After a busy Black Friday of NBA Cup games, the NBA has a smaller but still solid four-game slate this Saturday on DraftKings. The contests lock at 7:00 p.m. ET when the Sixers and Pistons tip off their matchup in Detroit, and the other three games get underway between 8:00 p.m. ET and 9:30 p.m. ET. Of the eight teams on the main slate, only the Pistons are playing for the second day in a row, while the Mavs and Jazz are each scheduled to finish their back-to-back on Sunday. It’s always important to 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 Wizards allow the second-most fantasy points per game to point guards so far this season, so Saturday’s trip to D.C. should be a great spot for Damian Lillard to keep rolling. Lillard comes into the fantasy-friendly matchup after carrying the team to a Tuesday win in the absence of Giannis Antetokounmpo ($12,000; knee, probable). Even if Giannis returns as expected on Saturday, Lillard still makes sense as a pay-up option at point guard.
He finished Tuesday’s win with 37 points, 12 assists, and 66.25 DraftKings points. He has over 40 DraftKings points in four straight games and has raised his production rate on the season to 1.28 DraftKings points per minute.
On Saturday’s slate, Dame has the second-highest ceiling projection at point guard and the seventh-highest Projected Plus/Minus. His Bucks have the highest implied team total as well, and he may still carry a little bit more of the workload in the offense as Giannis eases back in. Lillard has proven he can carry a big scoring load, with 30+ points in five of his last 10 games. He has shown he can run the offense effectively, with four double-doubles in his last five.
Value
Although he returned to practice Friday, the Mavs will likely be without Luka Doncic (wrist) on Saturday since the star is listed as doubtful. In their matchup with the Jazz, the Mavs have the second-highest implied team total and bring plenty of value as players step up to fill the void left by Luka’s absence. One key contributor over the four games without Doncic has been veteran point guard Spencer Dinwiddie, who has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all point guards on Saturday after exceeding salary-based expectations in five straight games.
In the Mavs’ four games without Luka, Dinwiddie has averaged 28 minutes per game and 1.1 DraftKings points per minute. He has over 29 DraftKings points in three straight games, including a season-high 41.25 DraftKings points Wednesday on 21 points, nine assists, and three rebounds against the Knicks.
Before Doncic’s injury, Dinwiddie was playing very limited minutes, so his long-term potential could be limited. However, for as long as Luka is sidelined, he should continue to get enough playing time off the bench to be a great value play just over $4,000. He typically produces strong enough non-scoring numbers to be a solid play even when he’s not scoring, and he brings a high ceiling when he is also making his shots like he was on Wednesday.
Fast Break
Jordan Poole has the third-highest Projected Plus/Minus at the position with his salary under $7,000. He struggled in his return from a two-game absence due to a hip injury and scored just eight points for 14 DraftKings points on Wednesday. With Kyle Kuzma (ribs) out, Poole is in position for heavy usage on Saturday against Lillard and the Bucks, and the Wizards need him to deliver more than he did in his last game. On the season, he has a 31.3% usage rate and has produced 1.22 DraftKings points per minute with Kuzma off the floor.
With Jordan Clarkson (foot) ruled out vs. the Mavericks, Keyonte George and Collin Sexton will continue to carry extra work. George has scored 26 and 23 points in the two games that Clarkson has missed and added enough non-scoring numbers to produce 44.25 and 35 DraftKings points against the Spurs and Nuggets, respectively. George is a great play under $6,000 and is averaging 0.98 DraftKings points per minute in the absence of Clarkson.
Tyus Jones has a unique role in the Suns’ offense, serving as a primary facilitator but not taking many shots himself with Devin Booker, Bradley Beal, and Kevin Durant taking most of the usage. He still has been useful for fantasy purposes, though, under $6,000. He has double-digit assists in three of his last five games, with double-doubles in each of those games, highlighted by 43.25 DraftKings points against the Timberwolves last week. He doesn’t usually bring a sky-high ceiling, but he plays his role well enough to be a solid mid-range option. He has the fifth-highest Projected Plus/Minus at point guard in Saturday’s matchup vs. the Warriors.
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
One of the exciting new features this year on FantasyLabs this season is our partnership with ShotQuality. In both the FantasyLabs and ShotQuality projections, Kyrie Irving has the highest ceiling projection of shooting guards since he has a cushy matchup vs. the Jazz. Not only is Luka Doncic likely to miss another game, Klay Thompson (foot) will also be sidelined for a third straight contest, leaving more work for Kyrie to carry.
Irving has been very solid in the four games without Luka, even though he hasn’t gone off for monster totals. He has averaged 1.12 DraftKings points per minute and posted a 28.4% usage rate that is second on the team behind only Jaden Hardy. Irving has at least 23 points, at least six rebounds and exactly six assists in three of his last four games and has averaged 43.1 DraftKings points per game in the four games without Luka.
