The NBA is starting to ramp up, as the standings start to take early season form. Saturday is an intriguing slate loaded with highly anticipated matchups.
DraftKings is offering another daily contest with the chance to win $50,000. Below, I’ve identified a pair of DFS value plays that will give your lineup a crucial edge.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $200K Fadeaway [$50K to 1st]
DraftKings Value Picks
PG/SG Payton Pritchard ($5,600)
The runaway favorite to win the Sixth Man of the Year Award, Payton Pritchard is on a different level to start the season. The fifth-year guard has always been a steady option off Boston’s bench, providing great spacing and a competent ball handler. The Oregon product has emerged as a backup offensive hub that can carry the second unit and score in bunches.
Pritchard is averaging over 16 points a night and has scored at least 20 points eight times this campaign—a feat he only did 11 times last year. The rapid improvement is due in part to his ability to catch fire from a distance, converting nearly 43% of his shots from beyond the arc. He’s up to fourth on the team in field goal attempts and is getting much more run in crunch time.
After a disappointing showing against Milwaukee, Pritchard will be hungry to get back on track against Memphis. He’s averaging 28.8 fantasy points a game and has a trio of 40-point outings in the last week. If the shots are falling, and he is holding up sufficiently enough on the other end, Pritchard can have a monster performance against anyone. Take advantage of the undervalued preassigned salary and slot him into your lineup.
SG Gradey Dick ($5,300)
Gradey Dick was on the precipice of a sophomore breakout but has cooled off a bit. Stints in the G League and some lingering injuries hindered his development as a rookie, but he showed flashes of promise toward the end of the season. Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett getting banged up propelled Dick to be the top option, and he took full advantage of having a neon-green light.
He averaged over 18 points a contest across the first two months but is starting to take a back seat with Barnes and Barrett back into the fold. Dick is still such a natural shooter; he doesn’t need the rock to make an impact. Dick’s offense will still be relied upon, and even if his shot attempts see a slight downtick, it’ll be enough to have success on the stat sheet.
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All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook, lines and odds subject to change.
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is xaiver-aguiar) 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 skills 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.
