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

I want to go on a tiny rant here. The NBA scheduling has been horrific this season. We keep having these tiny slates on Tuesdays and Thursdays, followed by massive slates on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. We would love it if the games were more spread out, and it’s hard to understand why they don’t do that with all the resting issues in the league right now. That’s a story for another day, though, because we need to talk about this Tuesday card!

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

NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer:

Schedule and Odds

• NYK at CLE (NYK -3) O/U: 214.5
• SAS at PHX (PHX -6.5) O/U: 227
• ORL at LAC (LAC -7) O/U: 220.5

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

Injury Report

• Jarrett Allen (ankle) OUT
• Devin Booker (foot) Doubtful
• Bradley Beal (back) OUT
• Donovan Mitchell (hamstring) Questionable
• Terance Mann (ankle) Questionable
• Darius Garland (hamstring) OUT
• Ivica Zubac (quad) Questionable

Core Plays

Kevin Durant (PF – PHX): $10,500 DraftKings, $11,000 FanDuel
It’s unclear who’s going to suit up for Phoenix right now, but we know KD will be out there. The Slim Reaper has been giving opposing teams nightmares this season, averaging 47 DraftKings points per game. That total would be higher if Phoenix didn’t have a massive blowout in their most recent outing because Durant is taking on 35-40 minutes, 20 shots, and a 30 percent usage rate with Booker and Beal both nicked up. This couldn’t be a better matchup either, with the Spurs ranked last in every defensive metric last season.

Donovan Mitchell (PG – CLE): $9,700 DraftKings, $10,600 FanDuel
It looks like Mitchell will be ready to return here, and he’s been one of the best players in the NBA this season. He scored 54 and 70 DraftKings points in his first two games, averaging 24 shots across 39 minutes a night. That sort of role is what makes him so difficult to avoid, especially since he’s got at least 40 raw points in three straight home games. A home matchup against NY should keep Mitchell motivated, scoring at least 58 fantasy points in three of their four matchups last year.

Cash Game Considerations

Kawhi Leonard (SF/PF – LAC): $8,500 DraftKings, $8,700 FanDuel
Kawhi was held in check on Sunday, but that’s mainly due to the fact that LA won that game by 40 points. He was still well on his way to another gem, scoring at least 43 DK points in each of the first two games. This stud has established a 40-point floor and 50-point average whenever he’s been healthy throughout his career and should be ready for 35-40 minutes after resting most of Sunday’s blowout win.

Julius Randle (PF/C – NYK): $8,000 DraftKings, $8,500 FanDuel
Randle has been terrible this season, but he’s still providing fantasy value. His role is what makes him so reliable, guaranteed for 35 minutes and 20 shots in every game. That’s why he has at least 45 DK points in two of three games, despite shooting 28 percent from the field. That means a 60-point game could be around the corner if he gets hot, which is awesome since Julius dropped 61 fantasy points in his most recent matchup with the Cavs.

GPP Targets

Zach Collins (PF/C – SAS): $6,300 DraftKings, $6,700 FanDuel
Everyone talks about Victor Wembenyama in San Antonio, but Collins is a sneaky option as their starting center. He averaged nearly 30 fantasy points per game last season and has at least 29 DraftKings points in two of the first three games this year. That’s quite the total from such an affordable player, and it’s clear Wemby is opening up value for everyone else on this roster.

Markelle Fultz (PG/SG – ORL): $5,600 DraftKings, $5,400 FanDuel
Fultz has been terrible through the opening week of the season, but it’s strange to see him this far below $6K. He was a $7K player throughout most of last season, and it’s just a matter of time before he gets back to that. Strange game scripts are the thing that’s held him back, but that’s not going to be an issue all year. In his most recent matchup against LA, Fultz finished with 51 fantasy points in one of the best games of his career and he just posted a quality line on Monday.

Value Plays

Evan Mobley (PF/C – CLE): $8,100 DraftKings, $8,100 FanDuel
Mobley is one of the best defensive players in the NBA, and it’s been awesome watching him go off in the absence of Jarrett Allen. That’s allowed Mobley to increase in shot attempts, minutes, and rebounds, scoring 42 and 62 DK points in his two most recent outings. That makes Mobley about $1,000 too cheap on both sites, especially since Mob has at least 36 fantasy points in two of his last three meetings with NY.

Eric Gordon (PG/SG – PHX): $5,200 DraftKings, $5,200 FanDuel
Gordon is definitely near the end of his career, but he’s been a fantastic fill-in with Booker and Beal both out. That’s forced EG into the starting lineup as the primary ball-handler, scoring 33 DK points across 26 minutes in his most recent outing. He did that despite sitting the fourth quarter of that blowout win, and that rest has kept his price tag too cheap as well. Facing the Spurs is the icing on the cake, surrendering the most fantasy points to opposing guards last year.

Advantageous Pricing

• Donovan Mitchell (PG – CLE): $9,700 DraftKings, $10,600 FanDuel
• Mitchell Robinson (C – NYK) $5,100 DraftKings, $6,000 FanDuel
• Josh Okogie (SG/SF – PHX): $4,200 DraftKings, $5,100 FanDuel

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