Let’s get to it.
Charlotte Hornets at Miami Heat (-4.5)
Implied Totals: 97.3 – 101.8, O/U: 199
Even if Luol Deng weren’t to mimic his last performance of 44.75 DraftKings points, his salary makes him arguably the most valuable player in tonight’s slate. His Bargain Rating of 95 percent at DraftKings, for instance, is accompanied by a salary-adjusted expectation of only 25.39 points — a total that he has exceeded in 80 percent of his last 10 performances. Goran Dragic has similar value (as shown by his 86 percent Bargain Rating at DraftKings), but he is a stronger cash option, given his Consistency.
Nicolas Batum logged 40.1 minutes in Game 1 despite the blowout. Given his inevitable workload, a closer implied total, and his Projected Plus/Minus of +6.4 (the highest among off-ball guards), he’s easily the top cash option at his position, despite his terrible matchup. I would actually consider him the only option amongst Charlotte, since Kemba Walker (-1.44) and Marvin Williams (-1.14) have negative Opponent Plus/Minuses tonight.
Although he logged only 26.2 minutes as a start on Sunday, Hassan Whiteside produced a massive total of 45.75 DraftKings points. Even if he were to log a comparable amount of minutes in this game, his value at FanDuel (75 percent Bargain Rating) makes him a viable option. But, with a salary that is $700 more than DeAndre Jordan’s, Whiteside is a better tournament than cash option. Jordan, after all, has a higher projected floor.
Detroit Pistons at Cleveland Cavaliers (-10.5)
Implied Totals: 95.8 – 106.3, O/U: 202
With 11 Pro Trends and a projected floor 17.7 points higher than anyone else’s at his position, LeBron James is an immaculate option in cash and tournaments alike. Despite being favored by 10.5 points (and having the only salary priced above $10K in tonight’s player pool), James has a Projected Plus/Minus of +7.1 that qualifies as the slate’s third-highest, behind only DeAndre Jordan (+8) and Kevin Love (+7.9). Love, by the way, warrants significant consideration at FanDuel, where he has an 81 percent Bargain Rating. At DraftKings, however, Love is a secondary/flex option, because of Blake Griffin’s salary of $8,200 — which is almost offensive now that he assumedly has no minutes limit. Of course, on DK using both Griffin and Love is an option.
Kyrie Irving is implied to score -4.02 fewer points at FanDuel than at DraftKings, making him more of a cash-only play there. At DraftKings, Dragic should be considered a stronger option (considering that’s where he has the better value). If you are points-chasing, Marcus Morris isn’t a bad option at DraftKings, where he has a Bargain Rating of 90 percent. Still, note his seven three-pointers, which were the most he had attempted over the last six games.
Andre Drummond is a cash option likely to hit his projected floor of 13.9 points, but at FanDuel he should probably be avoided entirely due to his Salary Change of +$600. Additionally, note his Opponent Plus/Minus of -1.36.
Portland Trailblazers at Los Angeles Clippers (-8)
Implied Totals: 100.8 – 108.8, O/U: 209.5
Portland’s backcourt will be relied upon heavily in order to keep this game close. Damian Lillard found himself trapped and double-teamed on many occasions in Game 1, which makes it hard to pay up for him in cash. Tournament exposure is fine, as his sheer volume offers plenty of Upside. CJ McCollum is a cash option on DraftKings, where he has a Bargain Rating of 95 percent. Exposure is necessary due to the thin shooting guard depth on this slate, as well as his team’s need to get McCollum more involved offensively. Out of the remaining starters, Al-Farouq Aminu deserves a look in tournaments, as he is coming off a double-double and has the third-highest Upside percentage at the small forward position.
With a slate-high implied total of 108.8 points, the Clippers are where we want to start when constructing cash lineups. Chris Paul is the top point guard on both DraftKings and FanDuel, as his floor is very high in the Playoffs with an easy matchup. Jordan is an elite play for both cash and tournament formats. His floor and ceiling are elevated on account of his averaging over 15 free throw attempts per game in his five contests against the Blazers this season. With a Bargain Rating of 98 percent on DrafKings, Blake Griffin can be targeted in cash and tournaments. On FanDuel, despite his hefty price tag, he makes for an elite play due to his minutes increase and immense Upside. JJ Redick deserves cash game consideration with an 86 percent Bargain Rating on FanDuel and an Opponent Plus/Minus of +3.1.
