There’s never a dull moment in the NBA, is there? Last night we saw the return of Ben Simmons and the, well, exiting of Anthony Davis to the locker room. AD came back but now reports are saying he’s likely to sit out tonight vs. the Warriors. If AD is going to sit out, this would create a ton of appealing plays on the Lakers, particularly a guy named LeBron James.
There were also hints that the Sixers may rest Joel Embiid on the second half of a back-to-back, so as always, keep your eyes peeled. The pricing on DraftKings also appears to be pretty soft with James Harden ($11,700) on the slate vs. the Clippers in a game without Eric Gordon. He’ll be the top GPP target most likely, but that’s not what we’re here for, are we?
Let’s look at some chalk options on DraftKings to get your lineups started.
Editor’s Note: Anthony Davis (ribs, shoulder) has been ruled out for tonight’s game vs. the Warriors, per Chris B. Haynes. Joel Embiid (rest) is also out.
LeBron James, LAL vs. GSW, $10,700
Again, all signs point to AD being out tonight. If that’s the case, the Lakers are LeBron’s show and we can likely expect something in the realm of at least a triple-double if the game doesn’t get out of hand before the third quarter. That’s really my only concern here, but with LA playing the second of a back-to-back, I think the Dubs can keep it somewhat close.
With PG Rajon Rondo (rest) also out, LeBron should dominate the ball. I also don’t think Lakers-Dubs is a bad game stack given the value on both sides, but we’ll touch on that in the strategy piece later.
Also consider: Kyle Kuzma ($4,100)
Karl-Anthony Towns, MIN vs. SAS, $9,300
KAT has slowed down significantly since the start of the season, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t topped 47 DKFP in each of the past three games. He’s still seeing massive usage and this matchup vs. the Spurs is very enticing. San Antonio is the same Gregg Popovich team, ranking toward the lower third of the league in FG% allowed and defensive efficiency. The potential return of Jeff Teague to the lineup should only boost KAT, plus the lines on DK Sportsbook are juicy. Right now we’ve got a close game (MIN -2) and the second-highest O/U on the slate at 227 points.
Also consider at center: Pascal Siakam, TOR at POR, $8,700
Hassan Whiteside, POR vs. TOR, $6,400
I think the best way to attack this slate right now is to chalk in plays at center and power forward and look to go crazy at the guard positions with Harden and a few other names I’ll touch on. Whiteside didn’t play much last night in a bad loss to the Kings on the road, but that should only keep him somewhat fresh for tonight’s game vs. Toronto.
The Raptors are dealing with a ton of injuries and Whiteside is priced pretty low considering he’s brought back big value in five of six games, topping 40.75 DKFP in four straight prior to Tuesday. We’re going to get savings from the Lakers and Dubs, so Whiteside is a nice mid-range play that allows us to stack a few studs.
Also consider in this price range: Al Horford, PHI at ORL, $5,900
Terry Rozier, CHA vs. MEM, $5,600
It may be a bit ... scary ... locking in Terry Rozier in cash games, but look at that price! Normally when it’s a Scary Terry cash night it’s because the Celtics are without Kyrie Irving, Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, etc. Now with Rozier on the Hornets, he has less competition for minutes and usage behind him. This is the lowest Rozier’s price has been all season, down $1,400 since just two games ago. There’s some concern he could bust, but this matchup is ideal as well. The Grizzlies are playing up in pace and aren’t good defensively. Rookie PG Ja Morant should have his hands full keeping up with Scary Terry all night.
Also consider: C.J. McCollum, POR vs. TOR, $6,300
Editor’s Note: Anthony Davis (ribs, shoulder) has been ruled out for tonight’s game vs. the Warriors, per Chris B. Haynes. Joel Embiid (rest) is also out.