With one month left in the regular season, the NBA has another full Saturday of action this week with nine games on the schedule. Six of those nine games make up the main DFS fantasy basketball slate for the day on both DraftKings and FanDuel. The early game featuring the Cavs and Rockets and the two late games in Utah and Sacramento are not on the main slate, but there are still plenty of strong options to consider from the 12 teams in the player pool. Of those 12 teams, the Hornets and Pelicans are the only two on the second night of back-to-back games, while the Nets and Wizards will turn around and play again on Sunday to finish the weekend.
As usual at this point in the season, several key injuries have the potential to impact this slate. As players are ruled in or out throughout the day, be sure to refresh the NBA Models for the latest updates and adjustments.
Let’s dive into some of the top plays on the slate using the FantasyLabs tools and projections.
Also, don’t forget that for large-field tournaments, you can utilize our Lineup Optimizer to effortlessly create up to 300 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 NBA Player Models directly for any updates as we get closer to lock.
NBA DFS Point Guard Picks
Stud
The Thunder are in a great matchup in Memphis against the Grizzlies, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has the highest median, ceiling, and floor projections of all point guards on both DraftKings and FanDuel. He has the second-highest of each of those three projections on the entire slate on FanDuel, and he brings an 85% Bargain Rating on DraftKings even though he is the most expensive player on the slate.
SGA has been a great pay-up play, and his projections indicate that will continue this Saturday. He has scored 30+ points in 10 of his 12 games in the last month, averaging an impressive 1.57 DraftKings points and 1.58 FanDuel points per minute in 33.8 minutes per game with a 33.7% usage rate.
He and the Thunder steamrolled the Grizzlies last Sunday, and he racked up 23 points and six assists in 27 minutes. Saturday’s minutes projection of 35.1 is closer to his season average and would give him the chance to post another monster number.
Value
Of all the players at all positions on Saturday’s slate, Jordan Poole has the highest Projected Plus/Minus on both DraftKings and FanDuel. He’s an elite value, as he and the Wizards roll into Chicago to take on the Bulls.
Poole will be especially busy this Saturday since Tyus Jones (back) is doubtful and Landry Shamet (calf) will miss a third straight game. Poole’s usage has increased over seven percentage points to a team-high 33.9% with Jones off the floor this season. In that scenario, he has produced 1.20 DraftKings points and 1.14 FanDuel points per minute.
Since the All-Star Break, Poole has exceeded salary-based expectations in eight of his 13 games, producing 1.16 DraftKings points and 1.10 FanDuel points per minute and playing 29.5 minutes per game. With more usage and a slight bump in minutes against the Bulls, Saturday should be a good night for a Poole party.
Fast Break
Steph Curry (ankle) is officially questionable, but coach Steve Kerr said that he’s expecting Curry to play against the Lakers. Curry has had an up-and-down season but usually posts great numbers in his matchups with LeBron James and the Lakers. If he’s cleared to return, he’ll be an option to consider for GPPs since he’ll bring an extremely high ceiling even though he will be far from a “safe” option.
On the other side of that matchup, the Lakers have the highest implied team total on the slate. D’Angelo Russell had a down game on Wednesday in Sacramento with just six points but had scored double-digit points in his previous 16 games while averaging 20.8 points per game. Over the last month, he produced 1.07 DraftKings points and 0.99 FanDuel points per minute in 35.3 minutes per game.
Veterans Kyle Lowry and T.J. McConnell have the top-two Projected Plus/Minus numbers of the bargain guards, with McConnell’s salary especially attractive on DraftKings, where he costs under $5,000. Lowry has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all point guards under $5,000 on both sites.
Don’t forget to check out our NBA SimLabs Lineup Generator to create advanced DFS lineups using the power of simulation.
NBA DFS Shooting Guard Picks
Stud
Tyrese Maxey is in a great spot to fill a guard spot on Saturday, especially on DraftKings where he can slide over to shooting guard. He has the second-highest ceiling projection at point guard on both DraftKings and FanDuel and the highest median and ceiling projection at shooting guard on DraftKings.
Maxey missed four games earlier this month with a concussion and eased back into the rotation in a blowout loss to the Knicks on Tuesday. He was back in form with 30 points against the Bucks on Thursday.
In a soft matchup against the Hornets on Saturday, Maxey could be in for extra work since Tobias Harris (ankle) is questionable. In his minutes this season without Harris, Joel Embiid (knee) or De’Anthony Melton (back) on the floor, Maxey has a 37.1% usage rate and has produced 1.31 DraftKings points and 1.27 FanDuel points per minute.
