Main Slate Breakdown for NBA DFS 3/23:
Mar 22, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; New York Knicks guard RJ Barrett (9) looks on after shooting the basketball during the first quarter against the Miami Heat at Miami-Dade Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-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!
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Before I get started, I need to shoutout a few huge VIP Member wins – “Phamacist” took 1st place in the $300k Fadeway contest which netted him $100k while “da_banditz” grabbed 1st place on FanDuel as well winning $10k- congrats guys!
New York Knicks @ Orlando Magic
Vegas Total: 228.5
Vegas Spread: Nyk -3.5
We’ll kick this slate off with the Knicks, Julius Randle came back down to Earth last night in a tough matchup against the Heat. This is a nice bounce-back spot and is averaging 49.8 DraftKings points per game in two games against the Magic this season. Jalen Brunson’s price tag is still a bit too low but it’s come up slightly over his last few games. I have no issue going right back to the well on him again in this one. Immanuel Quickley is too expensive with Brunson back in there, so we can jump off that train for now. Guys like RJ Barrett and Josh Hart are probably secondary options due to the volatility but the minutes are solid on both of them and I would have no issues using either of them as a roster filler. Finally, Mitchell Robinson is having some issues with the coaching staff but his price tag is too cheap, and should play good minutes yet again if you need a cheaper center option. From the Magic, Paolo Banchero has been solid as of late and is playing massive minutes, he’s a nice option in all formats. Markelle Fultz has been as consistent as they come and has at least 50 DraftKings points in two of his last four. Franz Wagner is never a guy I feel the need to prioritize especially since this team is mostly healthy, he’d be more of a secondary option here but has been in much better form as of late. Wendell Carter Jr. has been in good form since returning from a brief absence, the matchup isn’t great but he’s a fine GPP option. Then, Cole Anthony will look solid as well with Jalen Suggs out again, he’s going to look like a nice option in all formats and has at least 32 DraftKings points in three straight games.
5-star play: Julius Randle
4-star play: Jalen Brunson, Mitchell Robinson, Paolo Banchero, Markelle Fultz, Franz Wagner, Wendell Carter Jr., Cole Anthony
Deeper Value: None
GPP Sleeper: RJ Barrett, Josh Hart, Cole Anthony
Cleveland Cavaliers @ Brooklyn Nets
Vegas Total: 219.5
Vegas Spread: Cle -4.0
We saw this matchup the last time these two teams took the court, so we have a bit of a sample to go off of to break this one down. Starting with the Cavs, Jarrett Allen has finally kicked his questionable tag and gets a revenge game in this one. He returned last time out and didn’t look rusty, he has a really nice price tag and is a guy I like getting to in this one. Evan Mobley hasn’t been great in this matchup this season but is going to continue to play 35+ minutes and is a consistent producer. I prefer the price tag on Darius Garland over Donovan Mitchell, but neither of them are really priorities on this slate. From the Nets, Mikal Bridges continues to be the primary playmaker in this offense, he has a 28.5% usage rate and 1.11 fantasy points per minute since coming over from the Suns. The only issue here is the matchup, it’s not exactly great which makes him more of a secondary option, he struggled in this matchup last time out. Spencer Dinwiddie has cooled off a bit over his last few after being on a heater for the early part of last week. Similar story with him, I like him but the matchup stinks. The minutes for Nicolas Claxton have been more consistent lately and will be a fine GPP option here in a tougher matchup. Cam Johnson has bounced back nicely over his last few games and makes sense as a secondary option as well. We can throw guys like Royce O’Neale and Dorian Finney-Smith in that same boat as well as filler pieces to round out the Nets.
5-star play: Jarrett Allen
4-star play: Evan Mobley, Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Spencer Dinwiddie, Mikal Bridges, Nicolas Claxton
Deeper Value: None
GPP Sleeper: Cam Johnson, Royce O’Neale, Dorian Finney-Smith
Quick shoutout to VIP member “Cenzamatic” on a massive $20k win last season! Sometimes paying up for double studs works, and Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Durant brought it home for him with the help of some Stanley Johnson and Pistons value. Good work and congrats man!
