Saturday night’s NBA slate includes six games on the main slate on DraftKings, with all six games starting between 7:00 p.m. ET and 8:00 p.m. ET. The Celtics are the only team playing for the second day in a row, after their win over the Bucks on Friday. Since Sunday is such a busy day in the NBA with 12 games on the slate, eight of these teams will turn around and play again Sunday. Keep a close eye on the latest news and updates, as the models will adjust to compensate for any availability updates before tip off.
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.
You can also use our SimLabs Lineup Generator, a tool that creates the most user-friendly lineup generation process.
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 rolling in the West, as they head to New Orleans to face the Pelicans. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been putting up consistently great numbers all year and has produced at least 50 DraftKings points in 10 of his last 12 games, including a matchup with the Pelicans back on Nov. 13 when he piled up 29 points, five rebounds, five assists, and two steals in 33 minutes. It’s definitely a matchup he can attack.
SGA has the second-highest median, floor, and ceiling projection at the position on Saturday behind only Luka Doncic, but he comes much cheaper than Luka and has a much better Pts/Sal and Projected Plus/Minus.
Over his last 12 games, Gilgeous-Alexander has produced 55.5 DraftKings points per game at the elite rate of 1.57 DraftKings points per minute. He scored 30 points and finished with 50 DraftKings points in the Thunder’s last game on Thursday, which was a comfortable win over the Raptors.
Since his salary has come down a bit and he’s in a great matchup, SGA is a slightly better play than Luka on Saturday, although both superstars bring extremely high ceilings.
Value
The Wizards will be shorthanded on Saturday night against the Nuggets, with Malcolm Brogdon (hamstring), Kyshawn George (ankle), Corey Kispert (ankle) and Kyle Kuzma (rib) all ruled out. All that available playing time should create an opportunity for several Wizards to step up, including Jared Butler, who has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all point guards and the second-highest of all players on Saturday’s slate.
Butler played a season-high 19 minutes on Thursday against the Mavs and had five points, five assists, and 13 DraftKings points. In his previous game, he reached double-digit scoring for the first time this season.
The second-highest Projected Plus/Minus at the position comes from his teammate Bub Carrington, who is a little more expensive but should be in for an even larger workload. Carrington has impressed at times during his rookie year, averaging 0.82 DraftKings points per minute. He put up at least 20 DraftKings points in three of his last five games and eight of his last 12.
In early November, he showed even more upside with a pair of games of over 35 DraftKings points, including a season-high 42.5 DraftKings points against the Grizzlies. If he moves back into the starting lineup, he’ll be an awesome play at his salary under $4,500 and offers more upside than Butler, although Butler saves more salary.
Fast Break
Luka Doncic missed time with a wrist injury in the second half of November but jumped right back into a high-usage role, finishing with 72.25 and 70.5 DraftKings points in his first two games back while leading the Mavs to wins over the Blazers and Grizzlies. He had a bad shooting night on Thursday but made up for it with his first triple-double to still post 58.5 DraftKings points. He always has a very high ceiling and can go off in any matchup, especially one like Saturday’s against the Raptors. His Mavs have the third-highest implied team total on the slate.
Cade Cunningham has exceeded salary-based expectations in five of his last six games and 10 of his last 13. In those 13 contests, he has averaged 53.1 DraftKings points per game and 1.48 DraftKings points per minute. He has a tough matchup against the Knicks but has typically excelled when visiting Madison Square Garden.
Knicks star Jalen Brunson (back) is questionable vs. the Pistons, and if he is out or limited, Miles McBride would be an excellent value consideration. He has the fourth-highest Projected Plus/Minus at point guard even with Brunson in the projections. McBride has exceeded salary-based expectations in seven of his last 10 games, averaging 22.3 DraftKings points per game and 0.88 DraftKings points per minute. With Brunson off the court this season, McBride has averaged 0.95 DraftKings points per minute with a 18.5% usage rate, and his assist rate has climbed to 17.3%.
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
The Suns are looking to bounce back from a loss in New Orleans on Thursday, and they’ll have to rely once again on Devin Booker in Saturday’s matchup in Miami. Booker has the highest median, ceiling, and floor projection of all shooting guards on Saturday’s slate.
Booker has dropped over 25 points in six straight games and has at least 49 DraftKings points in three of his last five. He only had two assists on Thursday but is averaging 6.3 per game on the season, helping him post 42.7 DraftKings points per game at the rate of 1.17 DraftKings points per minute. With Durant off the floor, Booker has produced 1.22 DraftKings points per minute and averaged 41.5 DraftKings points per game in the eight he has played without KD this season.
The Heat crushed the Lakers in their last game and are 10-10, while the Suns are 12-9. Both teams look like they’ll end up in what is shaping up to be a crazy-close push to the playoffs in their respective conferences down the stretch.
