This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
The first day of the NBA is finally upon us! After a wild summer with several big names changing teams, this should make for another exciting season. Let's start that excitement off on the right foot by bringing home some cash on DraftKings.
Guards
Stephen Curry, GS vs HOU ($8,800): Curry had another stellar season in 2016-17 as he averaged 25.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 6.6 assists, 1.8 steals and 4.1 three-pointers per game. His scoring numbers did decrease in his first season playing with Kevin Durant, but he's still extremely valuable. This has the makings of a favorable matchup Tuesday against a Rockets squad that also likes to play at a fast pace.
Kyrie Irving, BOS at CLE ($8,300): Irving starts off the season facing his old squad and he should be highly motivated to succeed in this contest. He averaged a career-high 25.2 points per game last season while also averaging 3.2 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.2 steals and 2.5 three-pointers. As the new main man in Boston, he should be in for a big performance Tuesday.
Eric Gordon, HOU at GS ($4,600): Gordon was excellent for the Rockets last year as he averaged 16.2 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 3.3 three-pointers per game. His production will likely suffer a bit this season with Chris Paul in the fold, but he should still see significant playing time as the first guard off the bench. Expect him to see plenty of minutes Tuesday in a high-scoring game with plenty of small lineups, making him a valuable option at this cheap price.
Forwards
Kevin Durant, GS vs HOU ($9,600): Durant came through his first season with the Warriors with flying colors as he averaged 25.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.1 steals, 1.6 blocks and 1.9 three-pointers per game. Known more for his offensive game, last year was the sixth time in the last eight seasons that he averaged at least one block and one steal per game. Look for another well-rounded performance in this contest.
Jae Crowder, CLE vs BOS ($4,300): While Isaiah Thomas (hip) is the bigger name, Crowder was still a very important part of the trade that sent Irving to the Celtics. Crowder averaged 13.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.0 steal and 2.2 three-pointers over 32 minutes per game last year. He's expected to start for the Cavaliers this season as they shift Kevin Love to center. The price is right to roll with him Tuesday.
Jayson Tatum, BOS at CLE ($3,900): The Celtics drafted Tatum with the third overall pick and will waste no time getting him involved as he is expected to start in place of Marcus Morris (knee) Tuesday. While he shouldn't be expected to score a ton of points in his first taste of real NBA action, he can provide enough production across the board to be an option worth considering at this bargain price.
Centers
Kevin Love, CLE vs BOS ($7,800): As mentioned earlier, Love takes over the starting center job from Tristan Thompson this season as the Cavaliers go small with Crowder and LeBron James at their forward spots. With the shift to small lineups in the NBA, this makes perfect sense for the Cavaliers. Love should take on a more prominent offensive role to start the season with Irving gone and Thomas out, making him a great play Tuesday.
Draymond Green, GS vs HOU ($7,000): Green was clearly impacted by the addition of Durant as he averaged only 10.2 points per game last year after averaging 14.0 points the prior season. While his scoring went down, he still provided great numbers across the board as he averaged 7.9 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 2.0 steals, 1.4 blocks and 1.1 three-pointers per game. Like the rest of the stars on the Warriors, Green is primed to shine against the Rockets.
Clint Capela, HOU at GS ($5,600): Although Capela only played 24 minutes per game last season, he was very productive as he averaged 12.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.0 assist and 1.2 blocks per game. With Paul and James Harden commanding the attention of the opposing defense and also throwing passes his way, Capela could be primed for a career season. On a night with limited cheap options available at center, Capela is one of the most budget-friendly players worth starting.