Value
The Bulls offer great value options in the backcourt since there should be usage available with Coby White (hip) doubtful in addition to Zach LaVine (foot) and Lonzo Ball (knee), who have missed the past few months. Ayo Dosunmu and Alex Caruso rank second and third respectively in Projected Plus/Minus at shooting guard on both DraftKings and FanDuel. Both players have high ceilings and offer good value against the Wizards.
Dosunmu had a down game Thursday against the Clippers, but he had exceeded salary-based expectations in nine of his previous 11 games coming out of the All-Star Break. Since the break, he has produced 0.82 DraftKings points and 0.8 FanDuel points per minute, which aren’t jaw-dropping rates, but he has been a strong play since he’s logging 38.4 minutes per game during that span.
Caruso’s production rates are slightly higher, but he has only averaged 29.5 minutes per game. With White off the floor, both guards get a boost, but Dosunmu’s usage and production take a bigger jump than Caruso’s. Caruso has a higher ceiling projection, but Dosunmu’s median projection is slightly higher.
Fast Break
Against the Pacers, Mikal Bridges and Cam Thomas have high ceilings for the Nets. On FanDuel, Bridges brings shooting guard eligibility and is slightly more affordable than Thomas. Bridges has the slightly higher floor projection and better Projected Plus/Minus on that site, but Thomas always has the potential to go off as well. Thomas has exceeded salary-based expectations in each of his three games since returning from injury.
Kelly Oubre will face his former team, the Hornets, with more work available if Harris is out. Oubre’s workload was higher while Maxey was out, and he has produced 0.92 DraftKings points and 0.89 FanDuel points per minute in 30.7 minutes per game since the All-Star Break.
Jared Butler is one of the best potential bargains on the slate if he helps cover the absence of Jones. Butler has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus of all shooting guards with salaries under $6,000 on FanDuel. On DraftKings, he has the third-highest Projected Plus/Minus of all point guards on the slate and comes at the minimum salary of just $3,000. As a result of his bargain salary, he won’t have to do much to be a great value.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
DeMar DeRozan has already been carrying a heavy workload for the Bulls and will likely get even more work in White’s expected absence Saturday. DeRozan has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all small forwards on both DraftKings and FanDuel. He has the second-highest median, ceiling, and floor projections at the position, but his salary is significantly cheaper than LeBron James’, who is the only small forward with better projections.
DeRozan’s usage rate increases by 5.3 percentage points with White and LaVine off the floor this season to a team-high 30.9%. He has produced 1.12 DraftKings points and 1.12 FanDuel points per minute in that situation this season.
Earlier this week, DeRozan reminded everyone of his ceiling by dropping 46 points in Wednesday’s win over the Pacers. He added nine rebounds, three assists, and two steals as well to exceed salary-based expectations for the fifth time in his last six games. He had 21 points in Thursday’s loss to the Clippers and could be in for an even busier game and a bigger total on Saturday in a great matchup against the Wizards.
Value
If you opt to go cheap at small forward, Toumani Camara of the Trail Blazers has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all small forwards with salaries under $5,000 on DraftKings and the second-highest in that price range on FanDuel.
The 23-year-old rookie from Belgium has started four of his five games since returning from injury and has played over 30 minutes in each of those four contests. With Jerami Grant (hamstring) and Jabari Walker (hip) doubtful and Matisse Thybulle (ankle) questionable, there should continue to be plenty of minutes for Camara to fill in solid counting stats across multiple categories.
Camara is usually a low-usage player but fills in all the categories of the box score. He has averaged 26.5 minutes per game in his 16 games since the start of February, producing 0.78 DraftKings points and 0.77 FanDuel points per minute.
Fast Break
Deni Avdija (knee) would be a strong option to consider if it wasn’t for his pesky questionable tag. With Jones likely not playing, he would get enough work against the Bulls to bring a high ceiling. However, the Wizards might reduce his workload or sit him out entirely, so keep a close eye on the situation if you are looking to Avdija, who offers one of the best Projected Plus/Minus of all forwards on both DraftKings and FanDuel.
As a mid-range play, Trey Murphy has a very high ceiling for the Pelicans, especially if either Brandon Ingram or Zion Williamson shows up on the injury report for the second game of the team’s back-to-back. Murphy has exceeded salary-based expectations in seven of his last nine games, averaging 1.12 DraftKings points and 1.07 FanDuel points per minute. In a great matchup against Portland, he’ll be in a smash spot if more usage comes his way.
On FanDuel, the ultra-cheap options are limited aside from Camara, although Davis Bertans has posted some good games for the Hornets. On DraftKings, the top alternative values are Luguentz Dort, Isaiah Joe and Thybulle (if he plays).
