DraftKings NBA: Saturday Cheat Sheet

Written by

Updated on January 2, 2016 7:41AM EST

Team Analysis

Defense to Avoid:
San Antonio Spurs vs. Houston Rockets
The Spurs have been the No. 1 defense in the NBA for quite a while now, mixing a stifling per-possession defensive rate with a slow pace. On a position-by-position basis, they are elite at defending opposing shooting guards (first overall), small forwards (first) and power forwards (first) while being more reasonable against point guards (15th) and centers (20th). Of the most productive Rockets, only Dwight Howard has a solid match-up against the Spurs.

Offenses to Use:
San Antonio Spurs vs. Houston Rockets
The Spurs have similar matchup advantages on offense as they do on defense. The Rockets are reasonably friendly across the board, ranking 27th against point guards, 17th against shooting guards, 30th against small forwards, 21st against power forwards and 17th against centers. Thus, Kawhi Leonard gets a crack at the worst small forward defense in the NBA and every Spurs player has a plus matchup.

Teams on Back-to-Backs:
First game: Nuggets, Suns
Second game: Hornets, Mavericks, Magic, 76ers

Daily Player Recommendations

Point Guard
Trey Burke, UTA vs MEM ($4,600): Burke has been the early beneficiary of Alec Burks' injury, which has coincided with Derrick Favors dealing with back issues and Rudy Gobert's continued recovery from a knee injury. There was a big offensive void to fill and Burke has been doing it, averaging 25 points, 3.5 assists and 2.0 combined steals and blocks per game over his last two.

Other suggestions: Tony Parker, SA vs HOU ($5,100); Jrue Holiday, NO at DAL ($5,200)

Shooting Guard
Khris Middleton, MIL at MIN ($6,800): Middleton has gone nuts in his last two games, averaging 34.5 points, 5.5 assists, 2.5 boards and 2.0 combined steals and blocks per game against the Thunder and Pacers. The Timberwolves are decent at defending opposing wings, but if Middleton is still hot then his production potential is well beyond his price tag.

Other suggestions: Klay Thompson, GSW vs. DEN ($7,700); Will Barton, DEN at GSW ($7,300)

Small Forward
Kawhi Leonard, SAS vs. HOU ($8,500): The Rockets are last in the NBA in production allowed to opposing small forwards. Leonard had scored at least 33 fantasy points in his nine previous games before a "quiet" 27.5 in his last outing against the Suns; Saturday against the Rockets is an excellent opportunity for a bounce back.

Other suggestions: Jerami Grant, PHI at LAC ($4,500); Andre Iguodala, GSW vs. DEN ($5,200)

Power Forward
Cody Zeller, CHA vs. OKC ($5,000): Saturday will be the second half of a back-to-back, but Zeller has scored at least 22 fantasy points in seven straight games, including a 15-point, nine-rebound, three-block effort Friday night. With Al Jefferson injured, Zeller and Frank Kaminsky are both called upon to carry a heavier load, and Zeller in particular has been consistent at producing in his absence.

Other suggestions: Nerlens Noel, PHI at LAC ($6,500)l; Ersan Ilyasova, DET at IND ($5,300)

Center
Zaza Pachulia, DAL vs NOP ($5,600): Pachulia is also on the second half of a back-to-back, but he has been playing even better than Zeller, with four straight games of at least 34 fantasy points. On Friday, he scored 36.25 fantasy points with a 14-point, 13-rebound double-double, and on Saturday he faces a Pelicans defense that is 28th in the NBA at limiting production to opposing centers.

Other suggestions: Dwight Howard, HOU at SAS ($7,100), Greg Monroe, MIL at MIN ($6,400)

Injury Report

Out
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, CHA (shoulder)
Al Jefferson, CHA (knee)
Jodie Meeks, DET (foot)
Blake Griffin, LAC (quad)
Brandan Wright, MEM (knee)
Matt Barnes, MEM (suspension)
Greivis Vasquez, MIL (ankle)
Nikola Pekovic, MIN (Achilles)
Quincy Pondexter, NO (knee)
C.J. Watson, ORL (calf)
Hollis Thompson, PHI (eye)
Rudy Gobert, UTA (knee)
Alec Burks, UTA (ankle)

Game-Time Decision
Jeremy Lin, CHA (ankle)
Spencer Hawes, CHA (back)
Devin Harris, DAL (back)
Jusuf Nurkic, DEN (knee)
Emmanuel Mudiay, DEN (ankle)
Nikola Jokic, DEN (knee)
Danilo Gallinari, DEN (ankle)
Stephen Curry, GS (leg)
Leandro Barbosa, GS (shoulder)
Harrison Barnes, GS (ankle)
Festus Ezeli, GS (toe)
Jordan Hill, IND (mouth)
Ian Mahinmi, IND (knee)
Tim Duncan, SA (knee)
Derrick Favors, UTA (back)

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.