We end the weekend with a satisfying five-game slate. This amount is more appealing because of the smaller player pools and less news to dissect, naturally leading to less chaos. In addition, it’s often less difficult to identify the optimal plays. So without further ado, let’s jump into the game totals and injury report before digging into the meat and potatoes of today’s players that stand out.
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Schedule and Odds
- BKN @ DET (+8.5) O/U: 213
- DAL @ OKC (+4.5) O/U: 210
- NO @ SA (-2.5) O/U: 220
- MIN @ POR (-1.5) O/U: 220.5
- ORL @ LAL (-10.5) O/U: 221
Check out our consensus game odds as well as the odds from each sportsbook at BettingPros
Injury Report
Core Plays
Kevin Durant (SF/PF – BKN): $11,000 DraftKings, $10,800 FanDuel
The Nets already ruled out James Harden (rest) for today’s contest against the Detroit Pistons, paving the way for Durant to eat early and often. Brooklyn is also down Kyrie Irving (personal) and Joe Harris (ankle). That’s three of the team’s top-four scorers, which should lead KD to take 30-plus shots today. Durant is in the MVP race while sharing the court with Harden, so it’s scary to think about what he’ll do with 40 minutes and a 35% usage rate. This 22nd-ranked Detroit defense is in for a long day. Durant is in a beautiful spot today and is my favorite play on the slate.
We end the weekend with a satisfying five-game slate. This amount is more appealing because of the smaller player pools and less news to dissect, naturally leading to less chaos. In addition, it’s often less difficult to identify the optimal plays. So without further ado, let’s jump into the game totals and injury report before digging into the meat and potatoes of today’s players that stand out.
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Schedule and Odds
- BKN @ DET (+8.5) O/U: 213
- DAL @ OKC (+4.5) O/U: 210
- NO @ SA (-2.5) O/U: 220
- MIN @ POR (-1.5) O/U: 220.5
- ORL @ LAL (-10.5) O/U: 221
Check out our consensus game odds as well as the odds from each sportsbook at BettingPros
Injury Report
Core Plays
Kevin Durant (SF/PF – BKN): $11,000 DraftKings, $10,800 FanDuel
The Nets already ruled out James Harden (rest) for today’s contest against the Detroit Pistons, paving the way for Durant to eat early and often. Brooklyn is also down Kyrie Irving (personal) and Joe Harris (ankle). That’s three of the team’s top-four scorers, which should lead KD to take 30-plus shots today. Durant is in the MVP race while sharing the court with Harden, so it’s scary to think about what he’ll do with 40 minutes and a 35% usage rate. This 22nd-ranked Detroit defense is in for a long day. Durant is in a beautiful spot today and is my favorite play on the slate.
Kristaps Porzingis (PF – DAL): $8,000 DraftKings, $8,500 FanDuel
Porzingis should also see extra opportunities due to teammate Luka Doncic (ankle) sitting out today’s game. For whatever reason, Porzingis plays much better with Doncic off the court, averages around 40 fantasy points per game, a 34% usage rate, and close to 1.4 DK points per minute. Porzingis is at an appealing price, and he’ll get a bump across the board against the Oklahoma City Thunder, who surrender the second-most fantasy points to opposing power forwards this season.
Brandon Ingram (SG/SF – NO): $9,000 DraftKings, $8,600 FanDuel
Ingram is the focal point of this New Orleans Pelicans offense, and he is playing great basketball on both ends of the court. His recent play makes him an excellent candidate for a core piece today on DraftKings and FanDuel. He’s gone over 55 fantasy points in two of his last four games and just scored 43 against Detroit. There’s still no Zion Williamson (foot), so Ingram has the keys to this offense. Look for him to sustain the hot hand against the Spurs.
Cash Game Considerations
Saddiq Bey (SF/PF – DET): $4,800 DraftKings, $4,800 FanDuel
Jerami Grant (thumb) suffered an injury to his hand over the weekend that will keep him out indefinitely. As Detroit’s best player and top defender, his absence leaves a ton of usage and opportunity left on the table. Bey should be a primary beneficiary and one of the focal points of this Detroit offense. With Grant off the floor this season, Bey has a 22% usage rate and averages 1.05 fantasy points per minute. As a result, he should see a significant increase in touches, shots, and usage, making him an excellent play at below $5K. Bey projects well as an extreme value and smash cash-game play.
Jalen Brunson (PG/SG – DAL): $5,300 DraftKings, $5,800 FanDuel
When Doncic (ankle) sits, you can count on Brunson to start in his place. His price is too cheap considering how he has performed when stepping into the Mavericks’ starting role. In six starts, Brunson is averaging 21.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, 6.8 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. A sub-$6K price tag is too low for a player taking over for Doncic, whose 36% usage rate leads the NBA.
