This is a big one. With Thanksgiving on the horizon — and the NBA taking Turkey Day off — the league is trying to jam as many games as possible into Wednesday’s slate. They succeeded, as 28 of the 30 teams will take the court this evening.
Only 11 contests are listed for DraftKings’ featured basketball slate, but don’t worry, there’s still more than enough value available for your lineups. Don’t believe me? Let’s dive in.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $300K Fadeaway [$100K to 1st]
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SF/PF Ausar Thompson, Detroit Pistons at Memphis Grizzlies, $4,100
Thompson saw his first action of the season in Monday’s 102-100 victory over the Raptors, as he continues to ramp his conditioning up from a long-term illness. Clearly the sophomore was excited to get out on a basketball court. While Thompson didn’t shoot particularly well, he did stuff the stat sheet in his 16.1 minutes of action, finishing the game with five points, four assists and three rebounds. Most notably, Thompson wound up with a 24.2% usage rate — a far cry from his modest 16.6% rate in his rookie campaign. That aggressiveness will serve prospective owners well as Thompson’s role steadily increases. Heck, the Pistons might need more from him as soon as tonight. Cade Cunningham ($9,800; hip) has already missed the team’s past two contest and he’s doubtful to suit up against the Grizzlies. On top of that, Tobias Harris ($6,300; hip) is now questionable. If Harris sits, Thompson will be thrust into the spotlight.
SF Jamison Battle, Toronto Raptors at New Orleans Pelicans, $3,400
Battle is not exactly a cash game play. In reality, his viability comes with a complete lack of floor, but all that said, he should be a vital part of Toronto’s rotation on Wednesday. The simple fact of the matter is that the Raptors need shooting and spacing with Gradey Dick (calf) sidelined. Battle provides that, as he’s knocked down 38.5% of his three-pointers so far in his rookie campaign. On Monday, with Dick on the bench, Battle took nine field goal attempts in his 21.4 minutes of action — the most he’s been on the court all season. He’d finish with nine points, four rebounds and 20.0 FPTS. Battle’s teammate Chris Boucher ($4,300) is a slightly safer path if you’re looking to exploit Toronto’s continued injury woes against the Pelicans, yet with a price tag just above the minimum, Battle is worth considering.
PG/SG Keon Ellis, Sacramento Kings at Minnesota Timberwolves, $4,400
The Kings are running out of bodies. In Monday’s lopsided loss to the Thunder, the team leaned heavily on its stars, with Domantas Sabonis ($9,400), De’Aaron Fox ($9,100), Keegan Murray ($7,100) and DeMar DeRozan (back) all logging over 35 minutes of action. In fact, only one Sacramento bench player saw over 11 minutes: Malik Monk ($5,400). DeRozan was the focal point of the offense in that one, leading the team with 21 field goal attempts and a 28.2% usage rate. Well, something will have to change for this evening’s tilt with the Timberwolves, as DeRozan’s been ruled out with a back ailment. Expect Monk to move into the the starting five, with Kevin Huerter ($5,300) and Isaac Jones ($3,100) seeing more run. However, for DFS purposes, I’m gravitating towards Ellis. The guard saw 27.4 minutes against Oklahoma City and I’d anticipate that figure going up on Wednesday. It’s not empty volume, either. Ellis has upside. On November 18, Ellis registered 33 points and 50.0 FPTS versus the Hawks.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $300K Fadeaway [$100K to 1st]
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All views expressed are my own. I am an employee of DraftKings and am ineligible to play in public DFS or DKSB contests.
