Main Slate Breakdown for NBA DFS 02/27:
Feb 26, 2022; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) dribbles the ball against Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) during the first quarter at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Welcome to another year of the DFS Army NBA Full Court Press! Members had a ton of success using the Full Court Press along with various articles and tools that DFS Army provides last season, so we are glad to be back with another year of the all-inclusive article. You have to start your research somewhere, and oftentimes going game by game and breaking down every matchup and its key players is the first step in our process. My name is Mike 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!
Detroit Pistons @ Charlotte Hornets
Vegas Total: 229.0
Vegas Spread: Cha -10.0
We’ll kick this slate off starting with the Pistons, Cade Cunningham has finally started to show some consistency with at least 36 DraftKings points in three straight games. This is a great matchup with the Hornets and a guy that I like a good amount here. Saddiq Bey, on the other hand, has been a bit more volatile as of late and would probably be more of a GPP guy but the ceiling is definitely there in a nice matchup. Jerami Grant hasn’t been all that great over his last handful of games… the price does look nice in this matchup, but I think he’ll be hard to trust in cash games. The frontcourt for the Pistons is pretty crowded right now with Isaiah Stewart, Kelly Olynyk, and Marvin Bagley soaking up minutes, however, if Bagley is forced to miss I would have more interest in Olynyk and Stewart due to the minute’s security. From the Hornets, they’ll continue to be without Gordon Hayward so expect more minutes for guys like Kelly Oubre and PJ Washington. LaMelo Ball is probably more of a tournament guy for me in this matchup and the volatility he’s shown, but the ceiling is massive as he’s averaged 56 DraftKings points per game in two games against the Pistons this season. I don’t love the price tag on Terry Rozier, but he’s a fine option if you want a sprinkle in MME. Miles Bridges continues to show his consistent production making him a fine secondary option as well in a nice matchup against a pretty bad Pistons defense. I’m going to continue to go to Montrezl Harrell at this price tag, the Hornets are giving him much more run than he was getting on the Wizards. I like the price tag much more on DraftKings still, but the gap is decreasing. He’s had a 19% usage rate and 1.17 fantasy points per minute with the Hornets in his 108-minute sample size.
5-star play: Cade Cunningham, LaMelo Ball
4-star play: Saddiq Bey, Jerami Grant, Miles Bridges, Terry Rozier, Montrezl Harrell
Deeper Value: Kelly Olynyk
GPP Sleeper: Kelly Oubre, PJ Washington, Hamidou Diallo, Isaiah Stewart, Kelly Olynyk
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Los Angeles Clippers @ Houston Rockets
Vegas Total: 229.0
Vegas Spread: Lac -7.0
Starting with the Clippers, Reggie Jackson and Marcus Morris are going to continue to be the main pieces I want from this team as they look to be the primary scorers with Norman Powell and Paul George still out. The price on Jackson has climbed pretty substantially, but for good reason, he’ll look like a great option against a bad Rockets team. Terance Mann is good for a couple of good games per week but has shown some volatility as of late, he’s a solid option in all formats for me due to the matchup and the minute’s security he’s seen as of late. With Serge Ibaka out of town, Ivica Zubac has seen more consistent minutes and has produced well, he’s coming off of a down game last time out but he couldn’t ask for a better bounce-back opponent. Then guys like Nic Batum and Luke Kennard are fine value options if we don’t get anything else to open up as we get closer to lock. From the Rockets, Christian Wood looks like a solid tournament option but feels a bit outpriced for cash games. Kevin Porter Jr. comes into this game as questionable, so something we’ll want to monitor the Breaking News Feed for as we get closer to lock. If Porter Jr. is out, we would likely see Dennis Schroder slide back into the starting lineup and would look like a great option here. I still think Schroder is in play for GPPs even if Porter Jr. plays as well, he’s played at least 28 minutes in his three games as a Rocket. He’s been pretty productive in those opportunities as well with a 22.5% usage rate and 1.00 fantasy points per minute. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Jae’Sean Tate isn’t a sexy option but he’s consistently producing in the high 20’s/low 30’s if you happen to land on him. Then we can round this team out with Alperen Sengun and Jalen Green as tournament guys as well.
5-star play: None
4-star play: Reggie Jackson, Marcus Morris, Terance Mann, Christian Wood, Kevin Porter Jr., Jae’Sean Tate
Deeper Value: Nic Batum, Luke Kennard
GPP Sleeper: Ivica Zubac, Nic Batum, Luke Kennard, Alperen Sengun, Jalen Green
Dallas Mavericks @ Golden State Warriors
Vegas Total: 220.5
Vegas Spread: GSW -4.5
Starting with the Mavericks, Luka Doncic went into the All-Star break on an absolute heater with at least 65 DraftKings points in four of his final five games and kicked off the second half of the season a little slow relative to those games, but still a guy I like quite a bit in a great matchup with the Warriors. Jalen Brunson threw up a bit of a stinker in their return but still has a 23.9% usage rate and 0.94 fantasy points per minute with Tim Hardaway and Kristaps Porzingis off of the court this season. That said, Spencer Dinwiddie is kind of known to be a bit of a usage hog, so he may hurt those rates going forward. Dinwiddie hasn’t looked great with the Mavs but had his best game with Dallas last time out. I don’t know that I want to rush to play him in DFS just yet, but a fine GPP option at the least. Then we can round the team out with Dorian Finney-Smith and Maxi Kleber as secondary options. From the Warriors, Klay Thompson comes in as questionable, so keep an eye on the Breaking News Feed for updates surrounding his status as we get closer to lock. Steph Curry looks like a fine spend-up option, but probably more of a tournament guy still for me as he has shown some volatility, and when I’m paying up for someone in this price range I’d like a little more security for cash games. I’ll like Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole more if Klay were to miss, but otherwise would just be MME-type players for me. Jonathan Kuminga had a big game last time out against Portland where he came off of the bench. I would expect that stays the same here and looks like a solid GPP guy as well. Lastly, the price tag on Kevon Looney has come down to a more playable range and looks like a solid value option at the center position if you need one.
