Bradley Beal ($6,800) has been red hot as of late, but the shooting guard has been downgraded to questionable with a calf injury ahead of Thursday’s matchup with the Pelicans. Beal was just re-inserted into the Suns’ starting lineup three games ago and since then, he is averaging 26.3 points, 5.3 assists and 5.0 rebounds in a team-high 40.8 minutes per game with a 22.2% usage rate.
If Beal sits Thursday, Kevin Durant ($9,000) and Devin Booker ($8,800) will take on larger roles than usual and be great DFS targets against this New Orleans defense that ranks third-to-last in defensive efficiency. With Beal off the floor this season, Durant’s usage increases 1.8 percentage points to 31.4% and Booker’s usage rises 1.0 percentage points to 30%. Also, if Beal is sidelined, expect Grayson Allen ($4,700) or Tyus Jones ($4,000) to start and whoever earns that role will become a viable punt play.
The Suns have lost eight of their last 10 games, but they are a 7.5-point favorite vs. the Pelicans on DraftKings Sportsbook for Thursday night. Especially with Beal’s status in doubt, backing New Orleans to cover this large spread is the right move. The Pelicans have won three of their last four and Phoenix is a league-worst 20-37-1 ATS this season.
