This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Team Analysis
Defense to avoid: Utah Jazz, vs ORL. The Jazz are first in the NBA in least production allowed to opposing guards, first against opposing small forwards and fourth against opposing centers over the last 10 games according to the DraftKings scoring system. They are fresh off stifling the Pistons to 34 second half points and only 77 points overall and are also playing at home.
Offenses to Use: San Antonio Spurs, at PHO. The Suns are the opposite of the Jazz, ranking 26th against opposing guards, 24th against opposing forwards, and 22nd against opposing centers this season. Any Spurs player that doesn't rest has a favorable match-up on Saturday.
Teams on Back-to-Backs:
First game: Bulls, Lakers
Second game: Magic, 76ers, Jazz
Bradley Beal, WAS vs PHI ($7,000): Beal is coming off one of his biggest scoring efforts of the season with 35 points against the Celtics, and he could be called on again to carry another heavy load with John Wall dealing with an injured finger on his shooting hand. His Saturday opponent the 76ers is middle-of-the-pack, 15th, in limiting production to opposing shooting guards over the past 10 games.
Eric Bledsoe, PHO vs SA ($6,500): This one is risky, as the Spurs are tied for fourth in the NBA at limiting production to opposing point guards. But Bledsoe has the ability to perform against top defenses -- witness his 41.5 fantasy points in Utah two weeks ago or the 38 fantasy points he put up at Dallas last week. Bledsoe is an almost 40 fantasy ppg player, and his low price on Saturday for potentially elite production makes him a value even against a tough opponent.
Tony Parker, SA at PHO ($4,700): Parker just keeps producing, with at least 24.5 fantasy points in eight of his last nine games. The biggest worry with Parker is always that Coach Popovich decides to rest him either just prior to a game, or even worse once the game has started. But he's been consistently productive at a low price, and has a great match-up on Saturday against a Suns defense that ranks 25th in production allowed to opposing point guards.
Anthony Davis, NO at CHI ($11,400): Davis is questionable for Saturday with a bruised hip that sidelined him on Thursday. If Davis plays, he's always a good bet to be the most productive player in a given night. In his last two healthy games he has a 40-points, 18-rebounds effort and a 36-points, 15-rebounds effort to average almost 68 fantasy points in those two outings. Check for updates to his status before putting him in your lineup.
Otto Porter, WAS vs PHI ($6,600): Porter is averaging 14.8 points, 5.0 boards, 3.8 assists, 2.0 steals, 2.4 treys and 1.6 blocks over his last five games to fill every category. Like Bradley Beal, Porter is another that could be relied upon more heavily if John Wall continues to have trouble with the injured finger on his shooting hand. Porter is facing a 76ers defense that ranks 27th in the league in production allowed to opposing small forwards.
Dario Saric, PHI at WAS ($4,500): Saric is productive in the minutes that he's given, coming off of a 15 points, six boards, four treys, two assists effort in 21 minutes on Friday. He should be in for a larger role on Saturday, as Joel Embiid's absence should free up some frontcourt minutes. His Saturday opponent, the Wizards, rank 21st in the NBA in production allowed to opposing power forwards.
LaMarcus Aldridge, SA at PHO ($6,900): Aldridge was having an outstanding month of January before being sidelined with an illness last week, and that illness (plus the blowout nature of the game) kept his numbers down in his first game back. However, before the illness, Aldridge was averaging 23.3 points, 8.8 boards, 3.0 assists and 1.5 blocks in January and he has had time to fully recover before facing a Suns defense that is tied for 23rd in the NBA in production allowed to opposing power forwards.
Nerlens Noel, PHI at WAS ($5,500): Noel should get more playing time on Saturday with Joel Embiid resting for the night. Noel has been productive when given minutes, averaging 11.3 points, 6.7 boards and 3.3 combined steals/blocks in 23.3 minutes in the three games in which he has played more than 20 minutes this season.
Tyson Chandler, PHO vs SA ($4,900): Chandler is in the midst of another one of his monster rebound runs, averaging 18 boards to go with eight points and a blocked shot over his last four games. The Spurs are second in the NBA at limiting production to opposing centers, but if Chandler's cleaning the glass like this at such a low price he'd be worth it even if he has trouble scoring on Saturday.
