status in our news dashboard, but priced around $8,000 on both sites, Beal can pay off that salary if he is a full go. The Wizards have won four-straight games, but the concern is obviously the blowout, as they are 6.5-point road underdogs. If Beal is playing, he is worth getting exposure to in tournaments.
NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
Jayson Tatum has seen his salary decrease on DraftKings, while it is still on the rise on FanDuel. At only $10,200 on DraftKings, Tatum has a 90% Bargain Rating, making him a very strong pay-up option. In four of his last seven games, Tatum has scored 60 or more DraftKings points. Given that type of ceiling and such a high usage rate, it is tough to ignore Tatum on this slate. He is still averaging a career-high in points, rebounds, and usage rate this season.
Taking a trip down narrative street, Tatum has a big MVP road trip ahead of him. He plays against Nikola Jokic on Sunday and then plays against Luka Doncic on Thursday night. The best part with Tatum is the guaranteed volume. He has attempted 20 or more field goals in nine-straight games while he continues on his scoring frenzy. Tatum even had a double-double in his last game, capturing 11 rebounds. Prioritize Tatum on DraftKings, but he is a great pay-up option on this small slate.
Value
Harrison Barnes has the highest projected Plus/Minus on the entire slate for DraftKings, as he is $1,000 cheaper than he is on FanDuel. He has a 96% Bargain Rating on DraftKings, which is valuable for a player starting and playing over 30 minutes per game. Barnes has scored double-digit points in 14 of his last 15 games. Even with his scoring down from past seasons, he has steal and rebounding upside. Barnes is simply too cheap on DraftKings for this small slate.
With this game total hovering around 240 points, Barnes is a great way to get cheap exposure to this game environment. He is projected for nearly 50% ownership on DraftKings, while the number splits in half on FanDuel. He may be best utilized in tournaments given his boom/bust output, but Barnes has a ceiling to put up 30-plus fantasy points. In a game with so much opportunity due to the high total, Barnes is deserving of this high ownership on DraftKings on Sunday.
Fast Break
Kyle Kuzma is one Wizards player who will benefit greatly if Bradley Beal is unable to play. Using our On/Off Tool, Kuzma has a +2.6% usage rate and a 58% true shooting percentage with Beal off the floor in a team-high 702 minutes. Kuzma has taken the next step in his second year with the Wizards and is averaging a career-high 21.7 points per game. He is a solid play regardless of Beal’s status, but will look even better if the veteran shooting guard is unable to play Sunday.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
This should be no surprise; the player with the highest ceiling on the entire slate in our Tournament Model is Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo. Playing without Middleton and Holiday, Giannis has a +3.6 DraftKings Plus/Minus, as if he needed any higher ceiling than he already has. Over the last two games, Giannis has averaged a ridiculous 44 points, 21 rebounds, six assists, and 82.5 DraftKings points per game. He is the best play on the slate.
The Wizards gave up 62 points in the paint in their last game against the Magic, and that will likely rise with Giannis leading the league in paint points once again this season. Despite back-to-back 80-plus DraftKings points, Giannis has seen a slight increase in salary, but not enough. Raw points are such a big asset in small slates, and Giannis has the best matchup and highest projection on the slate. This slate is simple. Play Giannis and differentiate elsewhere.
Value
Giannis has the highest projected Plus/Minus on FanDuel, and rightfully so, but his teammate Bobby Portis ranks second on that list for both FanDuel and DraftKings. Similar to Giannis, Portis has been balling the last two games without Holiday and Middleton. He has back-to-back double-doubles, averaging 21 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 41.9 DraftKings points per game. Priced in the lower mid-range, Portis looks incredible even paired with Giannis.
Outside of Kristaps Porzingis, the Wizards don’t have a true center to cause problems for both Giannis and Portis in this matchup. They rank in the middle of the pack in rebounding percentage, so this is a great chance for Portis to rack up his third-straight double-double. He has made three 3-pointers in each of his last two games, and he should be a major mismatch for Kyle Kuzma. Portis looks like one of the best values on the slate on both DraftKings and FanDuel.
Fast Break
Speaking of Kristaps Porzingis, he has a very high upside if Bradley Beal is unable to play. He had yet another double-double last game, scoring 30 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. For the Wizards to stay competitive, they will need Porzingis to nearly go shot-for-shot with Giannis. The Bucks rank second in both defensive rating and rebounding percentage this season, but on such a small slate, Porzingis is worth getting exposure to in tournaments.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
Second to Giannis on this slate is Nuggets back-to-back MVP Nikola Jokic. There are not as many positives working for Jokic compared to Giannis, but Jamal Murray is questionable since this is the first leg of a back-to-back. Jokic is seeing a slight increase in production and usage rate without Murray in the lineup this season, averaging a near triple-double with 29.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and 9.5 assists. His scoring is the biggest increase if Murray is unable to play.
Jokic is matchup-proof, but this is a tough spot for him, as the Celtics rank seventh in both defensive rating and points per game allowed in the paint this season. With Robert Williams back, this defense gets so much better defending the paint. His ceiling is still extremely high, as he is averaging 30 points, 11 assists, 10.8 rebounds, and 64.7 DraftKings points per game. He is second to Giannis, but Jokic is still a great play on this slate despite the difficult matchup.
Value
Steven Adams is another player who has looked amazing in his last two games. He has recorded a double-double in back-to-back games while averaging 12 points and 19 rebounds per game while shooting 64.7% from the field. The scoring comes and goes for Adams, but he has been a rebounding monster recently. He goes in streaks averaging double-digit rebounds, and he is currently on one of those streaks right now, while this is a great matchup to continue that streak.
The Kings rank outside the top 10 in rebounding percentage, and their stud center Domantas Sabonis is still dealing with an injury. Capturing a third-straight double-double is certainly on the table, as the Kings have allowed 54.6 points per game in the paint this season, which ranks as the second-most in the league. Adams’ minutes are all over the place, but he is so effective when he is on the floor. Guarding Sabonis, Adams will need to get a good amount of playing time Sunday.
Fast Break
Despite the thumb fracture, Domantas Sabonis hasn’t missed a beat. Last game against the Jazz, Sabonis was a perfect 12-for-12 from the field and scored 28 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Since returning from a brief absence, Sabonis has seen a decrease in his ball-handling duties, but is still reaching value with ease. He is one of four players priced over $10,000 on DraftKings and one of four on FanDuel. It’s a tough spot, but Sabonis still has triple-double upside.
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