Get off the beaten path with RadThad’s NBA DFS Breakdown, plays designed to help you take down a GPP!!
What’s up my peeps? Tonight’s six-game NBA slate is going to be a wild one! Late breaking news with regards to Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) and Bradley Beal (WAS flipped last night’s slate on its head. I suspect that tonight’s slate will be just as crazy.
We are awaiting potentially slate changing news in Boston, so there’s that. Don’t be shocked if your final roster is littered with Celtics. If you throw in Steph Curry (GSW) and Kevin Durant (BKN), you’ll likely have the same lineup as everyone else out there.
There are number of viable pivots to go to in tournaments so don’t be “scared”. Remember that this is a GPP article so don’t get flustered if some of the “chalkier” names are listed below. The “meat” of the article is at the bottom, so I won’t be offended if you start there.
UPDATE #2:
Tonight’s game between the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat has been postponed (see below).
Point Guard
1. +Kyrie Irving (BKN)
2. Fred VanVleet (TOR)
3. Steph Curry (GSW)
4. Jamal Murray (DEN)
5. John Wall (HOU)
Hon. mention: Austin Rivers (NYK)
Shooting Guard
1. James Harden (HOU)
2. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC)
3. DeMar DeRozan (SA)
4. Malik Beasley (MIN)
5. D’Angelo Russell (MIN)
Hon. mention: Caris LeVert (BKN) if Durant and/or Irving sit
Small Forward
1. LeBron James (CHA)
2. Kevin Durant (BKN)
3. Keldon Johnson (SA)
4. Jimmy Butler (MIA)
5. R.J. Barrett (NYK)
Hon. mention: Anthony Edwards (MIN)
Power Forward
1. +Anthony Davis (LAL)
2. Pascal Siakam (TOR)
3. Julius Randle (NYK)
4. Darius Bazley (OKC)
5. Christian Wood (HOU)
Hon. mention: Chris Boucher (TOR)
Center
1. Karl-Anthony Towns (MIN)
2. Nikola Jokic (DEN)
3. Jarrett Allen (BKN)
4. Bam Adebayo (MIA)
5. Mitchell Robinson (NYK)
Hon. mention: Montrezl Harrell (LAL)
Top Stud (over $8K on FD): James Harden (followed by Steph Curry)
Top Stud (over $8K on DK): Steph Curry (followed by James Harden)
Top Value (under $5K on FD): +Javonte Green (followed by Patty Mills)
Top Value (under $5K on DK): Draymond Green (followed by +Javonte Green)
Notes:
– If you’re taking the “studs and scrubs” approach Nikola Jokic (DEN), Steph Curry (GSW), James Harden (HOU) and +Anthony Davis (LAL) have the highest ceilings on the slate (in that order).
-On FanDuel my most common cash core of players consists of Dejounte Murray (SA), +Kevin Durant (BKN), +Jaylen Brown (BOS) and Draymond Green (GSW). You can even throw Steph Curry (GSW) in there. I expect these guys to be very heavily owned, so consider using other options in tournaments. Other guys that should carry heavy ownership (relatively speaking) include Jimmy Butler (MIA), John Collins (ATL) and Andre Drummond (CLE).
UPDATE #2: My updated FanDuel cash core consists of Kevin Durant (BKN), Dejounte Murray (SA), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC) and Keldon Johnson (SA).In GPPs I’m rolling out a core of Murray, Lonnie Walker IV (SA), Rudy Gay (SA) and LaMarcus Aldridge (SA).
-On DraftKings, I’m getting a lot of Curry, Durant, Murray, Draymond Green (GSW) and +Javonte Green (BOS). You can throw Daniel Theis (BOS) in there too.
UPDATE #2: My updated DraftKings cash core consists of Kevin Durant (BKN), Dejounte Murray (SA), Steph Curry (GSW), Jarrett Culver (MIN) and Jakob Poeltl (SA). Keldon Johnson (SA) is another fine option.The San Antonio Spurs offer the best team value now that the Celtics are off the table.
– If you’re looking to construct a low owned lineup, here are a few recommendations that will buck the current roster construction trends for this slate:
–“How many Boston Celtics players is too many?” Well, at the moment it’s too early to tell. Tristan Thompson (BOS), Robert Williams (BOS), Grant Williams (BOS) and Romeo Langford (BOS) are officially “out”, while Jayson Tatum (BOS) is considered “doubtful”. The availability of Javonte Green (BOS) and Jaylen Brown (BOS) is currently “pending”. The Celtics could be down to the minimum eight available players for Sunday’s game against the Miami Heat. Daniel Theis (BOS) is already a core play, however, Green and Brown will be key components of your cash game roster if cleared, so pay attention to their status prior to tip off. Marcus Smart (BOS) and Tacko Fall (BOS) would be the other Boston players to consider if you’re running out a Celtics core in tournaments.
–Pivot to lower owned high ceiling studs. Steph Curry (GSW), James Harden (HOU), Kevin Durant (GSW) and Nikola Jokic (DEN) are currently projected to be top four fantasy producers tonight, however, ownership is leaning more towards Curry and Durant. A quick pivot to Harden and Jokic in tournaments should do the trick. You’ll have to tweak the rest of your lineup a little bit but given the “health and safety protocol” related value out there that shouldn’t be a problem.
–Keep your eyes on the Brooklyn Nets. Durant is “probable” for Sunday’s matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder, however, he hasn’t been officially cleared. Meanwhile, who knows what’s going on with Kyrie Irving (BKN). He’s officially listed as questionable due to personal reasons, but he “may play like he might not”. If only one of these guys returns, there will be some value options in Brooklyn so don’t take Caris LeVert (BKN) off of your tournament wish list just yet. If Irving plays you can consider him an excellent low-owned GPP option as well.
–Go back to the well with Karl-Anthony Towns (MIN). Yesterday, I recommended using Towns as a sneaky, low-owned center option in tournaments. He ended up dropping 52.6 fantasy points in 37 minutes of action against San Antonio, but I don’t think anyone noticed. Tonight he takes on the Spurs yet again, but he’s currently listed at sub 2% ownership on both DraftKings and FanDuel. He’s actually cheaper than Jokic on both sites so “have at it”. If you’re looking for a sneaky midrange center, give Jarrett Allen (BKN) a look. The timeshare at the center position in Brooklyn appears to be over, at least for now. Allen has responded with 39.2, 57.1, 32.7 and 32.2 fantasy points in his last four games.
-“Scrub” options that I like in tournaments tonight include: +Javonte Green (BOS), Taco Fall (BOS), P.J. Dozier (DEN), A. Pokusevski (OKC).
