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The Veteran’s Day slate features a three-game NBA main slate, and the action gets underway at 7:00 p.m. ET. This slate is miniature in comparison to Wednesday’s slate, but Thursday slates are traditionally smaller. Let’s go position-by-position and break down everything you’ll need to know to set your lineups.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $425K Fadeaway [$100K to 1st, 2x Crowns]
For up-to-the-minute news, analysis and lineups, download the DK Live app. You also can follow DK Live on Twitter @dklive.
POINT GUARD
Stud
Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers vs. Toronto Raptors, $6,800 — While half of the Philadelphia roster has been unavailable this season, Maxey continues to max out, playing every game and all game. The issue with Maxey earlier this season wasn’t his minutes, but he wasn’t doing anything with those minutes. Now that he’s the last man standing, he’s doing something. In the last two games, his usage jumped to 23% on Nov. 8 and 27% on Nov. 9. It’s comes as no surprise that those games were his best fantasy performances of the season (42.3 DKFP and 49.3 DKFP).
Other Options: Malcolm Brogdon ($8,500)
Value
Jordan Clarkson, Utah Jazz vs. Indiana Pacers, $4,900 — The Pacers are on the back-end of a back-to-back, and the worst back-to-back of all — the dreaded high altitude Denver-to-Utah back-to-back. Needless to say, they’re going to be dragging a bit, and that opens the door for a value opportunity with the Jazz. Clarkson has not been great and he’s not getting a lot of minutes, but this is a small slate. He’s chucking threes — 4-for-9 (Nov. 9) and 2-for-11 (Nov. 7) — and the Pacers boost PG/SG fantasy production by 5%.
Other Options: T.J. McConnell ($5,500)
SHOOTING GUARD
Stud
Fred VanVleet, Toronto Raptors at Philadelphia 76ers, $8,400 — The 76ers miraculously won six games in a row with an injury depleted roster, but inevitably their eight-man rotation caught up with them, and they also lost Joel Embiid — kind of a big deal. They’ve dropped two straight, and will likely drop another unless they get another amazing performance from their scrubs. VanVleet has not been elite this season, but he’s playing 38.8 mpg and his usage rate is 29%. It’s hard to pass on that kind of volume against the deep-sixed 76ers.
Other Options: Donovan Mitchell ($9,000)
Value
Terrance Mann, Los Angeles Clippers vs. Miami Heat, $4,800 — His 15 DKFP on Tuesday is a concern, but it’s not the end of the world. Mann was guarded by Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, and both guards ranked inside the top 10 in Defensive Real Plus-Minus at their positions last season. Over the last five games, he’s played over 30 minutes in each game and his usage rate is in the high teens. In the four games before his deferential performance against the Trail Blazers, Mann averaged 14 points and six rebounds per game.
Other Options: Shake Milton ($5,600)
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SMALL FORWARD
Stud
Paul George, Los Angeles Clippers vs. Miami Heat, $10,200 — It’s a three game slate and he’s the best player on the slate. Also, with the infirmary squad that is the Philadelphia 76ers on the slate, there are plenty of value plays that make fitting Paul George in a lineup very easy. Miami is a tough matchup for George, but it’s a tough matchup for all of the Clippers. They’re not just going to roll over because Miami is in town. Someone will step up, and it will likely be the star and leader of the team. The one that plays 35 mpg with a usage rate of 34%, and whose usage rate jumped to 40% in the last game with Marcus Morris out — Morris will be out again on Thursday.
Editor’s Note: Heat SF Jimmy Butler has been ruled out for tonight's game vs. the Clippers.
Other Options: Jimmy Butler ($8,900)
Value
Furkan Korkmaz, Philadelphia 76ers vs. Toronto Raptors, $5,000 — Are you made for this? Do you love NBA DFS? Korkmaz was 2-for-18 from the field and 1-for-12 from the three-point line on Tuesday. That’s terrible, but if you love DFS, then you are almost giddy looking at those numbers. His awful shooting night will scare some DFS players away and lower his ownership. This is a cheap, low-owned player with guaranteed volume. The 76ers do not have enough warm bodies to fill the minutes available, and it’s not like Kormaz is just out there — he’s firing. This isn’t just a volume play either, he was hitting before the game against the Bucks. He scored 19 points on a 5-for-12 night from downtown versus the Knicks and 25 points in the game before that against the Bulls (7-9 3P).
Other Options: Gary Trent Jr. ($5,000)
POWER FORWARD
Stud
OG Anunoby, Toronto Raptors at Philadelphia 76ers, $7,600 — Philadelphia 76ers Injury Report: Questionable — Seth Curry and Tobias Harris; Out — Joel Embiid, Isaiah Joe, Matisse Thybulle and Ben Simmons. They’re a little short handed and the Raptors should smell blood in the water. Anunoby is getting 38 mpg and his usage rate is 21%. His 0.9 FPPM is a little low for this price, but he should be more productive in this soft matchup. Also, for up-to-the-minute news and lineups — like the 76ers situation — download the DK Live app. You also can follow DK Live on Twitter @dklive.
Other Options: Domantas Sabonis ($9,100)
Value
Georges Niang, Philadelphia 76ers vs. Toronto Raptors, $4,900 — Every healthy 76er is in play tonight. This slate could be six teams deeper, and the value would still come from Philly. With Embiid and Harris out, Niang had a 29% and 27% usage rate in his last two games. Even before the Philadelphia roster was completely decimated, Niang was firing up plenty of shots (13 FGA per game since Nov. 1). Whether this play works or not, comes down to whether the threes are falling or not. He scored 31 DKFP vs. the Bucks thanks to a 5-7 three-point shooting night, but he was held to 16.8 DKFP vs. the Knicks because he was 1-7 from beyond the arc.
Other Options: Royce O’Neale ($4,500)
CENTER
Stud
Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz vs. Indiana Pacers, $8,000 — DvP is debatable for some teams and some positions, but this in not one of them. The Pacers boost the fantasy production of opposing centers by 7%. On offense, Myles Turner spends a lot of time on the perimeter and this opens up defensive rebounds for opposing big men — Indiana allows the eighth-most DKFP and eighth-most rebounds to opposing centers. If this feels like a 20-rebound night for Gobert, that’s because it is. Last season, Gobert grabbed 23 rebounds against the Pacers.
Other Options: Andre Drummond ($8,600)
Value
Paul Reed, Philadelphia 76ers vs. Toronto Raptors, $3,800 — He’s not really a center (started at SF on Tuesday), but for now, he’s eligible in this spot. Reed should get around 25 minutes of action, and he’ll be active when on the court. He didn’t take many shots in his start against the Bucks, but he made use of his 24 minutes by tallying numbers across the entire box score — six points, six rebounds, three steals and two blocks. Reed does not have to do that much to return value, and if he continues to collect peripheral stats, he’ll have a very safe floor.
Other Options: Precious Achiuwa ($4,200)
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $425K Fadeaway [$100K to 1st, 2x Crowns]
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and customer (my username is greenflagradio2) 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 skill 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.
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