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DraftKings DFS NBA Strategy Advice: Tuesday (9/1)

DraftKings DFS NBA Strategy Advice: Tuesday (9/1)

We’re back once again for a Tuesday edition of DFS strategy advice, and tonight’s slate features just two games. Boston/Toronto kicks off the fun at 5:30PM for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semis, and the night concludes with the marquee matchup of Denver/Utah with an 8:30PM tip. There are slim pickins when it comes to value plays here, so no matter who you plug into your lineups, you’ll be absorbing some risk with the selection.

As always, we’ll highlight the best values on the slate, studs to pay for, and notable players to fade. Thanks for reading, and best of luck in your contests tonight!

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Value Plays

Point Guard

NAME (TEAM) OPPONENT PRICE MATCHUP RISK
Marcus Smart (BOS) TOR $6,000 ⭐⭐⭐ Medium
Kemba Walker (BOS) TOR $7,600 ⭐⭐⭐ Low

__________

  • Smart comes in at an affordable $6K price tag given his recent production. He’s gone for at least 34 DK points in two of his last three. If you’re looking to save some coin, you can feel confident deploying Smart in your lineup.
  • With Walker, Kyle Lowry ($7.7K) and Fred VanVleet ($7.8K) all lumped together in the same price range, Walker makes the most sense. He’s averaged just over 46 DK points over his last three outings, and he’s beginning to look like the Kemba we saw in the pre-bubble regular season.

Shooting Guard

NAME (TEAM) OPPONENT PRICE MATCHUP RISK
Norman Powell (TOR) BOS $4,900 ⭐⭐ High
Jordan Clarkson (UTA) DEN $5,400 ⭐⭐⭐ Medium

__________

  • Playing Powell is not for the faint of heart, as his performances can vary significantly from game-to-game. Over his last four, he’s provided 11.75, 44.75, 19.5, and 37.0 DK points, highlighting his big upside and low floor. He comes in at a great price, but I’m only targeting him in tournaments.
  • Clarkson is coming off a stinker, but his ability to score and get hot makes him worthy of consideration at just $5.4K. Utah should be all-hands-on-deck as the Jazz look to hold off the recent onslaught of offensive from Jamal Murray and Co.

Small Forward

NAME (TEAM) OPPONENT PRICE MATCHUP RISK
OG Anunoby (TOR) BOS $4,800 ⭐⭐ Medium
Jerami Grant (DEN) UTA $5,100 ⭐⭐⭐ High

__________

  • Anunoby has produced exactly 24.75 DK points in each of his last two contests, and while his upside isn’t too high, he only needs 24 DK points to hit 5x value. He’s averaged better than 30 minutes thus far in the playoffs, and that’s what you’re looking for in a bargain-salary option.
  • The same is true for Grant who doesn’t have the highest ceiling but is sure to see plenty of minutes in the pivotal Game 7 against the Jazz. Grant has become a fixture in Denver’s starting lineup and will need to contribute as the Nuggets look to complete the comeback in their first-round series.

Power Forward

NAME (TEAM) OPPONENT PRICE MATCHUP RISK
Daniel Theis (BOS) TOR $5,200 ⭐⭐ Medium
Royce O’Neale (UTA) DEN $4,600 ⭐⭐⭐ High

__________

  • Theis is coming off his best game of the playoffs and one of his best of the season as he put up 15 points, 13 boards and three combined blocks/steals in Boston’s blowout Game 1 victory over Toronto. That’s now two straight games of at least 25 DK points, and he’ll look to make it three tonight for Game 2.
  • O’Neale can certainly disappoint, but his ability to stuff the stat sheet across multiple categories gives him some tournament appeal at his price point.

Center

NAME (TEAM) OPPONENT PRICE MATCHUP RISK
Serge Ibaka (TOR) BOS $6,200 ⭐⭐ Low

__________

  • As usual, center is top-loaded with Nikola Jokic ($9.5K) and Rudy Gobert ($7.9K) at the top and a hodgepodge of very unappealing options under $5K. That’s where Ibaka comes in. I’ll fade Jokic in favor of some pricier guards and fade Gobert because he’s undeserving of such a lofty salary, but Ibaka’s price is just right. He’s provided at least 43 DK points in two of his last three contests.

Studs Worth Their Salary

  • Jamal Murray (DEN) $9,700: Murray has been absolutely cooking over his last three games, scoring 142 real points (including two 50-point performances) while stroking 22 threes and averaging 72.5 DK points. It would be ludicrous not to get him into your lineup. Even at nearly $10K, he comes at a bargain.
  • Mike Conley (UTA) $6,800: Conley has been on another level over his last four games, averaging almost 38 DK points in that span. Don’t expect that hot streak to end in the decisive Game 7 against Denver tonight.
  • Pascal Siakam (TOR) $8,000: Siakam is coming off a dud, and at his $8K price tag, he’s likely to be overlooked, making him a nice pivot in tournaments. Don’t forget, he averaged 46.5 DK points in his final two games against Brooklyn.

Notable Players to Fade

  • Rudy Gobert (UTA) $7,900: He’s averaged just under 32 DK points per contest across his last three. I’m not paying up for that kind of production.
  • Kyle Lowry $7,700: He played 35 minutes in his last game, but he’s still dealing with a sprained ankle, and there are better options in his price range.
  • Jayson Tatum (BOS) $9,200: There’s no denying how well he’s performed in the playoffs, but with Kemba Walker heating up and other Celtics beginning to contribute with more regularity, I’ll fade Tatum at this price.
  • Michael Porter (DEN) $5,500: After some big performances in the bubble, MPJ has cooled off considerably and seen his playing time reduced because of his poor defense. He can’t be trusted, even at this price.

Check out today’s NBA Sharpshooter from DraftKings partner-arrow

Beyond our daily fantasy basketball content, be sure to check out our Daily Fantasy Basketball Tools. From our Lineup Optimizer – which allows you to build winning DFS lineups in seconds for Cash and GPP contests – to our DFS Cheat Sheets – that helps you get a quick read on the day’s players – we’ve got you covered this fantasy basketball season.

Zachary Hanshew is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Zachary, check out his archive and follow him @zakthemonster.

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