NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: Wednesday (3/20)

These final few weeks of the regular season are not for the faint of heart. The injury reports are out of control at this point and will continue to get worse. While that does make things challenging, it also opens up a ton of value from a DFS standpoint. We have one of the largest slates of the week to dissect here as well, so let’s go ahead and get into it!

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

• MIA at CLE (CLE -3.5) O/U: 203
• IND at DET (IND -9) O/U: 232
• MIL at BOS (BOS -6.5) O/U: 223
• SAC at TOR (SAC -9.5) O/U: 231
• UTA at OKC (OKC -14) O/U: 235
• MEM at GSW (GSW -9.5) O/U: 218
• PHI at PHX (PHX -8.5) O/U: 221
• LAC at POR (LAC -11.5) O/U: 215

Check out our consensus game odds and the odds from each sportsbook at BettingPros.

Injury Report

• Giannis Antetokounmpo (hamstring) Questionable
• Joel Embiid (knee) OUT
• Donovan Mitchell (head) OUT
• Jaylen Brown (ankle) Questionable
• Immanuel Quickley (personal) OUT
• Jimmy Butler (foot) Questionable
• Lauri Markkanen (quad) Questionable
• John Collins (head) Questionable
• RJ Barrett (personal) OUT
• Tyler Herro (knee) OUT
• Evan Mobley (knee) OUT
• Malcolm Brogdon (elbow) OUT
• Tobias Harris (ankle) Questionable
• Jerami Grant (hamstring) Doubtful
• Jrue Holiday (shoulder) Questionable
• Draymond Green (back) Questionable
• Vince Williams (knee) Doubtful
• Jordan Clarkson (groin) OUT
• Max Strus (knee) OUT
• Marcus Smart (hand) OUT
• Duncan Robinson (back) OUT
• Simone Fontecchio (toe) Questionable
• Ausar Thompson (illness) OUT
• Isaiah Stewart (hamstring) OUT
• Russell Westbrook (hand) OUT
• Norman Powell (leg) Questionable
• De’Anthony Melton (back) OUT

Core Plays

Giannis Antetokounmpo (PF/C – MIL): $11,400 DraftKings, $11,800 FanDuel
Giannis isn’t being considered for MVP, but he’s arguably having a better year than when he did win MVP. The Greek Freak is averaging 59 DraftKings points per game, flirting with a 65-point average over the last three months! That makes him a good option against anyone, but you know he’ll be motivated against Boston. We saw him score 53 DK points across just 26 minutes last time he played them, but he should be closer to 35-40 minutes since this isn’t expected to be a blowout like that one was.

Domantas Sabonis (PF/C – SAC): $10,700 DraftKings, $10,900 FanDuel
Sabonis set an NBA record with 49 straight double-doubles in his most recent outing, and he adds to it every night. The big man is flirting with triple-double averages in that span, averaging nearly 60 DraftKings points per game. Those double-doubles also give him an elite floor, and he has one of the best matchups out there. Toronto has lost all of its big men and ranks 27th in total defense since the All-Star break.

Kawhi Leonard (SF/PF – LAC): $8,700 DraftKings, $8,900 FanDuel
The Claw is quietly having a monster season in LA, averaging over 42 DraftKings points per game. He’s done that while establishing a 38-point floor, scoring at least 38 fantasy points in 17 of the last 19 games he’s finished. Our favorite part about this is the matchup with Portland, ranked 22nd in defensive efficiency ratings. Kawhi has collected 43 and 56 fantasy points in their two matchups this year!

Cash Game Considerations

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (PG/SG – OKC): $10,400 DraftKings, $11,100 FanDuel
SGA is having a magical season in OKC, averaging over 53 DraftKings points per game. He’s done that while showcasing a 40-point floor, stuffing the stat sheet every night. Another one of those monster nights should be easy to duplicate against Utah, ranked 27th in points allowed and 29th in defensive efficiency. He’s played them three times this year, averaging 50 DK points per game!

Tyrese Haliburton (PG/SG – IND): $8,900 DraftKings, $9,100 FanDuel
It’s been a rough second half of the season for Hali, but this guy is too good to be sitting around $9K. He was well above $10K earlier in the year, and he’s starting to get back to that player. Haliburton has at least 44 DraftKings points in five of his last seven outings, approaching his 47-point average for the year. Tyrese should trounce this disastrous Detroit defense, surrendering the second-most fantasy points to opposing point guards. That’s on full display since Hali has dropped at least 47 fantasy points in all three of their matchups this year.