Value
One of the exciting new features this year on FantasyLabs this season is our partnership with ShotQuality. In the ShotQuality projections, Marcus Smart has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all shooting guards on Saturday’s slate as well as the second-highest at point guard. Smart has never played in Boston as a member of the opposition since he was injured last year when the Grizz came to town.
He’s uncertain for Saturday’s game as well, but if he plays, he’ll be a strong value play for more than just the narrative. The veteran has been productive for the Grizzlies when available. He has exceeded salary-based expectations in six of his eight games and has posted over 27 DraftKings points in four of his last five.
He had 18 points, five assists, four rebounds, and 34.5 DraftKings points against the Kings on Thursday, and with the added motivation of facing his former squad, Smart will be a very good value play if he’s ready to play against Boston.
Fast Break
The Celtics have the second-highest implied team total on the slate, and Derrick White is in the top five of Projected Plus/Minus at both point guard and shooting guard. He continues to be a reliable contributor in multiple categories on a nightly basis for the defending champs and is averaging 1.05 DraftKings points per minute in his 21 games this season. Over the last two weeks, he has increased that to 1.16 DraftKings points per minute and produced 38.7 DraftKings points per game. With his salary slipping back under $7,000, he’ll look to bounce back from a bad shooting performance against the Bucks on Friday. He could get more work if the Celtics give one of their other stars a break against the visiting Grizzlies.
With the Pelicans getting healthier, Trey Murphy III has been able to slide more into his typical role. With Brandon Ingram, Herbert Jones, CJ McCollum, and Dejounte Murray all available, Murphy came off the bench on Thursday but still played 34 minutes and had 19 points on his way to 24.5 DraftKings points. Against the Thunder on Saturday, he has the seventh-highest ceiling projection and fourth-highest Projected Plus/Minus of all shooting guards in the ShotQuality Projections.
Heat SG Duncan Robinson has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus of all shooting guards in the FantasyLabs projections. He has produced 0.83 DraftKings points per minute on the season and has re-entered the starting lineup for the last eight games for Miami. In those eight games, he has averaged 25 minutes per game and 19.0 DraftKings points per minute with a 21.1% usage rate. Robinson is getting enough minutes and usage to bring good upside, although his shooting has been streaky this season.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
In both the ShotQuality and FantasyLabs projections, Scottie Barnes has the second-highest median, floor, and ceiling projections at small forward. He has unusual point guard and small forward eligibility, which helps him fit in even more roster builds.
After missing three weeks with an orbital bone fracture, Barnes eased back into his workload. Since his return, though, he has exceeded salary-based expectations in six of his last seven games. Over that span, he has posted an elite production rate of 1.51 DraftKings points per minute and averaged 52.2 DraftKings points per game. He leads the Raptors with a 29.6% usage rate and a 35.6% assist rate. He has at least seven assists in each of those seven games and came just two assists short of a triple-double in Thursday’s loss to the Thunder.
Against the Mavericks, Barnes will have to carry the load. He brings a very high ceiling at a salary of just $9,500.
Value
In both the ShotQuality and FantasyLabs projections, Justin Champagnie has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all players on the entire slate. The 23-year-old forward has spent time with the Raptors and Celtics the last few years but has spent most of this season in the G League.
He has posted good numbers this season with the Capital City Go-Go, with four double-doubles and an average of 20.0 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in eight games. He has only appeared in three games this season for the Wizards but showed his potential with a strong game on Thursday.
The two-way player jumped right into a major role, playing 29 minutes against the Mavs and finishing with 19.75 DraftKings points. With all the injuries for Washington, it looks like he’ll get a big role again on Saturday and is a bargain to consider at only $3,500. He’s less proven than Carrington, but he comes cheaper and with different positional eligibility.
Fast Break
Josh Hart could be in for more work on Saturday depending on the availability of Brunson, but he’s a strong play at $7,000 with or without the point guard. Hart has posted a double-double in three of the last four games and had a triple-double with 50.75 DraftKings points against the Magic on Tuesday. Hart almost always plays big minutes and can stuff the stat sheet when he’s at his best.
The Nuggets have the highest implied team total of the night, as they take on the shorthanded Wizards. Michael Porter Jr. has been thriving for Denver over the last few weeks, with at least 18 points and at least seven rebounds in six straight games. Porter has reached over 45 DraftKings points in two of those games and has emerged as the Nuggs’ secondary offensive option behind Nikola Jokic.
The Thunder have rotated through wings for much of the season, and both Luguentz Dort and Isaiah Joe have good upside at their price points against the Pelicans. Dort and Joe are in the top 10 of Projected Plus/Minus in both sets of projections. Joe has scored 19 and 16 points in his last two games, with 32 and 28 DraftKings points.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
Jayson Tatum has the highest median, ceiling, and floor projection at power forward after leading the Celtics to a big win on Friday against the visiting Bucks. He is the top pay-up play at the position, especially if any of his teammates get the night off, bringing him even more usage.
