Sunday features a small four-game slate starting at 6:00 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
Priced at $9,800 on both DraftKings and FanDuel, Dejounte Murray has continued to excel without Trae Young in the lineup. Especially over his last four games, Murray is averaging 34.3 points, 7.3 assists, and 55.7 DraftKings points per game with a 33.4% usage rate while shooting 44.7% from behind the arc. With Young off the floor this year, Murray has a team-high +5.28 DraftKings Plus/Minus and a +2.88% usage rate. Expect another ceiling performance from Murray on Sunday.
After back-to-back losses against the Trail Blazers and Jazz in their five-game road trip, the Hawks are now double-digit underdogs against the Clippers. However, since the All-Star Break, the Clippers rank 25th in defensive rating at 116.9. This is an exploitable matchup for Murray, who will get unlimited usage tonight. He is by far the best point guard option on the slate.
Value
Currently second in the highest projected Plus/Minus on DraftKings and FanDuel is Celtics backup point guard Payton Pritchard. The Celtics are dealing with a plethora of injuries right now. Derrick White, Kristaps Porzingis, and Jaylen Brown are ruled out. With all three out, Pritchard has a +3.77% usage rate and a +5.33 DraftKings Plus/Minus, which is the second-highest on the team. Pritchard is also drawing the most projected ownership on the slate for both sites Sunday.
Not only are the Celtics short-handed, but the matchup against the Wizards is the best the league can get. The Wizards continue to lead the league in pace while ranking dead last in defensive rating at 119.5 per game. The Celtics are double-digit road favorites despite the injuries and are implied for a slate-high 119.5 points. Plenty of value on this team.
Fast Break
Sticking with the Celtics backcourt, Jrue Holiday is reasonably priced in the mid-range across the industry. With White, Brown, and Porzingis off the floor this season, Holiday has the third-highest usage rate increase on the team at +4.94%. He has recorded a positive Plus/Minus in three-straight games and has been phenomenal defensively during that time with six steals and four blocks. Holiday is a little more expensive than Pritchard, but both look like great guard options on this slate.
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
Without Jaylen Brown, Paul George is easily the best pay-up shooting guard on the slate. George has scored over 20 points in six-straight games while recording a positive Plus/Minus in five of those six contests. Always a tenacious defender, George has eight steals and six blocks during that time. The Hawks are a different offensive team without Trae Young in the lineup. Their offensive rating dips from 120.0 to 114.8 without Young, which should mean extra defensive stats for George.
Not only are they poor offensively, but the Hawks have been an exploitable matchup on defense as well. They rank 28th in defensive rating this season and fourth in pace. Their up-tempo style of play bodes well for George to get extra field-goal attempts. Given how well he has played recently paired with the great matchup, George is one of the best pay-up options.
Value
Bogdan Bogdanovic is another Hawks player worth getting exposure to with Trae Young out of the lineup. He was unable to play last game due to an illness, but Bogdanovic is not listed on the injury report for tonight’s game. In his 14 games without Young, Bogdanovic is playing 34.2 minutes per game, which is nearly six more minutes compared to when Young is on the floor. He will be second on the priority list for the Hawks behind Dejounte Murray, but he is much cheaper on both sites.
Bogdanovic has recorded a positive Plus/Minus in four consecutive games. During that time he is averaging 18 points, six assists, four rebounds, and 37.75 DraftKings points per game with a 24.2% usage rate. For the Hawks to stay competitive in this matchup against the Clippers, they need a big game from Bogdanovic. His mid-range salary is appealing on this slate.
Fast Break
Microwave scorer Cam Thomas is in a fantastic matchup to let it fly. The Spurs are another poor defensively team that is worth taking advantage of, especially on the perimeter. Opponents are shooting 38% from behind the arc against the Spurs, which is the fourth-highest in the league. That bodes well for Thomas who leads the Nets in scoring with a career-high 21.3 points per game while making 2.1 3-pointers per game. Thomas has averaged 25.75 points per game in his last four games.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
The player with the highest projected ceiling on DraftKings and FanDuel in our Player model is Celtics star Jayson Tatum. With White, Brown and Porzingis off the floor this season, Tatum has a team-high +6.22% usage rate. Tatum’s usage rate jumps to a ridiculous 36.88% in this scenario, which should not be surprising. Not only is Tatum leading the Celtics in scoring, but he is also leading them in rebounding. The versatile 6’8″ forward already has 23 double-doubles this season.
Another area where the Wizards have no answer is on the glass. They are allowing a league-high 49.3 rebounds per game. The Wizards have a 45.3% rebounding percentage, which puts Tatum in a great spot to capture another double-double. He is also averaging 34 points per game in his two games against the Wizards this season while shooting 60.5% from the field.
