NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: Friday (2/3)

Last night was a fun slate of basketball. That Milwaukee-Los Angeles game was fantastic to close the night, and we also had some fireworks in the Cleveland-Memphis matchup. It feels like there’s some animosity in the league right now, and some of these players could use the All-star break to chill out. We love when there’s some chippiness, though, because extra drama always makes things fun when it comes to basketball!

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

Schedule and Odds

• CHA at DET (DET -1) O/U: 240.5
• SAC at IND (SAC -3) O/U: 242.5
• POR at WAS (WAS -4.5) O/U: 237
• PHX at BOS (BOS -9.5) O/U: 226
• TOR at HOU (TOR -6.5) O/U: 230
• ORL at MIN (MIN -5) O/U: 228
• PHI at SAS (PHI -11) O/U: 237
• ATL at UTA (UTA -1/5) O/U: 240

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

Injury Report

• Joel Embiid (foot) Questionable
• Devin Booker (groin) OUT
• Karl-Anthony Towns (calf) OUT
• De’Aaron Fox (personal) OUT
• Kevin Porter Jr.(foot) OUT
• Jalen Green (calf) OUT
• Kelly Oubre Jr.(hand) OUT
• Rudy Gobert (leg) Questionable
• Jerami Grant (concussion) Questionable
• Marcus Smart (ankle) OUT
• Jusuf Nurkic (calf) OUT
• OG Anunoby (wrist) OUT
• Devin Vassell (knee) OUT
• Tre Jones (foot) Doubtful
• Jabari Smith (hip) Questionable
• Jeremy Sochan (back) OUT

Core Plays

Joel Embiid (PF/C – PHI): $11,300 DraftKings, $11,500 FanDuel
This is going to be a tough spot to fade the big man. Embiid has crept back into the MVP discussion with his recent form, averaging 35 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.8 blocks across his last 30 games. That’s over 60 DraftKings points per game which should be his floor in this matchup. San Antonio sits dead last in points allowed and defensive efficiency while surrendering the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing centers.

Damian Lillard (PG – POR): $10,600 DraftKings, $10,200 FanDuel
Dame gets in these stretches where he looks like the best shooter of all time, and he’s amid one of those right now. Lillard has scored at least 56 DraftKings points in nine of his last 11 games, generating a 58-point average in that span. He’s doing everything possible to get this team out of this hole, and it’s scary to think what his usage will look like here with Jusuf Nurkic and Jerami Grant possibly missing this game. Not to mention, Dame dropped 66 DK points in his last matchup with Washington.

Fred VanVleet (PG/SG – TOR): $8,300 DraftKings, $8,900 FanDuel
VanVleet has struggled at times this year, but it looks like the former All-Star is starting to get going. FVV has scored at least 41 DraftKings points in nine straight games, averaging 52 DK points per game in that span. That’s typical from a five-figure player, and it’s clear these sites need to raise this pricing. The matchup with Houston is the best part, though, with the Rockets surrendering the most fantasy points to opposing point guards.

Cash Game Considerations

Domantas Sabonis (PF/C – SAC): $10,100 DraftKings, $9,900 FanDuel
Domas finally got an All-Star berth on Thursday, and the last month really got him over that hump. The big man has scored at least 41 DK points in 26 of his previous 28 games, totaling a 49-point average in that stretch. He’s also flirting with triple-double averages, running this offense in a Nikola Jokic-type role. That’s scary in a revenge game against Indiana, who allow the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing centers.

Pascal Siakam (PF/C – TOR): $9,100 DraftKings, $9,200 FanDuel
Sia’s in a bit of a slump right now, but we love him in this spot. We talked about how poor Houston is against guards, but they also rank 28th in defensive efficiency as well. That puts a playmaker like Siakam in play, averaging 47 DraftKings points per game. Pascal went postal the last time he played the Rockets, registering 63 DK points. One of those could be in play here because Houston has no one to cover this versatile big man.

