The second-ever edition of the Emirates NBA Cup has come to an end, which means the focus is back to standard regular-season basketball, and with 13 games tonight, there is no shortage of action. From Karl-Anthony Towns’ return to Minnesota to a Hornets-Wizards tank-fest, Thursday’s NBA slate holds something for everyone.
With so many teams in action, there are many quality options available to DFS players. Here are the top three centers to consider tonight:
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $200K Fadeaway [$50K to 1st]
1. Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs vs. Atlanta Hawks ($10,700)
Wembanyama is the most expensive center on tonight’s DFS slate, but it’s for good reason. After a slow start to the season, Wembanyama is living up to the promise that has already anointed him the next face of the league. He’s been a top ten player in basketball over his past 10 games, averaging 27.8 points, 10.0 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 3.0 blocks across that span. And, most importantly, the Spurs are winning; despite being down head coach Gregg Popovich, who suffered a stroke on November 2, San Antonio sits at 13-13, in 11th in the Western Conference.
I’d like Wembanyama regardless of the matchup, but the Hawks are particularly appealing. Atlanta plays at the league’s third-fastest pace, ratcheting up possessions, which will allow Wembanyama to score in bunches. Because of their offense’s fast pace, the Hawks hold bottom-ten rankings in counting statistics for all the major categories: they allow the fourth-most points, 10th-most rebounds, eighth-most assists, fifth-most steals, and fifth-most blocks per game to opposing players. For Wembanyama, one of three players in NBA history to record at least two five-by-five games, the Hawks are a dream matchup. He currently has +5000 odds to post his third 5×5 tonight on DraftKings Sportsbook.
2. Karl-Anthony Towns, New York Knicks vs. Minnesota Timberwolves ($10,200)
Tonight will mark the third high-profile homecoming game of the season, after Klay Thompson played in the Chase Center and Paul George faced the Clippers. While George faced animosity from LA fans and Thompson adoration from the Warriors crowd, I expect Towns to be overwhelmingly cheered by Timberwolves faithful. The split has worked out better for player than team so far; Towns is averaging 24.8 points and a league-leading 13.9 rebounds per game for a Knicks team that has quickly fallen in love with him, while Minnesota is stuck in the West’s morass at 14-11.
It won’t necessarily be easy for Towns against a Timberwolves unit that owns the fourth-best defensive rating in the league (106.8) and has allowed the 10th-fewest DraftKings fantasy points to opposing centers. Minnesota center Rudy Gobert might be a little bit past his prime Utah days, but he’s still the team’s anchor and one of only three players to win four Defensive Player of the Year awards. Still, Gobert’s teams have historically struggled when opposing centers are able to drag him out of the paint, and Towns (a 40.0% career three-point shooter) is probably the greatest shooting center of all time.
3. Ivica Zubac, LA Clippers vs. Dallas Mavericks ($7,100)
I’ve chosen the two most expensive centers available for tonight’s slate, but for players looking for cheaper options, look no further than the Clippers’ Ivica Zubac. Once an afterthought in the Kawhi Leonard-Paul George era, Zubac has become an important centerpiece of LA’s offense. The ninth-year Croatian big is averaging 14.9 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 2.4 assists while playing a career-high 32.1 minutes per game. He was stellar in the Clippers’ most recent game, a 144-107 demolition of the Utah Jazz, dropping 19 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, and two blocks (47 FPTS) in just 25 minutes of play.
Meanwhile, Dallas might be a top-tier center from inner-circle championship contention. Second-year man Dereck Lively II is solid but unspectacular, averaging 8.7 points and 7.7 rebounds per game, but he hasn’t taken a huge leap since his rookie season. The Mavericks have a generally strong defense, with the 11th-best defensive rating in basketball, but Lively is skinny and can be overpowered easily. Dallas cedes the third-most offensive rebounds in basketball, and Zubac — with a career 12.8% offensive rebounding percentage — ranks 18th in that category all time. Overall, the Mavericks allow the third-most fantasy points to opposing centers, making Zubac a no-brainer value play.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $200K Fadeaway [$50K to 1st]
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All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook, lines and odds subject to change.
II am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user 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.
