This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Slate Overview
CHA at CLE: The Hornets somehow won two of their three games over the Cavs last year.
ATL at POR: These teams split their two-game season series last year for the fifth year in a row, with the home team winning all 10 matchups.
DET at WAS: These teams split their four matchups last year, but the Wizards have won 10 of their last 12 games over the Pistons in total.
DEN at MEM: The Nuggets swept their four-game season series over the Grizzlies last year.
HOU at CHI: These teams split their two matchups last season.
BKN at NYK: The Knicks swept the season series over the Nets last year and have won six straight in this series.
CHA at HOU: The Hornets beat the Rockets two weeks ago, 110-105.
DAL at OKC: The Thunder have won four of their last five games over the Mavs.
UTA at LAC: These teams split their four matchups last year, with the Jazz winning four of their last six games over the Clips in total.
For the latest spreads and over/unders, visit RotoWire's NBA Odds page. There you can also find player props, futures, picks, articles and sportsbook bonus codes.
Injuries to Monitor
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
Players Ruled OUT in Red
CHA - Nick Richards (ribs), Mark Williams (foot)
CLE - Evan Mobley (illness), Max Strus (ankle), Donovan Mitchell (rest)
ATL - Bogdan Bogdanovic (hamstring)
POR - Deandre Ayton (finger), Anfernee Simons (chest) Unlikely to play
DET - Tim Hardaway (head), Ausar Thompson (illness)
DEN - Nikola Jokic (personal), Aaron Gordon (calf)
MEM - Ja Morant (hip), Marcus Smart (illness)
BKN - Nic Claxton (back), Bojan Bogdanovic (foot)
NYK - Karl-Anthony Towns (knee), Jalen Brunson (ankle)
OKC - Chet Holmgren (hip), Alex Caruso (hip), Isaiah Hartenstein (hand)
UTA - Walker Kessler (hip)
LAC - Kawhi Leonard (knee)
Elite Players
Guards
Darius Garland, Cavaliers ($7,600) vs. Hornets
The Cavs are off to a historical start, and Garland has been a key cog in their success. We'd use him no matter what, but it's scary to think about what he'll do with Donovan Mitchell resting. That means Garland should see a boost in usage and shot attempts which is hard to believe since DG has scored 30 or more DK points in 12 straight outings en route to a 40-point average in that span. In addition, Garland has at least 34 fantasy points in six consecutive meetings with the Hornets.
Cade Cunningham, Pistons ($9,400) at Wizards
Cunningham was the top pick in the draft for a reason, and he truly looks like a breakout player this season. The Pistons point guard has scored at least 40 DraftKings points in 13 of 14 games, posting a 45-point average. He's also surpassed 51 DK points in five of his last seven outings and should reach that total against Washington. The Wizards have surrendered the most fantasy points to opposing PGs this season, with Cunningham averaging 48 DK points per game in their three matchups last year.
Forwards/Centers
Alperen Sengun, Rockets ($8,000) at Bulls
Sengun struggled through the opening weeks of the year, but the Turkish center is tearing it up right now. Alp has scored at least 46 DK points in four consecutive fixtures, recording a triple-double in his most recent outing. That's the stud we've been waiting to see, and a matchup with Chicago should keep him rolling. The Bulls rank 23rd in defensive efficiency and 27th in points allowed while playing at the fastest pace in the NBA.
Josh Hart, Knicks ($7,200) vs. Nets
Hart won't light up the scoreboard with his shooting, but not many players stuff the stat sheet like this guy. The feisty forward has at least 33 DraftKings points in nine of 12 games this season, reaching 40 fantasy points in seven of those. That's no surprise since he's playing 38 minutes a night since the opener. He's also posting a 38-point average across 41 minutes a night in the final 49 games last year. That led to Hart scoring at least 32 DK points in three of his four matchups with the Nets last year, who rank 24th in defensive efficiency this season.
Expected Chalk
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder ($10,800) vs. Mavericks
Gauging who the chalk will be on this slate is challenging, but many DFS managers will pivot to SGA. The Thunder guard is one of the frontrunners for MVP, averaging 50 DraftKings points per game. He's also flirted with an 80-point upside twice this season and will be hungry to reach that against a backcourt that consists of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. That's one of the worst defensive backcourts in the NBA, with SGA scoring at least 55 DK points in his last six matchups with the Mavs.
Mid-Range Money
Kyle Kuzma, Wizards ($6,800) vs. Pistons
Kuzma just returned from an injury earlier this week and he obviously was hungry to fire up shots in his most recent outing. The Wizards forward took 28 shots across 29 minutes in his last game, which is fantastic since he took 20 shots across 40 minutes in his final game before getting injured. Kuz scored 51 DraftKings points in that game two weeks ago and has that upside with this type of robust role. He's more likely to reach that upside against a disastrous team like Detroit, with Kuzma collecting at least 48 DK points in three of his four meetings with the Pistons last year.
Dyson Daniels, Hawks ($6,500) at Trail Blazers
It's hard to believe what this defensive stud is doing right now. Daniels has at least six steals in four straight games, scoring at least 42 DraftKings points in all of those. Those defensive statistics give him an incredibly high floor for this shorthanded team, especially since he's averaging 17 shots and 38 minutes across his last five fixtures. If he sustains that type of workload to pair with his defense, Daniels could become an $8K player in no time. All of that is difficult to overlook against this putrid Portland team because they should allow Daniels to feast on both ends of the floor.
Value Picks
Donovan Clingan, Trail Blazers ($4,200) vs. Hawks
This play is only viable if Deandre Ayton sits, but Clingan is the best per-dollar play out there if that happens. The big man made his first career start for Ayton in the Blazers' most recent game, collecting 17 points, 12 rebounds and eight blocks en route to 51 DraftKings points. The per-minute production will always be there for a beast like this, and if he plays 30-plus minutes as a starter, Clingan should be $7,000. Not to mention, Atlanta ranks 25th in defensive efficiency and 29th in points allowed.
Malik Beasley, Pistons ($5,100) at Wizards
This wing rotation looked muddled at the beginning of the season, but with Ausar Thompson, Simone Fontecchio and Tim Hardaway nicked up, Beasley is really their only true three-point shooter left. That's led to the sharpshooter averaging 36 minutes and 16 shots across his last three outings. It's not empty usage either, averaging 36 DraftKings points per game in that expanded role. That's all you can ask for from such an affordable player, and we didn't even mention that he faces one of the worst defenses in the NBA.
