The 16-35 Toronto Raptors have their work cut out for them heading into OKC against the league-leading 40-9 Thunder for tonight’s NBA slate. Oklahoma City will get to see Chet Holmgren/ Isaiah Hartenstein together for the first time as they lead the Western Conference. Holgren has been out since November, while Toronto has a few injuries as the heavy underdogs after struggling this season. They were active on the NBA Trade deadline but Brandon Ingram will not make his debut tonight.
RJ Barrett is also out for the Raptors, along with Jakob Poetltl, Ulrich Chomche, AJ Lawson, PJ Tucker, and James Wiseman. Ajay Mitchell, Nikola Topic, Ousmane Dieng, and Cason Wallace are out tonight for OKC but they may not need the extra firepower to win this game as the overwhelming favorites at home. Regardless of whether it turns out to be a blowout or a closer affair, there are many fantasy-relevant players on both sides.
Raptors at Thunder DFS Start ‘Ems
Here are a few of the players that we are leaning on heavily in this game. These players are in a good spot to put together a solid performance and have a favorable matchup.
Gradey Dick ($4.3K DraftKings; $4.6K Fanduel)
Guard Gradey Dick is coming off a 13-point game in a four-game stretch with double digits on the floor. The silver lining for the Raptors is his development and involvement in his second season. For fantasy, he averages 25.1 points a game and is their fourth-highest-scoring player in Toronto. At his salary, he offers consistency with forward Scottie Barnes underwhelming against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Lou Dort ($4.6K DraftKings; $4.7K Fanduel)
This is more of a salary-saver pick, as forward/guard Lou Dort is coming off a 7-point performance against the Phoenix Suns. However, he is due for a bounce-back and can put up 20+ given the right circumstances like against the Sacramento Kings if the Raptors emphasize slowing down SGA. Dort is their fourth-highest fantasy player that can have 5+ rebounds even in a down season. Compared to his fellow teammates, he is relatively cheap like forward Aaron Wiggins.
Raptors at Thunder DFS Sit ‘Ems
On the flip side of things, here are a few of the players we are sitting in this one.
Chet Holmgren ($7.7K DraftKings $7.5K Fanduel)
Even though he is coming off injury, we are not sure about his involvement with Hartenstein now in the mix for OKC. With his salary, it would be wise to wait and see if his role is not as heavy pre-injury. He does have forward and center eligibility but if the Thunder are up big, they may not need him later in the game.
Jalen Williams ($8K DraftKings; $8.3K Fanduel)
The higher price point for forward Jalen Williams may make me steer away from him and more inclined to play Dort or Wiggins, who play similar positions without the flexibility. He was dealing with a wrist injury and didn’t play for two games before their game against the Suns, where he had 13 points. This could be similar to Holmgren, as the Thunder could use their bench more if this game gets out of hand for the Raptors.
Total Apex Lock of the Game
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($10.7K DraftKings; $11.8K Fanduel)
SGA is basically a lock for fantasy regardless of price point. He is averaging 54.2 fantasy points a game and is playing at an MVP level. The guard is only behind three-time MVP Nikola Jokic in fantasy points this season. Regardless of the matchup, Gilgeous-Alexander is a must-play and will get another 50-point performance tonight.
Total Apex Fade of the Game
Scottie Barnes ($9.1K DraftKings; $9K Fanduel)
Although he is leading the team in fantasy points and has been their leader scorer at times, the forward Scottie Barnes is not worth his price point. Barnes has been hot or cold, either putting up 20+ or just barely over 10 points. For fantasy, he does average 44.2 points a game but is coming off a down performance with just 11 points against the Grizzlies. Barnes is more of a high-floor play than a ceiling start but for DFS, the upside tends to matter more, and paying off at a cheaper salary is key to cash.
This could be a game where it’s more spread out like their recent losses for the Raptors. I would be more inclined to play a lower-priced player with about the same amount of chances to score with more position flexibility like guard/forward Ja’Kobe Walter. But Barnes has consistency with rebounds, as he did blow up with 23 fantasy points against the New York Knicks the other day.
