DraftKings NBA: Saturday Cheat Sheet

Andre' Snellings looks to the titanic Saturday matchup between the Spurs and Warriors for Kawhi Leonard to have a big game.
DraftKings NBA: Saturday Cheat Sheet
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Team Analysis

Defense to Avoid:
Utah Jazz
at Chicago Bulls

The Spurs are the best defense in the NBA but face the Warriors in a heavyweight championship fight, so all bets are off. Instead, let's look to the Jazz, who have also been dominant defensively all season and have their twin defensive towers healthy against a Bulls frontline that is extremely injured. The Jazz rank 11th in the NBA against point guards, first against shooting guards, eighth against small forwards, eighth against power forwards and fifth against centers.

Offense to Use:
Atlanta Hawks, vs. Houston Rockets

In a mirror to the defense, the Warriors are the best offense in the universe but play the Spurs in San Antonio, so they can't be recommended. Instead, go with the Hawks against a poor Rockets defense that is 25th against point guards, 25th against shooting guards, 30th against small forwards, 19th against power forwards and 14th against centers.

Teams on Back-to-Backs:

First game: Clippers, Knicks, Jazz
Second game: Cavaliers, Pistons, Warriors, Rockets, Thunder

Recommendations:

Point Guard

Shelvin Mack, UTA at CHI ($6,000): Mack has been in the zone this week, with four consecutive games of 35.75 to 44.75 fantasy points. He has been particularly aggressive in the last couple games with Gordon Hayward struggling or out with plantar fasciitis.

Other options: Tony Parker, SA vs. GS ($4,500), Jeff Teague, ATL vs. HOU ($6,200)

Shooting guard

Bojan Bogdanovic, BKN at DET ($5,200): Bogdanovic is playing the best ball of his career. In his last two games he is averaging 35 points, 5.5 boards and 3.5 assists per game.

Other options: Rodney Hood, UTA at CHI ($5,800), Josh Richardson, MIA vs. CLE ($4,300)

Small Forward

Kawhi Leonard, SA vs. GS ($8,300): Leonard is playing in arguably the biggest game of the season Saturday night, against a Warriors juggernaut that has not been particularly good against small forwards this year.

Other options: Kent Bazemore, ATL vs. HOU ($5,000), Michael Beasley, HOU at ATL ($4,400)

Power forward

Paul Millsap, ATL vs. HOU ($8,100): Millsap has averaged almost 43 fantasy points per game in his last four outings and faces a Rockets defense that is below average across the board, including against power forwards.

Other options: Myles Turner, IND vs. OKC ($4,900), Derrick Favors, UTA at CHI ($7,300)

Center

Dwight Howard, HOU at ATL ($7,500): Howard has a great matchup against the Hawks, who are 27th in the NBA at limiting production to centers. The last time they faced each other, both Howard and Hawks center Al Horford put up monster games.

Other options: Rudy Gobert, UTA at CHI ($6,300), Andre Drummond, DET vs. BKN ($8,000)

Injury Report

Out:

Rondae Hollis Jefferson, BKN (ankle)
Pau Gasol, CHI (knee)
Mo Williams, CLE (knee)
Jodie Meeks, DET (foot)
Andre Iguodala, GS (ankle)
Andrew Bogut, GS (toe)
Kevon Looney, GS (hip)
Festus Ezeli, GS (knee)
Blake Griffin, LAC (hand/quad)
Mike Conley, MEM (Achilles)
Brandan Wright, MEM (knee)
Vince Carter, MEM (leg)
Zach Randolph, MEM (knee)
Chris Andersen, MEM (shoulder)
Tyler Johnson, MIA (shoulder)
Chris Bosh, MIA (blood clots)
Tony Wroten, NY (knee)
Cleanthony Early, NY (knee)
Alec Burks, UTA (ankle)
Bradley Beal, WAS (pelvis)
Alan Anderson, WAS (ankle)

Game-Time Decision

Kent Bazemore, ATL (knee)
Willie Reed, BKN (knee)
E'Twaun Moore, CHI (hamstring)
Ian Mahinmi, IND (back)
Lance Thomas, NY (knee)
Gordon Hayward, UTA (foot)

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Andre' Snellings is a Neural Engineer by day, and RotoWire's senior basketball columnist by night. He's a two-time winner of the Fantasy Basketball Writer of the Year award from the Fantasy Sports Writers Association.
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