Saturday Night NBA DFS features a medium-size slate this weekend. It’s big enough that you’re going to need a couple of screens. Let’s dig into some research and make some picks, as we gear up for the five-game main slate that starts at 7 p.m. ET.
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Guard
Studs
Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks at Milwaukee Bucks, $12,200 — There is enough value picks on this slate to make Doncic’s steep price easier to stomach. After a hot start to the season, Doncic has cooled off. That’s fine. His hefty price tag and the failure to return value in seven of his last nine games might lower his ownership. A super star with suppressed ownership is always an NBA DFS target in DraftKings tournaments. This is a big game and big time players play big in these matchups.
Value
Brandin Podziemski, Golden State Warriors vs. Oklahoma City, $4,800 — In Pod we trust. It’s more like, in Pod we hope. A two-game sample size cannot be trusted. The rookie first-round pick (19th overall), got his first real action of the season on Nov. 14 due to injuries and the suspension of Draymond Green. Podziemski played 39 minutes and scored 23 points while grabbing seven rebounds and dishing five assists. He followed with 28.5 DKFP on Thursday. If PG/SG Stephen Curry ($10,000; questionable) is out, then put this pod on your playlist.
Jacob Gilyard, Memphis Grizzlies at San Antonio Spurs, $4,800 — This pick doesn’t feel great. The NBA DFS Weekend Targets article is travelling the road not taken on Saturday. Robert Frost knows that winning the $300K tournament requires some low-owned pivots. Marcus Smart, Luke Kennard and Xavier Tillman are out for the Grizzlies on Saturday. Minutes and usage will be distributed in a fast-paced matchup against one of the worst defenses in the NBA. Gilyard looked good in his first start, but his minutes have since dropped along with his fantasy output. Don’t overreact. Memphis got blown out in their last contest, and Gilyard sat the entire fourth quarter.
Forward
Studs
Desmond Bane, Memphis Grizzlies at San Antonio Spurs, $8,900 — This is an ugly game. That makes it a DFS beauty. This is the perfect Bane game. His game is ugly, but the volume is undeniable. When his zillion shots fall, he breaks slates. The Spurs are an up-tempo team with the second-worst defensive efficiency rating. Some NBA DFS players might scoff at paying a steep price for Bane. Let them. His ceiling is limitless in this matchup.
Value
Julian Champagnie, San Antonio Spurs vs. Memphis Grizzlies, $4,300 — The Summer League star finally got playing time with numerous Spurs unable to suit up on Nov. 14. He started and played 31 minutes. The Spurs got blown out by 36 points but Champagnie scored 36 fantasy points (13 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 steals, 3 blocks and a 21.6% usage rate). If the Spurs are short-handed on Saturday, it will be hard to resist this extreme value pick in tournament lineups. This DFS value pick requires monitoring the Spurs’ lineup, so follow DK Network’s X account (Twitter) for live updates (@DKNetwork). The key piece that needs to sit for maximum value is SF Keldon Johnson ($7,100). If Champagnie pops then the champagne bottles will be popping for a lucky DFS player.
David Roddy, Memphis Grizzlies at San Antonio Spurs, $4,600 — There is only one game that matters on Saturday night for NBA DFS. The worst team in the West and possibly the NBA, the 2-9 Grizzlies, battle the second-worst team in the West and possibly the NBA, the 3-8 Spurs. This is the stuff DFS dreams are made of. These are bad teams that allow a lot DFS points. There is just one problem: bad teams play different players every night. It’s a bit of a dice roll guessing which bench player will get the most run and break the fantasy basketball slate at DraftKings. On Nov. 12, Roddy scored 19.5 DKFP in a win over the Clippers. Two nights later, he scored 34.25 DKFP in a blowout loss to the Lakers. The blowout run helped, but he played very well for the second unit for the first three quarters.
Center
Studs
Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat at Chicago Bulls, $9,200 — Chicago has a below-average defensive efficiency rating and rebounding rate. They’re 4-8 and a fire sale is looming. This is a team DFS players need to attack. Adebayo is the perfect weapon for the attack. He’s scored 50 DKFP or more in six of the last eight games. His minutes and usage are as steady as it gets. He’s safe in 50-50 games. In tournaments, he needs his shots to fall and extra rebounds to fall his way.
Value
Bismack Biyombo, Memphis Grizzlies at San Antonio Spurs, $5,900 — Does anyone remember clicking on Biyombo’s name when he was a Bobcat? He was risky then, and a decade later, nothing has changed. Strangely enough, he might not be that risky. He played 26 minutes in his first game with his new team a week ago. Since then, he’s logged 30, 34, 36 and 23 minutes as a starter. The 23-minute game was a blowout loss and Biyombo rested in the fourth quarter. With a $5,900 price tag on Nov. 12, Biyombo returned a 6.7x value.
Kevon Looney, Golden State Warriors vs. Oklahoma City Thunder $5,400 — There is always value at center. Big men quickly pile up rebounds and take high-probability shots close to the rim. That’s not really the case at the time of publish on Saturday. Draymond Green is suspended, so minutes have opened up in the Warriors’ front court. PF/C Dario Saric ($5,500) got the start against the Thunder on Thursday. His 24.25 DKFP was a significant decline from 36.25 DKFP in his previous start against the Timberwolves. With Green off the court, Looney has stepped up in the past. In the first game of this rematch, Looney scored 31.25 DKFP in 19 minutes. Pray for minutes.
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is greenflagradio2) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
