NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: Monday (2/13)

The NFL season is officially over. That means we’re going to get some amateurs hopping in the NBA tournaments, and that’s a great money-making opportunity for some of the more experienced players. This is a great time to play DFS, too, because we have some egregious pricing after the trade deadline. Many of these acquisitions are still undervalued, and we have to bank on those mistakes before the price tags skyrocket. With that in mind, let’s kick things off by looking at the schedule and odds!

View the best player prop bets for tonight’s slate with our NBA Prop Bet Cheat Sheet

Today’s NBA DFS Lineup Advice

Schedule and Odds

• SAS at CLE (CLE -14.5) O/U: 224.5
• UTA at IND (IND -2) O/U: 237
• HOU at PHI (PHI -14.5) O/U: 227
• ATL at CHA (ATL -5.5) O/U: 240
• DEN at MIA (MIA -1.5) O/U: 222.5
• BKN at NYK (NYK -2) O/U: 224
• ORL at CHI (CHI -5) O/U: 228
• NOP at OKC (OKC -1) O/U: 236.5
• MIN at DAL (DAL -7.5) O/U: 230
• WAS at GSW (GSW -3.5) O/U: 231.5
• LAL at POR (POR -2.5) O/U: 235.5

Check out our consensus game odds as well as the odds from each sportsbook at BettingPros

Injury Report

• Devin Vassell (knee) Questionable
• Keldon Johnson (tanking) Questionable
• Tre Jones (tanking) Questionable
• Kevin Porter Jr.(foot) OUT
• Saddiq Bey (trade) Who Knows
• Kelly Oubre Jr.(hand) OUT
• Jamal Murray (knee) Questionable
• Aaron Gordon (rib) Questionable
• Kyle Lowry (knee) OUT
• Seth Curry (adductor) OUT
• Mitchell Robinson (hand) OUT
• Lonzo Ball (knee) OUT
• Zion Williamson (hamstring) OUT
• Karl-Anthony Towns (calf) OUT
• Tim Hardaway Jr.(hamstring) Questionable
• Kyle Kuzma (ankle) Questionable
• Stephen Curry (leg) OUT
• LeBron James (ankle) Questionable
• Jerami Grant (concussion) Questionable
• Jusuf Nurkic (calf) OUT

Core Plays

Joel Embiid (PF/C – PHI): $11,400 DraftKings, $11,700 FanDuel
Using the opponent’s best player against Houston has been a cheat code for years. This team ranks 25th in points allowed and 28th in defensive efficiency. That’s scary against an MVP like Embiid, averaging over 57 DraftKings points per game. He’s been even better recently, posting a 60-point average over the last two months. Joel has at least 54 DK points in five straight matchups with the Rockets, and that should be his floor with the way he’s playing.

Donovan Mitchell (PG – CLE): $8,700 DraftKings, $8,500 FanDuel
If you think Houston is a good matchup, wait until we talk about San Antonio. The Spurs sit dead last in both points allowed and defensive efficiency while surrendering the most fantasy points in the NBA. That makes Mitchell one of the best plays as Cleveland’s best player, averaging 44 DK points per game. He’s also coming off a 59-point gem in his most recent outing, and that could be in play again in this superb matchup.

Jordan Poole (PG/SG – GSW): $7,800 DraftKings, $7,800 FanDuel
Poole is the new point guard in Golden State with Chef Curry sidelined, and he needs to be $1,000 more in this expanded role. The shifty guard is averaging over 40 fantasy points per game with Curry out, seeing a massive boost in minutes, shot attempts, assists, and usage. That’s led to Poole scoring at least 46 DK points in three straight outings, and he shouldn’t have any issues with Washington posting a 26th OPRK against opposing guards.

Cash Game Considerations

Nikola Jokic (C – DEN): $12,000 DraftKings, $12,000 FanDuel
The Joker has been the best cash game player for three years now, averaging nearly 60 fantasy points per game this season. He’s actually scored at least 52 DraftKings points in all but two games over the last two months, posting triple-double averages in that span. He’s also got at least 59 DK points in 13 of his previous 14 games, and it doesn’t really matter that he faces one of the best defenses in the NBA. In their last matchup with Miami, Jokic collected 19 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists.

Trae Young (PG – ATL): $9,700 DraftKings, $9,800 FanDuel
Don’t look now, but Young is starting to get going. The former All-Star has scored at least 46 DK points in six of his last seven games, dropping 59 and 66 DraftKings points in his two most recent outings. That’s what we’ve been waiting to see, and it should continue against a 28th-ranked Charlotte defense. In their three matchups this season, Trae is averaging nearly 50 fantasy points per game, despite shooting just 40 percent from the field.

