Saturday features a seven-game main slate starting at 7:30 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 Player Models directly for any updates as we get closer to lock.
Point Guard
Stud
LaMelo Ball has been priced up across the industry, but he remains a nice source of value on FanDuel. He’s averaged 1.35 FanDuel points per minute this season, which puts him just slightly behind Luka Doncic in that department (1.38). However, Doncic is priced $1,300 more expensive than Ball.
Ball also draws an excellent matchup vs. the Rockets. They’ve played at the fastest pace in the league this season, and they rank 18th in defensive efficiency. That’s an excellent combination for fantasy purposes. The Hornets’ implied team total of 116.0 is the top mark on the slate.
Value
The Knicks are going to be a nice source of value on Saturday. They’ve ruled out Derrick Rose and Kemba Walker, which leaves them without their top two point guards. That should open up more playing time for Immanuel Quickley, who is capable of taking advantage of a few extra minutes. He’s averaged 1.07 DraftKings points per minute with Walker and Rose off the court this season.
Fast Break
The Jazz are playing on the second leg of a back-to-back, which means Mike Conley is not expected to suit up. He’s sat in those situations since the start of last year, and his absence would make them a strong team to target. It would open up plenty of minutes and shot attempts, and the Jazz’s implied team total of 114.25 ranks second on the slate.
Jordan Clarkson figures to be one of the biggest beneficiaries. He’s averaged 28 minutes in two games without Conley this season, and he’s averaged 0.96 DraftKings points per minute.
The Rockets are another shorthanded squad on Saturday. They’re going to be without rookie Jalen Green for at least a week, and Kevin Porter Jr. should flourish in his absence. He leads the team with a 27.4% usage rate with Green off the court this season, and he’s averaged 1.00 DraftKings points per minute in that situation.
Shooting Guard
Stud
Darius Garland was questionable heading into the Cavaliers’ last game, and he was limited to just 30 minutes of playing time. However, he continues to post a huge usage rate with Evan Mobley and Collin Sexton out of the lineup. He’s been at 31.4% or higher in each of his past four games, and he’s scored at least 34.25 DraftKings points in each contest. He’s scored at least 45.25 DraftKings points in two of them, so he has plenty of upside at his current salary.
Value
Aaron Holiday has not been a strong producer on a per-minute basis this season – he’s averaged 0.67 DraftKings points per minute – but he could be relevant on Saturday through sheer volume. The Wizards are expected to be without Spencer Dinwiddie, and Holiday is currently projected for 30 minutes in our NBA Models. He’s dirt cheap at just $3,200 on DraftKings, and players with comparable salaries and minute projections have historically averaged a Plus/Minus of +5.09 (per the Trends tool).
Fast Break
Evan Fournier should see plenty of playing time for the shorthanded Knicks on Saturday. He was limited to just 25.7 minutes in a blowout loss yesterday, but he racked up nearly 42 minutes in his previous contest. He also posted his second-highest usage rate of the year on Friday, but he shot just 4-15 from the field. That means there are plenty of ways for Fournier to bounce back vs. the Hawks.
Bruce Brown is worth some consideration on DraftKings, where his $3,800 salary on DraftKings comes with a Bargain Rating of 88%. He missed the Nets’ last game, but he posted a positive Plus/Minus in five of his previous six games. Brown also scored at least 31.25 DraftKings points in two of those contests, so he has some upside as well.
Small Forward
Stud
Kevin Durant hasn’t been at his best recently. He’s averaged just 1.22 FanDuel points per minute over the past month, and he’s posted a negative Plus/Minus in five of his past seven games.
However, Durant continues to log one of the largest workloads in the league. He’s played at least 37.1 minutes in three straight games, and he can obviously do a lot of damage with that much playing time. He’s underpriced at $10,300 on FanDuel, resulting in a Bargain Rating of 89%.
Value
Joe Ingles has not been the same player for the Jazz this season that he was last year, but he’s become very cheap on DraftKings. His $3,900 salary comes with a Bargain Rating of 75%, and he will likely replace Conley in the starting lineup if the veteran point guard sits. He’s averaged 33.0 minutes in two games without Conley this season, which would be plenty of playing time at his price tag.
Fast Break
Jae’Sean Tate has struggled in back-to-back games, which has caused his price tag to dip to just $4,600 on DraftKings. That results in a Bargain Rating of 93%, and he should see a few additional minutes with Green out of the lineup.
Mikal Bridges has been a very reliable producer this season. He’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in five of his past six games on FanDuel, and the lone exception was a game where he posted a mark of -0.65. He’s also coming off 38.6 minutes in his last contest, yet his salary has actually decreased over that time frame. He doesn’t offer the highest ceiling, but he’s a very reliable option in cash games.
Power Forward
Stud
Julius Randle stands out as one of the best plays of the day on FanDuel. He’s priced at just $8,700, resulting in a Bargain Rating of 98%, and he has excellent upside given the Knicks’ injury situation. He’s averaged 1.40 FanDuel points per minute with Rose and Walker off the court this season, which represents a sizable increase from his regular season average of 1.15.
Randle leads the position with 11 Pro Trends on FanDuel, and his matchup vs. the Hawks is a good one. They’ve been below-average in defensive efficiency.
Value
Lauri Markkanen has been forced to pick up the slack for the Cavaliers recently, and he’s done an admirable job. He’s scored at least 31.75 DraftKings points in each of his past three games, making him underpriced at just $5,600. He didn’t even shoot the ball well in his last contest, so he’s a great bet to pay off his current salary.
Fast Break
The Magic were absolutely obliterated yesterday by the Bulls, but don’t blame Wendell Carter Jr. He did some serious work against his former team, racking up 48.0 DraftKings points thanks to 26 points and 10 rebounds. He’s averaged 1.08 FanDuel points per minute this season, so he’s underpriced at just $5,800.
Rudy Gay is typically productive when on the court – he’s averaged 1.04 DraftKings points per minute this season – and he has the opportunity to play a few additional minutes if Conley is ruled out. He’s also dirt cheap at just $3,400 on DraftKings, resulting in a Bargain Rating 93%.
Center
Stud
Christian Wood is another player who should benefit from the absence of Green. He’s arguably underpriced to begin with on FanDuel, where his $7,000 salary comes with a Bargain Rating of 83%. He’s increased his usage rate by +2.9% with Green off the court this season, resulting in an average of 1.21 FanDuel points per minute. Wood also has an elite matchup vs. the Hornets, giving him an Opponent Plus/Minus of +3.3.
Value
Daniel Gafford stands out as the clear top option if you’re paying down at center. He’s very reasonably priced across the industry, and he’s averaged a strong 1.03 DraftKings points per minute this season. Gafford is coming off nearly 27 minutes yesterday, and he’s a safe investment with that much playing time.
Fast Break
Jonas Valanciunas and Nikola Vucevic both stand out as elite values on FanDuel. Both players own a Bargain Rating of at least 94%, so both players are viable options. However, both players have tough matchups: Valanciunas gets Rudy Gobert and the Jazz, while Vucevic takes on Bam Adebayo and the Heat.
Alperen Sengun is another potential value option to consider. He’s affordable across the industry, and he could see a few additional minutes given the injury to Green. Sengun has averaged 1.15 DraftKings points per minute this season, so he doesn’t need a ton of playing time to potentially pay off his salary.