Tatum had 34 points, 10 rebounds, and 57 DraftKings points against Milwaukee and has at least 33 points in three of his last four contests. He also had three double-doubles in that span, averaging 54.3 DraftKings points per game.
On the season, Tatum has produced 1.46 DraftKings points per minute and should be fired up to take on his former teammate Marcus Smart. The Grizzlies are a favorable matchup for Tatum since they have allowed the eighth-most fantasy points per game to small forwards and the ninth-most fantasy points to power forwards.
Value
One of the most proven Wizards in the rotation on Saturday will be rookie Alexandre Sarr. He has the fourth-highest Projected Plus/Minus at power forward in the ShotQuality Projections and has flashed a very high ceiling when stepping into a bigger role.
Sarr has averaged 0.97 DraftKings points per minute in 26.7 minutes per game overall this year, but he has been even better, with a production rate of 1.05 DraftKings points per minute when Kuzma and Brogdon are off the floor.
In his last six games, Sarr has exceeded salary-based expectations four times and produced 1.01 DraftKings points per minute with a 20.1% usage rate. At the start of that stretch, he had a 17-point, 14-rebound double-double against the Pacers and showed off his ceiling with 46 DraftKings points in that contest.
Fast Break
Brandon Ingram had 29 points and 47.25 DraftKings points in his return from a five-game absence due to a calf injury. He led the Pelicans past the Suns in that contest and will look to get his team another big win on Saturday against the visiting Thunder. Ingram has battled multiple injury issues but is averaging 40.8 DraftKings points in his 17 games this year.
Without Durant, Royce O’Neale returned to the starting five for the Suns on Wednesday, and he did so with a splash, scoring 19 points to go with six rebounds on his way to 36.25 DraftKings points. O’Neale is a nice complement to Booker and Bradley Beal and should be able to fill up the box score while he sticks in the lineup.
Haywood Highsmith has the highest Projected Plus/Minus at power forward in both the FantasyLabs and ShotQuality projections. Highsmith has exceeded his modest salary-based expectations in three straight games with over 20 DraftKings points, and he had double-digit points against the Celtics and Lakers. He doesn’t have to do much to be worth his $3,700 salary, and he should be able to produce a good stat line against the Suns.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
It’s always hard to pass up the ceiling of Nikola Jokic, but the risk of a rout against the shorthanded Wizards makes me prefer saving almost $3,000 in salary by pivoting to Karl-Anthony Towns. Towns has the second-highest median, ceiling, and floor projections at center in both the FantasyLabs and ShotQuality projections and should be a better value since he’s so much cheaper.
Towns has posted at least 45 DraftKings points in 12 straight games, showing remarkable consistency while getting big minutes for coach Tom Thibodeau. He has produced an impressive 1.52 DraftKings points per minute on the season and has been even better with 1.58 DraftKings points per minute over the last month.
Towns had 27 points, 16 rebounds, and 55.5 DraftKings points on Thursday against the Hornets and is in another smash spot against the Pistons. If Jalen Brunson is out, Towns will be an even stronger play since his usage increases by over four percentage points when Brunson is off the floor.
Value
Durant isn’t the only Suns player sidelined for Saturday since Jusuf Nurkic (thigh) is out for at least a few more days. Mason Plumlee has filled in for Nurk and has been a solid role player. He started against the Warriors but came off the bench against the Spurs. With Durant out as well, though, he returned to the starting five against the Pelicans and played 26 minutes.
He had 25 and 27 DraftKings points in his last two games against the Spurs and Pelicans. He had only four points against the Pels but had 10 boards, three steals, and two blocks to boost him to his 27 DraftKings points.
Plumlee has shown upside with double-doubles and big games when in an expanded role, so getting him at barely over $4,000 is a great way to fill your center or utility spot while saving plenty of salary for other slots. Plumlee has the top Projected Plus/Minus at center in the FantasyLabs projections.
Fast Break
Jokic has the highest ceiling projection on the entire slate in both the ShotQuality and FantasyLabs projections. He is coming off a monster game of 27 points, 20 rebounds, 11 assists, and 77.5 DraftKings points against the Cavs and has at least 69 DraftKings points in three straight. The Wizards have given up the third-most fantasy points to centers this season, so it’s a smash spot for The Joker as long as the game doesn’t turn into too much of a laugher.
Pelicans rookie Yves Missi continues to start in the middle for the Pelicans and has been steady while the rest of the lineup has swirled around him. The 20-year-old Belgian has posted over 23 DraftKings points in six straight games with three games over 40 DraftKings points during that stretch. His usage could be reduced with more options returning, but he’s still a solid mid-range value at just over $5,000 against OKC.
Marvin Bagley III hasn’t done much this season, averaging only 6.4 minutes in his 14 games. He got his first start of the year on Thursday, however, and he poured in 16 points to go with eight rebounds on his way to 30.5 DraftKings points. If he gets that much work again on Saturday, he’ll be an excellent value play. He has a top-five Projected Plus/Minus at center in both sets of projections.
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