After a very busy week, the NBA has five games on the schedule for Saturday, wth the three evening tip times making up the main DFS fantasy basketball slate. Even with a smaller slate, DraftKings has some huge DFS fantasy basketball contests available. Let’s dive into the matchups and take a look at the three must-start NBA fantasy basketball options who can be the core of your Saturday night roster.
None of the six teams is on the second game of back-to-back games, so we have an injury report from every team. Since there are still a few uncertainties as far as availability, be sure to keep an eye out for any adjustments you need to make as teams update injury status throughout the day. As you build your squad, here are three players you won’t want to overlook:
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $150K Fadeaway [$50K to 1st]
SF/PF Saddiq Bey, New Orleans Pelicans at Utah Jazz, $6,900
The Pelicans have proven that they can be a fun team to watch over the last week, winning three straight games coming into this rematch with the Jazz and playing much better basketball than when they were decimated by injuries earlier in the season.
Throughout all their injury issues, Bey has been very consistent for the Pels, averaging 17.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 30.9 FPTS per game. He went off for a huge game on Thursday in this same matchup, piling up 42 points, seven assists, five boards and 60.2 FPTS in 34 minutes. He has over 30 FPTS in five of his last eight games, including three games of over 40 FPTS.
With Trey Murphy III and Dejounte Murray out on Saturday, Bey should be ready for another big workload in a great spot against Utah. He can fill up the box score in multiple categories and brings an extremely high ceiling for a player under $7,000.
PG/SG Brandin Podziemski, Golden State Warriors vs. Los Angeles Lakers, $7,100
Just on the other side of $7,000, Podziemski is another player with an elite ceiling at a non-elite salary. He has stepped up with four big games coming out of the All-Star break, while he’s been helping to fill in for the injured Steph Curry. With Curry out again on Saturday and Kristaps Porzingis (illness) questionable, Podziemski should have another chance to shine.
He had two huge games against the Nuggets (43.75 FPTS) and the Pelicans (53.75 FPTS) in his four games since the break and has over 33 FPTS in each of his four games. He’s continued to be part of the team’s scoring, averaging 16.0 points, but he has also picked up his work on the glass, averaging 11.3 rebounds over his last four games to raise his ceiling even higher.
Especially if he is without Porzingis as a running mate, he’ll have to fill it up against the Lakers on Saturday night in the marquee matchup of the evening. His multi-category contributions give him both a high ceiling and a high floor in Saturday night’s contests.
C Jakob Poeltl, Toronto Raptors at Washington Wizards, $4,300
If you’re spending up in other spots, one way to save some salary is by going cheap at center, where the options on the three-game slate are limited.
After missing over 20 straight games with a bad back, Jakob Poeltl returned to the Raps and has been productive in his four games since returning. He had 23 FPTS and 34.75 FPTS in his last two games, while sitting out one game in between for injury maintenance purposes.
The 30-year-old from Austria returned from that one-game absence on Wednesday against the Spurs and played 28 minutes off the bench. He produced 15 points and seven rebounds on his way to 34.75 FPTS.
With Collin Murray-Boyles doubtful after leaving Wednesday’s game early with a thumb injury, Poeltl should be in a smash spot against Washington, which has been one of the best matchups for centers all season. Poeltl has the potential for a huge game, and getting him at barely over $4,000 leaves you lots of options for the rest of your roster.
