Our NBA DFS journey continues with a smaller 6-game slate in the association tonight. The Coach is here to unveil his starting five and give his authentic insight from ‘inside the ropes’. The NBA’s daily fantasy landscape continues to change, especially as we approach the league’s trade deadline. We see almost nightly examples of last-minute injury designation and load management rest. For reference, last night’s $10k main slate contest pay line on FanDuel was 341.3 points. This gives us a targeted baseline for our player recommendations within our player recommendations.
Our starting lineup is designed to provide core players with which to construct your DFS lineups. We strive for players who have the potential to be less owned and give us a lineup different from the masses. The fantasy point-per-game averages referenced are those across FanDuel scoring rules. Who gets the green light from the Coach tonight?
DFS Guards
James Harden ($9k DraftKings and $9.2k Fanduel)
The ‘Beard” gets the green light and will start at point guard for us tonight. As the floor general for us, he is a nightly triple-double threat averaging 42.51 fantasy points per game and overall SG2. In his last six games, Harden has topped his season average five times including a 50.9 and 61.5 output. The Pacers-Clippers tilt is tied for a slate-high implied game total of 229.5 and the Clippers possess the second-highest implied team total of 117.25. Let’s get a piece of this game and not look back.
Malik Monk ($7.7k DraftKings and $7.8k Fanduel)
At the two guard tonight, we will start the King’s Malik Monk. Monk is playing in a terrific fantasy environment tonight, the Kings-Blazers tilt has the main slate’s highest implied game total of 230 and the Blazers allow the sixth most fantasy points to shooting guards. Monk plays the point but is position-eligible for the shooting guard in your DFS builds. Before his dud game last night against Orlando, he was averaging 42.44 points in the prior five contests. We hope the masses are soured on him, leading to low ownership.
Substitution Options: Devin White, Norman Powell, Kyrie Irving
DFS Forwards
Kawhi Leonard ($6.8k DraftKings and $7.2k Fanduel)
Starting at small forward will be Kawhi Leonard. If they want to keep pricing him as a mid-tier option, then we are in on Leonard. Since his return, Leonard is averaging 26.95 fantasy points per game despite only seeing 24 minutes a night. His minutes usage will climb as he gets back into game shape. Kawhi, like Harden, is in a terrific fantasy environment tonight, and the Pacers yield the third most points to the small forward position. Leonard also gives us positional flexibility with his being eligible as a power forward as well.
Jerami Grant ($5.6k DraftKings and $5.3k Fanduel)
We have to save some salary at power forward, and we found one in Jerami Grant. He is set up nicely tonight versus the Sacramento Kings, who allow the third most fantasy points to power forwards. Grant has been steady recently, seeing nearly 35 minutes per game and producing 27.53 fantasy points. That pace equates to better than 5x his DFS price tag and plays in tonight’s highest implied game total of 230.
Substitution Options: Jaylen Brown, Jaden McDaniels
DFS Centers
Kristaps Porzingis ($7.5k DraftKings and $8.2k Fanduel)
In the five spot tonight, it will be Kristaps Porzingis. Despite the difficult statistical match-up, we are rolling with Porzingis. He has been smashing his DFS salary of late, averaging 49.25 fantasy points per game in his last four contests. That pace would be the overall C4, just behind Anthony Davis. The Celtics possess the main slate’s highest implied team total of 119.75 and play in the second-highest implied game total. We are going to ride the wave that Porzingis has been.
Substitution Options: Anthony Davis (GTD)/Daniel Gafford, DeAndre Ayton
DFS Tournament Stacks
James Harden-Kawhi Leonard-Ivica Zubac/ Devin White-Jaylen Brown-Kristaps Porzingis/Kyrie Irving- Jaden McDaniels-Anthony Davis or Daniel Gafford
Final Thoughts
As we stated earlier, we are trying to find player options projected for low ownership and value. Pay attention to implied game totals and try to get pieces of those games within your lineup construction. The top DFS builds will consist of the right balance between studs and value players that pay 2x-5x their DFS salaries. Good luck with your DFS builds and please like and follow us on social media. Please always double-check our recommendations and your roster builds once line-ups are finalized for late inactives.
