After a monster 11-game slate on Monday, we’re down to just four games here. That makes the prize pool extremely thin, but there’s still plenty to get excited about. We’ve had a couple of solid days, so let’s build off of that momentum here!
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Check out today’s NBA Tip-Off from DraftKings
Most Value Per Dollar
This should be a fascinating slate from a betting perspective. While the Los Angeles Clippers are likely to be massive favorites over the Orlando Magic, every other one should be close. We anticipate Phoenix and Denver being short home favorites while the Washington-Charlotte game looks like a true pick-em. That game should also be the highest-scoring game of the night, with the Hornets and Wizards both having terrible defenses. The Magic team total will likely be flirting 100 points, and they’re easily going to be the lowest-scoring team of the night opposing a stout Clippers defense.
If you’d like to see more information on how the betting landscape will be for this slate, check out BettingPros.
Below is a list of the top players of the day expected to generate the most value relative to their salary. These are ranked in order.
Gordon Hayward (CHA) $7,600
We love playing people against Washington, and that makes Hayward my favorite value of the day. We say that because the Wizards currently rank 27th in defensive efficiency while playing at the NBA’s fastest pace. That’s fantastic news for Gordon, with the former Butler ball-handler taking on a lot more usage in the absence of LaMelo Ball. More importantly, he’s played at least 37 minutes in three of his last four games. That looks awesome when you see that he dropped 40 DraftKings points across just 30 minutes in his first and only meeting with the Wizards earlier this year.
Dwayne Bacon (ORL) $5,700
It’s been hard to figure out who’s going to be the guy in Orlando with Nikola Vucevic, Evan Fournier, and Aaron Gordon all traded, but early results tell us that Bacon is the tastiest of the bunch. In the first two games without those guys, he’s taken at least 19 shots in each while averaging over 35 DK points per game. That’s all you can ask for from such a cheap player, and he’ll have to continue firing up shots for this G-League roster.
Tobias Harris (PHI) $8,500
Toby has been the best player since Joel Embiid went down, leading the team with a 29 percent usage rate with him off the floor. That bigger role has led to Harris scoring at least 34 DK points in eight-straight games while averaging 46 fantasy points per game in that span. Denver’s 20th-ranked defense is far from worrisome too.
Deandre Ayton (PHO) $6,400
Ayton is tough to trust, but his price is getting to a point where we can’t fade him. This guy has shown $8K talent in the past and has scored at least 33 DraftKings points in five-straight fixtures. We can’t ask for more from a sub-$7K player, especially with his 38-point average in that span. Atlanta is a stupendous matchup, too, with the Hawks ranked 22nd in defensive efficiency ratings.
Reggie Jackson (LAC) $4,900
With Lou Williams being traded and Patrick Beverley injured, R-Jax has recaptured the starting point guard job in Los Angeles. In his 24 starts this season, Jackson is averaging 23 fantasy points per game in 27 minutes a night. A 41-point gem two games ago shows the sort of upside this guy has, and he should have no problem cruising through a mangled Magic lineup.
Devonte Graham (CHA) $6,100
Graham has also been a huge beneficiary to Ball’s injury, finding himself back in the starting lineup. He actually averaged over 32 DK points per game in that role last season and entered this matchup scoring at least 30 fantasy points in three-straight. We love that against a Wizards team that surrenders the most fantasy points in the NBA to opposing shooting guards.
Ivica Zubac (LAC) $5,900
The Clippers have been a different team since making Zubac their starting center, and it’s a wonder why they didn’t make this move earlier. He’s actually scored at least 22 fantasy points in all seven starts he’s made, posting a 32-point average in this role. We love that in such a tasty matchup, especially with Orlando sending out three centers in their rotation.
Mo Bamba (ORL) $4,900
Orlando is in full-on rebuild mode, and it’s about time that Mo gets the minutes he needs to be productive. It’s been trending that way since the trade, with Bamba collecting 48.3 DK points across 39 total minutes over the last two games. He’s shown that sort of rate before, and as long as he keeps playing 20-plus minutes, Mo is hard to fade at this price.
Check out our NBA Prop Bet Cheat Sheet for the top bets of the day
Studs Worth Their Salary
- Russell Westbrook (WAS) $10,900: Westbrook really isn’t getting the credit he deserves. He’s returned to the OKC player that made him an MVP, flirting with triple-doubles every time out. In fact, Westbrook is averaging 22.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, 11.2 assists, and 1.6 steals over his last games 22 played. We certainly don’t expect a 21st-ranked Hornets defense to prevent him from picking up another one. All of that doesn’t even include his Monday gem, with Russ collecting 35 points, 14 rebounds, and 21 assists in one of the performances of the year.
- Nikola Jokic (DEN) $10,500: Jokic is currently the frontrunner for MVP, and he’s also leading the NBA with nearly 60 DraftKings points per game. That absurd average makes him impossible to avoid on a four-game slate, especially with Philly missing Embiid at center. That should allow Jokic to feast on these backups and continue his ridiculous form.
- Devin Booker (PHO) $8,300: I wanted to pick someone who was not necessarily the highest-priced guy, and Booker makes for a fantastic play around $8K. What makes him such a great option is his floor, scoring at least 32 DK points in 32 of his 37 games this year. That’s led to a 36-point average for the season, and he’s been even better recently. The best part of this play might be the matchup, though, with Atlanta ranked 22nd in defensive efficiency.
Notable Players to Fade
- Aaron Gordon (DEN) $6,200: Gordon was a good player in Orlando when he was one of the primary playmakers, but that’s not going to be the case in Denver. He’s going to have to compete with Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Michael Porter Jr. for touches, making him hard to trust. In his first game with the Nuggets, AG had just 20 DK points in an ugly fantasy performance.
- Michael Carter-Williams (ORL) $5,800: We thought MCW would be running the show in Orlando, but this price has gotten out of control. He hasn’t played at this level all season long, and we really don’t like that he’s dealing with a knee injury too. Not to mention, the Clippers rank sixth in points allowed and could hold Orlando to 90 points.
- Kevin Huerter (ATL) $4,800: Huerter has been shifted to the bench the last two games, and it’s no surprise when you see his recent form. He’s actually failed to reach 17 fantasy points in each of his last five games, making him a tough sell against a Top-5 Suns defense.
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Beyond our daily fantasy basketball content, be sure to check out our Daily Fantasy Basketball Tools. Our Lineup Optimizer 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.
Joel Bartilotta is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Joel, check out his archive and follow him @Bartilottajoel.