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The NBA is back from the All-Star break, which means we’re officially in the home stretch of the regular season. There’s another six-game main slate on Saturday, and the action on DraftKings gets underway at 7:30 p.m. ET. Let’s dive into some of the top options to consider at each position.
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Point Guard
Stud
Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks vs. Toronto Raptors ($9,500) – Young was playing some of his best basketball before the All-Star break, but he stumbled in his first game back. He shot just 3-of-17 from the field, ultimately finishing with just 32.25 DKFP over 37 minutes.
Young faces a tough matchup Saturday vs. the Raptors, but he still stands out as the clear top stud point guard. He’s averaged 1.42 DKFP per minute this season – the second-highest mark at the position on Saturday’s slate – and he should continue to benefit from the Hawks’ injury situation. John Collins and Lou Williams remain out of the lineup, and Young has increased his usage rate by +2.6% with both players off the floor.
Other Options – Ja Morant ($9,700), Jrue Holiday ($7,700)
Value
Brandon Goodwin, Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Washington Wizards ($4,200) – Goodwin is the lock of all locks on Saturday’s slate. The Cavaliers have been decimated by injuries in the backcourt, and they’ll be without Darius Garland, Caris LeVert and Rajon Rondo vs. the Wizards. That leaves Goodwin to handle the majority of the playing time. He should play more than 30 minutes in this spot, and he’s averaged 0.94 DraftKings points per minute this season. He’s nearly impossible to fade at his current price tag.
Other Options – Ish Smith ($4,200)
Shooting Guard
Stud
Khris Middleton, Milwaukee Bucks vs. Brooklyn Nets ($7,600) – Shooting guard is one of the weaker positions on Saturday’s slate, but Middleton is worthy of some attention. The Bucks own an excellent matchup vs. the Nets, resulting in a slate-high implied team total of 123.0 points. Middleton’s price tag has also dipped by $800 over the past month, giving him some buy-low appeal.
Other Options – Fred VanVleet ($8,500), Tyler Herro ($6,200)
Value
Lonnie Walker, San Antonio Spurs @ Miami Heat ($4,100) – The Spurs have some legitimate concerns on Saturday. They’re coming off a grueling double-overtime marathon on Friday, and they’ll have to contend with a brutal matchup vs. the Heat on the second leg of a back-to-back. The Heat are currently listed as 8.5-point favorites, so there’s a bit of blowout concern.
However, Walker stands out as one of the better value options at shooting guard. He’s been one of the biggest beneficiaries following the Derrick White trade, scoring at least 28.75 DKFP in each of his past three games. He’s posted a usage rate of at least 26.4% in all three contests, which represents a sizable increase from his season average of 23.2%. Overall, he’s averaged 0.86 DKFP per minute with White off the floor, so he’s underpriced at $4,100.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Spurs PG Dejounte Murray (knee), C Jakob Poeltl (back) and PF Keldon Johnson (back) are listed as out tonight vs. the Heat.
Other Options – Kevin Huerter ($4,500), Isaac Okoro ($3,800)
Small Forward
Stud
Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat vs. San Antonio Spurs ($9,000) – Butler has struggled a bit recently, underperforming salary-based expectations by an average of -3.09 DKFP over his past 10 games. Still, Butler has had an excellent season. He’s averaged 1.25 DKFP per minute, and he’s in an excellent bounce-back spot vs. the Spurs. They’ve played at the fourth-fastest pace this season, and they’ve been below average in defensive efficiency. The Heat are currently implied for 116.75 points, which represents a massive increase from their season average of 109.0.
Other Options – None
Value
Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors @ Atlanta Hawks ($5,600) – OG Anunoby is sidelined with a finger injury, which opens up some additional playing time for Barnes. He had an awesome performance on Friday, finishing with 38.25 DKFP while shooting 13-of-18 from the field. He’s clearly due for some regression, but he should make up for it with a few extra minutes. Barnes was limited to less than 32 minutes in Friday’s blowout, so he could definitely play more vs. the Hawks. His $5,600 price tag is also cheap enough that a bit of regression wouldn’t kill his value.
Other Options – Devin Vassell ($5,100), De’Andre Hunter ($4,400)
Power Forward
Stud
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks vs. Brooklyn Nets ($11,800) – Antetokounmpo is expensive at $11,800, but that’s actually a pretty reasonable price tag for him. He’s scored at least 68.25 DKFP in three of his past four games, and the only thing that’s been able to stop him recently has been minutes. In games where he’s seen his usual workload, he’s been absolutely dominant over the past month. Giannis has increased his production to 1.87 DKFP per minute over that time frame, and he’s in an excellent spot vs. the Nets.
Other Options – Domantas Sabonis ($9,400), Evan Mobley ($6,800)
Value
Thaddeus Young, Toronto Raptors @ Atlanta Hawks ($3,200) – Young is coming off 21.3 minutes in his last outing, his second straight with at least 20.6 minutes. That’s not much, but it’s more than enough given Young’s minimal price tag. He’s priced at just $3,200, and Young has averaged a stout 1.07 DKFP per minute this season. He should see a similar workload with Anunoby out of the lineup again on Saturday, making him a very appealing punt play.
Other Options – Chris Boucher ($4,400), James Johnson ($4,100)
Center
Stud
Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets vs. Sacramento Kings ($12,000) – Jokic is slightly more expensive than Giannis on Saturday, but it’s hard to argue against his price tag. He’s been the most consistent player in fantasy this season, and he’s scored at least 57.75 DKFP in each of his past five games. Like Giannis, he’s also averaged 1.87 DKFP per minute over the past month.
Jokic also owns one of the top matchups on the slate. He’s taking on the Kings, who rank 29th in defensive efficiency. The Nuggets are currently implied for 122.25 points, and they’ve struggled mightily against opposing centers. I give him a slight edge over Giannis, making him the top overall stud on the slate.
Other Options – Bam Adebayo ($8,400)
Value
Brandon Clarke, Memphis Grizzlies @ Chicago Bulls ($5,100) – Clarke has managed to return value in each of his past seven games, and he’s increased his production to 1.23 DKFP per minute. He’s gotten more expensive over that time frame, but he’s still cheap enough to return value in limited minutes.
Other Options – Khem Birch ($3,100), Jock Landale ($3,000)
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