Sunday features a seven-game main slate starting at 6:00 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 300 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.
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NBA DFS Point Guard Picks
Stud
The heater has continued for Damian Lillard, who now ranks third in the league in scoring and fifth in usage rate. Lillard has scored over 50 DraftKings points in seven of his last eight games while averaging 61.3 per game. Starting shooting guard Anfernee Simons suffered a setback when he played two games ago, so he will be out again Sunday. With Simons off the floor this season, Lillard has a team-high 5.2% usage-rate increase and a +7.7 DraftKings Plus/Minus.
Lillard has a chance to thrive in this matchup against the Magic. They are best known for their interior defense, as they rank eighth in points allowed in the paint per game and are an above-average rebounding team. However, the Magic are allowing 37.1 3-pointers attempted per game, which is tied for the second-highest in the league, while also allowing 25.8 assists per game. Guards tend to feast in this matchup, and Lillard will be no different.
Value
By far the biggest mistake DraftKings made for this slate was putting Tyus Jones at $3,100. He has by far the highest projected Plus/Minus on the slate, as he will start and is projected to play 32 minutes without Ja Morant. Jones is a near lock for all lineup builds. In nine games without Morant this season, Jones is averaging 18.8 points, 7.7 assists, and over 40 DraftKings points per game. At $3,100, that is an absolute steal.
Jones is even rating out as a solid play on FanDuel with the fifth-highest projected Plus/Minus, but he is $6,000. He hasn’t played all that well recently, but that can go out the window with the extra usage and production he will see tonight. The Clippers are also playing extremely fast with the addition of Russell Westbrook, so the game environment should be juicy. There’s a lot to like about the value Jones provides, especially on DraftKings.
Fast Break
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the only other reasonable pay-up point guard option, as he is no longer in the COVID protocols. He has sat out five consecutive games, and the Thunder went 1-4 over that span. Coincidentally, his last game was against the Jazz, who he will play again tonight. Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging a team and career-high 31 points per game while shooting 50.7% from the field. The Jazz rank 25th in defensive rating this season, and Gilgeous-Alexander had 39 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists in their last matchup.
NBA DFS Shooting Guard Picks
Stud
Projected to play over 40 minutes in our NBA Model, Jaylen Brown has the highest ceiling at the shooting guard position for both sites. The minutes projection is warranted, as Brown has averaged exactly 40 minutes per game in since the All-Star break. He has scored 30-plus points and 50-plus DraftKings points in half of those games as well. Robert Williams is out, which has proven to provide a significant boost to Brown’s production.
The Knicks are on a league-best, eight-game winning streak, and they rank 10th in defensive rating since February 11, the start of their streak. This game may turn into a slugfest, as the Knicks rank 27th in pace this season. However, Brown can fill it up in any game environment, as he is averaging a career-high in points, rebounds, and field-goal percentage. Projected for under 10% ownership on both sites, Brown is a high-upside contrarian tournament option.
Value
Cole Anthony is another great value play on DraftKings compared to FanDuel. He is $1,900 cheaper on DraftKings and has by far the second-highest projected Plus/Minus on the slate. Anthony and Jones provide incredible salary relief, which will help fit in the studs. He has a 99% Bargain Rating and is projected to play around 28 minutes. Anthony has displayed 40-point DraftKings upside in three of his last 10 games while averaging 27.4 per game over that span.
Over the last three games, Anthony has averaged 29.3 minutes per game, which is well above his season average. He has shot over 60% from the field and over 40% from behind the arc in back-to-back games. The Trail Blazers allow opponents to shoot 37.1% from downtown, which is tied for the sixth-highest in the league. Anthony is another player who needs to be prioritized on DraftKings with his seven Pro Trends.
Fast Break
Desmond Bane is one of the best plays on the slate, as the Grizzlies will be playing without Ja Morant, Dillon Brooks and Brandon Clarke, who are all out for various reasons. With all three off the floor this season, Bane has a team-high +10.8 DraftKings Plus/Minus with a 29.3% usage rate. In his third season in the league, Bane is averaging career highs across the board, and he continues to be a lethal shooter. Bane is shooting over 40% from behind the arc and over 90% from the free-throw line once again. The Clippers present a tough matchup, but Bane has incredible upside.
NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
Similar to Jaylen Brown, it has been a great season thus far for Celtics star Jayson Tatum. He is nearly averaging a double-double with 30.2 points and 8.8 rebounds per game, both of which are career highs. Since the All-Star break, Tatum has recorded 11-plus rebounds in four of five games, but he has struggled scoring the ball. Including his last game against the Knicks, Tatum is averaging 25.2 points per game while shooting 43.3% from the field during that stretch.
Tatum finished with 14 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds against the Knicks on Monday night, which was by far his worst game in quite some time. Expect Tatum to bounce back playing at home, where he is averaging nearly three more points per game and shooting much better from the field. The Knicks are also a strong rebounding team, but Tatum has shown double-double upside in any matchup. He is another low-owned, pay-up option.
Value
Matisse Thybulle has been a welcomed sight for the Trail Blazers, especially on the defensive end. Since joining the team, Thybulle has recorded a positive Plus/Minus in all seven of his games on FanDuel and six of seven on DraftKings. The reason why he has been a little better on FanDuel is due to averaging 2.1 steals per game over that span. He has also made two or more 3-pointers in five of those seven games while shooting 51.6% from downtown.
