Welcome to the first Saturday of the NBA DFS season!
In my humble opinion, this is the Holy Grail of NBA DFS. On a typical weekday, your research may be brief and it may be difficult to keep up with news in the lead-up to lock considering the constant stream of injuries and the ever-evolving load-management schedule. But today, you finally have the ability to take advantage of a full day of research. And what better place to start than right here on FantasyPros!
So without further ado, let’s look at the best plays in today’s 10 game slate:
Create Optimal DraftKings lineups using our DFS Lineup Optimizer tool
Point Guard
Dejounte Murray (SAS): $5,700 vs. WAS
After missing all of last season, it is clear that Murray is back with a purpose for this Spurs team. In his first game in over a year, Murray led the team in assists, was second in scoring, and third in rebounding. Meanwhile, Washington is on the second night of a back-to-back after beating OKC on the road last night. This should be a spot where the Spurs control the game and where Murray controls the Spurs.
Welcome to the first Saturday of the NBA DFS season!
In my humble opinion, this is the Holy Grail of NBA DFS. On a typical weekday, your research may be brief and it may be difficult to keep up with news in the lead-up to lock considering the constant stream of injuries and the ever-evolving load-management schedule. But today, you finally have the ability to take advantage of a full day of research. And what better place to start than right here on FantasyPros!
So without further ado, let’s look at the best plays in today’s 10 game slate:
Create Optimal DraftKings lineups using our DFS Lineup Optimizer tool
Point Guard
Dejounte Murray (SAS): $5,700 vs. WAS
After missing all of last season, it is clear that Murray is back with a purpose for this Spurs team. In his first game in over a year, Murray led the team in assists, was second in scoring, and third in rebounding. Meanwhile, Washington is on the second night of a back-to-back after beating OKC on the road last night. This should be a spot where the Spurs control the game and where Murray controls the Spurs.
Shooting Guard
James Harden (HOU): $10,200 vs. NO
In the first game of the season, James Harden shot 2-13. He also had 51.25 DK points. And now, in game two, we find Harden in a pace-up spot against the team with the fourth worst defensive rating who is on the second night of a back-to-back. He may be the most expensive player on the slate, but he also has the best chance to break it.
Small Forward
Jaylen Brown (BOS): $5,000 @ NYK
At first glance, this might seem like point chasing, but look more deeply and you’ll see that Brown’s explosion against the Raptors last night is more the norm than the outlier. After only putting up six shots in 21 minutes in the opener, Brown played 31 minutes and shot the ball 20 times last night. With Jayson Tatum struggling to find his range (8-22 in both games) Brown has shown the ability to step-up and produce, and now he gets a high-pace match-up against a soft Knicks defense.
Power Forward
Brandon Ingram (NO): $6,900 @ HOU
Through two games, Brandon Ingram is averaging almost 20 shots in 33 minutes. We can save the efficiency discussion for another time, but it is clear that with Zion Williamson out, Ingram is being leaned on heavily to soak up the opportunity. With at least 20 points and 40 DK points in each of those contests, it is safe to say that Ingram is responding. Tonight, he plays in a game with a 238-point total and should be one of the primary contributors for the New Orleans side.
Center
Myles Turner (IND): $6,300 @ CLE
In the first game of the season, Indiana’s offense flowed through Turner. The big man dropped 25, hit four threes, finished one rebound away from a double-double, and threw in three blocks and two steals for good measure. In this game, he goes up against a Cleveland team that allowed 21-10 to Nikola Vucevic and whose only true center on the roster is Tristan Thompson. Given the opportunity and the matchup Turner looks poised for a big game.
Guard
Coby White (CHI): $4,700 vs. TOR
Through two games, White has played at least 27 minutes in each while averaging 21/4.5/4.5. The most exciting part about this start for the rookie is the opportunity he has been given in the Bulls offense. He has easily outplayed veteran Tomas Satoransky and Chicago has not been shy about keeping White on the court and allowing him and Zach LaVine to wreak havoc on opposing defenses.
Forward
Nemanja Bjelica (SAC): $4,000 @ UTA
With Marvin Bagley III going down with an injury in the first game, Bjelica slid into the starting lineup in last night’s game against the Portland Trailblazers. Although his stat line was nothing mind-boggling (9 points and 7 rebounds) the fact that he was on the court for 28 minutes was enough to ensure his value moving forward. The Kings continue to play at one of the fastest paces in the league, and even though the matchup with Utah isn’t great, Bjelica’s price and opportunity make him difficult to pass up. If you are playing him, though, keep an eye on De’Aaron Fox’s status with a hip injury.
Utility
Lou Williams (LAC): $6.800 @ PHO
You didn’t think we were fading this game, did you? In the second-highest total of the night, the current title favorites travel to Phoenix to take on a Suns team that lost an overtime game to Denver just last night. In a plus matchup against a Phoenix team that is capable of keeping this game close, Williams will have plenty of opportunities to fill the box score. So far this season, he has at least 20 points and 7 assists in both games. There is little reason to think he won’t be able to continue that streak in this one.
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Stuart Easton is a featured writer at FantasyPros. Follow him on Twitter @Stueast13.