Welcome to the DFS Army NBA Full Court Press! You have to start your research somewhere, and often times going game by game and breaking down every matchup and its key players is the first step in our process. My name is Michael aka @MadnessDFS on Twitter, make sure to give me a follow as I’ll occasionally make updates to the advice in the article. But, you’ll mostly find me in our VIP coaching forums where I provide detailed lineup maneuvers and answer all lineup questions. With that said, let’s get it started!
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Full Court Press:
Oklahoma City Thunder @ Milwaukee Bucks
Vegas Total:
Vegas Spread:
Pace: OKC +0.2
The Thunder have some incentive to win, as they try to stay in the six seed of the Western Conference. Starting with the Thunder, there really isn’t a lot that I love, both Russell Westbrook and Paul George are priced up. I won’t talk you off of them if you want to play them, but I’ll likely go elsewhere. The rest of this team is pretty blah to me. Giannis Antetokounmpo will rest for the Bucks tonight, as they prepare for the playoffs. The Research Station has three guys projected to go for at least 6.8x their Draftkings price tag …
Keep an eye on the starting lineup for the Bucks, but there will be some extra minutes to go around tonight. I wouldn’t expect Eric Bledsoe or Khris Middleton to see their usual minutes either, so the Breaking News Feed will be a necessity here. Sterling Brown and Pat Connaughton will likely see a good chunk of minutes as well.
5-star play: Value starters for the Bucks
4-star play: Sterling Brown, Pat Connaughton, Paul George, Russell Westbrook
Deeper Value/FD Drop Candidate: Bonzie Colson, DJ Wilson, Tim Frazier, Ersan Ilyasova
GPP Sleeper: Paul George, Russell Westbrook
Orlando Magic @ Charlotte Hornets
Vegas Total:
Vegas Spread:
Pace: Orl +0.9
The Magic have clinched their playoff seed, while the Hornets need to win to have any chance at the eight seed. Starting with the Magic, Nikola Vucevic will be a game-time decision tonight, so keep an eye on the Breaking News Feed. Even if he plays, I wouldn’t expect him to play a full allotment of minutes. Michael Carter-Williams may see some extra minutes here as some garbage time run, I don’t love him, but he’s a fine mid-range option. Khem Birch would become a nice value play if Vucevic is ultimately ruled out. From the Hornets, Kemba Walker is priced up, but he will need to carry this team tonight, I like him as a GPP option. Bismack Biyombo and Dwayne Bacon make for fine GPP value options.
5-star play: Kemba Walker (GPP)
4-star play: Michael Carter-Williams, Khem Birch (If starting)
Deeper Value/FD Drop Candidate: Khem Birch, Bismack Biyombo, Dwayne Bacon
GPP Sleeper: Kemba Walker
Miami Heat @ Brooklyn Nets
Vegas Total: 219.5
Vegas Spread: Bkn -5.5
Pace: Mia +2.7
Miami is officially eliminated from playoff contention, while the Nets will still be jockeying for seeding. Starting with the Heat, this will be Dwyane Wade’s last basketball game, but I think the real going away party was last night at home, he can be avoided here. Bam Adebayo continues to play well, and we love targeting centers against the Nets, he’s in play here tonight. Maybe with the Heat out of contention, they will give Hassan Whiteside some more run, he scored 37.75 Draftkings points last night in just 14 minutes. Goran Dragic and James Johnson are both secondary plays, I like Johnson quite a bit for GPP though. The Nets draw a pretty brutal matchup, there honestly isn’t one player here that I’ll have in my player pool tonight unless someone ends up sitting.
5-star play: None
4-star play: James Johnson, Goran Dragic, Bam Adebayo
Deeper Value/FD Drop Candidate: None
GPP Sleeper: Hassan Whiteside, James Johnson
Golden State Warriors @ Memphis Grizzlies
Vegas Total:
Vegas Spread:
Pace: Mem +4.4
Alright, buckle up. The Warriors will be without Steph Curry, DeMarcus Cousins, Draymond Green, all while Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson are questionable. Even if those two play I won’t have any interest in them, they likely won’t get their usual minutes. All of this launches Quinn Cook into play as one of the better plays on the slate, the Research Station has him projected to 7.1x his Draftkings price. I also like Kevon Looney quite a bit, he should get run at both center and power forward. Andrew Bogut rates out well in the Research Station, but I would rather go with guys like Jonas Jerebko, Alfonzo McKinnie, and Damion Lee. From the Grizzlies, Tyler Zeller has scored at least 23 Draftkings points in two straight games, I like him as a value play here. With Mike Conley still out, I’ll go right back to the Tyler Dorsey and Delon Wright well. Both guys should see minutes into the mid to high 30s.