Kelly Olynyk (PF/C – TOR): $6,500 DraftKings, $6,900 FanDuel
KO has always been a fantastic fantasy producer when given a full workload, and that’s what he has in Toronto. The Raptors already traded away OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam, but they’re now dealing with injuries to Quickley, Barrett, Barnes, Poeltl, and Boucher. That’s forced Olynyk into the starting lineup, averaging over 35 DK points per game since the promotion. Sacramento is a sensational matchup, too, sitting 19th in total defense.

GPP Targets

Jalen Duren (C – DET): $6,900 DraftKings, $7,300 FanDuel
We genuinely feel like this kid has a Dwight Howard-type ceiling, dominating the paint every time he steps on the floor. The 20-year-old big man is averaging over 35 DraftKings points per game in a breakout campaign but could be asked to do even more since Stewart is sidelined. The best part of this is the incredible matchup with Indiana, ranked 28th in total defense while playing at the fastest pace in the league! That’s led to Duren scoring 34 and 40 fantasy points in their two meetings this year.

Gary Trent Jr. (SG/SF – TOR): $6,100 DraftKings, $6,300 FanDuel
We just talked about how Toronto is missing nearly every key piece of its rotation, which should make Trent the focal point of the offense. This guy already loves to fire up shots, but he should be guaranteed 35-40 minutes and 20 shots, given how shorthanded this team is right now. We love that when examining his recent form, scoring at least 35 fantasy points in five of his last six outings!

Scoot Henderson (PG – POR): $5,400 DraftKings, $6,000 FanDuel
This kid will be in this article a ton over the final month. Portland has taken the first steps into tanking, naming Scoot their starting point guard for the remainder of the year. In the 13 games that Henderson has played at least 32 minutes, he’s averaging 34 DK points per game. We expect 35 minutes to be a regular thing from here on out, and we anticipate this price to get close to $7K by the final week of the year!

Value Plays

Draymond Green (PF/C – GSW): $6,400 DraftKings, $6,600 FanDuel
Draymond has been outstanding since returning from his suspension, averaging 32 DraftKings points per game. That’s what we’ve become accustomed to in the past, and it looks even better since he scored 38 DraftKings points the last time he played Memphis. We usually consider the Grizzlies a challenging matchup, but with most of their rotation sidelined, it’s become one of the best matchups in DFS!

GG Jackson (SF – MEM): $6,000 DraftKings, $6,300 FanDuel
The last write-up flows into this one because Memphis is missing most of its team. That’s forced GG into a prominent role, and he has played at least 35 minutes in five of his last six games. GG has also scored at least 32 DK points in all of those and needs a price bump if he will be locked into 35-40 minutes every night! Golden State is a great matchup, too, sitting 17th in total defense.

Ivica Zubac (C – LAC): $5,500 DraftKings, $5,800 FanDuel
Big Zoo has sat below $6,000 all season, and it’s hard to understand why. The Clippers center is averaging 28 DraftKings points per game and has played at least 31 minutes in two of his last three outings. Getting 30 minutes is what’s most important because Zubac is averaging 34 DK points per game when he reaches that threshold. That’s bad news for Portland because they’re surrendering the second-most fantasy points to opposing centers.

Advantageous Pricing

• TJ McConnell (PG – IND): $4,500 DraftKings, $5,700 FanDuel
• James Wiseman (C – DET): $4,300 DraftKings, $5,600 FanDuel
• Bobby Portis (PF/C – MIL): $6,000 DraftKings, $7,100 FanDuel
• Malik Monk (SG – SAC): $6,300 DraftKings, $7,300 FanDuel
• Keegan Murray (SF/PF – SAC): $5,500 DraftKings, $6,700 FanDuel
• Jalen Williams (SG/SF – OKC): $6,900 DraftKings, $8,200 FanDuel
• Josh Giddey (PG/SG – OKC): $5,400 DraftKings, $6,400 FanDuel
• Trayce Jackson-Davis (C – GSW): $4,900 DraftKings, $6,200 FanDuel

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