Malaki Branham (PG/SG – SAS): $3,600 DraftKings, $4,400 FanDuel
We don’t know much about this kid, but we do know that he’ll be in everyone’s lineup. We expect this kid to start for the injured Tre Jones, tallying 32 DK points across 32 minutes in the game where Jones got injured on Wednesday. Any $4K player who’s playing 30-35 minutes and taking on primary ball-handling duties will be the chalkiest play, no matter who they play.

GPP Targets

Clint Capela (C – ATL): $6,100 DraftKings, $6,900 FanDuel
It’s hard to understand why Capela remains below $7,000 on both sites. This guy has always been an elite per-minute producer and has played at least 28 minutes in four of his last five games. CC has also scored at least 35 fantasy points in all of those and should be $1,000 more if he’s going to play 30 minutes a night. That’s even more the case in this unbelievable matchup, with Utah owning a 29th OPRK against opposing centers.

Markelle Fultz (PG – ORL): $5,700 DraftKings, $6,600 FanDuel
Fultz is in a bit of a slump right now, but this former top pick has been too good to be this cheap. Fultz is averaging over 28 fantasy points per game this season and went on a month-long stretch of a 35-point average just a few weeks back. We expect him to return to that player shortly because he’s still playing 30 minutes a night as the primary ball-handler, Facing this terrible T’Wolves defense is tremendous, too, with Minnesota posting a 25th OPRK against opposing point guards.

Naz Reid (PF/C – MIN): $4,800 DraftKings, $5,600 FanDuel
This is only a good play of Rudy Gobert sits. Reid has been asked to take on starting center duties when both of those guys are out, playing at an $8K level in those circumstances. Naz has scored at least 52 DK points in every game he’s played more than 30 minutes, posting a 34-point average in his eight starts. Those are absurd numbers from a $5K player, and we’re not worried about him facing an 18th-ranked Orlando defense.

Value Plays

Wendell Carter (PF/C – ORL): $5,800 DraftKings, $6,800 FanDuel
This DraftKings price is silly. Carter is averaging nearly 35 fantasy points per game as a starter and comes into this matchup scoring at least 27 DK points in 13 of his last 16 games. Getting 30-35 fantasy points should be easy in this matchup, with Minnesota ranked fourth in pace and 20th in total defense. In their two matchups last season, WCJ compiled a 40-point average against this terrible Timberwolves defense.

Drew Eubanks (C – POR): $3,800 DraftKings, $4,600 FanDuel
It looks like Nurkic will be sidelined here, which means Eubanks needs to be one of the top value plays on the slate. In 31 starts last year, Eubanks averaged 29 DK points per game across 28 minutes a night. We’ve seen glimpses of that recently, with Eubanks posting a 26-point average across 24 minutes a night across his last six outings. This team has very little depth at this position, and getting 30 minutes from this guy would be far from surprising.

Jalen Duren (PF/C – DET): $5,400 DraftKings, $6,000 FanDuel
Duren looks like a stud in the making. This 19-year-old rookie has scored at least 24 DK points in 17 of his last 21 games, generating a 30-point average in that span. He’s doing that damage in fewer than 30 minutes a night, and it’s scary to think how good this kid will be the more he plays. Squaring off with Charlotte is the icing on the cake, with the Hornets allowing the most fantasy points to opposing centers.

Advantageous Pricing

• Wendell Carter (PF/C – ORL): $5,800 DraftKings, $6,800 FanDuel
• Deni Avdija (SF/PF – WAS): $5,000 DraftKings, $6,100 FanDuel
• Daniel Gafford (C – WAS): $4,800 DraftKings, $6,100 FanDuel
• Dario Saric (PF – PHX): $3,500 DraftKings, $5,100 FanDuel
• Jalen Suggs (PG/SG – ORL): $3,600 DraftKings, $4,600 FanDuel
• Walker Kessler (C – UTA): $5,800 DraftKings, $7,300 FanDuel

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RadioPublic | Breaker | Castbox | Pocket Casts