NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: Monday (10/31)

Welcome to the Halloween NBA slate! It was a great weekend with a ton of upsets, but we’re hoping nothing too crazy happens here. The injuries have been driving DFS managers nuts, but it’s added a lot of value from a DFS perspective. We have some of that going on here, so let’s start by looking at the schedule and odds!

View the best player prop bets for tonight’s slate with our NBA Prop Bet Cheat Sheet

Schedule and Odds

• PHI at WAS (PHI -4.5) O/U: 219.5
• SAC at CHA (SAC -1) O/U: 232.5
• IND at BKN (BKN -8.5) O/U: 237.5
• ATL at TOR (TOR -3.5) O/U: 223
• DET at MIL (MIL -12.5) O/U: 229
• MEM at UTA (MEM -3) O/U: 234.5
• HOU at LAC (LAC -10) O/U: 224

Check out our consensus game odds as well as the odds from each sportsbook at BettingPros

Injury Report

• Bogdan Bogdanovic (knee) OUT
• Jaden Ivey (illness) Questionable
• Khris Middleton (wrist) OUT
• Jaren Jackson Jr.(foot) OUT
• Ja Morant (illness) Questionable
• Mike Conley (Achilles) Questionable
• Paul George (illness) Questionable
• Kawhi Leonard (knee) OUT
• Joel Embiid (illness) Questionable
• LaMelo Ball (ankle) OUT
• Terry Rozier (ankle) Doubtful

Core Plays

Paul George (SF – LAC): $9,300 DraftKings, $8,200 FanDuel
This is a risky pick with how Los Angeles has been performing, but something tells me PG13 will go nuts here. He’s been the focal point of the offense without Kawhi in the past, leading the team with a 35 percent usage rate with him off the floor. He also averaged nearly 1.5 DK points per minute in those circumstances and needs to carry this team to a much-needed win. It feels more likely against Houston, with the Rockets ranked dead-last in defensive efficiency and points allowed last year. He’s also killed Houston over recent years, scoring at least 59 fantasy points in two of their previous three meetings.

De’Aaron Fox (PG – SAC): $8,800 DraftKings, $8,600 FanDuel
The Kings look like the same crappy team, but it’s no fault of Fox. This guy has been one of the biggest breakouts in the NBA, scoring at least 41 DraftKings points in all five outings. That’s led to his absurd 50-point average, and it’s hard to understand why he’s still below $9K. A matchup with Charlotte is sensational, too, with the Hornets ranked 22nd in defensive efficiency and 25th in points allowed last year.

Myles Turner (C – IND): $5,500 DraftKings, $6,800 FanDuel
This $5,500 price tag on DK is laughable. Turner is expected to take over this offense in the absence of Domantas Sabonis, seeing an increase in usage and shot attempts this year. That’s massive for a defensive beast like this, with Turner totaling 54.5 DK points in his most recent outing. He did that despite seeing a minute restriction, and we could have that lifted here. Brooklyn is a beautiful matchup, too, ranked 29th in defensive ratings.

Cash Game Considerations

Giannis Antetokounmpo (PF – MIL): $12,500 DraftKings, $12,000 FanDuel
Giannis and Luka Doncic stand above everyone else in fantasy right now. The Greek Freak has at least 59 DK points in all five games, leading this slate with a 66-point average. That’s 13 points higher than anyone else on this slate, making Antetokounmpo the safest play on the board. We’re obviously not worried about him facing this Detroit defense, ranked dead-last in defensive efficiency ratings.

Pascal Siakam (PF/C – TOR): $8,900 DraftKings, $9,400 FanDuel
It’s weird that Siakam is only eligible at power forward and center because he’s been playing point guard for the Raptors. The big man has scored at least 44 fantasy points in all six games, averaging 25.3 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 7.7 assists. That elite stat-stuffing makes him tough to fade against Atlanta, with the Hawks ranked 21st in defensive ratings. In their four meetings last season, Sia averaged nearly 50 fantasy points per game.

