Main Slate Breakdown for NBA DFS 3/2:
Mar 1, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden (1) reacts prior to the game 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!
Toronto Raptors @ Washington Wizards
Vegas Total: 223.0
Vegas Spread: Tor -2.0
We’ll kick this slate off with the Raptors, they come in pretty much full strength for the first time in a while. Jakob Poeltl has been a guy I’ve been getting a ton of as of late and his price tag hasn’t come up enough, he’s going to look like an elite option yet again. Pascal Siakam hasn’t been great relative to his price tag, but speaking of that price tag, it has come way down which makes him look much more appealing in a nice matchup. The same can be said for Fred VanVleet who was coming off of a bad game last time out but he returned after a two-week absence to play his normal minutes which was good to see. Scottie Barnes had a nice bounce-back game last time out but hasn’t been in the best form as of late. That said, he’s going to play all the minutes he can handle and looks like a solid secondary option in this one. Then guys like Gary Trent Jr. and OG Anunoby are fine secondary options to round out this team. From the Wizards, they’ll continue to be without Monte Morris which will lead to Delon Wright getting the start at point guard again in this one. He has a 13.4% usage rate and 0.91 fantasy points per minute with Morris off of the court this season. Kristaps Porzingis should return in this one after missing their last game, I wouldn’t expect he’s limited by any means, and looks like a solid tournament option at the very least on a short slate. Bradley Beal ended up making my core plays last time out and crushed the Hawks, he attempted 30 field goals but will be impacted by Kristaps returning here, so I’ll likely come off of him a bit. Kyle Kuzma bounced back last time out and will continue to play all the minutes he can handle and makes sense in all formats. I think we can mostly come off of Deni Avdija with Kristaps back but should see a few extra minutes with Morris out, then we can round the team out with Daniel Gafford who has at least 36 DraftKings points in back-to-back games, but again, will be impacted by Kristaps returning.
5-star play: Pascal Siakam
4-star play: Fred VanVleet, Jakob Poeltl, OG Anunoby, Scottie Barnes, Gary Trent, Delon Wright, Kristaps Porzingis, Kyle Kuzma, Bradley Beal
Deeper Value: Jordan Goodwin
GPP Sleeper: Deni Avdija, Jordan Goodwin, Daniel Gafford
Philadelphia 76ers @ Dallas Mavericks
Vegas Total: 228.0
Vegas Spread: Dal -4.0
Starting with the Sixers, Joel Embiid ended up missing their game last night but I would expect he’s good to go in this one. He came down to Earth a bit last time out but still has at least 60 DraftKings points in three of his last four, this is a great matchup and will look like a top spend-up option on the slate. James Harden has been in great form and has been extremely consistent, but of course, he has a down game when Embiid is out last night, I’m not looking too much into it, he’s a great option again in this one. Tobias Harris and Tyrese Maxey are GPP guys who will need to fight for usage with Embiid and Harden as the main pieces in the offense. Maxey’s minutes are trending in the right direction which is good to see at the very least. Both guys had a nice game last night filling in that Embiid usage. Lastly, as gross as it sounds, PJ Tucker is in play as a value option. From the Mavs, Kyrie Irving has been fine but got a much-needed price adjustment. Since joining the team, Kyrie has a 27.0% usage rate and 1.23 fantasy points per minute which is nice. Luka Doncic will look like a top spend-up option right there with Embiid on the other side of this game. He has at least 58 FanDuel points in two of his last three games and makes sense in all formats. I can’t say I love Christian Wood due to the volatility in his minutes, but he’s an elite per-minute producer, so I don’t mind getting to him in GPPs. Then guys like Tim Hardaway and Josh Green are secondary options if you land on them when filling out your lineup. I should touch on Maxi Kleber, he returned last time out to play 23 minutes and looks like a serviceable value option in this one.
5-star play: Joel Embiid, Luka Doncic
4-star play: James Harden, Tyrese Maxey, Kyrie Irving
Deeper Value: PJ Tucker, Dwight Powell, Maxi Kleber
GPP Sleeper: Tobias Harris, PJ Tucker, Christian Wood, Tim Hardaway, Josh Green, Maxi Kleber
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!