With Damian Lillard drawing most of opposing teams’ attention, Thybulle has found himself wide open on the perimeter on many occasions, and he has delivered. Draining triples and causing havoc defensively is the main part of Thybulle’s game. We previously mentioned how bad the Magic are defending the 3-point line, which provides a nice boost for Thybulle tonight. He is a strong value play on both DraftKings and FanDuel priced under $5,000 on both sites.
Fast Break
After sitting out last game due to the back-to-back, Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers need to get back on track. They have lost five-straight games and have fallen into the play-in tournament bracket in the Western Conference. This should be a great bounceback spot for the Clippers, who are seven-point home favorites against the Grizzlies, who are missing three of their better players. Leonard is shooting over 50% from the field, but he has averaged 16.4 field-goal attempts per game, which is his lowest since the 2015-16 season. It is time for Leonard to take over.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
Giannis Antetokounmpo hasn’t quite had that ceiling game that breaks the slate recently, but that hasn’t stopped the Bucks from pure domination. They have won 16 of their last 17 games and are 4.5-point road favorites against the Wizards tonight. Giannis ranks fourth in scoring and second in rebounds per game this season while leading the league with a 38.8% usage rate. The potential is there for another massive Giannis performance.
The Wizards rank 19th in both defensive rating and points per game allowed in the paint. In his lone matchup against the Wizards this season, Giannis went for 55 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists while shooting 20 of 33 from the field. He recorded 81 DraftKings points in 37 minutes of action. A repeat performance like that will make Giannis a priority in all lineup builds. He is the most expensive option on both sites, but he has the highest ceiling.
Value
Cameron Johnson has been one of the Nets’ best players since being traded over from the Suns. Over the last four games, Johnson is averaging 24.8 points and 37.3 DraftKings points per game. He has recorded a double-digit positive Plus/Minus on DraftKings in three of those four games, proving how strong of a play he is despite his salary rising. The Nets are eight-point home favorites against the Hornets, who rank 22nd in defensive rating this season.
Johnson continues to be a lethal shooter from the perimeter, and he made seven 3-pointers against the Knicks two games ago. The Hornets are allowing 118.1 points per game, which ranks as the fifth-highest in the league. Johnson will get plenty of opportunities to get it dialed in from long distance in this matchup. Expect his hot shooting to continue against one of the worst defensive teams in the league that has nothing to play for with LaMelo Ball out for the year.
Johnson’s 3-pointers line is also popping in our PrizePicks and Underdog fantasy simulations.
Fast Break
Julius Randle poured in 43 points last game, including the game-winning 3-pointer to beat the Heat by two points on the road. He also accumulated nine rebounds while shooting 16 of 25 from the field with a 40.1% usage rate. Randle is averaging a 25-point, 10-rebound double-double this season, and he leads the Knicks in both categories. Jalen Brunson was also a mid-day downgrade to questionable, which will greatly benefit Randle if he is unable to play. With Brunson off the floor, Randle has a team-high +11.7 DraftKings Plus/Minus, so Brunson’s status is worth monitoring.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
Jaren Jackson Jr. is another Grizzlies player worth targeting with so many of his teammates unable to play in this contest. He has a team-high 7.7% usage-rate increase with Ja Morant, Dillon Brooks, and Brandon Clarke off the floor. Steven Adams is likely to be out again, as he hasn’t played since the end of January. Most of Jackson Jr.’s production comes on the defensive side of the floor, as he leads the league with 3.3 blocks per game, well above anyone else.
When healthy, the Clippers have one of the best defenses in the league with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. However, since they added Russell Westbrook to the mix, the Clippers are playing at the second-fastest pace and have the fifth-worst defensive rating. With the added usage and offensive production, Jackson Jr. can stuff the stat sheet in this game despite the Grizzlies being seven-point road underdogs.
Value
Sticking with the Grizzlies, Xavier Tillman is one of the best values plays on both DraftKings and FanDuel with all of these Grizzlies out of the lineup. Tillman has the highest projected Plus/Minus on FanDuel and the third-highest behind those two elite guard options on DraftKings. He has recorded a double-double in two of his last three games and has played 30+ minutes in three of his last five, while he’s projected to play exactly 30 minutes again Sunday.
The Clippers can be susceptible to points allowed in the paint, and Ivica Zubac is questionable to play after missing the past two games. If Tillman is going to play 30 minutes, he is going to look incredible at this low to mid-range salary on both sites. He has shown the ability to capture double-doubles and could easily add to that total in this spot. Capturing a double-double at this price tag is going to be very beneficial across all lineup builds.
Fast Break
Walker Kessler continues to see his playing time fluctuate, but he is very active on the floor. He has recorded a double-double in three of his last five games and is becoming one of the best rebounders in the league. Kessler has double-digit rebounds in each of those five games while averaging 14 per game over that span. This game features by far the highest total on the slate at 235.5 points, as the Jazz are the only team with above a 120 implied team total. The Thunder rank 25th in rebounding percentage, so expect another big game from the rookie.
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