Sunday features a four-game main slate starting at 6:00 p.m. ET.
Let’s dive into some of the top plays on the slate using the FantasyLabs tools and metrics.
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Note: Projections and Leverages Scores/Ratings may change throughout the day after this article is posted. The NBA DFS landscape changes quickly.
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NBA DFS Point Guard Picks
Stud
Ja Morant is listed as questionable, but it seems that may be more of a precautionary tag than a sign of a potential absence. Make sure to monitor our news dashboard closer to lock to make sure Morant is good to go. Jaren Jackson Jr. is also listed as questionable, while Steven Adams and Dillon Brooks are both out Sunday. Using our On/Off Tool, Morant has a +4.6 DraftKings Plus/Minus with both Adams and Brooks off the floor this season.
The Grizzlies have lost seven of their last eight games, but Morant has been awesome as of late with two triple-doubles in his last four games. This is the second-straight year Morant is averaging over 27 points, but this season he has added a career-high 8.3 assists per game. The Raptors rank 20th in defensive rating, making this an exploitable matchup. There are elite big men on this slate, but Morant has the highest ceiling among the guards.
Value
The Pelicans finally got back into the win column last night against the Lakers after losing 10 consecutive games. Playing on a back-to-back, make sure to keep an eye on players like Brandon Ingram and Jonas Valanciunas, who may sit; any way to pave out more minutes for Jose Alvarado, the better. Priced under $4,500 on both DraftKings and FanDuel, Alvarado looks like a very strong play on a small slate that is lacking value.
Alvarado has been a rollercoaster to roster this season, with a majority of his production coming when he has increased playing time. The last four games are a perfect example. In order from latest to recent, Alvarado has scored 35, 9, 14, and 26 DraftKings points over that span. The Kings rank below average in defensive rating this season, and that bodes well for Alvarado, who is the perfect pivot off of Davion Mitchell, who will be higher-owned but has a very limited ceiling.
Fast Break
James Harden hasn’t lived up to his salary as of late, but he is still averaging over 20 points and a league-high 10.9 assists per game. He has been fantastic creating opportunities for his teammates, but Harden has seen his lowest shot volume with the 76ers since he was playing on the Thunder more than a decade ago. However, Harden has dominated at Madison Square Garden with the 76ers, averaging 29 points, 14.5 assists, and seven rebounds with one triple-double.
NBA DFS Shooting Guard Picks
Stud
Many believe Timberwolves combo guard Anthony Edwards was one of the biggest All-Star snubs this season. He is averaging career highs in points, rebounds, assists, and field-goal percentage. With Karl-Anthony Towns still nursing a calf injury, Edwards has been able to take over this team. He has a career-high 29.3% usage rate, and he seems to be playing with a chip on his shoulder as the Timberwolves get set to take on their division rival, the Denver Nuggets.
The Timberwolves are slight home favorites, and this total is the highest on the slate at 233.5 points. Edwards has guard and forward eligibility on both DraftKings and FanDuel, making him very easy to fit into lineup builds. His salary has skyrocketed as of late on both sites, but deservingly so. In four of his last eight games, Edwards has scored over 30 points while averaging 31.3 points per game during that time. Take a shot on the All-Star snub.
Value
Priced at the stone minimum on DraftKings, it is impossible to ignore Christian Braun, who has recorded back-to-back games with over 20 DraftKings points. Even at $4,000 on FanDuel, Braun looks like a strong play, as he is projected to play around 32 minutes Sunday. The rookie from Kansas has really seen his minutes increase over the last few weeks. He has earned the playing time given how well he has played recently.
This is a back-to-back for the Nuggets after winning by 20 points against the Hawks last night. With backcourt mates Jamal Murray and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope doubtful to play, as well as Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon, Braun looks like a strong value. The Timberwolves rank sixth in pace this season, so this is an up-tempo matchup for Braun, who can score at all three levels. Prioritize Braun on DraftKings, where he is a great salary saver when paying up for the expensive options.
Fast Break
Brandon Ingram missed the last back-to-back the Pelicans had, so we may need to keep an eye on his status as well. Ingram has looked fantastic over the last two games though, posting over 45 DraftKings points while shooting 52.1% from the field. Ingram’s minutes are no longer an issue, as he is projected to play 34 minutes with the Pelicans being home underdogs. Ingram is too cheap on both DraftKings and FanDuel if he is able to play.
NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
The small forward position is really lacking star power on this four-game slate. Priced at $7,700 on both DraftKings and FanDuel, Scottie Barnes is the most expensive option at this position other than previously mentioned Anthony Edwards. OG Anunoby remains out for the Raptors, which will provide a significant boost to Barnes, who has played a team-high 666 minutes and has a 20.7% usage rate with Anunoby off the floor this season.
Barnes has been consistent as of late, scoring over 40 fantasy points on both sites in nine of his last 13 games. The Grizzlies have been a great defensive team, but they also play at the fifth-fastest pace in the league (101.9). This is the last game of the Raptors’ seven-game road trip, and they are five-point underdogs. The 231.5-point total is very intriguing for a player like Barnes, who can stuff the stat sheet in a variety of ways.