5-star play: Quinn Cook, Kevon Looney, Tyler Dorsey, Delon Wright
4-star play: Jonas Jerebko, Alfonzo McKinnie, Damion Lee, Tyler Zeller
Deeper Value/FD Drop Candidate: The Warriors, Tyler Zeller
GPP Sleeper: None
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Indiana Pacers @ Atlanta Hawks
Vegas Total: 225.0
Vegas Spread: Ind -1.5
Pace: Ind +6.1
Starting with the Pacers, both Cory Joseph and Darren Collison draw good matchups here, as the Hawks rank dead last in defense against opposing point guards on the season. Domantas Sabonis is coming off of a 30-minute game his last time out, if he can get that many minutes here against a weak Hawks defense he’ll be easily my favorite play on this team. Myles Turner’s minutes have dipped as they get ready for the playoffs, don’t go there tonight. From the Hawks, John Collins and Trae Young are both playable here as their minutes seem to be locked in for tonights season ender. Taurean Prince is grading out nicely in the Research Station, he is a decent mid-range play, I would like him more for GPP however. Finally, Kevin Huerter draws a great matchup, as the Pacers rank 26th in defense against opposing shooting guards on the season.
***UPDATE: Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner have been ruled out! Could it be a Kyle O’Quinn night? Head over to the Breaking News Feed for more info on who this impacts.***
5-star play: John Collins, Trae Young
4-star play: Taurean Prince, Kevin Huerter, Darren Collison
Deeper Value/FD Drop Candidate: None
GPP Sleeper: None
Detroit Pistons @ New York Knicks
Vegas Total:
Vegas Spread:
Pace: Det +2.2
Detroit needs to win this game to lock up the eight seed in the Eastern Conference, which will likely be a fairly easy feat. Starting with the Pistons, Luke Kennard and Ish Smith both offer some value, but better value will open up, I’m sure of it. Andre Drummond is priced way up and I’ll likely avoid him here. Blake Griffin only played 18 minutes last night and looked awful doing so, I’ll likely avoid the Pistons as a whole. From the Knicks, Mario Hezonja was a late scratch last night, keep an eye on the Breaking News Feed if he’s out again tonight, I love Luke Kornet. Kornet has proven to be productive when he gets the playing time this season. Mitchell Robinson continues to play well, a matchup with Andre Drummond should be fun to watch, I like him here tonight. If Hezonja does play and start I have interest in him, I like whoever starts between Kornet and Hezonja actually. Damyean Dotson makes for a decent GPP play, as he’ll likely play a boatload of minutes.
5-star play: Mitchell Robinson, Whoever starts between Luke Kornet and Mario Hezonja
4-star play: Damyean Dotson, Andre Drummond
Deeper Value/FD Drop Candidate: Luke Kennard, Ish Smith
GPP Sleeper: Damyean Dotson
Chicago Bulls @ Philadelphia 76ers
Vegas Total:
Vegas Spread:
Pace: Chi +3.0
Starting with the Bulls, it’s ugly, plain and simple. They don’t have a single player projected to go over 5x their Draftkings price tonight. I will warn you, JaKarr Sampson’s 10-day contract has expired, so unless he signs a new contract with the Bulls he cannot play tonight, keep an eye on the Breaking News Feed for updates. The Sixers are the complete opposite, look at these point per dollar projections…
They will be without Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, Jimmy Butler, JJ Redick, and Tobias Harris tonight, which opens up a ton of value. Greg Monroe played 19 minutes last night and scored 26 Draftkings points, he is number one on my list of Philly players tonight. Of those players, I would prefer Monroe, Boban Marjanovic, TJ McConnel, and Jonothan Simmons the most.
