Sunday features a small three-game main slate starting at 6 p.m. ET.
Let’s dive into some of the top plays on the slate using the FantasyLabs tools and metrics.
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Note: Projections and Leverages Scores/Ratings may change throughout the day after this article is posted. The NBA DFS landscape changes quickly.
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NBA DFS Point Guard Picks
Stud
Despite being much lower priced than Giannis Antetokounmpo, Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant has the highest ceiling in our player model for both DraftKings and FanDuel on this three-game slate. Morant is coming off his fourth triple-double of the season, where he had 27 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds against the Timberwolves. His rebounding numbers skyrocket with Desmond Bane (doubtful) and Steven Adams (out) off the floor.
Even with Bane and Adams both likely out, the Grizzlies are nearly double-digit home favorites against the Pacers with a slate-high implied team total of 125.25 points. This game also has the highest total at 241 points. The Pacers have lost nine of their last 10 games, as their defensive rating has plummeted down to 22nd in the league. Morant looks like the best pay-up option on the slate for both sites given his salary and upside in this spot.
Value
The Clippers are on a back-to-back, and given this is a Sunday, there is a strong likelihood that we see a few players resting in this spot against the Cavaliers. Make sure to monitor our news dashboard for all of the latest news and notes. With John Wall still nursing an injury, point guard Reggie Jackson has seen an uptick in his production. He has scored double-digit points in six consecutive games while scoring over 20 DraftKings points in three straight.
Priced near the minimum, Jackson is a great salary reliever on both sites. He is projected to play a little over 20 minutes, but that could increase if more Clippers players get ruled out later in the day. Ever since Wall has gotten hurt, Jackson has found his groove on offense. He has posted a positive Plus/Minus in three-straight games, and we can expect that to continue given his price tag and potential opportunity that awaits Jackson in this game.
Fast Break
Darius Garland looks good right now, but he could look even better if Donovan Mitchell is unable to play once again. Mitchell has missed five of his last six games and is questionable to play tonight. Using our On/Off Tool, Garland has a team-high +4.6 DraftKings Plus/Minus with Mitchell off the floor this season. There is a lot of injury news to monitor in this Clippers and Cavaliers game. Garland could end up being the best option of the bunch if news drops his way.
NBA DFS Shooting Guard Picks
Stud
Paul George has not played in a back-to-back in over a month, but he looks poised for a great outing with Kawhi Leonard unlikely to play. In 15 games without Leonard this season, George is averaging nearly four more points and over three more field-goal attempts per game. His usage rate climbs to 33.3%, as George becomes even more involved in the Clippers offense. George is averaging exactly 50 DraftKings points per game in his last three games.
The Clippers are projected for a slate-low 104.25 points, as they are six-point road underdogs against the Cavaliers. This matchup has one of the lowest totals we have seen in a while at 215 points. The Cavaliers rank last in pace and second in defensive rating this season, making this a tough spot for the Clippers. However, getting exposure to the Clippers feels like a necessity on a three-game slate, especially with Leonard likely out.
Value
Chris Duarte is one of the many Pacers players who have stepped up in the absence of Tyrese Haliburton. Duarte has been incredible in his last two games, averaging 36 DraftKings points per game while still being priced at only $4,400 on DraftKings. He has made two 3-pointers in each of his last three games, and Duarte is projected to be one of the highest-owned players on the slate for DraftKings, as he has a 97% Bargain Rating.
The Pacers are nearly double-digit road underdogs, as the Grizzlies have the best defensive rating in the league (109.7), entering Sunday’s games. Even with the stout defense, the Grizzlies rank third in pace while allowing 90.3 field-goal attempts per game, which ranks tied for the fourth-highest in the league. If the Pacers can keep this game competitive, stacking this matchup is going to be your best avenue on this three-game slate.
Fast Break
With Brandon Ingram uncertain to play and previously mentioned Donovan Mitchell questionable, the shooting guard position is lacking talent. However, sticking with the Pacers, Buddy Hield is playing as many minutes as he can handle right now. He has been very productive lately as well, averaging a +11.7 DraftKings Plus/Minus and five 3-pointers made per game over his last four games. He is another Pacers player worth getting exposure to.
NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
Giannis Antetokounmpo has small forward and power forward eligibility on FanDuel, so we’ll lock him in as the stud option for this position that is also lacking talent. Since returning from injury, Giannis has seen his minutes and production increase in each of his last three games. Last game against the Pacers, Giannis poured in 41 points and grabbed 12 rebounds while shooting a ridiculous 16 of 29 from the field, and he had over 70 DraftKings points.
The Pelicans rank below average in points allowed in the paint per game this season as they continue to be without Zion Williamson defensively. The Bucks are double-digit favorites implied for the second-highest total on the slate at 121.75 points. Even though Ja Morant rates out better in our model, Giannis still has an incredible amount of upside, as he leads the league with a 38.2% usage rate paired with a career-high 31.3 points per game.
Value
Dillon Brooks has scored double-digit points in four-straight games, but his production has been a rollercoaster all season long. He is shooting a career-low 39.7% from the field and has labeled himself as one of the worst shot-takers in the league. Luckily for DFS, missing shots doesn’t count against our lineup totals, so launch away Dillon Brooks! Priced around $5,000 on both DraftKings and FanDuel, Brooks feels a little too cheap without Desmond Bane.