Isaiah Stewart (PF/C – DET): $5,800 DraftKings, $5,400 FanDuel
Stewart will also benefit from Grant missing time. In addition, Kelly Olynyk (OUT) is also sitting tonight’s game out, limiting Detroit’s frontcourt options. Stewart will thus receive extra minutes and rebounding opportunities, so he should help your lineup today. He’s also playing well lately, scoring 30 or more fantasy points in three of his last five games. Stewart provides a solid floor tonight, so you can plug him into your cash lineups with confidence.
GPP Targets
Karl-Anthony Towns (C – MIN): $10,000 DraftKings, $9,500 FanDuel
Towns has the skillset to blow a slate wide open, making him a perfect GPP candidate. He has 38 or more fantasy points in all but five games this season, so he also provides a solid floor. Sitting below $10K on FanDuel is especially appealing, but with many viable mid-range options today, his $10,000 salary on DraftKings is more than reasonable. The best thing about playing Towns is he draws a great matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers, who are 25th in points allowed and 28th in defensive efficiency.
Jusuf Nurkic (C – POR): $7,100 DraftKings, $6,100 FanDuel
Damian Lillard (abdomen) is questionable for today’s game after missing the last five, and CJ McCollum (lung) is out for the foreseeable future. The absence of Portland’s All-Stars has bolstered Nurkic’s fantasy value. Since both stars went down, Nurkic has generated a 36% usage rate and scored at least 29 fantasy points in seven of his last eight games, including a 55-fantasy-point performance. In addition, Nurkic goes up against Towns, one of the NBA’s worst defensive centers, so he should have a smooth path to continuing his recent play.
Cade Cunningham (PG/SG – DET): $7,500 DraftKings, $7,400 FanDuel
We have already discussed how Grant’s injury will open up extra opportunities for other Pistons players, and Cunningham is also in line to take advantage. The rookie is still adjusting to the NBA pace, but he has shown flashes of upside this season, making him a viable GPP target. We have seen multiple performances of 50 fantasy points or more already, so he can land us at the top of the leaderboard. In addition, Brooklyn carries an OPRK of 25th, which makes Cunningham’s outlook tonight look even better.
Value Plays
Patty Mills (PG/SG – BKN): $4,900 DraftKings, $4,900 FanDuel
Someone else on the Nets will have to score besides Durant, and Mills will be on the floor for 30-plus minutes against a Pistons squad carrying a 30th OPRK on FanDuel. Mills is shooting close to 50% from behind the arc and making 3.9 threes per game while averaging 12.7 points. If he can catch fire from deep, Mills will have no problem paying off his $4,900 salary on either site. Minutes and opportunity alone make him a solid value.
Herbert Jones (PF/C – NO): $4,100 DraftKings, $5,000 FanDuel
DraftKings is too low on Jones, which is why I like him as one of my favorite value plays. Jones had his best performance of his young career Wednesday against the Denver Nuggets, recording 19 points, seven rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and a steal for 38.3 DK points in 39 minutes. Having now scored 25 or more fantasy points in four of his last six games, he’s starting to find his form and settle into the NBA. At just $4,100, take a flier on Jones for some salary relief.
Terrence Ross (SG/SF – ORL): $3,700 DraftKings, $4,300 FanDuel
Ross is also too cheap on DraftKings. He should be above $4,000 like he is on FanDuel, as he’s scored 20 or more fantasy points in four of his last five games. Ross’s minutes are also trending up over the previous two games, seeing an average of 30.5 compared to the 22.2 he got over his last four. Ross is a scoring-dependent fantasy player, but his shot is dialed in right now, so ride him until the wheels fall off.
Advantageous Pricing
- Terrence Ross (SG/SF – ORL): $3,700 DraftKings, $4,300 FanDuel
- Herbert Jones (PF/C – NO): $4,100 DraftKings, $5,000 FanDuel
- Jusuf Nurkic (C – POR): $7,100 DraftKings, $6,100 FanDuel
- Karl-Anthony Towns (C – MIN): $10,000 DraftKings, $9,500 FanDuel
- Jalen Brunson (PG/SG – DAL): $5,300 DraftKings, $5,800 FanDuel
- Brandon Ingram (SF/SG – NO): $9,000 DraftKings, $8,600 FanDuel
- Isaiah Stewart (C/PF – DET): $5,800 DraftKings, $5,400 FanDuel
- Kristaps Porzingis (PF – DAL): $8,000 DraftKings, $8,500 FanDuel
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Evan Ritter is a featured writer for FantasyPros. For more from Evan, check out his archive and follow him on Twitter.