This article is part of our DraftKings EuroLeague DFS Picks series.
Slate Overview
We have an absolutely loaded slate to kick off Round 14, one that contains as many good plays as I can remember. Due to the abundance of top-tier options, I had to make some difficult decisions when it came to which players to include in this piece. I left off some guys who have been playing well that I think could hit some negative regression in terms of field goal percentage. I also left out some players who have become less attractive with their teams getting healthier. Although some clubs are closer to full strength, a couple others are still dealing with a rash of injuries. Efes remains very thin and will continue running the same rotation they used last week. Partizan has question marks, with several players out and Zach LeDay and James Nunnally among those uncertain for Thursday.
Guards to Go After
Players listed in order of confidence
Preferred Plays
Shane Larkin, Anadolu Efes Istanbul ($11,200)
Efes remains shorthanded, and Larkin gets a great matchup Thursday against a Maccabi club that considers defense optional. Larkin's floor remains very high while his team remains limited.
Facundo Campazzo, Real Madrid ($10,200)
Campazzo had two subpar games during the double-game week, but we know what he's capable of and we're getting a discounted price, so this is a "buy" for me. I don't really pay much mind to matchups when it comes to Campazzo.
Wade Baldwin IV, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv ($10,700)
Lorenzo Brown, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv ($10,600)
As always, having one of these players in your lineup is never a bad idea -- especially against Efes. These guys control the usage and both play heavy minutes.
P.J. Dozier, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade ($8,900)
Partizan could be less than full strength, and even if Nunnally suits up I think Dozier is still squarely in play. He has been playing heavy minutes and has one of the better usage rates on the team. The return of Kevin Punter hasn't really effected him, as both work very well together.
Sterling Brown, ALBA Berlin ($9,200)
This is a deep GPP option here. Brown returned over the weekend and he's a high-usage player who can stuff the stat sheet. The biggest issue with anyone on the ALBA side is playing time, as even the healthy players are capped around 28 minutes per night.
Valuable Values
Kendrick Nunn, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens ($8,300)
It can be scary to trust Panathinaikos guards, as the rug has been pulled a lot and rotations have been inconsistent. Nunn is starting to see regular minutes, though. He's still a little scoring-dependent, but if the playing time sticks he will most likely be a $10,000 player soon.
Nando de Colo, LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne ($8,100)
Man, oh man has he looked good since returning from a late-Novemeber absence. I think the biggest thing has been the coaching change and the system, but he's playing much more freely and looks comfortable out there. The playing time probably won't change, and I think the plan all year is to keep him around 25 minutes. Still, when he's locked in from the field, he can pay off this price tag. The veteran has worked as a reserve since Round 1, so be sure to confirm -- in this Round and down the road -- that he's on the roster before locking him in.
Daniel Hackett, Virtus Segafredo Bologna ($8,200)
Hackett is the best option among the group of players -- one that also includes Isaia Cordinier and Iffe Lundberg -- we have been going with during Alessandro Pajola's absence. If Pajola remains out, they are all still in play. However, if Pajola suits up, it will be tough to go with anyone other than Hackett, and even in his case he will be primarily a fade or a last piece in a GPP lineup.
Justus Hollatz, Anadolu Efes Istanbul ($6,000)
I never though I'd be writing about Hollatz at this price, but here we are. Efes is so thin in the backcourt that he has to see minutes. He has been productive, and that's without any foul trouble for fellow guard Darius Thompson, who can be foul-prone due to his defensive intensity.
Dovydas Giedraitis, Zalgiris Kaunas ($5,600)
Edmond Sumner, Zalgiris Kaunas ($4,800)
Zalgiris is very fickle with backcourt minutes, but these two guys both remain cheap. Sumner has ran into some foul issues in domestic games, and he's not even a lock to play, but if he does he will be an option at his price point. Giedraitis will likely start and get all the shots he can handle -- plus he has been playing well. Before making your final calls, be sure to check on the status of newcomer Austin Hollins.
Frontcourt in Focus
Players listed in order of confidence
Preferred Plays
Joffrey Lauvergne, LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne ($9,700)
Lauvergne has been on a major roll, and he now gets a favorable matchup while remaining below the $10,000 price point.
Serge Ibaka, FC Bayern Munich ($10,400)
He was inactive for the second leg of the double-game week, but he is back in business and will be available for a big-time matchup with Real Madrid. I think Ibaka will be on top of his game against his former club, and 40.0 DraftKings points are in the cards if his playing time remains elevated.
Konstantinos Mitoglou, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens ($10,800)
The price increase and the emergence of Nunn has not been a good recipe for Mitoglou. However, he still has a great floor in a good matchup.
Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne ($10,000)
He is coming off a rare down game, but it's encouraging that he spent another 30 minutes on the court. He nows gets a fast-paced environment after facing the slowest team in league -- Valencia -- his last time out.
Tyrique Jones, Anadolu Efes Istanbul ($9,100)
He didn't go off again in Round 13, but he did record at least 21.3 DraftKings points for the fourth time in as many Rounds. He now gets a Maccabi team that has been absolutely dismantled on the interior dating back to last season.
Kevin Punter, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade ($9,200)
Punter is listed as a forward but fills the point guard spot. His floor will be higher if Nunnally is out, but even if Nunnally suits up, Punter will be a high-ceiling GPP play given the rest of the injuries on the team.
Valuable Values
Mike Scott, LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne ($8,100)
He's still mainly a last piece to include in GPP lineups, but this will be a good bounceback opportunity after he missed all six shots he got up in Round 13.
Maik Kotsar, Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz ($7,600)
I know he let people down as a chalk play in Round 13, but the minutes remained high and he now gets a Virtus team that has been cooked inside a couple times this season. I'll only be trusting him if Matt Costello remains out, though.
Ercan Osmani, Anadolu Efes Istanbul ($4,900)
This man was on pace to do some real damage in Round 13 before running into foul trouble early in the second half. Like Hollatz, he will be leaned on for minutes with all kinds of teammates unavailable.
Alen Smailagic, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade ($6,700)
We will need to monitor the status of his teammates, but if those who are questionable are ruled out I like the price here.
