DraftKings NBA: Friday Cheat Sheet

Team Analysis

Defense to Avoid:

Utah Jazz vs. Los Angeles Lakers: Utah has one of few elite defenses in the NBA and they'll want to show out in their home opener. Last season when Rudy Gobert was in the lineup, Utah had a top-three defense. What makes them especially effective on defense is their pace, as they ranked bottom-five in that category last season. A key for them is to force tough shots late in the shot clock and not allow second-chance opportunities. Lakers youngsters like D'Angelo Russell and Julius Randle play a bit out of control at times, something the Jazz will take full advantage of.

Offense to Use:

Dallas Mavericks vs. Houston Rockets: The new Rockets offense may not be the most effective style of basketball, but it certainly gets fantasy owners excited. Mike D'Antoni has implemented his eight-second offense into a Houston team that has finished bottom-five in defense the last five seasons. That is something that will be beneficial for Houston opponents all season long. What's especially enticing here about Dallas is that this is their home opener and they have some affordable options playing some big minutes. In fact, Dallas has no player over $6,000 and that makes it easy to build a stack with some elite players that would otherwise be too expensive.

Teams on Back-to-Back Set:

First Game: Cavaliers, Hornets, Magic, Nets, Pacers, and Pelicans

Second Game: None

DraftKings.com Player Recommendations

Guards:

Premium:

James Harden, HOU at DAL ($11,300): One of my personal rules this season is to get James Harden or Russell Westbrook ($11,800) into every lineup. Considering Harden is cheaper, he's going to be our guy here. In the opener, Harden put together a 34-point, 17-assist, eight-rebound gem in a loss. What's especially scary is that he handles the ball every time down the floor and will likely lead the league in minutes and usage. The matchup is favorable as well, with Dallas having no one capable of effectively covering Harden.

Mid-Tier:

Deron Williams, DAL vs. HOU ($5,700): Let's continue our DAL/HOU stack with the best value in this game. Williams looked like his old self in the opener, as he scored 25 points and dished out seven assists in 40 minutes of action. Those 40 minutes are the most encouraging part of that line, as it's clear they're willing to give the oft-injured Williams a full-time role. As discussed before, this matchup is fantastic. Williams will be handling the ball in a game with 220-plus possessions and won't have to face defensive stud Patrick Beverley. At under $6,000, Williams is easily the value of the day.

Cheap:

Ish Smith, DET vs. ORL ($4,900): Smith is the fill-in point guard for Detroit in the absence of Reggie Jackson and this pricing doesn't reflect that role. In the opener, Smith struggled his way to a six-point, seven-assist line. That's bad, but the 33 minutes he played and the amount he handled the ball is very encouraging. In order to give us value at $4,900, he won't have to do much more than he did in the opener, which is his floor (in my opinion). What's also promising is the matchup, as the Magic allowed Goran Dragic and Tyler Johnson to own them in their first game.

Forwards:

Premium:

Kevin Durant, GS at NOP ($9,600): Not much needs to be said here, as Durant is a top-notch player in a premium matchup. The Pelicans are easily one of the worst defenses in the league and they have nobody to match up with Durant given their injury-riddled rotation. Golden State is angry too, as they were blown out by the Spurs in their home opener. In that game, Durant still dropped 45 fantasy points and did that damage in less minutes than expected. The price is affordable as well, with three players costing at least $1,300 more than Durant. Look for the Warriors to feed their big addition and show why they acquired him in one of the best matchups possible.

Mid-Tier:

Kevin Love, CLE at TOR ($7,100): Love got off to a great start in the Cavs' opener and it's clear they want to get the former All-Star going. Love put together a 23-point, 12-rebound, three-steal line in what was one of his best games in a Cleveland uniform. The usage is what was eye-popping though, as he took 15 shots and 12 free-throw attempts. He was also running the second-unit out of the post and that will only make him more valuable for fantasy. Toronto is traditionally a tough defense, but power forward has been a weakness for them for years, so this is a great opportunity to get a piece of Love at an affordable price before he inevitably rises to the $8,000 range.

Cheap:

Lance Stephenson, NOP at GS ($3,000): This suggestion makes me cringe, but Stephenson is simply too cheap to avoid. His new role is to be a playmaker off the bench where it's been made clear that he'll get plenty of usage and minutes. In the opener, he played 25 minutes and fell just shy of 20 fantasy points. This Pelicans team desperately needs someone to step up on offense to help Anthony Davis and that very well may be Stephenson. What can also help this play is a potential blowout, as Stephenson will play those fourth-quarter minutes whether it's close or not. This is probably a better cash-play than tournament-play though, as the minimum price makes his floor easy to reach.

Centers:

Premium:

Rudy Gobert, UTA vs. LAL ($7,300): The best way to capitalize on our prediction of the Lakers struggling is by using Gobert. The Frenchman is one of the best defensive centers in the league and could put up a monster line here against a bad team. In fact, Los Angeles ranked in the bottom five in fantasy points allowed to centers last season. Gobert should be able to get his double-double bonus in this matchup and could provide elite numbers in steals and blocks as well. Furthermore, if Derrick Favors sits, Gobert could also be asked to take on an even bigger role in the offense.

Mid-Tier:

Steven Adams, OKC vs. PHX ($5,800): Adams played 35 minutes and took 16 shots in the opener, which were some of the biggest marks of his career. That sort of usage was unexpected, but it's clear he's a major part of the offense with Durant now in Oakland. In that game, he fell just shy of 30 fantasy points and did that damage with minimal rebounds and no blocks. This matchup is the icing on the cake though, with the Suns ranking as one of the worst defenses in the league. They also rarely play small with Tyson Chandler and Alex Len, so Adams should see 30-plus minutes yet again.

Cheap:

Roy Hibbert, CHA at MIA ($3,600): Much like Stephenson, Hibbert is too cheap to avoid. Yes, Hibbert has disappointed for years now, but he's in the best situation since his Indiana days. The Georgetown product is starting at center for the Hornets and playing a huge role. In fact, Hibbert recorded 15 points, nine rebounds, three assists and five blocks across 31 minutes of action in his debut. That's over 10X value on his near-minimum price and that alone makes Hibbert a great tournament option. In addition, the matchup against Hassan Whiteside could keep Hibbert useful, as he is the only big on Charlotte that can match up with Whiteside's size.