This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Team Analysis
Defense to avoid: LA Clippers, at IND. The Clippers have a strong defense that is elite at defending three positions — 2nd limiting production to opposing shooting guards, 3rd against small forwards, and 4th against power forwards according to DraftKings. In addition, with the Pacers missing Paul George there is legitimate blowout potential that could cause players on both sides to play less than normal.
Offense to Use: Sacramento Kings, at BKN. The Nets are atrocious on defense across the board, ranking 21st at limiting production to opposing point guards, 29th against opposing shooting guards, 20th against small forwards, 23rd against power forwards and last against opposing centers according to DraftKings.
Teams on Back-to-Backs:
First game: Hawks, 76ers, Kings
Second game: None
Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL at ORL ($9300): Antetokounmpo continues to have a monster year, with the kind of daily double-double and triple-double potential that leads to regular bonus points. In his last five games he is averaging 24 points, 8.4 boards, 7.6 assists, 1.8 blocks and 1.8 steals. On Sunday he will face a Magic defense that ranks 25th against opposing point guards.
Jordan Clarkson, LAL vs ATL ($5900): Clarkson tends to play well when given the opportunity, and with D'Angelo Russell injured he has been getting plenty of playing time. He moved into the starting lineup at shooting guard Friday and responded with 20 points, five steals, four treys and two boards in 38 minutes. He has scored between 16 and 20
Team Analysis
Defense to avoid: LA Clippers, at IND. The Clippers have a strong defense that is elite at defending three positions — 2nd limiting production to opposing shooting guards, 3rd against small forwards, and 4th against power forwards according to DraftKings. In addition, with the Pacers missing Paul George there is legitimate blowout potential that could cause players on both sides to play less than normal.
Offense to Use: Sacramento Kings, at BKN. The Nets are atrocious on defense across the board, ranking 21st at limiting production to opposing point guards, 29th against opposing shooting guards, 20th against small forwards, 23rd against power forwards and last against opposing centers according to DraftKings.
Teams on Back-to-Backs:
First game: Hawks, 76ers, Kings
Second game: None
Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL at ORL ($9300): Antetokounmpo continues to have a monster year, with the kind of daily double-double and triple-double potential that leads to regular bonus points. In his last five games he is averaging 24 points, 8.4 boards, 7.6 assists, 1.8 blocks and 1.8 steals. On Sunday he will face a Magic defense that ranks 25th against opposing point guards.
Jordan Clarkson, LAL vs ATL ($5900): Clarkson tends to play well when given the opportunity, and with D'Angelo Russell injured he has been getting plenty of playing time. He moved into the starting lineup at shooting guard Friday and responded with 20 points, five steals, four treys and two boards in 38 minutes. He has scored between 16 and 20 points in four of his last five games, and will face a Hawks defense Sunday that ranks an average 15th against opposing shooting guards.
Jamal Murray, DEN at PHO ($4600): Murray has an early game Sunday. For later games, Patrick Beverley makes a good affordable option, but Murray has been playing extremely well lately, with at least 18 points scored in four straight games. It appears he has finally found the shooting stroke that made him a preseason favorite to lead rookies in scoring this year.
Anthony Davis, NO at DAL ($11,300): Davis is one of the highest priced players but continues to live up to the price tag when he's able to finish the game. Outside of the Hawks game when he sat out most of the contest with a knee contusion, Davis has scored at least 31 points in four straight while adding 12 boards, 3.3 assists, 3.3 blocks and 2.0 treys over that stretch.
Wilson Chandler, DEN at PHO ($6600): Chandler also has an early game Sunday, so you may want to look at Maurice Harkless for a later option. Nonetheless, Chandler is starting to climb the scoring ladder with some strong play recently, but his price hasn't caught up to his production yet. Over his last six games he is averaging 21.8 points, 9.0 boards, 2.7 assists, 1.8 treys and 1.0 combined steals/blocks per game.
Brandon Ingram, LAL vs ATL ($4100): Ingram has started the last two Lakers games in place of Julius Randle, who is questionable Sunday with a hip injury. In his two starts, Ingram has averaged 12 points, 6.0 boards, 1.5 assists, 1.5 combined steals/blocks and 1.0 treys per game.
DeMarcus Cousins, SAC at BKN ($10,100): Cousins has been in the zone of late, averaging 30.2 points with 12.4 boards, 4.0 assists, 2.8 treys and 2.0 combined steals and blocks over his last five games. He is way too big and athletic for anyone on the Nets to handle Sunday.
Nikola Vucevic, ORL vs MIL ($6100): Vucevic has come alive over the past two games after a mildly disappointing start to the season. In his last two, he has averaged 19 points, 15 boards, 2.0 assists, 2.0 blocks, 2.0 steals and 0.5 treys per game. For those playing in early games, Joel Embiid is expected to go Sunday against the Cavaliers.
Mason Plumlee, POR vs HOU ($5600): Plumlee has long been a favorite, with consistent assists adding to his nightly double-double potential that allows him to outperform his price tag. He's taken it up a level lately, and in his last tilt he flirted with a triple-double to the tune of 14 boards, 12 points, eight assists and a steal in 33 minutes.