Charlotte Hornets @ New Orleans Pelicans
Vegas Total: 225.5
Vegas Spread: Nop -8.5
We’ll start with the Hornets, they’ll continue to be without Mark Williams which means we should see Nick Richards slide right back into the starting lineup. He has a 13.1% usage rate and 0.97 fantasy points per minute with Williams off of the court over the last month. I would have no issue going right back to him in this one after a nice game last time out. Terry Rozier had a huge game in this spot earlier this season, but that price tag has continued to climb. Kelly Oubre continues to start and is playing a ton of minutes but we haven’t seen a ceiling game from him in a while, he’d be more of a secondary option for me on this slate. Then guys like PJ Washington and Gordon Hayward make sense as roster fillers on the wing at their respective price tags. I should touch on Dennis Smith Jr. who’s playing around 25 minutes per game over his last handful and would make for a fine filler piece as well. From the Pelicans, Brandon Ingram is my preferred option between him and CJ McCollum, but both guys are fine options in an elite matchup against this tanking Hornets team. Jonas Valanciunas has at least 44 DraftKings points in three straight games and has seen his minutes trending in the right direction, he’s a nice option in all formats. Then guys like Trey Murphy and Herb Jones make sense as filler pieces to round out your rosters.
5-star play: Brandon Ingram
4-star play: Terry Rozier, Kelly Oubre, Nick Richards, PJ Washington, Gordon Hayward, CJ McCollum, Jonas Valanciunas
Deeper Value: None
GPP Sleeper: Dennis Smith Jr., Jonas Valanciunas, Trey Murphy, Herb Jones
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Oklahoma City Thunder @ Los Angeles Clippers
Vegas Total: 232.5
Vegas Spread: Lac -4.0
Starting with the Thunder, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been a guy I’ve been getting a bunch of on DraftKings due to the price discount you get on him compared to FanDuel. He had a rough go of it last time out in this exact matchup but is a guy I’m going to go right back to in this matchup on a short slate tonight. I don’t exactly want to pay this price tag for Josh Giddey but he’s a fine secondary option. Jalen Williams has come down to Earth a bit over his last couple of games but still a fine option in all formats if you happen to land on him. Meanwhile, Lu Dort would be a volatile GPP option but will see big minutes. Lastly, Jaylin Williams should continue to start at center but this game went small to close last time out, and would expect more of the same in this one. From the Clippers, Paul George is going to miss the next few weeks with a knee injury, below is how this team operates with him off of the court this season:
- Russell Westbrook – 29.7% usage rate; 1.17 fpm (small sample)
- Eric Gordon – 19.5% usage rate; 0.87 fpm
- Kawhi Leonard – 31.2% usage rate; 1.29 fpm
- Marcus Morris – 21.1% usage rate; 0.76 fpm
- Ivica Zubac – 15.8% usage rate; 1.03 fpm
Kawhi and Westbrook are the big standouts as they’ll be the guy’s with the ball in their hands more often with George off of the court, both guys are going to look like great options in this one. I do like Gordon and Morris as secondary options as well as they likely see some additional shots.
5-star play: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (DraftKings), Russell Westbrook, Kawhi Leonard
4-star play: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (FanDuel), Josh Giddey, Jalen Williams, Lu Dort, Eric Gordon, Marcus Morris, Ivica Zubac
Deeper Value: None
GPP Sleeper: Eric Gordon, Marcus Morris, Ivica Zubac, Lu Dort
NBA Lock of the Day: Kawhi Leonard (DK – $9.9k; FD – $10.0k)
Kawhi is going to look like a top spend-up option on the slate with Paul George out for the next few weeks. Kawhi has a 31.2% usage rate and 1.29 fantasy points per minute with George off of the court this season and gets an elite matchup with the Thunder. 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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