FanDuel NBA Lineup Advice: Saturday (11/17)

Tonight’s slate features nine games over on FanDuel. There are also plenty of sub-par defenses to target tonight, as teams like the Hawks, Magic, Kings, and Suns will all be in action. So, there are certainly great spots to target on tonight’s slate and a few studs that might be worth breaking the bank for.

Here are a few plays at each position that I will be targeting on tonight’s slate.

Create FanDuel lineups using our DFS Lineup Optimizer tool

Point Guard

Kyle Lowry (TOR): $8,000 at CHI
There is no official word yet, but after Kawhi Leonard played 43 minutes on Friday night, we should be under the impression that he will be rested on Saturday night. If that is the case, Lowry easily becomes one of the best plays on tonight’s slate. In 172 minutes with Leonard off the floor this season, Lowry has averaged 1.52 fantasy points per minute and has a 27.3% usage rate. With the Bulls ranking 24^th in defensive efficiency this season, he is a great target on tonight’s slate.

Jamal Murray (DEN): $7,400 at NOP
Elfrid Payton has returned from injury for the Pelicans and that is great news for opposing point guards. Murray will have a head to head matchup against Payton, who ranked 70^th out of 83 point guards in DRPM last season. While he hasn’t posted a big fantasy game since November 5^th, Murray has churned out consistent – albeit unspectacular – fantasy lines over the past five games, averaging 27.1 points. This game should be competitive and high-scoring which will bode well for Murray. He is in a spot to break out at low ownership.

Shooting Guard                                                                      

Devin Booker (PHO): $7,700 vs. OKC
Booker has been a steady fantasy performer so far this season and his price tag still allows for a decent amount of upside. He has averaged 37.1 fantasy points over the past four games and gets a matchup with a Thunder team that will likely have Russell Westbrook back in the lineup. This actually works in Booker’s favor, as Dennis Schroder – 78^th out of 83 point guards in DRPM last season – will be shifting back to shooting guard and will likely guard him for the majority of the game. Although he put up 29.8 in this same matchup earlier in the week, Booker should have a much better fantasy output tonight.

Terrence Ross (ORL): $5,100 vs. LAL
Ross continues to play consistent minutes off the Magic bench as a high usage scorer. Over the past four games, he has averaged 29.1 fantasy points in 27.1 minutes per game. Tonight’s matchup is extremely friendly, as the Lakers have allowed the most fantasy points to opposing shooting guards this season. At a mid-range price tag, Ross is a great target and he will continue to have plenty of opportunities with his 23% usage rate.

Small Forward

Bojan Bogdanovic (IND): $5,300 vs. ATL
There are great players at the top of the small forward pool tonight, but the problem is their price tags don’t allow for an even lineup build. Due to that, I will be spending down in the small forward pool tonight. Bogdanovic is a high-floor target who has averaged 27.5 fantasy points over the past six games. It’s also encouraging to see a ceiling game mixed into those results, as he went for 42.2 against the Rockets last Sunday. The Hawks are ranked 25^th in fantasy points allowed to small forwards this season and 26^th in defensive efficiency as a whole. Bogdanovic makes sense as a safe mid-range play with a hint of upside.

James Ennis (HOU): $3,800 vs. SAC
With Carmelo Anthony out of the picture, Ennis has been a major beneficiary of his minutes and has really picked up his production over the past two games. He has averaged 29.9 fantasy points in 33.5 minutes in this stretch and he should continue to see minutes in the thirties again tonight. His hot shooting is sure to slow down, but the price tag here is way too cheap based on the change in Ennis’ role. The Kings rank 20^th against small forwards in fantasy points allowed and the Rockets are projected for 116 points in tonight’s game. He might end up being popular, but he is certainly worthy of this at such a cheap price.

Power Forward

Domantas Sabonis (IND): $6,700 vs. ATL
His price tag has continued to creep up, but Sabonis has been playing great basketball all season long. Sabonis has eclipsed 30 fantasy points four times in the past five games and draws a great matchup against the Hawks tonight. On the season, the Hawks rank 30^th in fantasy points allowed to power forwards and rank 26^th in defensive efficiency as a whole. In addition to that, they also rank 29^th in rebounding efficiency which should mean that Sabonis should be able to get in the paint and grab boards at will against this defense. Even at an elevated price tag, Sabonis is firmly in play.

Serge Ibaka (TOR): $6,400 at CHI
Similar to Lowry, Ibaka would become a great play if Kawhi Leonard sat for rest tonight. In 97.9 minutes without Leonard on the floor this season, Ibaka has averaged a massive 1.57 fantasy points per minute with a 30.3% usage rate. That is superstar level production from a not so great player. On top of that, he has averaged 34.5 fantasy points over the past six games and gets a matchup with the Bulls, who rank 28^th in fantasy points allowed to power forwards this season. Even if Leonard plays, this is a spot where Ibaka can have a big game.

Center

Nikola Vucevic (ORL): $8,600 vs. LAL
Since I’m planning on saving at small forward tonight, I will definitely be making an effort to spend up at center on tonight’s slate. Over the past four games, Vucevic has averaged 44.8 fantasy points per game in tough matchups. Tonight, he will get a relatively soft matchup against the Lakers. Even with Tyson Chandler in town, the Lakers are ranked 28^th in fantasy points allowed to centers this season and continue to give up a ton of points on a nightly basis. Vucevic should have no problems scoring in the paint in tonight’s matchup.

Create FanDuel lineups using our DFS Lineup Optimizer tool

Jay Brancato is an NBA fantasy contributor for FantasyPros. You can follow him on Twitter @jay_brancato.