DraftKings NBA Lineup Advice: Saturday (11/23)

Just as it did last night, tonight’s NBA slate is filled with a 10-game schedule, though one is slated for a 5 p.m. EST tip-off, making the main slate only 9-games deep. In somewhat uncanny fashion, the San Antonio Spurs, Charlotte Hornets, Los Angeles Lakers, Atlanta Hawks, Detroit Pistons, Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Utah Jazz are all operating on a back-to-back. Pay full attention to potential load management players.

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Guards

Fred VanVleet (PG – TOR): $7,300 @ ATL
As it currently stands, the Toronto Raptors and Atlanta Hawks’ contest features the highest implied total of the night among all 10 games. When looking at the matchup, you should feel relatively well about starting any Raptors as the Hawks are ranked 27^th in defensive rating and both teams rank in the top-13 in pace. This contest will be one of the pacier games of the night and the Raptors get to face an incredibly weak defensive team. VanVleet is now the headliner in Toronto (alongside Pascal Siakam) by way of injury, and his performance – like his nickname – has been incredibly steady. Playing huge minutes and producing great numbers, the man they call Steady Freddy is a great play tonight.

Donte DiVincenzo (SG – MIL): $5,100 @ DET
If you’re looking for a relatively decent value at a fair price, DiVincenzo represents that. One thing to note is that his salary has caught up to his production as it is by far and away the peak number he’s sported all season. After being inserted into the starting lineup in place of the injured Khris Middleton, DiVincenzo has been productive, scoring over 25 DraftKings points in his past four contests. His matchup is a good one as the Detroit Pistons rank 22^nd in defensive rating, but they are incredibly slow as they rank 25^th in pace.

R.J. Barrett (SG – NYK): $5,700 @ SA
Barrett has struggled to shoot the ball at an effective clip recently, but a matchup against the San Antonio Spurs could be exactly what the doctor ordered for the Canadian rookie. The once almighty Spurs are ranked 28^th in defensive rating and 14^th in pace, both figures that represent a great matchup for all New York Knicks players. A thumb injury likely has something to do with Barrett shooting the ball poorly, though it hasn’t really stopped him from producing as he’s neared value – or hit – in the majority of his recent games.

Zach LaVine (SG – CHI): $6,600 @ CHA
LaVine has struggled recently on the back of a terrible shooting stretch, but the matchup is a great one as the Charlotte Hornets rank 24^th in defensive rating and 20^th in pace. The pace at which the Hornets play isn’t ideal, but it will be offset by the Chicago Bulls playing at the 8^th fastest pace in the league. Both teams are operating on a back-to-back so it is something to monitor, but LaVine has registered borderline 30 minutes of playing time in his past three contests and his price has reduced after every game, presenting you with a chance to buy low on a good player.

Forwards

Skal Labissiere (PF – POR): $5,600 @ CLE
Labissiere has been priced up aggressively, and with good reason. With the Portland Trail Blazers struggling with injuries recently (Damian Lillard, Hassan Whiteside), Labissiere was counted on as a key bench piece in the last contest against the Milwaukee Bucks, scoring a whopping total of 56 DraftKings points. Sure, the numbers will be incredibly hard to replicate as Labissiere totaled six combined blocks and steals, but with such a great performance and Whiteside’s status still up in the air, he figures to at least remain in the rotation, with the potential to start. The Cavaliers are also a really bad team as they rank 25^th in defensive rating.

OG Anunoby (SF – TOR): $5,300 @ ATL
Anunoby is relied upon far less than his teammate in VanVleet, but he has some incredible lockdown ability as a perimeter defender, and not only that, but he’s shown a great rapport with Siakam as he routinely cuts towards the net and creates easy baskets when Siakam is double-teamed. Anunoby hasn’t been able to remain healthy lately (a lot of fluke stuff to his eyes), but he seems to be good to go for tonight. The Hawks are a terrible defensive team that plays fast and that bodes well for a guy who’s shooting at an incredible clip recently in Anunoby.

LeBron James (SF – LAL): $11,100 @ MEM
Approach James with caution, but by all reports, he will suit up tonight on a back-to-back. James has reduced his scoring load and upped his ability to facilitate, though not much of that matters as the matchup the Los Angeles Lakers get tonight is one of the best available league-wide as the Memphis Grizzlies rank 23^rd in defensive rating and 6^th in pace. James’ price remains incredibly high, but the Washed King still ranks inside the top-25 in usage rate.

Centers

Jakob Poeltl (C – SA): $4,700 @ NY
Like many of the plays tonight, Poeltl is operating on a back-to-back, though it shouldn’t affect him much at his age. Poeltl’s ceiling is certainly capped, but his entrance into a starting role has helped him hit value in four of his last five contests (not all as a starter). The New York Knicks are ranked 19^th in defensive rating and 28^th in pace, so I could understand why you might want to avoid the San Antonio Spurs in this contest.

Khem Birch (C – ORL): $4,300 @ IND
The injuries to PF Aaron Gordon and C Nikola Vucevic have opened up a ton of minutes for members of the Orlando Magic frontcourt, and Birch is likely to be one of the main recipients. Birch was thrust into 21 minutes of playing time against the Raptors when both players suffered their injuries, managing to score 17.0 DraftKings points in 21 minutes. Birch isn’t going to do a ton offensively, but he’s a good rebounder, a solid defender, and a physical player who gives a ton of effort. You could do much worse than Birch at this price, even if the Indiana Pacers are an incredibly tough matchup.

Check out today’s NBA Sharpshooter from DraftKings

Sosa Kremenjas is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Sosa, check out his archive and follow him @QBsMVP.