NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: Saturday (12/16)

Last night turned out to be a pretty big disaster for me, as I got a dud from my one piece in the Indiana vs. Washington game (where did you go, Myles Turner?). The Pacers play again tonight, and star point Tyrese Haliburton looks likely to miss this one. There will be value to unlock, so let’s get right to it this Saturday’s nine-gamer. Also, a huge shoutout to my guy Jalen Brunson for his epic 50-6-9 game with five steals!

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

NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer:

TOP PLAY

Joel Embiid (C – PHI): ($11,700 DK/$12,500 FD)

This was a tough choice between Embiid and Luka Doncic (and honestly I don’t argue either one). I’m siding with Embiid based on the slight discount, and the matchup which screams “buy” for the big man in Philly. Embiid is rocking another MVP-caliber year, averaging 33-10-4 on a league-leading 36.8% usage rate, and Charlotte has no answer for him. They’re 29th in overall defensive efficiency and 24th in rebounding rate, and Embiid was only needed for 29 minutes in last night’s blowout win against the poor Pistons.

CASH PICKS

Karl-Anthony Towns (C – MIN): ($8700 DK/$8600 FD)

The highest totaled game of the night once again features the Pacers, as the Timberwolves are the latest team to get the huge pace bump (Indiana is first at 13.4 seconds per possession). Anthony Edwards is questionable, but Towns is a viable cash play in this matchup even if Edwards plays. He has five double-doubles over his past seven games and has laid to rest any concerns over playing alongside Rudy Gobert as Minnesota continues to roll along in the top spot in the West.

Jarrett Allen (C – CLE): ($6900 DK/$7100 FD)

Unfortunately for Cleveland, Evan Mobley is going to miss 6-8 weeks, which thins out their frontcourt considerably. For us though, we can take advantage of the fact that Jarrett Allen is not quite priced up for his new role and usage. Any minutes cap has been unlocked over the last two, as Allen has played 36 and 39 minutes. Both matchups were against Boston which is brutal for frontcourts, but tonight’s against Atlanta is much softer. The Hawks rank 28th in overall defensive efficiency and have allowed the third most FPPG to opposing centers.

VALUE PLAYS

Isaiah Hartenstein (C – NYK): ($5400 DK/$5700 FD)

Jericho Sims has been starting for the injured Mitchell Robinson, but it’s Hartenstein that has been the biggest beneficiary offensively. He has played 29, 27, 29, and 31 minutes over the last four games, and has averaged 9.5 RPG in that span while rocking about a fantasy point per minute. The Clippers defense has been very good lately, but they’ve still been soft against opposing frontcourts, allowing the eighth most FPPG to centers and ranking 17th in rebounding rate.

T.J. McConnell (G – IND) ($5100 DK/$5200 FD)

T.J. McConnell was priced up over 5k, but it shouldn’t matter tonight with Andrew Nembhard already out and Haliburton likely to miss the hame as well. With both players off the court since the beginning of last year, McConnell has a 20.7% usage rate and a 45.8 assist rate. The Timberwolves rank first in team defense, but this is still a great price play.