This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Team Analysis
Defense to avoid: Miami Heat, vs MEM: The Heat are above-average-to-elite at defending four of the five positions, according to DraftKings. They rank first at limiting production to opposing point guards, 13th against shooting guards, fifth against small forwards, and first against power forwards. However, Miami tends to struggle a bit against opposing centers, which is interesting, because the Heat send out one of the better defensive centers in the league every night in Hassan Whiteside.
Offense to Use: Detroit Pistons, at OKC. The Thunder are average-to-below-average at every defensive position, according to DraftKings. They rank 25th at limiting production to opposing point guards, 14th against shooting guards, 17th against small forwards, 21st against power forwards and 15th against centers. Plus, the Pistons are playing well right now, fresh off of a win over what's been a dominant Clippers team.
Teams on Back-to-Backs:
First game: N/A
Second game: Knicks, Hornets, Spurs, Wizards, Pistons, Thunder, Grizzlies, Heat, Timberwolves, Warriors
Stephen Curry, GS vs MIN ($9,000): The big risk here is that the Warriors blow out the Timberwolves by 40 and Curry doesn't get his full allotment of minutes. But with Draymond Green banged up and the Timberwolves coming off a big win on Friday, there's a reasonable chance for a competitive enough game. The Wolves rank 28th in the league against opposing point guards, and Curry obviously has the ability to go nova at any time.
Victor Oladipo, OKC vs DET ($6,400): Oladipo has been playing stellar ball of late as he seems to have settled in to his role next to Russell Westbrook. Over his six games leading into Friday, he averaged 18.3 points, 5.3 boards, 4.0 assists, 2.7 treys and 1.9 combined steals/blocks per game. He then upped that on Friday with 26 points, seven assists, four boards, three steals and two treys against the Nuggets.
Tyler Johnson, MIA vs MEM ($4,800): Johnson is back on the upswing and carrying more offensive responsibility of late, with Goran Dragic out with an injured elbow. On Wednesday, he notched 17 points and seven assists in 32 minutes off the bench against the Pistons, and followed that up with a team-high 22 points, five boards and two steals in 33 minutes on Friday against the same Grizzlies team that he faces on Saturday.
Kristaps Porzingis, NY at CHA ($7,700): Porzingis has been on a run lately. He entered Friday averaging 25 points, nine boards, 2.2 treys and 1.6 combined steals/blocks over his previous five games. On Friday, he was strong again, finishing with 16 points, eight boards, four treys, three blocks, two assists and a steal against this same Charlotte team.
Otto Porter, WAS vs SA ($5,800): Porter struggled a bit earlier this week with a hip injury, but he was able to play his normal allotment of minutes and produce on Friday with 19 points, seven boards, three treys and two assists in 34 minutes of action. Assuming he had no physical setbacks, he should be ready to produce again on Saturday against a Spurs team that is also on the second half of a back-to-back.
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, CHA vs NY ($4,900): Kidd-Gilchrist has been productive but unspectacular of late, entering Friday having scored in double-digits in three straight games, with two double-doubles in that span. However, he did it without scoring more than 11 points in any game. In addition to his work on the glass, though, Kidd-Gilchrist has contributed 11 treys, eight assists and three blocked shots over the last three contests. Working in his favor Saturday is the fact that the Knicks rank 28th in the NBA in limiting production to opposing small forwards.
Andre Drummond, DET at OKC ($7,500): Drummond is another young star who has been on a roll lately. He has averaged 15.0 points, 13.6 boards and 3.4 combined steals and blocks over his previous five games. On Saturday he faces a very average Thunder interior defense that ranks 15th in the league at limiting production to opposing centers, according to DraftKings.
Marcin Gortat, WAS vs SA ($5,500): Gortat has averaged 11.6 points, 12.0 boards, 1.4 blocks and 1.8 assists over his last five games. He has three double-doubles in that stretch, and two games where he finished within one or two rebounds of more double-doubles. He's a solid, relatively consistent producer with upside and a good price.