Value
Second to Pritchard in projected ownership is his teammate Sam Hauser, who will draw the start with Brown out of the lineup. Projected for over 50% ownership on FanDuel and over 30% on DraftKings, Hauser is a cheap way to get exposure to the best offense on the slate. Hauser has posted over 30 DraftKings points in two of his last three games. Priced at $4,500 on FanDuel, Hauser has a 90% Bargain Rating and is easy to fit in all lineup builds with his cheap salary.
The Wizards are allowing a league-high 123.9 points per game, while opponents are shooting an absurd 50.1% from the field. In his seven starts this season, Hauser is averaging 9.6 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. He has scored 14 points in back-to-back starts. Shooting 42% from downtown, Hauser should be able to catch fire against this poor defensive team.
Fast Break
Kawhi Leonard hasn’t displayed much of a ceiling recently, but he is a very consistent cash-game option. He leads the slate on DraftKings with 11 Pro Trends at his appealing $8,600 price tag. The Clippers are playing without Russell Westbrook, while James Harden and Norman Powell are questionable. Keep an eye on their status the closer we get to lock. If they are ruled out, Leonard would look even better in this matchup against the Hawks, and he could reach his ceiling again.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
Paolo Banchero isn’t far behind Jayson Tatum in projected ceiling and even ownership. That goes to show how great of a play he is Sunday, especially on FanDuel. At $8,700, Banchero has 12 Pro Trends and a 92% Bargain Rating with small-forward and power-forward eligibility. Banchero continues to lead the Magic in points, rebounds, and assists per game this season. He has flirted with a triple-double recently, including last game with 17 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.
That game was against the Raptors, who he will face again Sunday. The Magic are favored by a slate-high 13 points and are implied for 115 points. They are starting an eight-game homestand and have a chance to climb the Eastern Conference standings with their current 39-28 record. The Magic should roll, and it will be on the back of Banchero, who looks fantastic on this slate.
Fast Break
Value
Oshae Brissett is yet another Celtics value player worth getting exposure to tonight. Priced near the stone minimum on both sites, Brissett is projected to play around 28 minutes, which immediately puts him in the conversation as the best value on the slate. Expect Brissett’s ownership to continue to rise throughout the day, especially if his projected minutes are accurate. His playing time and production have been a rollercoaster, but at this price and minute projection, he is too cheap.
Brissett has the second-highest projected Plus/Minus behind his teammate Hauser. Brissett’s upside will come from rebounding the ball and scoring in the paint. The Wizards are allowing a league-high 59.7 points per game in the paint this season. There aren’t a ton of expensive options on this slate, but Brissett’s salary can still be a relief for any lineup build.
Fast Break
In his first game back from a three-game absence, Jalen Johnson picked up right where he left off. Johnson played 35 minutes and had 25 points, five rebounds, and five assists with a 37.4% usage rate. The third-year pro has burst onto the scene this season, averaging a career-high 15.9 points and 8.6 rebounds per game while shooting 51.6% from the field. Johnson had 23 field-goal attempts last game. If that is any indication to what he will shoot Sunday, he is a fantastic option.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
For the first time since the All-Star Break, Victor Wembanyama failed to record a double-double. He was close with a 17 points and nine rebounds, but ultimately he fell short against Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets. Wembanyama will draw a much easier matchup Sunday against a Nets frontcourt that gave up a ridiculous 82 points in the paint in their last game against the Pacers. The matchup is a reason why Wembanyama is projected for the second-highest ceiling on DraftKings and FanDuel.
The Nets are also a below-average rebounding team, which bodes well for Wembanyama. Expect him to get back on the double-double train Sunday. On DraftKings Sportsbook, Wembanyama is -285 to record a double-double, which is nearly a lock. Playing in such a competitive game, Wembanyama has a great chance to put up one of his ridiculous ceiling games Sunday.
Value
The most popular center by far on the FanDuel slate is the Hawks’ Bruno Fernando. Priced at $4,600 with power-forward and center eligibility, Fernando is easy to fit into all lineup builds. Fernando is projected to play 20 minutes, which is more than enough to exceed his salary. With Onyeka Okongwu still out, Fernando’s playing time is secured. His defensive ability provides a nice floor. Fernando has recorded two steals in four of his last five games and 10 blocks in his last seven games.
The Clippers have been both an average rebounding team and an average interior defensive team this season. This will all come down to Fernando’s price tag and opportunity. Also, the fact that this is a four-game slate makes Fernando look even better. Prioritize him on FanDuel, but Fernando has sneaky upside and will continue to be very active when he is playing.
Fast Break
A cheap value on DraftKings is center Jontay Porter. He has been getting more playing time recently due to the injuries to Scottie Barnes, Jakob Poeltl, Chris Boucher, and RJ Barrett. The Raptors are lacking options, and Porter has filled in nicely when called upon. At his $4,200 salary on DraftKings, Porter doesn’t have to do much to exceed his salary. In his last three games, he is averaging eight points, five assists, and four rebounds per game with six blocks and five steals.
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