On Saturday, the Mavs have the second-highest implied team total, and Irving has the highest Projected Plus/Minus in the FantasyLabs projections and the second-highest in the ShotQuality projections behind only Poole. He should be in a smash spot against the Jazz and is definitely worth a look on this small slate.
Value
Kyrie’s teammate Quentin Grimes has the third-highest Projected Plus/Minus at shooting guard and the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all small forwards in both sets of projections.
He was forced to miss last Monday’s game with an illness but bounced back with a season-high 21 points and 35.25 DraftKings points on Wednesday against the Knicks.
Grimes has exceeded salary-based expectations in four of his last five games, with double-digit scoring in each of those four contests. On the season, he’s averaging 0.88 DraftKings points with Luka off the floor, and on Saturday, Grimes has a minutes projection of 28, which would make him a great value at $4,500.
We’ve focused on the Mavs in the backcourt since the Jazz allow the most fantasy points per game in the NBA to shooting guards and the third-most to point guards. With Luka and Klay’s usage available, look for multiple Mavericks to put up good fantasy nights in Salt Lake City Saturday.
Fast Break
Jaden Ivey helped carry the Pistons while Cade Cunningham was out, and both looked strong in Friday night’s win over the Pacers, which kept the Pistons undefeated in NBA Cup Group Play. If Cunningham isn’t ready for the back-to-back, Ivey will have a huge role and be a must-play vs. the Sixers. Even if Cunningham plays, Ivey showed he can still produce after posting 40.25 DraftKings points in Friday’s win. He has over 35 DraftKings points in three of his last four.
On the other side of that matchup, Jared McCain has cooled off a bit since Tyrese Maxey is back for the Sixers, but both still bring high ceilings. McCain has the fifth-highest Projected Plus/Minus at shooting guard in the FantasyLabs projections and the fifth-highest ceiling projection as well.
Even with all his star teammates back, Grayson Allen should have a good chance to return value at only $4,000. He has the fourth-highest Projected Plus/Minus at shooting guards in both sets of projections and has exceeded salary-based expectations in four of his last six games after playing over 30 minutes on Wednesday and finishing with 22.75 DraftKings points.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
In both the ShotQuality and FantasyLabs projections, Andrew Wiggins has the highest median and ceiling projection at small forward. Wiggins could end up carrying more of the workload if Stephen Curry (knees) is forced to miss a second straight game, but he’s a strong option either way.
Wiggins has exceeded salary-based expectations in five of his last six games and has scored over 15 points in each of those six contests. During that stretch, he leads the team in minutes and has a 23.4% usage rate while producing 1.12 DraftKings points per minute and 35.2 DraftKings points per game.
On Saturday, he is questionable due to an ankle injury, but if he plays, he brings good upside. Keep a close eye on the Warriors’ injury report since who exactly is available will determine potential usage and production on Saturday night.
Value
For another value slot, the projections point us back to Dallas once again, where Naji Marshall has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus and the second-highest ceiling projection at small forward in the FantasyLabs projections.
Marshall has exceeded salary-based expectations in five straight games, scoring 20+ points with multiple three-pointers made in each of his last four. In those four games, he has produced 1.03 DraftKings points per minute and 29.7 DraftKings points per game, which are excellent levels for a player under $6,000.
In those four games, Marshall hasn’t been producing many non-scoring numbers, but he should continue to get plenty of scoring chances while Luka and Klay remain out.
Fast Break
Without Kyle Kuzma, Kyshawn George could get more work for the Wiz. He has the third-highest Projected Plus/Minus at small forward in both sets of projections. In the four games that Kuzma has missed this year, George has averaged 30.6 DraftKings points, which is a dramatic improvement on his regular average of 20.4 DraftKings points per game.
On Wednesday, Ricky Council IV broke through for the Sixers with a double-double and 32 DraftKings points in 27 minutes against the Rockets. He has played at least 12 minutes in four straight games and could continue to see enough time to be a great bargain play if Paul George ($7,700; knee, questionable) misses a fourth straight game.
Another bargain play who could get enough work depending on how the injury report shakes out is veteran Kyle Anderson of the Warriors. Anderson had 10 points and 19.5 DraftKings points on Wednesday and would be in line for more work if Curry or Wiggins is out Saturday.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
After missing almost three full weeks with a calf injury, Kevin Durant hasn’t shown many signs of rust. He jumped right back into a high-usage, high-ceiling role with the Suns and is a good pay-up option, as he welcomes his former team to town and takes on the Warriors Saturday night. He has the second-highest median and ceiling projection at the position in both sets of projections coming into the day.
