We’ve got a four-game slate for Friday. France is favored by 28 points over Iran on DraftKings Sportsbook, with an implied total of 92.5. Italy is favored by six points over Nigeria, with an implied total of 90.5. Australia is favored by 8.5 points over Germany, with an implied total of 90.25. Finally, USA is favored by 23.5 points over Czech Republic, with an implied total of 102.75. There are three players priced over $10K and three over $9K. Should we build around one of those and will there be value to go stars and scrubs, or will living in the midrange be the way to go?
Let’s dive into some of my favorite plays at each position on DraftKings.
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Point Guard
Stud
Patty Mills, Australia vs. Germany ($10,100) – In two games so far, Mills has played 35 and 36 minutes while attempting 16 and 17 shots, respectively. He’s hoisted eight and nine shots from beyond the arc. In addition, he’s grabbed four and six rebounds while dishing out six and five assists, plus five steals on the defensive end between the two games (four and one). All of that has translated to 48 and 33 DKFP. Mills is a grizzled 12-year NBA vet and has carved out a successful career as a backup role player. In international play, though, Mills morphs into Steph Curry. The minutes and usage are unmatched at the position. The price tag is high, so he’s not a lock by any means. It all comes down to lineup construction.
Other Options – Tomas Satoransky ($8,100), Nando De Colo ($7,900), Maodo Lo ($7,400)
Value
Thomas Heurtel, France at Iran ($3,600) – Heurtel is a reserve who will see minutes in the teens during a competitive game. In blowouts, like against the Czech Republic, he played 24 minutes and attempted 11 shots while dishing out seven assists. He went for 25 DKFP. Well, France is favored by 28 points, so Heurtel has a good chance of seeing significant run again. If he can get close to 30 DKFP while the higher-priced players languish in the 30s, as well, that would be a significant advantage for your roster.
Other Options – Nico Mannion ($5,700), Gabe Vincent ($5,300)
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Shooting Guard
Stud
Evan Fournier, France at Iran ($8,400) – Fournier has gone for 36 and 30.5 DKFP in the two games. He is the man on offense for France, plays a ton of minutes and garners a high usage rate during competitive games. Against Team USA, he played 34 minutes and attempted 22 shots. Against Czech Republic, a game France won by 20 points, Fournier only played 27 minutes and attempted 13 shots, which is likely more than what Zach LaVine and Devin Booker will do against Czech Republic.
Other Options – I should mention Zach LaVine ($8,800) and Devin Booker ($8,200), but I have a hard time paying up for players who will only likely see around 20 minutes of action.
Value
Mohammad Jamshidijafarabadi, Iran vs. France ($3,900) – It was between Jamshidijafarabadi (whew, say that five times fast) and Behnam Yakhchalidehkordi ($4,700) for me at shooting guard. Both play for Iran and face a tough France squad. That said, I went with Jam because he’s $800 cheaper and, while his minutes haven’t been as robust compared to Yak, the shot attempts have been more consistent. He’s chucked up 11 and 14 shots in both a competitive and a blowout game. Finally, Hamed Haddadi ($9,000) has been a beast down low with Iran making a concerted effort to get him the ball in the paint, especially against the smaller USA team. France has Rudy Gobert ($9,900), so I’m thinking more of the offense will have to come from the perimeter.
Other Options – Behnam Yakhchalidehkordi ($4,700), Miye Oni ($3,300)
Small Forward
Stud
Simone Fontecchio, Italy vs. Nigeria ($7,100) – Kevin Durant ($10,200) will likely be the highest scorer at the position, but Fontecchio shouldn’t be too far behind — and he’s $3.1K cheaper. In two games during these Olympics, Fontecchio has played 30 and 29 minutes while attempting 13 and 17 shots, respectively. He’s put up 37.5 and 29 DKFP. He won’t dish out assists, but he chips in some rebounds and notches steals and blocks. He looks to be priced correctly now after being $5.5K when the tournament started.
Other Options – Kevin Durant ($10,200)
Value
Jordan Nwora, Nigeria at Italy ($5,100) – Nwora is coming off a game vs. Germany in which he went bonkers for 49.75 DKFP. He contributed 33 points, seven rebounds, two assists and one steal while shooting 13-for-20 from the field with 7 of 12 from downtown. That was likely a ceiling outcome for Nwora because he only played 21 minutes in the opener and went 4-for-12. Nigeria lost by 19 points vs. Australia in the first game, so maybe that had something to do with the playing time. That said, he did go for 20.75 DKFP in that one, so this price is a good one for the floor and ceiling Nwora can provide.
Other Options – Achille Polonara ($4,900), Mohammad Nik Khahbahrami ($3,800)
Power Forward
Stud
Jan Vesely, Czech Republic at USA ($7,000) – The Czech Jet played four years in the NBA and has played 25 and 32 minutes in these Olympics. He’s a rim-running big who makes his hay in the paint. He’s shot 5-for-7 and 9-for-12 in the two games. He grabs rebounds, gets steals and impressively has dished out three assists in both games. He’s gone for 26.75 and 35.75 DKFP.
Other Options – Simone Fontecchio ($7,100), Precious Achiuwa ($6,700)
Value
Achille Polonara, Italy vs. Nigeria ($4,900) – Polonara won’t dish out assists, but he will grab some rebounds and contribute in the defensive categories. It’s all about the shooting efficiency for him, though. In the opener, he went 0-for-6 from the field, while he shot 5-for-12 in the second game and went 2 of 6 from downtown. He put up 10 and 23.75 DKFP, so the range is wide. As for playing time, he played 24 and 22 minutes in the two games.
Other Options – Nicolo Melli ($5,400)
Center
Stud
Johannes Voigtmann, Germany at Australia ($6,100) – I can’t pay $9K or above for the other centers on this slate. Gobert is reliant on blocks and rebounds, but he isn’t a go-to option on offense. He hasn’t cracked the 30-DKFP barrier in these Olympics. Haddadi has only played 21 and 12 minutes, and he has to go up against Gobert and Moritz Wagner ($8,700), who has put up 18 and 28.75 DKFP. Voigtmann has played 22 and 28 minutes and gone for 15.5 and 30.75 DKFP. The key number is the $6,100 price tag.
Value
Nicholas Kay, Australia vs. Germany ($4,500) – Kay has played 26 and 27 minutes and gone for 28 and 29.25 DKFP, respectively. He’s not an offensive juggernaut, but he has attempted seven and nine shots with one attempt from downtown in each game. He grabs rebounds, dishes out assists and gets his block on. He’s been a bastion of consistency so far, albeit in a two-game sample size.
Other Options – Ondrej Balvin ($4,500)
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