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We’ve got a five-game slate tonight. Yes. You read that correctly. Just five games on a Friday night. I’m having a difficult time wrapping my head around the concept, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to shortchange you, dear reader. You’re still getting three (3) piping hot value plays for this evening’s festivities.
Let’s dive into it.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $333K Fadeaway [$100K to 1st]
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SF Pat Connaughton, Milwaukee Bucks at Indiana Pacers, $4,100
Generally speaking, Connaughton is a forgotten man in DFS. While the veteran wing does start for Milwaukee, he’s usually a low-usage piece playing alongside the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,500) and Jrue Holiday ($8,500). However, with the recent injury to Bobby Portis (knee), things are looking up for the Notre Dame product. In fact, in Wednesday’s contest against the Nuggets — the first Portis missed due to his current injury — Connaughton logged an eye-popping 38.1 minutes, finishing the victory with a double-double and 44.5 DKFP. It’s the rebounds that excite me most. Connaughton is a known sharpshooter, yet adding that kind of impact in a secondary statistic makes him viable. It wasn’t just a flash in the pan performance on the glass, either. Connaughton’s now averaging 7.4 rebounds per game across his last nine appearances. In an uptempo script that sports this slate’s highest implied total, what else can you ask for?
SF/PF Dean Wade, Cleveland Cavaliers at Oklahoma City Thunder, $3,000
This is a pretty straight-forward play. With both Donovan Mitchell ($8,700; groin) and Kevin Love ($3,600; back) unavailable on Thursday, Wade was asked to log 22.5 minutes off the bench against the Rockets. The forward proceeded to turn that opportunity into 27.75 DKFP, thanks primarily to four made triples and a pair of blocks. In another uptempo environment — the Thunder rank third in the NBA in pace (102.1) — I could see a similar role and level of production from Wade. That is, if both Mitchell and Love are sidelined again, which I think is a fair bet to make considering the former’s risk of re-aggravation and the latter’s age. At the bare minimum, it wouldn’t take much for Wade to bring back 6x or 7x value.
PF Chris Boucher, Toronto Raptors at Golden State Warriors, $3,600
It’s possible I’m getting a little too cute here. Precious Achiuwa ($4,200) is just $600 more expensive than Boucher, and the former first-round pick has consistently logged more minutes than his teammate in recent weeks. However, going back as far as the 2020-21 season, Boucher has always been on the mind of those in the fantasy basketball community. A 6’9 swiss army knife and one-time G League MVP, Boucher has consistently produced efficiency numbers that make prospective owners drool. Heck, even in what most would agree has been a down campaign, Boucher is still registering a healthy 0.99 DKFP per minute due to notable marks in total rebounding rate (15.2%) and block rate (3.6%). He’s managed at least 29.0 DKFP in back-to-back games entering Friday’s tilt and his shot has looked much better in January — he’s shooting 39.1% from distance in the month. At this price tag, you might as well aim high and embrace Boucher’s massive ceiling.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $333K Fadeaway [$100K to 1st]
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is theglt13) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.