DraftKings contributor Nick Friar and Rotowire’s Nick Whalen join The Sweat to give their favorite DraftKings value plays for Monday’s NBA slate.
Watch today’s entire episode of The Sweat below!
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $500K Shootaround [$200K to 1st]
Video Transcript
Nick Whalen:
So, there’s a few that I like. I’ll start with the Mavericks. I think it’s a little bit of a crapshoot, but based on what we saw in round one, you have multiple players who are playing big-time minutes for this team. Dorian Finney-Smith is like 40-plus every single night. Reggie Bullock approaches 45 minutes every single night with Tim Hardaway obviously sidelined for this team. So, both of those guys are players that I kind of always find myself plugging into a lineup, whether it’s a showdown or you know a full slate contest, which we’re only talking two games tonight.
But even though they maybe they don’t have the highest statistical ceiling — Dorian Finney-Smith’s not going to go off for for 30 and 10 — but when you’re just out there for 45 minutes in a playoff game, you’re going to rack up stats. So those are two guys that I always target.
Maxi Kleber came up big for Dallas in round one. We’ll see if that carries over. He’s another mid-to-low guy who I target. And then there’s going to be a lot of people flocking to Paul Reed, who’s at $4,200. He was already in the Sixers’ rotation during round one, saw like nine to 10 minutes a game behind Embiid. With Embiid out of there — it’s like, we can’t trust DeAndre Jordan ($5,200) at this point — so I think Paul Reed is a natural pivot. Again, he’s going to be popular. Maybe there’s a case be made that you want to zag on that, at least for Game 1. But $4,200, I mean, it makes it pretty easy to slot Paul Reed into your lineup
Nick Friar:
I do think Reed is a guy that should be on your radar — and honestly, DeAndre Jordan, that guy has been passed around so much over the past couple years. It’s kind of funny.
But Georges Niang is actually another guy that I’m looking at. I think this Sixers-Heat matchup is where the most value is going to come from. Because you have no Joel Embiid, Niang is one of those guys that I’m going to look to. Of course, lines up at the power forward, $4.1K going up against Miami. Without Embiid on the floor this season, he garners a 20.2% usage rate, so nothing crazy, but he’s getting he’s getting consistent minutes when Embiid was playing. That’s only going to go upward in these first couple games. Averaging 0.8 DK fantasy points per minute without Embiid on the floor.
But if I had to say my favorite guy, I think I’d go with Gabe Vincent at $4.4K going up on the other side of this matchup. I know Victor Oladipo has got the most upside, and at $5.1K, he can give you a ton of value if (Jimmy) Butler ($9,200) doesn’t go. But whether or not Butler goes, and obviously some of these other guys that are possibly going to be sidelined for this game, Gabe Vincent is a really solid, comfortable floor play in the value spot, where he averaged five-times value throughout most of this last series. He only had one real clunker and all of it. As long as he’s getting over 20 minutes, you know he’s going to be bringing that value, too, and he should be getting that tonight with just (Kyle) Lowry out alone.
Whalen’s Pick: Dorian Finney-Smith ($5,800), Reggie Bullock ($5,400), Maxi Kleber ($3,800), Paul Reed ($4,200)
Friar’s Pick: Georges Niang ($4,100), Gabe Vincent ($4,400)
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $500K Shootaround [$200K to 1st]
Put your knowledge to the test. Sign up for DraftKings and experience the game inside the game.
DraftKings promoters may sometimes play on personal accounts in the games that advice is offered on. Personal views on the games and strategies above 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. DraftKings promoters may also deploy different players and strategies than what is recommended above. DraftKings promoters do not have access to any non-public information.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/MI/NJ/PA/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/NH), 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 1-877-770-STOP (7867) (LA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), call/text TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA).
21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/LA/MI/NH/NJ/NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for full terms and conditions.