This article is part of our DraftKings EuroLeague DFS Picks series.
Slate Overview
It's only a three-game slate, but it should be super fun with a ton of great plays that will make it easy to build multiple lineups. The absences we want to take advantage of Friday are Paris Lee for ASVEL and a number of players for ALBA. The enigma of the day is what to do with Baskonia's top players, as if ALBA can keep it close they have 4x upside. Good luck, everyone, and have a great weekend !
Guards to Go After
Players listed in order of confidence
Preferred Plays
Kendrick Nunn, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens ($11,100)
He's finally reached the elite level, and as long as Luca Vildoza is not around to steal a few minutes, I have no issue paying this price in the right matchup. His matchup against a Lee-less ASVEL club is very enticing and should give him every opportunity to flirt with a 4x game.
Codi Miller-McIntyre, Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz ($11,200)
It's an incredible up-and-down environment for the triple-double recorder, with the worry being Baskonia is a big favorite and will take on a poor ALBA team that will be down some of its top players. If you believe the contest will be competitive, Miller-McIntyre should be a priority.
Kostas Sloukas, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens ($8,200)
I like Sloukas for all the same reasons I like Nunn, and I will have a tough time not including one or the other in my lineups.
P.J. Dozier, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade ($8,600)
Aleksa Avramovic, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade ($8,000)
These two guys will benefit most from the continued absence of James Nunnally. Dozier cannot get out of his own way foul-wise, which allowed Avramovic to play more minutes in Round 27 even though Dozier started.
Nando de Colo, LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne ($8,100)
No Lee means we might see de Colo get unleashed to an extent. I think he gets 26-to-28 minutes, which is a lot for the veteran. He's pretty strong when it comes to fantasy points per minute, and I'll look past a tough matchup against Jerian Grant given the opportunities he should get at a reasonable price point.
Valuable Values
Sterling Brown, ALBA Berlin ($7,500)
All we've ever asked from Brown was for minutes, and there's a chance he might be forced into playing more Friday with how shorthanded ALBA is. Brown also gets a boost for the matchup against the league's fastest team in Baskonia.
Noam Yaacov, LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne ($4,300)
He has been playing well and now will get a huge opportunity to step up and help de Colo replace all of Lee's usage and minutes.
Rodney McGruder, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan ($6,800)
Maodo Lo, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan ($6,600)
Shabazz Napier returns for Milan, but I still like the two bench guards at their respective prices. McGruder can stuff the stat sheet and can rack up the defensive stats whereas Lo can be a playmaker or pure scorer when needed.
Malte Delow, ALBA Berlin ($5,300)
Martin Hermannsson, ALBA Berlin ($5,500)
These guards should benefit most from Matteo Spagnolo being out -- and they will also be helped be the absence of Gabriele Procida. ALBA should finally be forced to run a 9-10 man rotation, which is very friendly for the style they play.
Frontcourt in Focus
Players listed in order of confidence
Preferred Plays
Chima Moneke, Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz ($10,700)
Much like Miller-McIntyre, if this game stays within 20 points he could absolutely go off on ALBA's defense -- especially with Johannes Thiemann unavailable.
Shavon Shields, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan ($10,300)
With nearly everyone available for Milan, Shields is not as much of a lock as he was previously, but I think he's a fine contrarian option in this range with Milan likely being sped up.
Mathias Lessort, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens ($11,000)
He's coming off a huge night and now gets the league's softest interior defense. Lessort could be primed for another monster performance.
Nikola Mirotic, EA7 Emporio Armani Milan ($8,700)
Mirotic is the wild card of the slate in my opinion. He's always dealing with some type of injury but the ceiling -- particularly at this price -- is just so appealing.
Valuable Values
Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne ($7,700)
Edwin Jackson, LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne ($6,000)
With Lee and Mike Scott out of the lineup these guys benefit in different ways. Luwawu-Cabarrot should handle the ball more and Jackson could see extra minutes at the small forward spot.
Tadas Sedekerskis, Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz ($7,000)
The price is just so cheap for a guy who could get a double-double in the first half of this game. The floor is scary with him not scoring consistently, but the price keeps me intrigued.
Louis Olinde, ALBA Berlin ($6,900)
Yanni Wetzell, ALBA Berlin ($6,700)
Someone is going to have to score for ALBA besides Brown, and other than Brown and Matt Thomas, I think these players do the best job creating their own shots.
Mateusz Ponitka, Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade ($3,900)
Ioannis Papapetrou, Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens ($3,800)
I don't think they're needed, but here are two of the best punt options available. I think both could see around 20 minutes, and neither will run you even $4,000.