KD had 35 DraftKings points in 30 minutes in his return on Tuesday against the Lakers and looked even better with 47 DraftKings points in 33 minutes the very next night at home against his former team, the Nets. Durant had 30 points, eight boards, and a 40.2% usage rate in that game. He leads the team with a 29.5% usage rate on the season and has produced 1.18 DraftKings points per minute.
He’s not a bargain at his salary of almost $9,000, but he brings enough big-game potential to still be worth building around.
Value
Jonathan Kuminga has the highest Projected Plus/Minus at power forward in the ShotQuality projections, and he could end up carrying the load for Golden State depending on who is available. Kuminga missed two games himself with an illness before returning on Wednesday vs. the Thunder. Without Steph, he jumped right into the starting five and scored 19 points to finish with 31.5 DraftKings points.
If Steph and Wiggins both play, Kuminga could return to the bench in his sixth-man role that limits his ceiling a little bit. If either is limited or out, Kuminga’s extra work would make him a great play under $5,000.
Overall this season, Kuminga is averaging 1.07 DraftKings points per minute in 22.9 minutes per game. With Wiggins off the floor, his rate increases to 1.14 DraftKings points per minute. Without Curry, it jumps to 1.16 DraftKings points per minute, and without both, it climbs to 1.18 DraftKings points per minute. If either or both are out on Saturday, Kuminga will be a great value at power forward.
Fast Break
For Dallas, P.J. Washington has lit it up with Luka and Klay sidelined. He has posted four straight double-doubles and produced 1.18 DraftKings points per minute and 44.1 DraftKings points per game in his four games without Doncic.
On the other side of that matchup, Lauri Markkanen is expected to return for the Jazz and always brings boom-or-bust upside, as illustrated by his 50.75 and 29.5 DraftKings points in his two most recent contests. John Collins is also not on the injury report and is ready to return. He has produced an impressive 1.34 DraftKings points per minute this season and posted over 42 DraftKings points in three straight games before missing Wednesday’s game with a knee contusion.
Tobias Harris returned on Friday after missing a game with a hip injury and produced 30.25 DraftKings points in 30 minutes. If he plays against the Sixers, he’ll have a possible revenge game narrative to give him a boost and be a solid play. If he sits out, that would open up potential value for Ron Holland II or Ausar Thompson, who could also be limited on the second night of the back-to-back. As with the Warriors, there’s definitely potential value in the Pistons’ rotation, so watch the injury report carefully.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
If you have the salary available, Giannis Antetokounmpo is almost always a great pay-up play. He missed Tuesday’s win over the Heat but is probable to return on Saturday in a great spot vs. the Wizards. Washington has allowed the second-most fantasy points per game to opposing centers, so Giannis has an extremely high ceiling if he’s back to full speed on Saturday.
He had 32 points and 58.75 DraftKings points last Saturday in his most recent game, which was at home against the Hornets. Prior to that, he had been even better, posting over 65 DraftKings points in four of his previous five games. That success includes his 59-point performance against the Pistons that resulted in an immense 97.5 DraftKings points; he also had two triple-doubles.
He could be eased back into action, especially if the game turns into a blowout, but there’s no doubt about the high ceiling he brings when he’s at his best. The Wizards don’t have anyone who can slow him down, so it’s really just a matter of how much work he can handle and how much he will need to.
Value
In both the ShotQuality projections and the FantasyLabs projections, Walker Kessler has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus of all centers. He’ll get a good matchup against the Mavs, who have allowed the third-most fantasy points per game to opposing centers.
Kessler missed six games earlier this month with a hip injury but has looked strong in his three games back. He had a double-double and 34 DraftKings points against the Knicks in his return, cooled off against the Spurs, but then roared back with 16 points, 12 rebounds, and 47 DraftKings points against the Nuggets on Wednesday.
With Collins and Markkanen back, the Jazz will have more frontcourt depth, but they’ll still be without Kyle Filipowski (leg), which will leave plenty of work for Kessler against the Mavs’ tandem of Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford.
Fast Break
Jonas Valanciunas is in a tough matchup against Giannis and Brook Lopez, but he also could be called on for more minutes without Kuzma available. He had 17 points and 29.25 DraftKings points in the Wizards’ last game on Wednesday but his role and production have fluctuated based on matchup.
Alexandre Sarr is another Wizards center with potential depending on the game script vs. the Bucks. The rookie had 46 and 39.25 DraftKings points early this week against the Pacers and Bulls, respectively, but he only had 22.25 DraftKings points against the Clippers while Valanciunas took on more work. Without Kuz, Sarr has a high ceiling, as he continues his growth and adjustment to the NBA.
As a cheap center play, Kevon Looney is worth a look vs. the Suns at only $3,400. He has exceeded salary-based expectations in eight of his last 11 games and has the third-highest Projected Plus/Minus at the position in the ShotQuality projections.
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