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There are six games on Sunday’s NBA main slate with the Nuggets vs. Knicks and Thunder vs. Nets tipping off at 6:00 p.m. ET. The Heat vs. Celtics and Lakers vs. Rockets start at 7:00 p.m. ET while the Spurs vs. Timberwolves tip-off at 8:00 p.m. ET. The late-night hammer is the Raptors vs. Warriors at 8:30 p.m. ET.
Let’s break down some of the top studs and values at each position to help you build your lineups.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $400K Fadeaway [$100K to 1st]
Point Guard
Stud
Stephen Curry, Warriors vs Raptors, $10,100 – Curry is coming off a 68 DKFP explosion against the Clippers on Friday night, two nights after they stifled him to 28 DKFP. The crazy thing is the 68 DKFP game wasn’t even his high mark over the past week. That honor would go to his 75.75 DKFP performance against the Trail Blazers when he put up a career-high 62 points!
According to DraftKings Sportsbook, the Raptors are 3-point favorites and the O/U is a healthy 233 points, which is the second-highest on the slate. The environment should be a fantasy-friendly one, especially since the Warriors are second in pace while the Raptors are ninth.
As for the matchup, Toronto is 17th in defensive efficiency. Zooming in a little closer, they are essentially neutral (-0.48%) to boosting/negating fantasy points per minute to the point guard position. With that said, they boost 3-point production by a whopping 25.4%, which is right in the wheelhouse for Curry.
Other Options – LeBron James ($10,200), D’Angelo Russell ($8,200), Caris LeVert ($7,900)
Value
Dejounte Murray, Spurs vs. Timberwolves, $6,800 – This is my favorite game to target on the slate, as both teams play at an elevated pace (MIN — eighth-fastest, SA — 12th-fastest) and both are defensively challenged (MIN — 29th in defensive efficiency, SA — 24th in defensive efficiency).
On the season, Murray is averaging 34.06 DKFP per game and 1.17 DKFP per minute. With that said, he just put up 51.5 DKFP against these same Timberwolves last night and has gone for over 40 DKFP in three games this season. The back-to-back is a little concerning and the game did go to overtime, but DraftKings Sportsbook has the Spurs favored by 2.5 points with a healthy O/U of 231.5, so I’m not too concerned.
Other Options – Payton Pritchard ($4,700), John Wall ($7,600), Marcus Smart ($7,200)
Shooting Guard
Stud
Fred VanVleet, Raptors @ Warriors, $8,500 – VanVleet has gone for at least 50 DKFP in three of the past four games. Yummy. Now he gets a pace-up spot against a Warriors team that is 21st in defensive efficiency and boosts fantasy points per minute to shooting guards by 12.05%. YUMMY.
I wrote in the Curry section above that this game environment is a juicy one. I don’t have a bigger font for the yummy but just picture it in your head. It also doesn’t hurt that Nick Nurse runs a tight rotation which has translated to 35.3 minutes of run per game, good for 14th in the NBA.
Other Options – RJ Barrett ($6,900)
Value
Lonnie Walker, Spurs vs. Timberwolves, $4,600 – I told y’all I like this game. Will that spell double trouble for me on the back-to-back? It’s possible. Now, Walker isn’t the greatest fantasy option but he does ooze with physical potential and garners a respectable 18% usage rate. The field goal percentage isn’t great, but he’s an excellent shooter from downtown (39%) and will contribute some defensive stats.
On the season, he’s averaging 0.70 DKFP per minute and 19.5 DKFP per game. During last night’s game, he only contributed 14 DKFP but he went for 27 DKFP in the prior game and has a season-high of 31.5 DKFP.
Other Options – PJ Dozier ($3,200), George Hill ($5,000), Austin Rivers ($4,900)
Small Forward
Stud
Jimmy Butler, Heat @ Celtics, $7,300 – There’s some risk here as this is the second leg of a back-to-back for the Heat and the chance of blowout is elevated with both Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown unlikely to play due to health and safety protocols. DraftKings Sportsbook has the Heat favored by 7.5 points with the O/U at 213.