Dennis Smith Jr.(PG – CHA): $6,000 DraftKings, $6,800 FanDuel
Having DSJ as a cash game option shows you how brutal the backcourt in Charlotte has been. LaMelo Ball and Terry Rozier are both out for Charlotte, forcing Smith into the starting point guard role. The former first-round pick is averaging over 30 DK points per game in this expanded opportunity, scoring at least 36 fantasy points in three of his last four games. That total should be easy to reach against Sacramento, with the Kings ranked 24th in defensive efficiency and 29th in points allowed.

GPP Targets

Norman Powell (SG/SF – LAC): $5,400 DraftKings, $4,300 FanDuel
With Kawhi expected to miss this game, Powell should be one of the focal points of the offense. That’s been the case the last two games, scoring 29 DraftKings points in back-to-back outings. This team needs him to step up without Kawhi, and there could be even more Clips rested in the second half of this back-to-back set. Not to mention, Houston is the best matchup in NBA DFS. In their most recent matchup, Powell provided 31 fantasy points!

P.J. Washington (PF/C – CHA): $5,700 DraftKings, $6,000 FanDuel
Washington is a volatile option, but that’s why he’s in the GPP section. The last two games tell you everything you need to know, with P.J. providing 43 DK points on Saturday after dropping just 12 DraftKings points in the game prior. The first dud was a blowout, but we don’t believe that will happen against the Kings. Sacramento can’t blow anyone out, and we should see these dreadful defenses allow each other to run up and down the floor. That’s massive for an athlete like Washington, who amassed a career-high 65 DK points against this team just two years ago.

Nicolas Claxton (C – BKN): $5,400 DraftKings, $6,100 FanDuel
It’s hard to understand why Clax remains so cheap. This guy has taken over starting center duties in Brooklyn, averaging 27 DK points across 27 minutes a night. We’ve been waiting for this guy to see significant minutes, and he should be a $7K player if he continues to flirt with 30 minutes. Indiana is an incredible matchup, too, ranked 28th in defensive ratings and 26th in OPRK against opposing centers.

Value Plays

Alperen Sengun (C – HOU): $5,200 DraftKings, $6,400 FanDuel
Sengun is well on his way to a breakout season. He was one of the league leaders with 1.3 DK points per minute last year, and we love that he’s starting in the absence of Bruno Fernando. That’s led to Alp posting a 33-point average this year, despite playing just 25 minutes a night. If he gets closer to the 30 minutes we expect, we could be looking at a 40-point average. That’s more indicative of an $8K player, and we’ll keep riding him until he gets closer to that salary.

Brook Lopez (C – MIL): $5,100 DraftKings, $6,500 FanDuel
These centers are all undervalued, but this might be the most egregious pricing on this slate. Big Brook used to be an All-Star player, and he’s showing that with his 33-point average through the opening two weeks. He’s also scored at least 28 fantasy points in all five fixtures, and it makes no sense why he’s barely cracking $5,000. We already discussed how disastrous Detroit’s defense has been too.

Harrison Barnes (SF/PF – SAC): $4,900 DraftKings, $4,800 FanDuel
Harry B is too good of a player to be below $5,000 on both sites. This dude is usually in the $6K range, and it’s just a matter of time before he creeps closer to that. Barnes is showing flashes of that resurgence, averaging 27 DK points per game across his last two outings. He’s also playing 36 minutes a night in that stretch, and he will have a big game against this terrible defense if that sort of workload continues.

Advantageous Pricing

• Paul George (SF – LAC): $9,300 DraftKings, $8,200 FanDuel
• Myles Turner (C – IND): $5,500 DraftKings, $6,800 FanDuel
• Norman Powell (SG/SF – LAC): $5,400 DraftKings, $4,300 FanDuel
• Alperen Sengun (C – HOU): $5,200 DraftKings, $6,400 FanDuel
• Brook Lopez (C – MIL): $5,100 DraftKings, $6,500 FanDuel
• Tyrese Maxey (PG/SG – PHI): $6,000 DraftKings, $7,000 FanDuel

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