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NBA Value Pick: Start Taurean Prince in DFS with Giannis Antetokounmpo out

NBA Value Pick: Start Taurean Prince in DFS with Giannis Antetokounmpo out

DraftKings Fantasy Advice DFS DraftKings Network

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By: Zach Thompson

On Monday, the Bucks will finish their back-to-back with a trip to Oklahoma City to take on the Thunder. They’ll be short-handed, though, since both Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) and Khris Middleton (injury management) were ruled out. Bobby Portis (personal) is doubtful after being away from the team for the last five games. Additionally, the team listed Damian Lillard (groin) and Brook Lopez (back) as questionable, which could leave the team without almost all of its starting lineup. Even if just Portis joins Giannis on the bench, there will be plenty of usage in the front court, making Taurean Prince ($4,200) and Andre Jackson Jr. ($3.600) good bargain values for DFS contests.

Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $300K Zone Special [$100K to 1st].

SF/PF Taurean Prince, Milwaukee Bucks at Oklahoma City Thunder, $4,200

If Portis is ruled out, this will be the first time this season that both he and Giannis have missed the same game. To be without Middleton as well gives even more potential work to Prince, who has been playing well in his auxiliary role in the starting five. The 30-year-old veteran has started the last 14 games for Milwaukee, averaging 26.4 minutes per game with a usage rate of just 10.7%.

Prince has been good over the last handful of games for the Bucks, with over 27 fantasy points in four of those contests. He had 13 points, seven rebounds, and five assists in the Bucks loss on Sunday for 32.25 fantasy points.

The volume should be available for him to step into a larger role given the other options available, although it could be a totally different unit if Dame and Lopez are out as well. Prince will be high-risk in that scenario, since the Bucks could just punt the game and let all the younger players carry most of the load. I actually like Prince a little better if Dame and Lopez play, since that would give the rotation a little more normalcy and Prince more room to work in his normal three-and-D role instead of as the primary creator on offense.

Keep an eye on the rest of the injury report, but Prince has the potential to be a great value if he’s in a big role against the Thunder.

Zach Thompson
Zach has been part of the DraftKings team since 2017 and covers baseball, basketball, golf, football and any other sport that offers DFS fun. He has been playing fantasy sports since box scores were only available in the newspaper the following day. Even though he grew up almost 8,000 miles away in Guam, he is a diehard Boston sports fan but will take a fantasy value play wherever he can get it, even if it’s from the Yankees.
Disclaimer

I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is z.thompson) 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.