On the season, Butler is averaging 1.23 DKFP per minute and 34.26 DKFP per game, but he’s gone for 59.5 and 46 DKFP in the past two games. Even if the Heat do blow out the Celtics, Butler is an across-the-board contributor and has a usage rate of 25.6%, so he will have likely contributed fantasy goodies in the process. If the Celtics can keep the game close, then the ceiling can be accessed.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Tonight’s Celtics-Heat game has been postponed.
Other Options – DeMar DeRozan ($7,700)
EDITOR’S NOTE: DeRozan (personal) has been ruled out for tonight’s game.
Value
Kelly Oubre Jr., Warriors vs Raptors, $5,000 – Oubre has been inconsistent and awful at times this season and is coming off two stinkers against the Clippers (12.75 and 15.25 DKFP). With that said, he gets a nice matchup and game environment tonight against the Raptors. Toronto is ninth in pace and Oubre flourishes in the open court. In addition, despite having OG Anunoby guarding opposing small forwards, Toronto is boosting the fantasy points per minute to small forwards by 19.22%, second-best in the league.
On the season, Oubre is averaging 0.83 DKFP per minute and 20.16 DKFP per game, but he’s gone for over 27 DKFP four times this season.
Other Options – OG Anunoby ($5,700), Darius Bazley ($6,200), Rudy Gay ($5,300)
Power Forward
Stud
Julius Randle, Knicks vs Nuggets, $9,500 – It’s crazy to think that Randle was a $6,900 player at the beginning of the season, yet here we are. Randle could always score and grab rebounds (double-doubles in seven straight games and 13.1 rebounds per game), but it’s been the sharing-is-caring attitude that has really boosted his fantasy prospects. Randle’s assist rate is at 31.7% this season. For perspective, in the prior three seasons, that number was at 15.8%.
This has all translated to 1.29 DKFP per minute and 45.17 DKFP per game. While the Nuggets play at a slow offensive pace, they are 26th in defensive efficiency, so Randle could continue to feast.
Other Options – Anthony Davis ($9,700), Pascal Siakam ($7,800)
Value
Chris Boucher, Raptors @ Warriors, $5,900 – Boucher has received at least 28 minutes three times this season. In those games, he’s gone for 49, 38.25 and 53 DKFP. He’s also played fewer than 20 minutes in three games.
Due to his skinny frame, he usually hasn’t played against dominant post-up big men but there was a shift in the rotation last game as Alex Len got the start and Aron Baynes did not play. Things could change going forward, but with his excellent performance last game in a win, the assumption is that the good times continue to roll for Boucher.
The matchup against James Wiseman is an interesting one because Wiseman is skilled down low and could bully Boucher. With that said, he does shoot well and is skilled at driving to the basket so Nick Nurse could keep Boucher out there.
Other Options – Draymond Green ($4,900), Daniel Theis ($5,100)
Center
Stud
Nikola Jokic, Nuggets @ Knicks, $11,000 – Jokic is averaging a ridiculous 1.66 DKFP per minute and 53.54 DKFP per game. The Knicks boost the fantasy points per minute to the center position by 10.69%. There isn’t much analysis needed here as Jokic is the top center and player from a raw points perspective. With that said, he also carries the highest price as well.
Other Options – Bam Adebayo ($8,800), Christian Wood ($8,100)
Value
Tacko Fall, Celtics vs Heat, $3,300 – With the Celtics’ frontcourt ravaged by health protocols, Fall played 19 minutes last game and contributed four points, eight rebounds and three blocks for 20 DKFP. The Celtics will again be shorthanded, so Fall should see close to the same amount of minutes.
The matchup isn’t great, though, as Bam Adebayo operates on the perimeter and will pull Fall away from the basket. In addition, the Heat negates fantasy points per minute to centers by 19.96%. With that said, minutes are minutes and 7-foot-5 is 7-foot-5.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Tonight’s Celtics-Heat game has been postponed.
Other Options – Al Horford ($5,500), Mitchell Robinson ($5,600), LaMarcus Aldridge ($6,500).
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $400K Fadeaway [$100K to 1st]
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is sontzu) 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 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.
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