A five-game, ten-team slate is on tap for Saturday across the NBA. Plenty of stars are set to take the floor, but there’s also several under the radar names worth watching. In other words, there’s value to be had for fantasy basketball managers. Here are three players that are being slept on tonight in DFS contests.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $150K Fadeaway [$50K to 1st]
PF Jonathan Kuminga, Golden State Warriors ($5,300)
The Warriors have turned heads recently, surging into playoff position in the loaded Western Conference. An underrated piece on Golden State’s roster is Jonathan Kuminga, who missed nearly two months of action due to an ankle sprain. When healthy, the forward gives the Dubs a much-needed playmaker down low. However, for fantasy purposes, limited minutes have capped the 22-year-old’s upside.
Even if he plays no more than half of tonight’s contest, Kuminga could produce some impressive numbers. Saturday’s opponent, the Hawks, are missing several front court contributors, including Jalen Johnson and Clint Capela. This season, Atlanta has allowed the fifth-most points per game (118.8) and the second-most fantasy points to power forwards. At a cost of just over $5,000, Kuminga offers significant DFS value.
C Jaxson Hayes, Los Angeles Lakers ($5,000)
If the Lakers have a fatal flaw, it’s their lack of size. In trading Anthony Davis for Luka Doncic, Los Angeles lost one of the game’s best centers. In AD’s absence, the team has turned to Jaxson Hayes. The former first-round pick isn’t the most consistent player, but he’s been solid over the last few weeks. Over his last ten games, Hayes has posted 9.9 points and 6.7 rebounds.
Hayes isn’t immune from a letdown performance, but it’s difficult to imagine that occurring tonight. This season, the Bulls have surrendered the second-most rebounds (55.1) and the most points in the paint (54.2) per game. Chicago has also allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing centers. Against such a weak opponent, Los Angeles’ starting center is poised for another solid stat line on Saturday.
SG/SF Buddy Hield, Golden State Warriors ($4,100)
Stephen Curry is out due to a pelvic contusion. While the Warriors will take a hit on offense without their leading scorer, they have several guards that are capable of stepping up. Buddy Hield has seen his role diminish over the past few months, averaging just 23.2 minutes per game since January 1st. The sharpshooter has only knocked down 34.6% of his three-point attempts during that time.
If there was ever a time for Hield to go off, it’s tonight. Golden State is visiting an Atlanta squad that struggles mightily to defend the perimeter. This season, opponents have hit 37.3% of their three-pointers against the Hawks, the third-highest mark in all of basketball. When these teams last met on February 8th, Hield recorded 14 points, five rebounds and three assists (30.75 FPTS). A similar outing on Saturday would be a major boon for fantasy managers.
