Friday features a six-game slate starting at 7:00 p.m. ET.
Let’s dive into some of the top plays on the slate using the FantasyLabs tools and metrics.
Also, don’t forget that for large-field tournaments, you can utilize our Lineup Optimizer to effortlessly create up to 300 lineups, or use our Lineup Builder if you like to hand-build your lineups.
Note: Projections and Leverages Scores/Ratings may change throughout the day after this article is posted. The NBA DFS landscape changes quickly.
Consult the NBA Player Models directly for any updates as we get closer to lock.
NBA DFS Point Guard Picks
Stud
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander got back on the 30-point train last game, scoring 37 points on 13-for-23 shooting from the field, including 11 made free throws. He also continued his dominance defensively with one block and one steal, which is the 13th game in his last 15 where Gilgeous-Alexander recorded at least one of each statistic. He has the highest projected ceiling in our NBA Models on both DraftKings and FanDuel and is the only player priced over $10,000 tonight.
The Thunder are the largest favorite on the slate tonight, hosting the Heat, who are playing on a back-to-back. They are 8.5-point favorites, implied for a slate-high 116 points. With a slate filled with low totals and no spread in the double digits, raw points will be a necessity. There is plenty of value to pay up for Gilgeous-Alexander when he clearly has the highest ceiling.
Value
Moving Jordan Poole to the bench is one of the best things that has happened to him this season. In his eight games off the bench, he is averaging 23.8 points per game with a 32.8% usage rate. When starting, Poole was only averaging 16.7 points per game with a 26.1% usage rate. That is a significant difference when he is not starting. Poole has posted a positive Plus/Minus in five of his last seven games and has the highest projected Plus/Minus on DraftKings at his $6,000 salary.
He is projected to be the highest-owned player on the DraftKings slate. He has a 91% Bargain Rating with point guard and shooting guard eligibility. The Wizards are 2.5-point home favorites over the Hornets despite losing 16 straight games and having the worst record in the league. This is a battle of two atrocious defenses, which bodes well for Poole in this spot.
Fast Break
Dejounte Murray recorded six straight games with a positive Plus/Minus before a slight down game against the Cavaliers’ elite defense. For some reason his salary has dipped on FanDuel to below $9,000, which is resulting in a 92% Bargain Rating. With Trae Young still out of the lineup, Murray has a team-high +5.46 DraftKings Plus/Minus and a +2.69% usage rate. Murray is one of the most popular players on FanDuel due to his cheap salary and the matchup against the Grizzlies.
Don’t forget to check out our NBA SimLabs Lineup Generator to create advanced DFS lineups using the power of simulation:
NBA DFS Shooting Guard Picks
Stud
Anthony Edwards sprained his ankle in the first few minutes last night but came back and scored a game-high 44 points. He shot an absurd 18-for-35 from the field with a 41.4% usage rate. Make sure to keep an eye on his status the closer we get to lock in case his ankle injury flares up before the second end of this back-to-back. However, with the news that Karl-Anthony Towns is out for at least a month with a knee injury, that will boost the production for Edwards moving forward.
With Towns off the floor this season, Edwards has a team-high +4.82 DraftKings Plus/Minus and a +3.64% usage rate. He had a 41.4% usage rate last night without Towns, so we can expect another heavy dose of Edwards once again tonight. The Cavaliers matchup is tough, but Edwards has displayed a ceiling worth getting exposure to and is only $9,000 on DraftKings.
Editor’s note: Edwards (ankle) is now listed as questionable.
Value
Speaking of the Cavaliers, they are still playing without Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Max Strus tonight. Caris LeVert will continue to come off the bench but will still play heavy minutes with those three starters out of the lineup. Last game, LeVert played 36 minutes off the bench, which was the second-highest on the team. Over his last five games with increased playing time, LeVert is averaging 13.2 points, 8.2 assists, 6.2 rebounds, and 36.95 DraftKings points per game.
He ranks in the top five in Projected Plus/Minus on both DraftKings and FanDuel tonight, proving how strong of a value play he is. Priced in the mid-range across the industry, LeVert is drawing the second-highest ownership on both sites. He has posted a double-double in two of his last five games and has a great chance for another ceiling performance tonight.
Fast Break
Hornets starting guard Vasilije Micic is coming off a career-high 21 points and 35.75 DraftKings points. He had a 35.9% usage rate while grabbing five rebounds and dishing out four assists. With point guard and shooting guard eligibility on DraftKings, Micic is easy to fit into all lineup builds. His salary has risen across the industry, but he is still a strong value option. Projected to start and play around 30 minutes, Micic can feast on the Wizards league-worst defensive rating tonight.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
Sticking with the Hornets, Miles Bridges is coming off one of the worst games of his season against the Magic’s fourth-ranked defense. He shot 3-for-16 from the field and finished with only seven points. However, in his previous nine games, Bridges was on a tear, averaging 19.9 points and 9.2 rebounds per game with six double-doubles. Expect Bridges to bounce back in this exceptional matchup against the Wizards, who are allowing a league-high 124.6 points per game this season.
