Dallas Mavericks' Luka Doncic shoots free throws during an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers in Dallas, Thursday, April 22, 2021. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
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Opponent - MEM
Proj Pts FD - 50.08 DK - 53.74
The Hornets are coming on the back-to-back here so there is some concern around the minutes I suppose. But they’ve also been playing somewhat shorthanded which has led, in good games, to a lot of run for the starters. LaMelo has dropped back-to-back 30+ point games thanks in large part to shooting 12-29 from beyond the arc in that stretch. He will face a tougher Memphis team in this one though I still like the price on FanDuel too much to pass up here and he’s a bargain on DraftKings as well. The floor is high with Ball simply because he can score all across the box score.
Opponent - SAC
Proj Pts FD - 26.89 DK - 28.97
Neto should draw the start for the Wizards once again now that Spencer Dinwiddie has been traded away and Bradley Beal is out for the season. He played 31 minutes last time out against the Nets and was more than effective, scoring 21 points and handing out six assists. I will say, the 21 points are at the highest end of his expectation based on the usage seeing as how he only took nine shots from the field. He also went 6-6 from the line. But the price hasn’t moved enough for the opportunity and he should be a chalk play once against the Kings.
Opponent - LAC
Proj Pts FD - 58.59 DK - 64.13
Slotting him into the shooting guard slot here because he qualifies on FanDuel and the above guys are locked into the point guard slot. With Porzingis now permanently out the door for the Mavericks, there isn’t any usage overlap between the two stars (I’m using that lightly with Staps). Though the team did retain Jalen Brunson and also, oddly, brought in Spencer Dinwiddie at the trade deadline. But this is all still Luka and he’s been on a tear of late, averaging 35 points, 11 assists, and nine rebounds over the last seven games. Those numbers are eye-popping and just one of the reasons the price is through the roof here. But I think it’s worth it in the matchup against the Clippers who aren’t exactly a powerhouse here.
Opponent - MEM
Proj Pts FD - 38.08 DK - 40.89
Rozier was a major chalk play on FanDuel on Friday and we had him in cash on DraftKings as well. It more than paid off with Terry putting up one of his best games of the season. The Hornets drubbed the Pistons and Rozier dropped a triple-double with 25 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds in his 37 minutes. Memphis is ranked 7th in defensive efficiency this season so this isn’t going to be an easy matchup, but as I said with LaMelo, the floor is so high considering how many minutes James Borrego likes to run the starters. I think we can definitely go back to Rozier on FD though it’s a little closer on DraftKings for sure.
Opponent - MEM
Proj Pts FD - 34.43 DK - 36.68
Oubre really struggled on Friday night in the start for the injured Gordon Hayward. Though the run was there with 31 minutes, he couldn’t buy a shot and went ice cold from beyond the arc, shooting 1-10 from three. And a lot of the misses weren’t even close. So why is he a play? Well, that’s not the norm for the guy and we do know he’s prone to streakiness. The price hasn’t moved much and he should be in the starting lineup against the Grizzlies here on Saturday. Like we said with the other Hornets guys, the minutes' floor is very high for this team and that means a lot in DFS. I am willing to go back to the well here on Oubre.
Opponent - NO
Proj Pts FD - 28.45 DK - 29.95
Looking to round out the salaries a bit here with some plays on the lower end and Vassell likely fits the bill. Now that Derrick White is out the door in the trade to Boston, it looks like Vassell will stick in the starting lineup for the time being. He played 28 minutes in the win over the Hawks on Friday night and was effective, taking the second-most shots on the team (13) and scoring 20 points. He’s also been able to add some defensive stats in the short term with nine steals in his last five games. The Pelicans made some improvements to their team at the deadline, namely adding CJ McCollum, but that doesn’t improve them on the defensive end where they rank in the bottom-third this season.
Opponent - SAC
Proj Pts FD - 45.88 DK - 49.56
For the time being, it sure seems like this is Kyle Kuzma’s team, at least until they figure out how/ when/ if Kristaps Porzingis works his way into the mix. Kuzma’s first game without Dinwiddie or Beal was awesome. He triple-doubled with 15 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists in the win over the Nets. Any concerns over the Wiz tanking the minutes were kind of put to rest with Kuzma running 38 in that game. He should get a chance for a similar line against a Kings team that, though somewhat different now, still ranks second-to-last in defensive efficiency this season. I think Kuzma will be very popular on both sites.
Opponent - MIA
Proj Pts FD - 33.95 DK - 34.54
This is a bit speculative, but Andre Drummond is with the Nets now and there’s a chance he starts at center for them on Saturday against the Heat. If that was the case he would make for an automatic play on DraftKings especially, and possibly FanDuel as well. How will he fit in with Brooklyn? Well for starters they could really use his rebounding and interior presence (such as it is) and there’s even some chance he runs solid minutes here. Look, we know for all his real basketball limitations, the points-per-minute fantasy stats are more than real. Keep an eye on this situation.
Opponent - BKN
Proj Pts FD - 43.85 DK - 45.93
If Drummond doesn’t start for the Nets and they are playing undersized once again then I think we can make Bam a play in this game over on DraftKings. His price is much too low over there and the Nets get completely crushed on the offensive glass this season, especially with second-chance points. While Adebayo’s assists fell off a cliff with Kyle Lowry in the mix, the rebounding is still more than there this season. He’s averaging double-digit boards once again. Again, like Drummond, keep an eye on this situation to see how it plays out with the starting lineups.
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