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
In the marquee matchup of the night between the Lakers and Warriors, LeBron James (ankle) again brings his typical questionable tag but also brings an extremely high ceiling. He has the top median, ceiling, and floor projection at both small forward and power forward on DraftKings and the second-highest at power forward on FanDuel where his teammate Anthony Davis (discussed below) edges him out.
James has missed some games for the Lakers, but when he has been available since the All-Star Break, he has been outstanding. He has averaged an impressive 1.48 DraftKings points and 1.42 FanDuel points per minute in 36.4 minutes per game in the nine games that he played. He has exceeded even his elevated salary-based expectations in eight of those nine matchups.
LeBron seems to still especially enjoy crushing the Warriors. He had 36 points, 20 rebounds, and 12 assists in one of his best stat lines of the season when he faced them in January. With Steph expected to be back in action, it should be a great rivalry game, so look for LeBron to post another legendary performance.
Value
After missing one game with an ankle injury, Jalen Williams jumped right back into action with 27 points in 35 minutes on Thursday against the Mavericks. In Saturday’s matchup with Memphis, he has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus and the highest ceiling projection of all power forwards under $7,000 on DraftKings. On FanDuel, Williams is eligible at both shooting guard and small forward but is a little more expensive.
Williams has produced 1.17 DraftKings points and 1.19 FanDuel points per minute in his 11 games since the All-Star Break while playing 29.5 minutes per game. He’s a strong secondary scoring option for the Thunder and a good power forward value on DraftKings in this matchup against the Grizzlies.
Fast Break
Kyle Kuzma had exceeded salary-based expectations in nine straight games before posting a disappointing total on Thursday against the Rockets. He still had 23 points in that loss but didn’t add as many non-scoring numbers as he had been recently. If Avdija is out along with Jones, it’ll be all Poole and Kuz for the Wizards, meaning he brings an extremely high ceiling against the Bulls.
Jonathan Kuminga has helped carry the scoring load while Curry has been out, but he was already thriving even before the injury to Steph. Kuminga has emerged as a strong mid-range play over the last several weeks, and he could get extra work on Saturday if Draymond Green (back) is forced to sit with his questionable tag.
Torrey Craig is only a power forward on DraftKings and only a shooting guard on FanDuel. On both sites, though, he’s a great value option. He has the fourth-highest Projected Plus/Minus of all shooting guards on FanDuel and the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus of all power forwards on DraftKings. He exceeded salary-based expectations on both sites in both of his two games earlier this week.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
The highest ceiling, median, and floor projections on the entire slate on both DraftKings and FanDuel come from Anthony Davis, who can also slide over to power forward on FanDuel. On DraftKings, Davis has a 96% Bargain Rating with his salary barely over $10,000. Davis and LeBron both match a slate-high 12 Pro Trends on DraftKings. He has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus of all centers on both DraftKings and FanDuel as well.
Davis has averaged 1.44 DraftKings points and 1.46 FanDuel points per minute and logged a heavy workload of 36.7 minutes per game since the All-Star Break. He has a 26.1% usage rate since the break, which is the second-highest on the team behind only LeBron.
The Warriors have been a great matchup for opposing centers all season, and Davis has posted two strong double-doubles with 25+ points against them this season. He should be able to produce another game in that range on Saturday since he has at least 20 points in 14 of his last 16 games with 14 double-doubles during that span.
Value
Especially if Harris is sidelined, Paul Reed brings good value for the Sixers against the Hornets. He has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus of all centers with salaries under $7,000 on DraftKings, where he has a 96% Bargain Rating.
Reed has exceeded salary-based expectations in six of his eight games this month, averaging 1.21 DraftKings points per minute and 1.26 FanDuel points per minute. BBall Paul has had his ups and downs filling in for Embiid, but he did show a high ceiling with big double-doubles against the Grizzlies, Heat, and Hawks over the last few weeks. The soft matchup with Charlotte should allow him to be a good value again on Saturday.
Fast Break
On both DraftKings and FanDuel, Nikola Vucevic has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all centers on the slate. Vucevic has produced 1.17 DraftKings points and 1.09 FanDuel points per minute over the last month. Without White, he will have even more usage and a good ceiling against Washington, who is very shorthanded at center.
Myles Turner has out-produced salary-based expectations in eight of his 11 games over the last month including each of his last three contests. He is coming off back-to-back games with 24+ points against the Thunder and the Bulls. He seems to have adjusted well to Pascal Siakam at forward and continues to bring a high ceiling from his mid-range salary.
If you opt to go cheap at center, Richaun Holmes could be a strong option if he’s able to return from a three-game absence due to a toe sprain. Marvin Bagley (back) is still out, so Holmes would likely step into a large role if he’s available. Larry Nance Jr. and Jalen Smith are other value plays to consider if Holmes is out again.
