It’s a seven-game, fourteen-team slate of NBA action on Saturday. That includes marquee matchups such as Ja Morant and the Grizzlies heading to Boston to take on Jayson Tatum and the defending champs. With plenty stars across the association taking the floor, narrowing down a select group of big names to start in season-long fantasy and DFS formats is no easy task. Here are the three centers at the top of tonight’s board:
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $200K Fadeaway [$50K to 1st]
1. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets at WAS ($12,100)
The Nuggets might look like a play-in team, but Nikola Jokic has been his usual dominant self. The three-time MVP has been a one-man offense, putting up 29.9 points, 13.4 rebounds and 10.4 assists on 55.9% shooting from the field. Most impressive has been the big man’s league-leading nine triple-doubles…in just seventeen games. The Serbian has shown some improvement from beyond the arc, posting career-best marks in three-pointers (2.1 3PM), three-point attempts (4.2 3PA), and three-point shooting percentage (50.0% 3PT).
Few matchups in the NBA are as juicy as a date with the Wizards. Washington is giving up the second-most points in the league (123.6 PPG), as well as the third-most DK fantasy points to opposing centers. Rostering Jokic demands paying a premium, but it might be worth it against such a porous defense.
2. Karl-Anthony Towns, New York Knicks vs. DET ($9,200)
Karl-Anthony Towns has wasted no time getting acclimated to life in the Big Apple. Through 21 games as a member of the Knicks, the four-time All-Star has averaged 25.2 points on 53.6% shooting, forming a lethal pick-and-roll game with point guard Jalen Brunson. Most impressive has been KAT’s work on the glass, as he’s posted a career-best 13.2 rebounds per game.
The Pistons haven’t been great lately, as they’ve lost four of their last five games. However, the team has been stingy inside, giving up the eighth-fewest points in the paint (46.1 PPG). Luckily for Towns, he’s an incredibly skilled three-point shooter, knocking down 45.0% of his shots from beyond the arc. When these two teams last met, KAT had 21 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists in just 27 minutes. A similar outing, should the center play, would deliver plenty of value for fantasy lineups.
*As of Saturday afternoon, Towns was listed as questionable for tonight’s game due to left knee tendinopathy.
3. Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat vs. PHX ($8,200)
It’s been an up-and-down season for the Heat, who currently sit in the middle of the Eastern Conference with a 10-10 record. Much of Miami’s inconsistency is reflected in Bam Adebayo, who hasn’t had his best year. So far, the big man has put up 15.6 points, 9.9 rebounds and 5.0 assists on a disappointing 42.9% field goal percentage.
In spite of his lackluster shooting, Adebayo still possesses terrific skills as a passer and a defender (1.7 STL, 0.8 BLK). That gives him a decent fantasy floor even when his shots aren’t falling. The Suns normally defend the interior well, but they’ll be without starting center Jusuf Nurkic. That sets Bam up nicely for a solid performance on Saturday night.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $200K Fadeaway [$50K to 1st]
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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 barmy) 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.