Another positive working in Brooks’ favor is that he is averaging a career-high in rebounds, and now Steven Adams is out for the foreseeable future. Brooks has displayed rebounding upside, while the Pacers rank 24th in rebounding percentage this season. A double-double may be out of reach, but Brooks is not shy to shoot his way to being a great value play. The Pacers are also allowing opponents to shoot 37.6% from behind the arc, which is the second-highest in the league.
Fast Break
Add Bennedict Mathurin to the list of Pacers players in a good spot without Tyrese Haliburton. On this small slate, it may be worth getting to several high-volume Pacers in this track meet of a game. Mathurin has four consecutive games scoring over 20 points while averaging 35.3 DraftKings points per game over that span. The rookie from Arizona has been a scoring machine this year averaging 17.7 points in only 28.5 minutes per game. He has played much more than that recently with Haliburton out, which is why he is grading out so awesome on this slate.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
Jaren Jackson Jr. is arguably the best mid-range play on the slate, especially if he can just stay out of foul trouble. He is notoriously known for being in foul trouble, which does limit his upside. However with Desmond Bane and Steven Adams off the floor this season, Jackson Jr. is averaging a team-high +4.6% usage rate and a +4.4 DraftKings Plus/Minus. If he can stay on the floor instead of the bench, Jackson Jr. has a chance to break the slate.
The Grizzlies are playing at home, so maybe we can get those inflated Jackson Jr. steals and blocks totals as well. That makes him a very strong play on FanDuel, but he also looks good on DraftKings at $6,700 with a 91% Bargain Rating. Similar to Dillon Brooks, Jackson Jr. has seen a major increase in his rebounding numbers with Adams off the floor. He is averaging a career-high 6.6 rebounds per game, and with this plus rebounding matchup against the Pacers, he could really have a high upside.
Value
Brandon Clarke has the third-highest projected Plus/Minus on FanDuel and the second-highest on DraftKings. He has started in back-to-back games with Steven Adams out and is averaging 17 points, 7.5 rebounds and over 33 DraftKings points over that span while shooting 13 of 19 from the field (68.4%). Playing around 30 minutes per game when starting, Clarke is way too cheap in this spot where he can reach a double-double with points and rebounds.
Clarke is extremely active and, unlike Jackson Jr., has done a much better job of staying out of foul trouble. Normally I would recommend not pairing Jackson Jr. and Clarke together in a lineup, but with this being a three-game slate, almost all correlation rules can be thrown out the window. Most of Clarke’s scoring comes inside the paint, and with the Pacers ranking below average allowing 50.1 points per game in the paint, this is a matchup Clarke can exploit.
Fast Break
Evan Mobley has put together back-to-back games with a double-double, averaging 22 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. He also has recorded two blocks in three consecutive games, displaying his versatility. In his second year in the league, Mobley is averaging career-highs in points, rebounds, and field-goal percentage. This matchup and game in general against the Clippers isn’t that intriguing, but Mobley has been playing too well to ignore recently.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
Myles Turner not only has the highest ceiling among all of the center options, but he also has the highest projected Plus/Minus at the position and the highest overall on FanDuel for this three-game slate. Similar to the rest of the Pacers players, Turner has been awesome over his last four games, averaging 22 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game. His upside is very high against a Grizzlies frontcourt without Steven Adams.
Turner also agreed to a two-year contract extension yesterday, so the vibes have to be high going into the second half of the Pacers’ season. In eight games without Tyrese Haliburton this season, Turner is averaging 20.5 points and eight rebounds on 15 field-goal attempts per game. He has a 24.5% usage rate and is shooting 52.5% from the field and 44.2% from behind the arc. Great spot for Turner, who leads the slate on DraftKings with nine Pro Trends.
If you aren’t in a state with legal betting, Monkey Knife Fight lists Turner’s over/under for rebounds at 8.5.
Value
Ivica Zubac is another Clippers value piece worth getting exposure to if Kawhi Leonard and other Clippers players get ruled out. Zubac has seen his minutes fluctuate frequently depending on the matchup and whether the game is competitive. Luckily for Zubac, the Cavaliers have Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen on the floor nearly the entire game, so our model has him projected to play over 33 minutes, which is why he rates out so well tonight.
This is a tough matchup for Zubac though, as the Cavaliers rank eighth in rebounding percentage and have allowed the third-fewest points per game in the paint this season. However, Zubac has been awesome this year, averaging a double-double for the first time in his career while playing a career-high 29.3 minutes per game. The matchup may be difficult, but Zubac can reach value playing this many minutes and priced in the mid-range against the Cavaliers’ Twin Towers.
Fast Break
Jonas Valanciunas was ejected in Saturday’s game and only played nine minutes, so he will be well rested for this back-to-back. Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson are likely both out, and Valanciunas has a +2.9% usage rate and a +2.4 DraftKings Plus/Minus with both off the floor this season. The Bucks are a difficult matchup, but the center position is wide open on this three-game slate, and Valanciunas has displayed upside even in tough spots.
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