The Sacramento Kings (30-28) go into Houston on Saturday to take on the (37-22) Rockets in a game to watch for the NBA. King’s star center Domantas Sabonis has had a few down games relative to his price as the highest costing player. Same can be said of Houston’s center Alperen Sengun, as both teams have many mouths to feed on the court. Sacramento’s forward Keegan Murray hasn’t been a factor for fantasy but is coming off his best game compared to the last few weeks. This will be a new lineup for the Rockets, as they get back Fred VanVleet from injury on top of their talent-rich roster.
Kings vs. Rockets 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.
Jalen Green ($7.5K DraftKings; $7.3K FanDuel)
Jalen Green has had two down games but two blowup games before that, but in general, he has been steady for the Rockets. The Houston guard had one outlier game with just 9.5 fantasy points, but besides that, averages 34.3 fantasy points and 21.6 average on the floor. His matchup ranks 18th against shooting guards so this is a good spot against the Kings for Green.
Malik Monk ($7.5K DraftKings; $7.9K FanDuel)
Guard Monk has been the same way as Green, a stable option for fantasy with an outlier above average performance for Sacramento. He averages 34.9 fantasy points but has struggled relatively with just 17.8 points average on the court. However, Monk is usually a value at his price that can end up paying off if he has a good game like his counterpart Green in a high-scoring affair, most likely.
Kings vs. Rockets DFS Sit ‘Ems
On the flip side of things, here are a few of the players we are sitting in this one.
Amen Thompson ($8.4K DraftKings; $9K FanDuel)
With Amen Thompson playing more forward for Houston, his hot streak may take a dip. He is averaging 34.6 fantasy points and 14 on the floor. However, the role change, while valuable, could be a detriment to his fantasy status despite being in the starting lineup still. Sacramento isn’t an easy matchup as well with his cost, as they are the 9th toughest defense at the position.
DeMar DeRozan ($7.1K DraftKings; $7.6K FanDuel)
Kings forward DeMar DeRozan has the toughest matchup on paper in Houston. He averages 35.5 fantasy points per game and 22 points on the court. The clutch veteran is coming off a great game with 45 fantasy points but with the Rockets’ defense, a down game might be coming against better competition.
Total Apex Lock of the Game
Zach LaVine ($7.8K DraftKings and Fanduel)
For the price point and with his matchup against the Rockets, the guard/forward Zach LaVine can be an advantage for fantasy with his position versatility. He is averaging 38.8 fantasy points a game and can blow up like he did the other day, with 53.3 fantasy points against the Charlotte Hornets. After he was traded from the Chicago Bulls, LaVine has finally found some stride as an impact player, averaging 23.8 points a game on the floor.
Total Apex Fade of the Game
Fred VanVleet ($6.6K DraftKings; $6.8K Fanduel)
Veteran point guard VanVleet is returning off an ankle injury that sidelined him 11 games for Houston. He will retain his starting spot, as Thompson will revert to more of a forward role for the Rockets. However, the minutes are a question mark, as this game should be competitive enough throughout.
But if it gets away from them early or vice versa, they might not need VanVleet to play that many minutes to be fantasy viable. Before the injury, he was averaging 14.6 points on the floor and 33 fantasy points but hasn’t hit that mark since January 25. I would be hesitant in his involvement tonight.
