This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
We've got a packed nine-game slate to cover on Saturday! Before we begin, I'll talk a bit about last night's results.
Unlike so many other pundits out there, I feel it's important to be transparent with my own DFS record – after all, why would you want to read my article if you thought I was a hack? Since I write this column on consecutive days from time-to-time, I'm going to give a brief summary of how things went for me, when possible.
All of my cash lineups scored despite disappointments from Chris Paul and Zach LaVine, but Kemba Walker and Carmelo delivered, and a late surge by Willie Cauley-Stein and Kelly Oubre Jr. put me well into the black, and also gave me some decent tournament cashes. The big winners on the evening matched Montrezl Harrell and Nemanja Bjelica and their low ownership with chalk plays like Durant, Lowry and Wall. I've not had any big tournament wins yet but my cash games are going great, and In the first two weeks of NBA action I'm at a 38.7% ROI. Now that I've gotten that out of the way, let's move on to Saturday's games!
Back-to-back teams: Charlotte, New Orleans, Chicago. The Pelicans get to stay at home while the Hornets will travel up to Philly. There's no real risk of players resting for the Hornets tonight, but it's always beneficial to give them an extra look if you choose to play them. The Bulls, on the other hand, are really starting to confound me. There's so much potential with so many players there, but after getting burned by LaVine and Cameron Payne ($5,000) on Friday, I'm hesitant to go back there. But I may not be able to resist fading Payne at that price against Atlanta.
Speaking of Philly, the ever-popular Simmons/Embiid stack is back on the ledger Saturday, but Joel Embiid rolled his left ankle in practice on Friday and his status is unclear. Keep tabs on this development as it could result in a value play for Mike Muscala ($3,300) and Amir Johnson ($3,400)if Embiid can't go. I would normally favor Johnson slightly here due to his history with the team, but Muscala has logged more minutes in relief, so I think he's the better play. No matter what happens with Embiid, I like Ben Simmons ($9,400) as a reliable cash anchor.
In other injury news, Devin Booker (hamstring) is out tonight, which makes Josh Jackson ($5,100) a good value and an immediate pivot. If you really wanted to make a GPP punt you could also try Jamal Crawford ($3,700) as he'll definitely log more time, but do so at your own risk.
A fun game to watch will be the Lakers as they visit San Antonio. Rajon Rondo ($6,000) is back from suspension and will certainly be well-rested. I like him at this price along with Kyle Kuzma ($6,900), who has the opportunity to light it up for one more game while Brandon Ingram continues his suspension. There's value all over this one, and I'll specify some other targets in this game below.
If you are planning on going with a 10k-plus player, I think Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,700) is the best play at home against Orlando. Anthony Davis scares me on a back-to-back and I think LeBron is too expensive right now.
I'll now select three players at each position along with a small additional list of players that I can also endorse on this slate. In each category, I will endeavor to include one top-shelf candidate, a mid-range player, and a low-cost value play.
GUARDS
Victor Oladipo, IND at CLE ($7,700): I slid past Damian Lillard after taking a look at Miami's surprisingly stingy defense thus far, and ended up seeing the exact opposite for Cleveland. They are currently ranked 22nd against starting shooting guards, and they really haven't faced many challenges in that category. Their toughest tests came from Kent Bazemore and Andrew Wiggins, and both of them went off. The Pacers are well-rested and I'm confident that Oladipo will deliver.
Eric Bledsoe, MIL vs. ORL ($6,400): As sexier picks like Trae Young rise up the charts into Cost-Prohibitive Land (it's a new theme park - be sure to catch the new LeBron ride), I find myself exploring some familiar targets that are always in the mid-range pool. Bledsoe's shooting the ball exceptionally well and when you look at Orlando's ability to defend the point, you see Lillard, Irving, Walker and Dragic absolutely dismantling them. The only one who didn't fare well was Ben Simmons, and that's because he got hurt. I think this adds up to a potentially explosive night for Bledsoe.
Rodney McGruder, MIA vs. POR ($5,300): I'm going to keep riding McGruder until the return of Justise Winslow (hamstring) and James Johnson (hernia). He's clearly outplayed any substitute and he will be key in staying competitive against the tandem of Lillard and McCollum. In his last game against the Knicks, he went 8-for-8 along with three 3-pointers and his sole missed shot was a free throw. He's also been a consistent source of rebounds and assists. This kind of production won't last long, so I'm using him at this price while I can.
Other guards to consider: Mike Conley, MEM vs, PHO, Elfrid Payton, NO vs, UTA ($6,400), Josh Hart, LAL at SA ($5,600)
FORWARDS
LaMarcus Aldridge, SA vs. LAL ($9,000): It's time to give Aldridge his due. Although he faltered a bit against Indiana on Wednesday, it hardly put a dent in his stellar 47.3 per-game scoring average. I think too many people are latching on to the Spurs' history of slow-paced play and aren't taking into account how DeMar DeRozan has changed the look of this team. Besides, the Lakers will push the tempo in this early rematch, and Aldridge should be able to come close to the 62 DKFP beatdown he gave to the Lakers last week.
Taurean Prince, ATL vs, CHI ($6,600): This pick may be a tad contrarian, which is why I think he's more palpable as a GPP target, but I may still use him in a cash lineup or two. I've already stated that Chicago is one of the more confounding offenses to figure out in the early weeks, and their defense is no different. While they sit squarely in the middle of the pack in terms of defensive efficiency, they haven't yet settled on who's going to take the reins at the wing positions. The loss of Bobby Portis has certainly put a dent in their arsenal, so I'm high on Prince based on the opponent, not the player. This also leads me to endorse teammate Kent Bazemore ($5,700), who has come alive in the past couple of games.
Larry Nance, Jr., CLE vs. IND ($5,200): Nance is back from injury and it couldn't come at a better time. Cleveland is on its way to signing a lease for the basement of the Eastern Conference, and getting Nance more playing time will certainly help matters. I have other players in mind at center so I'm slotting him here, but he's clearly a better choice at the five than Tristan Thompson. It's only a matter of time before Nance unseats him. This could be the first game where we start to see true evidence of that.
Other forwards to consider: Blake Griffin, DET vs. BOS ($8,800), Khris Middleton, MIL vs. ORL ($7,200), Marcus Morris, BOS at DET ($4,400)
CENTERS
Nikola Vucevic, ORL at MIL ($8,300): Vucevic is on a torrid three-game tear where he's averaging 25 points, 12 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game. I don't need to tell you that it adds up to some serious DKFP value. The Bucks have Antetokounmpo, but Brook Lopez is no match for Vucevic and he should have free reign on the boards in this game. I'm prone to roster most centers against the Bucks, but this matchup is especially optimal.
Marc Gasol, MEM vs. PHO ($7,100): I'm hoping people shy away from Gasol due to his injury designation. He's definitely playing on Saturday, and he's enjoying a 33 DKFP average over four games. He's also coming off two straight double-doubles, and I think he's in line for a third, especially if Deandre Ayton's questionable tag holds.
JaVale McGee, LAL at SA ($5,600): McGee played well against a sting Spurs defense in their first meeting last week He netted 31 DKFP there, and I see no reason to think he'll tank on Saturday. With other LA acquisitions grabbing all the headlines, McGee is the biggest surprise. He's an excellent value target on a slate that favors going low on centers.
Other centers to consider: Rudy Gobert, UTA at NO ($7,400), Alex Len, ATL vs. CHI ($5,300)