DraftKings sportsbook has him at +110 to record another double-double tonight. Not only do the Wizards have the worst defense in the league, but they also rank last in rebounding percentage at 45.6%. In his only game against the Wizards this season, Bridges posted a 33-point, 10-rebound double-double and shot 11-for-18 from the field, including three 3-pointers.
Value
Leading all forwards in Projected Plus/Minus on DraftKings, Saddiq Bey is a great value at $5,700 with a 79% Bargain Rating. The Hawks sharpshooter has had an inconsistent season, but his scoring is desperately needed with Trae Young and Jalen Johnson out of the lineup. Bey is projected to play around 36 minutes and will be highly involved in the offense. He has posted a positive Plus/Minus in three consecutive games while averaging 21 points and 6.7 rebounds per game.
The Grizzlies have played at a below-average pace, which has boosted their defensive stats. However, they can be taken advantage of on the perimeter. They are allowing opponents to shoot 37.7% from behind the arc this season, which is the eighth-highest mark in the league. Getting more usage and more minutes, expect a strong game from the Hawks forward.
Fast Break
Rookie Brandon Miller has put together a great season, averaging 16.7 points per game while shooting 38% from behind the arc. In his last two games, he has connected on eight of his 16 3-point attempts while averaging 22 points per game. Priced at $7,000 on both DraftKings and FanDuel, Miller has the second-highest projected Plus/Minus on FanDuel. He is projected for 30% ownership and will have incredible upside. He is another Hornets player worth getting exposure to.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
Jaren Jackson Jr. is getting all of the usage that he can handle without a majority of the Grizzlies starters from the beginning of the season. Jackson Jr. has taken advantage of his new role the last two games with back-to-back 30-point double-doubles. He has a career-high 30.4% usage rate this season, which ranks in the top 10 of the league. His defensive upside has been put on display. Jackson Jr. recorded six blocks in his last game and has nine steals in his last four games.
The Grizzlies don’t have much to play for, which is why he has been unleashed. Playing against the Hawks is a great opportunity for Jackson Jr. to have another ceiling performance. The Hawks rank fourth in pace and 27th in defensive rating. With a strong defensive game and another 30-point double-double, he can find himself in the optimal lineup.
Value
Diving towards the bottom of the barrel, Hornets forward Davis Bertans is too cheap for what he has done recently. He has scored 14 points in three-straight games, while making four 3-pointers in each contest. In his nine games since joining the Hornets, Bertans is averaging 9.6 points per game and shooting 44.8% from behind the arc. A remarkable 91.4% of his field goal attempts have come from downtown, but Bertans has been dialed in from distance since joining his new team.
The Wizards have been decent defending the 3-point line, but he doesn’t need to do much to return value at his cheap price tag. In the last game, Bertans also displayed somewhat of a rebounding upside, hauling down six rebounds in 26 minutes of play. Projected to play around 24 minutes tonight, he is a cheap value piece that is drawing 25-30% across the industry.
Fast Break
Zion Williamson almost recorded a triple-double last game in the Pelicans 41-point blowout victory on Tuesday night. He finished with 16 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds while shooting 7-for-11 from the field. When the matchup is right, Williamson can reach his ceiling. The 76ers are playing without Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, which makes this an exploitable matchup for the Pelicans, who are eight-point road favorites. Williamson has an affordable salary on both sites.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
With elite block upside, Chet Holmgren has recorded a positive Plus/Minus in eight of his last 10 games. The rookie put up one of his best games of the season Wednesday night with 21 points, 14 rebounds, and five assists. Holmgren will battle against the Heat frontcourt, which is one of the best defensive units in the league. Despite the difficult matchup, he has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus on DraftKings and third-highest on FanDuel paired with a high projected ceiling.
Holmgren had no trouble in his previous meeting with the Heat in early January. The lengthy center had a near double-double with 23 points, nine rebounds, and two blocks. He shot 10-for-15 from the field, with four of his misses coming from behind the arc. The versatile Holmgren can stuff the stat sheet in a variety of ways and is on the best offense on the slate.
Value
Hawks center Bruno Fernando is the best value on FanDuel tonight. He has by far the highest Projected Plus/Minus and is drawing 44% ownership. Fernando has power forward and center eligibility with an 89% Bargain Rating at his $4,200 price tag. He is also reasonable on DraftKings but is much preferred on FanDuel. With backup center Onyeka Okongwu still out, Fernando has been given more opportunities. He posted a near double-double last game with seven points and 10 rebounds.
Despite Jackson Jr. healthy, the Grizzlies still rank 26th in rebounding percentage. Projected to play around 24 minutes, Fernando has the chance to record a double-double in this matchup. Even if he doesn’t, he is a strong value play in all formats. The center position and this slate in general is lacking star power, so paying down at center is a great option.
Fast Break
Playing without Karl-Anthony Towns and potentially Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert deserves consideration to be a top mid-range play. Gobert has recorded a positive Plus/Minus in 12 of his last 14 games with a double-double in all but one of those games. In his three games without Towns this season, Gobert is averaging a massive double-double with 17.3 points and 16 rebounds per game. Gobert vs. Jarrett Allen will be a great matchup, but Gobert has a slightly higher ceiling tonight.
