Sunday features a five-game main slate starting at 6 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
After playing a career-high 53 minutes in the Mavericks’ double-overtime victory Thursday night, Luka Doncic looked uninterested in Saturday’s 136-119 loss to the Trail Blazers. He finished with only 15 points, 10 assists, and six rebounds on his way to 42.5 DraftKings points. Reaching close to a $13,000 salary on both DraftKings and FanDuel, Doncic continues to lead the league in scoring and usage rate at 38% per game.
There is potential that the Mavericks may be playing without Christian Wood and Tim Hardaway Jr., who are both dealing with ankle injuries. Doncic may be on his own island tonight, but he has a chance to bounce back against a Trail Blazers team that ranks 22nd in defensive rating this season. Don’t be discouraged by Doncic’s poor performance Saturday; he is still the crème de la crème of pay-up options despite this superstar-loaded slate.
Value
The Nets will be the best source of value on this slate, as they will be playing without Kevin Durant for the foreseeable future. Losing out on 29.7 points and a 31.7% usage rate per game provides a lot of production to go around. Seth Curry leads us off with the highest projected Plus/Minus on DraftKings, where he is only $3,600 and has a 98% Bargain Rating. He will more than likely come off the bench, but he should still find his way to playing around 25 minutes.
In the Nets’ last game without Durant, they basically ran out eight players who all played over 20 minutes. Any one of these role players can score the basketball, but Curry is shooting over 40% or higher from behind the arc for the seventh-straight season. He is very scoring-dependent, but at this cheap salary it won’t take much for Curry to return value. Prioritize Curry on DraftKings, but he is a great salary-saver to fit in Doncic and the rest of the studs on this slate.
Fast Break
Kyrie Irving has the fourth-highest ceiling on DraftKings and fifth-highest on FanDuel, making him another strong point guard pay-up option. Using our On/Off Tool, Irving has a team-high +6.3% usage rate and a +4.8 DraftKings Plus/Minus in 333 minutes without Kevin Durant on the floor this season. Irving has the highest projected Plus/Minus on FanDuel and the second-highest on DraftKings behind Curry. He is an incredible play on both sites Sunday.
NBA DFS Shooting Guard Picks
Stud
Finding a worthy shooting guard for the stud section on DraftKings is nearly impossible. Josh Giddey at $7,200 is the most expensive, while he ranks as the sixth-most expensive on FanDuel, as several point guards have shooting-guard eligibility. Giddey is starting to find his groove again, as he has posted over 50 DraftKings points in two of his last three games, one of which was a triple-double. He has a high ceiling, even playing alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Playing against the Nets looks a little different without Kevin Durant in the lineup. The 20-win Thunder are only five-point road underdogs and have won four of their last five games, including back-to-back victories on the road against the 76ers and Bulls. Giddey will likely come with very low ownership, but he does lead the Thunder in rebounds and assists while scoring a career-high 15.4 points per game. He is a nice way to differentiate on this five-game slate.
Value
Spencer Dinwiddie is a great cash-game play if Tim Hardaway Jr. and Christian Wood are unable to play. He is also a way to get different from the heavy ownership that Luka Doncic will attract. Dinwiddie’s ceiling will be capped playing with Doncic, but he is worth getting exposure to, as he has scored over 30 DraftKings points in four-straight games. Serving as the second facilitator behind Doncic, Dinwiddie has solidified production.
Dinwiddie has the fourth-highest usage rate on the Mavericks behind the aforementioned three players, but if Hardaway Jr. and Wood are out, expect Dinwiddie to get a nice bump in production. Keep an eye on our news dashboard, as this team could sit a plethora of players on this road back-to-back. In his first full season with the Mavericks, Dinwiddie is averaging a career-high 33.7 minutes per game. He could find himself in a great role for this game.
Fast Break
James Harden is one of the many point-guard/shooting-guard eligible players on FanDuel who is in a great spot. He finds himself in an up-tempo matchup against the Lakers, who have the second-highest pace in the league entering Sunday’s games. Over the last five games, Harden has had three double-doubles and two triple-doubles while averaging 21.6 points, 12.6 assists, and 8.4 rebounds per game. Priced over $10,000 on both sites, Harden has a high ceiling.
NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
LeBron James is by far the most expensive healthy forward on the slate by $3,000 more or higher on both DraftKings and FanDuel. He has been in and out of the Lakers lineup recently due to an ankle injury, but he is probable to play against the 76ers on Sunday. James is still playing at an elite level at 38 years old, averaging 29 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per game. Over the last month, he has had to go into hero mode to try and save the Lakers’ season.
Anthony Davis continues to be made out of glass, which is allowing James to reach an even bigger ceiling. In 13 games without Davis this season, James is averaging 33.4 points on 23.5 field-goal attempts per game. He has a 35.5% usage rate during that time while putting up 56.8 DraftKings points per game. Despite the 76ers presenting a difficult matchup, James without Davis is on another level. Make sure to get exposure to a rested King James.