Indiana Pacers @ San Antonio Spurs
Vegas Total: 238.0
Vegas Spread: Ind -5.0
Starting with the Pacers, Tyrese Haliburton has been good as of late and the price tag is staying pretty steady. I like the matchup quite a bit against a tanking Spurs defense, he’s going to look great in this one. Myles Turner has at least 41 FanDuel points in three straight games and is a guy I like here as well. Buddy Hield isn’t my favorite option at this price tag, but the ceiling is obviously there for him. Jordan Nwora was the first guy off of the bench for the Pacers last game and is an interesting GPP option as well. Then guys like Bennedict Mathurin and Aaron Nesmith are solid tournament options in a nice matchup. I do want to touch on Jalen Smith, he has at least 25 DraftKings points in back-to-back games and makes sense at a cheap price tag. From the Spurs, it sounds like Devin Vassell will return here after missing about two months of action, so I would imagine he’s pretty heavily restricted but he’ll impact the rest of this starting lineup. Keldon Johnson and Tre Jones come in as questionable, I’ll operate under the assumption that Johnson is good to go and Jones is out as we’ve seen over their last few games. Johnson will look like a solid option, he’s been extremely consistent as of late and gets a great matchup in this one. Jeremy Sochan has at least 29 DraftKings points in back-to-back games and makes sense in all formats here as well. Zach Collins will continue to start at the five and has performed nicely since the team traded Poeltl. Then, Charles Bassey will be his immediate backup and has flashed some nice upside at a cheap price tag. He has at least 26 DraftKings points in three of his last four games and is in play on a short slate. Finally, Devonte’ Graham and Malaki Branham will take a hit with Vassell back which makes them secondary GPP options for me.
5-star play: Tyrese Haliburton
4-star play: Myles Turner, Buddy Hield, Keldon Johnson, Zach Collins
Deeper Value: Charles Bassey, Jalen Smith, Jordan Nwora
GPP Sleeper: Bennedict Mathurin, Aaron Nesmith, Jalen Smith, Jordan Nwora, Jeremy Sochan, Devonte’ Graham, Devin Vassell
Los Angeles Clippers @ Golden State Warriors
Vegas Total: 231.5
Vegas Spread: Lac -3.5
Starting with the Clippers, Ivica Zubac returned last time out and returned to his normal role, he’ll make sense as a tournament option at the center position tonight. With Zubac back we can leave Mason Plumlee as a dart throw in tournaments. Kawhi Leonard came down to Earth last time out but is playing all of the minutes he can handle, around 40 minutes per game in competitive games right now. I have no issue going right back to him on a short slate. Paul George is in a similar boat at a cheaper price tag, the matchup is great, and is another guy that makes sense in all formats. I love going right back to Russell Westbrook as well at this price tag, since joining the Clippers he has a 22.7% usage rate and 1.34 fantasy points per minute. Then guys like Eric Gordon, Terance Mann, and Norman Powell are tournament punts on a short slate. From the Warriors, Andrew Wiggins will be out along with Steph Curry in this one. I would expect to see Donte DiVincenzo back in the starting lineup and has been in great form as of late. He followed up a massive game against the Wolves with a nice game against the Blazers and makes sense as a secondary tournament option at the very least. Jordan Poole hasn’t exactly been great over his last few games but we know the usage and opportunity is there with Curry and Wiggins out, so he’s a guy I have no issue going right back to in this one. Klay Thompson has been the guy we want in the backcourt as of late and has a 28.8% usage rate and 1.14 fantasy points per minute with Wiggins and Curry off of the court this season. Draymond Green is rarely a guy I prioritize but is a fine option to round out your roster construction if you land on him. Lastly, I would expect Kevon Looney to stick in the starting lineup and he has at least 33 DraftKings points in three of his last five games.
5-star play: Kawhi Leonard, Russell Westbrook
4-star play: Paul George, Ivica Zubac, Jordan Poole, Klay Thompson, Donte DiVincenzo, Draymond Green, Kevon Looney
Deeper Value: None
GPP Sleeper: Eric Gordon, Norman Powell, Ivica Zubac, Jonathan Kuminga
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NBA Lock of the Day: Tyrese Haliburton (DK – $9.2k; FD – $9.2k)
Haliburton is going to look awesome here, he has at least 52 DraftKings/FanDuel points in two of his last three games. The matchup is great against a tanking Spurs team that is allowing the fourth most fantasy poitns per game to the opposing point guard position on the season. 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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