5-star play: Greg Monroe, Boban Marjanovic, TJ McConnell, Jonothan Simmons
4-star play: Zhaire Smith, Shake Milton
Deeper Value/FD Drop Candidate: All of the Sixers… literally
GPP Sleeper: None
Dallas Mavericks @ San Antonio Spurs
Vegas Total:
Vegas Spread:
Pace: SA +1.0
Starting with the Mavericks, Luka Doncic dropped a triple-double last night and has that type of upside every time he steps on the court. Both Jalen Brunson and Justin Jackson make sense as GPP plays, but nobody I’m actively targeting. Dwight Powell is a secondary play, as I don’t think you’ll fall in that price range tonight. From the Spurs, I would expect them to try and win this game so they don’t somehow fall to the eight seed with a loss. Derrick White is probably my favorite play here, he’s averaging 30 Draftkings points per game against the Mavs this season. Jakob Poeltl has seen a minutes increase over the past two games, I like him as a GPP value play. DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge are both secondary GPP plays.
5-star play: Luka Doncic, Derrick White
4-star play: Dwight Powell, Jakob Poeltl, DeMar DeRozan, LaMarcus Aldridge
Deeper Value/FD Drop Candidate: Jakob Poeltl
GPP Sleeper: Jalen Brunson, Justin Jackson
Utah Jazz @ Los Angeles Clippers
Vegas Total:
Vegas Spread:
Pace: Utah +1.5
The Jazz are locked into the five seed, while the Clippers will be doing anything they can to get out of that eight seed so they can avoid the Warriors in the first round of the playoffs. Starting with the Jazz, I loved Donovan Mitchell last night and I’ll go right back to the well tonight if Ricky Rubio is out again. He sees a 33% usage rate and 1.23 fantasy points per minute with him off the court this season. Rudy Gobert draws a great matchup, as the Clippers rank 29th in defense against opposing centers on the season. Royce O’Neale should see a good amount of minutes no matter the score tonight, but there will be better value plays, he can be avoided. Joe Ingles and Derrick Favors are both secondary GPP plays. From the Clippers, I never love targeting the Jazz defense, so there isn’t anyone I love here. Montrezl Harrell and Lou Williams are both playable GPP plays, however.
5-star play: Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert
4-star play: Joe Ingles, Derrick Favors, Montrezl Harrell, Lou Williams
Deeper Value/FD Drop Candidate: None
GPP Sleeper: Joe Ingles, Derrick Favors, Montrezl Harrell, Lou Williams
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Minnesota Timberwolves @ Denver Nuggets
Vegas Total:
Vegas Spread:
Pace: Den +2.7
Starting with the Wolves, Karl-Anthony Towns sat out last nights game, so keep an eye on the Breaking News Feed for his availability tonight. If he is out again, Gorgui Dieng would become a great play, coming off a 35 point fantasy night last night. Tyus Jones and Andrew Wiggins are both locked into around 30 minutes per night, I like them as GPP plays tonight. From the Nuggets, Nikola Jokic is averaging 42 Draftkings points per game against the Wolves this season, there will be nobody to stop him if Towns sits tonight. Jamal Murray is averaging 38 Draftkings points per game in two games against the Wolves this season, I like him as a GPP play. Gary Harris, Will Barton, and Paul Millsap make sense as deep GPP plays as well.
5-star play: Karl-Anthony Towns, Gorgui Dieng (If Towns is Out), Nikola Jokic
4-star play: Tyus Jones, Andrew Wiggins, Jamal Murray
Deeper Value/FD Drop Candidate: None
GPP Sleeper: Tyus Jones, Andrew Wiggins, Gary Harris, Will Barton, Paul Millsap
Sacramento Kings @ Portland Trail Blazers
Vegas Total:
Vegas Spread:
Pace: Por +3.9
The Blazers rank 27th in defense against opposing point guards this season, which puts De’Aaron Fox firmly into play. Buddy Hield is averaging 35 Draftkings points per game against the Blazers this year and is a good GPP play. Marvin Bagley and Willie Cauley-Stein are good GPP plays, but there are probably better plays in that price range. From the Blazers, Damian Lillard is averaging 44 Draftkings points per game against the Kings this season, he’s a nice GPP play and even playable in cash with all the value tonight. The Kings rank 27th in defense against opposing power forwards, putting Al-Farouq Aminu and Enes Kanter into play here. Maurice Harkless and CJ McCollum are both GPP plays tonight.
5-star play: Damian Lillard, De’Aaron Fox
4-star play: Buddy Hield, Marvin Bagley, Willie Cauley-Stein, Al-Farouq Aminu, Enes Kanter
Deeper Value/FD Drop Candidate: None
GPP Sleeper: Buddy Hield, Marvin Bagley, Willie Cauley-Stein, Al-Farouq Aminu, Enes Kanter
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