Value
Back to the Nets value we go with Royce O’Neale, who is enjoying the best season of his six-year career. In his first season with the Nets, O’Neale has started every game and is averaging a career-high in points, assists, 3-point percentage, blocks and minutes played. He is arguably the best value on FanDuel according to our Player Model, as he has the highest projected Plus/Minus relative to his cheap $5,600 salary.
O’Neale is stuffing the stat sheet over the last three games, averaging 11 points, six rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and 1.7 steals per game while putting up 32.4 FanDuel points per game. During that time, O’Neale has also recorded a +38.4 FanDuel Plus/Minus. His blocks and steals make him a priority on FanDuel. Being eligible at shooting guard only on DraftKings makes O’Neale an intriguing tournament play as well.
Fast Break
Keldon Johnson has been a boom-or-bust candidate all season long, as the Spurs continue to plummet down the Western Conference standings. With Devin Vassell still out, Johnson is blessed with as many field-goal attempts as he can handle. However, Johnson is shooting a pedestrian 42.4% from the field despite averaging a career- and team-high 21.2 points per game. This is a great spot to target the Spurs, as they have the third-highest team total on the slate with their matchup against the Kings having a ridiculous 247-point total. Expect a track meet down in San Antonio.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
Similar to Giddey and the shooting guard position, the stud at poewr forward is priced in the mid-range. That would be No. 1 overall pick Paolo Banchero. He leads all rookies in scoring with 21.2 points per game, as Banchero has lived up to the hype. Despite the Magic being almost at full strength, Banchero is still the head honcho. He leads the team in scoring and has a 28.1% usage rate per game in his first season in the league.
The main issue with getting exposure to Magic players is that this team struggles to compete and is a double-digit road underdog against the Nuggets tonight. This is also the Magic’s last game on their five-game road trip. With an 111.75-point implied team total, Banchero is looking like the only option in this tough matchup.
Value
The third Nets value player who looks poised for a great game is forward TJ Warren. This isn’t bubble TJ Warren, but he has played very well as his minutes continue to increase after he basically didn’t play for two years. Warren looks much better on DraftKings, where he is $1,000 cheaper than FanDuel and has a 95% Bargain Rating. He played 28 minutes off the bench last game without Durant and poured in 20 points for the second time all season.
Warren is another scoring-dependent fantasy producer, but the Nets need to fill the gap of Kevin Durant‘s 29.7 points per game. Despite working his way back from injury, Warren is shooting 53.2% from the field. He had a season-high 32.3% usage rate last game, which may be a sign of things to come. The time is now to hop on board the Warren train. Prioritize him on DraftKings, but Warren is a great play as the Nets really need his scoring moving forward.
Fast Break
Domantas Sabonis has power forward and center eligibility on FanDuel, which helps because the center position is loaded for this five-game slate. He is coming off his fourth triple-double of the season with an incredible 19 points, 16 assists, and 15 rebounds. Sabonis ranks third behind Doncic and Nikola Jokic in triple-doubles. He will benefit greatly playing against the Spurs, who rank last in defensive rating and points allowed in the paint with 55.4 per game.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
The decision at center is DFS players’ preference. Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid are two of the best plays on the slate, as they both find themselves in superior matchups. We’ll start with Joki,c who is more expensive by $400 on DraftKings and $200 on FanDuel. Jokic leads the league with 11 triple-doubles, and he has recorded two and missed out on a third by one assist in his last three games. He is averaging an absurd 1.74 DraftKings points per minute.
Jokic should have no trouble feasting on a Magic team that ranks 24th in defensive rating (114.3) entering Sunday’s games. Even if Jokic gets pulled due to a blowout, he can easily record a triple-double in limited time. Last game, Jokic played 28 minutes and recorded 21 points, 18 rebounds, and nine assists. The back-to-back MVP is one of the best fantasy producers in the league today, and he should dominate this weak Magic frontcourt.
Value
Jakob Poeltl provides another source of value, but he will more than likely be overlooked on this slate with the elite center options. Poeltl has put together some big games recently and will get the luxury of playing against a Kings frontcourt that has allowed 54.6 points per game in the paint, which ranks as the fourth-highest in the league. Over the last eight games, Poeltl is averaging a double-double with 11.1 points and 11.4 rebounds per game.
The Kings not only give up a ton of points in the paint, but they are also a below-average rebounding team. Poeltl can easily add to his double-double total tonight, especially given the opportunities that will come his way. This game features a 247-point total, which will allow ample of opportunities for Poeltl. Getting a double-double at this mid-range salary on DraftKings and FanDuel is awesome. The problem is, it may not be worth it given the elite center options.
Fast Break
Joel Embiid has scored 30-plus points in four-straight games and now gets a cupcake matchup against the Lakers without Anthony Davis. The Lakers’ points allowed in the paint has increased to 52.4 per game, which ranks as the sixth-highest in the league. Their rebounding numbers have also taken a major hit without Davis on the floor. It’s hard not to like Embiid in this matchup, but like previously mentioned, do you prefer Embiid or Jokic tonight? Both look incredible.
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