NBA Saturday night DFS action at DraftKings is back. Get the screens out and get your DraftKings NBA DFS lineups in early. Let’s dig into the NBA DFS research, make some fantasy basketball picks, and plop on the couch and enjoy the seven-game main slate that starts at 7 p.m. ET.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $300K Fadeaway [$100K to 1st]
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Guard
Stud
LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets vs. Miami Heat ($9,600) — The Heat aren’t the best matchup on a slate with seven games, but Ball is a matchup-proof player based on his situation and role. This is his team. Everything goes through him. It may not be efficient and the Hornets could lose by double digits. That doesn’t matter. Ball is a player that gets his — win, lose or lose by a lot.
Other Options — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($9,800)
Value
Josh Giddey, Chicago Bulls vs. Oklahoma City Thunder ($6,900) — Welcome to NBA DFS. Where narratives mean as much as stats. Players ball out on birthdays and they increase their usage against former teams. The Thunder’s 2021 first-round pick was shipped to Chicago in the offseason. His final seasons with the Thunder were stormy at best. Giddey is giddy for revenge. Increased involvement doesn’t always calculate in the box score because shots still have to fall. That’s not the case for players like Giddey. He scores fantasy points across the box score. He’s a legit triple-double threat on Saturday night.
Other Options — Gradey Dick ($5,200), Tre Mann ($4,200)
Forward
Stud
Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics at Detroit Pistons ($9,700) — Remember Tatum’s interview after the All-Star break? He was going to prove he was elite by winning the MVP. That didn’t happen but he proved his point — the Celtics won the championship. The 2024 season opener proved that Tatum has unfinished business. Let the other stars play the load management game. Tatum is padding stats. The Pistons are a perennial stat-padding asset. The only fear is that this game gets out of hand and Tatum’s minutes are limited.
Other Options — Paolo Banchero ($8,900), Chet Holmgren ($7,700)
Value
Jeremy Sochan, San Antonio Spurs vs. Houston Rockets ($5,100) — Could this be Sochan’s breakout season or is he destined to be a valuable role player? The latter is a classic Spurs prototype. The hype for Sochan has quieted. His season opener wasn’t too quiet. Sochan scored 27 DKFP in 27 minutes. This pick might lack upside, but Sochan is safe in cash games.
Other Options — Bilal Coulibaly ($4,400), Jake LaRavia ($4,000)
Center
Stud
Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs vs. Houston Rockets ($10,700) — If Wemby is on the slate, he’s going in lineups. The Spurs are going to turn him loose in season two. He was ready in season one. His minutes were limited in Game 1. There are 81 more to go. Will Pop play games all season? Or will he leave his best chance of winning on the court? Saturday night should give us a better model for what to expect from Wemby in DFS every night.
Other Options — Alperen Sengun ($9,200), Bam Adebayo ($8,100)
Value
Dereck Lively II, Dallas Mavericks at Phoenix Suns ($4,800) — Is this points chasing? It’s Game 2 for the Mavs. It’s season two for Lively. No one knows if Lively will come to life. It’s more likely than not. This isn’t a crusty vet coming off a good game. It’s the 12th pick of the 2023 NBA Draft. Lively scored 15 points and secured a double-double with 11 rebounds on Oct. 24 vs. the Spurs. Throw in six assists and that makes 40 DKFP in 28 minutes.
Other Options — Nick Richards ($4,700)
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $300K Fadeaway [$100K to 1st]
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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.