5-star play: Luka Doncic
4-star play: Jalen Brunson, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson
Deeper Value: Kevon Looney, Gary Payton Jr., Otto Porter Jr.,
GPP Sleeper: Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, Maxi Kleber, Reggie Bullock, Jonathan Kuminga, Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole, Gary Payton Jr., Otto Porter Jr.,
Denver Nuggets @ Portland Trailblazers
Vegas Total: 227.0
Vegas Spread: Den -8.0
Starting with the Nuggets, with Jusuf Nurkic out for Portland, Nikola Jokic should do whatever he wants in this one and looks like the premier spend-up option on the slate if we can find the value to get to him. Aaron Gordon and Will Barton are priced similarly and for good reason, they compare pretty closely for me in this one. I do like targeting them in these faster pace games. Due to the size of the slate, I think you can get to them in cash and single entry, but would probably prefer them in tournaments. Then we can round the Nuggets out with Monte Morris who has been in pretty good form as of late and makes sense as a filler piece. From the Blazers, we’ll need some news on Justise Winslow as he comes in questionable due to an Achilles injury. He has been pretty consistent for the Blazers since joining the team and would be a guy I like again here should he be able to go. Anfernee Simons continues to run the team and has at least 46 DraftKings points in three of his last four games and is a guy I like again in this spot. Josh Hart should continue to play all the minutes he can handle and is a guy I like again here, the price tag is getting a little hairy but on a shorter slate, I’m good with him here. We saw Drew Eubanks get the start last time out with Nurkic out, I would think he continues to start and play 20-25 minutes as the team’s only true big man. Lastly, guys like Greg Brown and Trendon Watford are solid GPP values, they should see good minutes as long as this team is banged up and especially if Winslow needs to miss this game, so keep an eye on that Breaking News Feed for updates.
5-star play: Nikola Jokic
4-star play: Aaron Gordon, Will Marton, Monte Morris, Justise Winslow, Anfernee Simons, Josh Hart
Deeper Value: Drew Eubanks, Greg Brown, Trendon Watford
GPP Sleeper: Drew Eubanks, Greg Brown, Trendon Watford
I wanted to give a quick shoutout to VIP member “GhostfaceKillaa” on his $30k win earlier in the season. A pivot to Curry off the chalky Doncic was the key for him, congrats man!
New Orleans Pelicans @ Los Angeles Lakers
Vegas Total: 223.0
Vegas Spread: Lal -1.5
Starting with the Pelicans, CJ McCollum has been the most productive guy on the team since being traded over from the Blazers. He’ll look like a solid option again here and has a 29.7% usage rate with 1.30 fantasy points per minute with the Pelicans. Brandon Ingram has been more volatile and will likely be more of a GPP option for me, he’s a guy that I can never seem to get right, but gets a revenge game against the team that drafted him. I don’t have an issue getting to Jonas Valanciunas here, the minutes have been consistent for him and we know he has a massive ceiling when he gets the run. Jaxson Hayes has been starting next to him as of late and should see around 25 minutes again in this one, he’ll look like a solid mid-range option assuming he starts and can stay out of foul trouble. Then guys like Herbert Jones and Devonte’ Graham are fine filler pieces, although Graham will be more of a GPP option with him back on the bench. From the Lakers, Anthony Davis will be out for the next few weeks which will open up a bunch of usage and minutes on this team. With Davis off of the court his season, James has a 32.8% usage rate and 1.53 fantasy points per minute, he’ll look like a great option here. Russell Westbrook will benefit from Davis being out as well with a 28.9% usage rate and 1.17 fantasy points per minute. Malik Monk is probably more of a GPP guy, but you can do worse in this price range in a good matchup with the Pelicans. Then Talen Horton-Tucker has shown some consistency as of late and should have his minutes more secure with Davis out, I like him as an option in this price tag. I don’t know if I’ll have the guts to play him in cash games, but I wouldn’t talk you off of him if you wanted to go there. Carmelo Anthony should help fill in those Davis minutes as well and looks like a nice option at his price tag. Lastly, we saw Dwight Howard start in place of Anthony Davis last time out and had a big game in 26 minutes of play. They’ll need his size in this one and looks like a great value option assuming he starts again.
5-star play: CJ McCollum, LeBron James, Dwight Howard
4-star play: Brandon Ingram, Jonas Valanciunas, Jaxson Hayes, Russell Westbrook, Malik Monk, Talen Horton-Tucker, Carmelo Anthony
Deeper Value: Dwight Howard
GPP Sleeper: Herbert Jones, Devonte’ Graham, Malik Monk, Talen Horton-Tucker, Carmelo Anthony
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NBA Lock of the Day: Dwight Howard (DK – $3.0k; FD – $3.8k)
As I just mentioned in the Lakers game breakdown, Dwight Howard got the start for Anthony Davis last game and looked great in 26 minutes of run. Assuming he starts again today, he’ll be an elite value option for me and someone you’ll want to get to to help get up to those higher-priced pieces. The Lakers will need his size in this one to deal with Valanciunas and Hayes down low, he’s a guy I’ll like quite a bit here. At this point in the day, I would think he makes my core, but check out our VIP Cheat Sheets as we get closer to lock for staff picks on Core plays, 8x locks of the day, and tiers notes as well!
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