Damian Lillard (PG – POR): $11,100 DraftKings, $10,400 FanDuel
Dame is on another level right now. This superstar has scored at least 56 DraftKings points in 12 of his last 16 games, generating a 56-point average in that span. That’s one of the best stretches from any player all year, and it should continue with Lillard attempting 21 shots across 37 minutes a night. We don’t expect the Lakers to slow him down, ranked third in pace and 27th in points allowed. It’s also a premier matchup for this motivated guard, scoring 49 and 52 DK points in his two matchups with LA this year.

GPP Targets

Mark Williams (C – CHA): $4,000 DraftKings, $5,200 FanDuel
It’s wild that Williams remains this cheap. This guy saw one of the biggest bumps at the trade deadline, taking over starting center duties in the absence of Mason Plumlee. That increased role is massive when looking at his elite per-minute numbers, averaging 17 DK points per game across 14 minutes a night. Those totals should double from here on out, which means he should be at least $6K on both sites. We also don’t mind that Atlanta owns a 22nd OPRK against opposing centers either.

John Collins (PF – ATL): $5,300 DraftKings, $5,700 FanDuel
It’s strange to see Collins so far below $6,000. This guy has sat around $7K for most of his career and is still averaging nearly 30 fantasy points per game. What makes him enticing here is a meeting with the 28th-ranked defense, with JC averaging 27 DK points per game in their two meetings this year. We have to assume Collins will play his usual 30-35 minutes from here on out and get back to his usual $6K price tag.

Gordon Hayward (SG/SF – CHA): $4,900 DraftKings, $5,200 FanDuel
We like Hayward for all the same reasons as Collins. These veterans have struggled at times this season, but they’re too good to be this cheap. The former All-Star has been slow in his return from a hammy issue, but dropping 32 DK points across 36 minutes in his most recent outing shows the sort of upside this guy presents. He could duplicate that against an atrocious defense like Atlanta, with the Hawks owning a 26th OPRK against opposing wings this year.

Value Plays

Wendell Carter (C – ORL): $5,700 DraftKings, $6,500 FanDuel
This is another piece tag I don’t understand. WCJ has sat around $6K all year, but he’s been playing at a $7K level. The big man is averaging 33 DK points per game as a starter, showcasing a 25-point floor. That makes him a sensational option against Chicago because Carter has always been more motivated against his former team. In fact, WCJ has at least 36 DK points in six of his last seven meetings with the Bulls while averaging nearly 40 fantasy points per game.

Gabe Vincent (PG/SG – MIA): $4,500 DraftKings, $5,000 FanDuel
Vincent has been a sneaky DFS option whenever Kyle Lowry has been injured this year. That’s turned GV into the starting point guard, regularly playing 35 minutes a night in this role. In his nine starts this year, Vincent is averaging 28 DK points per game across 36 minutes a night. That’s more typical of a $6K player, and it’s hard to understand why he remains so affordable. The matchup with Denver is excellent, too, allowing the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing point guards this year.

Collin Sexton (PG/SG – UTA): $5,200 DraftKings, $5,500 FanDuel
This is Sexton’s show now with Mike Conley being shipped to Minnesota. They already made the first big step of acquiring him in the Donovan Mitchell trade, but that Conley trade will make him the starting point guard going forward. That means 15 shots and 30 minutes should be a regular thing, and we’ve seen Sexton play at a $7K level in that sort of role in the past. Sexton is scoring nearly 40 fantasy points per game in the three games since the trade! Not to mention, Indiana allows the most fantasy points to opposing point guards this season.

Advantageous Pricing

• Clint Capela (C – ATL): $5,900 DraftKings, $7,000 FanDuel
• Mark Williams (C – CHA): $4,000 DraftKings, $5,200 FanDuel
• Jarrett Allen (C – CLE): $6,800 DraftKings, $7,900 FanDuel
• Zach Collins (PF/C – SAS): $4,500 DraftKings, $6,400 FanDuel
• Devonte Graham (PG/SG – SAS): $3,500 DraftKings, $5,200 FanDuel
• Lauri Markkanen (PF – UTA): $9,100 DraftKings, $7,600 FanDuel
• Walker Kessler (C – UTA): $5,600 DraftKings, $7,200 FanDuel
• Caleb Martin (SG/SF – MIA): $4,700 DraftKings, $5,800 FanDuel
• Nic Claxton (C – BKN): $7,200 DraftKings, $8,400 FanDuel
• Cam Thomas (SG – BKN): $7,900 DraftKings, $6,800 FanDuel
• Cole Anthony (PG/SG- ORL): $4,500 DraftKings, $6,100 FanDuel
• Jaden McDaniels (SF – MIN): $4,100 DraftKings, $5,600 FanDuel
• Jalen Nowell (SG – MIN): $3,800 DraftKings, $5,300 FanDuel

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