Despite the early dog days of the marathon season, the NBA continues to chug along with an intriguing Sunday slate.
DraftKings is offering a special NBA Cup showdown with the chance to win $20,000. Below, I’ve identified a pair of DFS value plays that will give your lineup a critical advantage.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $100K Fadeaway [$20K to 1st]
DraftKings Value Picks
PG Russell Westbrook ($6,000)
As expected at this point, Russell Westbrook has been a polarizing addition to a Denver squad struggling to stay on the brink of contention. On a team that lacks consistent firepower after Nikola Jokic, Westbrook acts as a backup offensive engine who can provide a bolt of energy off the bench. With the squad struggling to put the ball in the basket, he’s taken on a more prominent role as a scorer, viciously attacking the cup. Across his last two games, Westbrook has stuffed the stat sheet, averaging 45 fantasy points in that span.
It hasn’t all been perfect for the former MVP. He’s still a liability on the other side of the floor, notably getting torched and allowing a game-winning lineup against Thursday in Portland. The help around Jokic has been so underwhelming that Mike Malone will likely take Westbrook’s defensive lapses for another threat with the ball in their hands.
Westbrook gets to square off with a banged-up New Orleans group on the second night of a back-to-back. He should hover around a triple-double territory, and he has way too much upside to be this cheap.
SF Dillon Brooks ($4,500)
Another rather controversial figure, Dillon Brooks, has been an invaluable veteran presence for this upstart Houston roster. The antics are far less prevalent, and he’s more of a dynamite enforcer with a streaky jumper. Brooks has never found the consistent offensive success he had at the University of Oregon, but he’s a fearless shot-chucker who can get hot in a hurry.
He’s a versatile wing who often guards the opposing team’s top option. Coach Ime Udoka has had difficulty establishing a consistent rotation, but Brooks is almost always on the court in crunch time. He’s taken over 13 shots in four of his last five outings and will continue to have plenty of opportunities to leave his mark. Toronto doesn’t play a lick of defense, and the Canadian native should have an extra chip on his shoulder in front of his home country faithful.
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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.