Value
Coming in with the third-highest projected Plus/Minus on DraftKings and FanDuel is Grizzlies forward John Konchar. Priced under $4,000 on both sites, Konchar is another great way to save salary on this small four-game slate. With Dillon Brooks serving his suspension, Konchar is projected to play nearly 30 minutes Sunday, and he played 28 minutes last game and scored 21.75 DraftKings points.
Having guard and forward eligibility is such a great asset to have, making it very easy to fit Konchar into lineups on both sites. If Jaren Jackson Jr. is out, that will also benefit Konchar’s playing time and production. Konchar can really take advantage of his perimeter shooting in this matchup. Over half of his field-goal attempts come from behind the arc, and the Raptors are allowing opponents to shoot 37.4% from behind the arc. Great spot for another value play.
Fast Break
Rostering RJ Barrett has been a rollercoaster ride all season long. He is averaging a career-high 20.2 points per game, but he is shooting just 43.3% from the field. Barrett is a scoring-dependent fantasy producer, but he has shown rebounding upside; in his last game against the 76ers, he posted his second double-double of the season with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Priced in the mid-range and playing over 40 minutes in his last two games, the upside is there for Barrett.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
Julius Randle has found his groove again after struggling last season, averaging a career-high double-double with 24.7 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. Since the middle of December, Randle has been absolutely dialed in. Over that 27-game span, Randle is averaging 27.2 points and 13 rebounds per game with 24 total double-doubles. He is an elite value on FanDuel at $9,100 with a 98% Bargain Rating and a slate-high 14 Pro Trends.
The Knicks have the lowest implied total on the slate at 110.75 points, but they still look like strong plays given how many minutes they play every night. Our player model has Randle projected for 37.9 minutes, which is right above his teammates RJ Barrett and Jalen Brunson. This is a slow-paced game with the 76ers, but Randle has played too well to ignore. Prioritize Randle on FanDuel, but he also makes for a great contrarian pay-up option on DraftKings.
Value
Priced under $5,000 on both DraftKings and FanDuel, Larry Nance Jr. could be in line for extended playing time if Jonas Valanciunas is unable to play; Valanciunas received an MRI after last night’s game. Nance Jr. has recorded a double-double off the bench in three of his last four games while averaging 10.8 points and 11 rebounds per game over that span. He has over 27 DraftKings points in each of those games, which is awesome for a bench value option.
The Kings are an exploitable matchup, as they are allowing 54.7 points per game in the paint this season. They are also a below-average rebounding team, so another double-double is firmly on the table for Nance Jr. in this spot. He has yet to start a game this season, but he has had his best season of his career by shooting an absurd 61.7% from the field. This is a matchup that looks good right now, and it could be even better without Valanciunas.
Fast Break
With power-forward eligibility on FanDuel, Domantas Sabonis is one of the better big men options on this slate with Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox out. In four games without Fox this season, Sabonis is averaging a huge double-double with 18.8 points, 14.5 rebounds, and six assists per game. The Kings are road favorites against the Pelicans, who have lost 10 of their last 11 games and are playing on a back-to-back. With no Fox, Sabonis looks like a strong pay-up candidate.
If you aren’t in a state with legal betting, Monkey Knight Fight has Sabonis’ over/under for rebounds sitting at 12.5
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
For a small four-game slate, the center position is absolutely loaded. Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid headline the position, but Domantas Sabonis isn’t too far away. We’ll start with Mr. Triple-Double Nikola Jokic, who has recorded a triple-double in eight of his last 10 games. Over that span, Jokic is averaging 24.4 points, 12.8 rebounds, 12.2 assists, and 64.6 DraftKings points per game. In the last two games, he has 32 rebounds and 26 assists, which is just absurd.
With Rudy Gobert downgraded to questionable and Karl-Anthony Towns still out with an injury, this could be a fantastic spot for Jokic against the Timberwolves frontcourt. In their previous meeting with Gobert out, Jokic finished with 31 points, 13 assists, and 10 rebounds in the Nuggets’ four-point victory. Let’s tack on another triple-double Sunday for the back-to-back MVP so that he can tie his career-high with 19 triple-doubles in one season.
Editor’s Note: Jokic has been downgraded to doubtful on the second night of a back-to-back.
Value
Isaiah Hartenstein has taken over the Knicks center position and ran with the increased playing time. Over the last three games with Mitchell Robinson still out, Hartenstein has averaged 9.7 points and 11.3 rebounds per game. He has recorded double-digit rebounds in each of his last three games and has a great chance to keep the rebounding going, as the 76ers rank 25th in rebounding percentage (48.8) entering Sunday.
Hartenstein is $4,000 on DraftKings, where he has a 94% Bargain Rating. He is $5,000 on FanDuel, but he has power forward and center eligibility, so he looks like a strong play on both sites Sunday. Hartenstein has recorded a positive Plus/Minus in six-straight games despite having an average usage rate of 12.4% over that span. The scoring hasn’t been there recently, but the 76ers did allow an absurd 80 points in the paint in their last game.
Fast Break
Joel Embiid has been questionable to play with left foot soreness, but he continues to play and play extremely well. He is leading the league with a career-high 33.5 points per game while shooting 53.4% from the field. The Knicks are allowing the second-fewest points in the paint at 44.8 per game, which is why Jokic is getting the slight nod. Even in a difficult matchup, Embiid has displayed an incredible ceiling in multiple games this season.
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