Main Slate Breakdown for NBA DFS 10/31:
Oct 27, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) reacts in the third quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-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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New York Knicks @ Cleveland Cavaliers
Vegas Total: 214.5
Vegas Spread: Nyk -3.0
We kick off this Halloween slate with the Knicks! Immanuel Quickley has seen his minutes trend in the wrong direction since a big night in the opener. It’s going to be hard for me to love him but on a short slate, he makes sense in the mid-range. Julius Randle struggled last time out from the field and had his worst game of the season. The matchup isn’t great in this one against Mobley down low, but the price tag looks solid on a short slate. Jalen Brunson had a floor game last time out and is another guy who shot poorly, he has a nice floor at the very least and we know the ceiling is there. Then guys like RJ Barrett and Mitchell Robinson make sense as secondary/tournament options. Barrett came down to Earth but Robinson kept it rolling, he’s fallen just short of the double-double bonus over his last two as well. They’ll need his size in this one and is a guy I like a good deal. From the Cavaliers, they’ll be without Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen again in this one while Donovan Mitchell comes in as questionable. I’m going to operate under the assumption that he’s good to go, but keep an eye on the Breaking News Feed as we get closer to lock. Below is how the team has operated with these guys off of the court this season:
- Donovan Mitchell – 34.1% usage rate; 1.52 fpm
- Isaac Okoro – 13.4% usage rate; 0.79 fpm
- Max Strus – 21.2% usage rate; 0.95 fpm
- Dean Wade – 8.0% usage rate; 0.57 fpm
- Evan Mobley – 25.7% usage rate; 1.33 fpm
It’s obviously a small sample but I’ll go right back to the well on Mitchell at the very least, he’s been awesome to start the season. Mobley had a massive game last time out against the Pacers but that game didn’t include Mitchell either, so take that with a grain of salt. Caris LeVert started for Mitchell last time out and had a huge game as well, if he starts again he’s a great option and also makes sense off of the bench if Mitchell ends up playing. Lastly, Strus has been unreal to start the season, he’s playing massive minutes and racking up ancillary stats as well, he’s probably still too cheap considering his production this season.
5-star play: Donovan Mitchell
4-star play: Julius Randle, Jalen Brunson, Mitchell Robinson, Evan Mobley, Caris LeVert, Max Strus
Deeper Value: Dean Wade
GPP Sleeper: Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, Isaac Okoro, Dean Wade
San Antonio Spurs @ Phoenix Suns
Vegas Total: 225.0
Vegas Spread: Pho -6.5
Starting with the Spurs, Victor Wembanyama saw his minutes come down again last time out due to a blowout against the Clippers but his price remains in that $8k range. I think he’s a fine tournament option, but it’s hard to trust his consistency right now. Devin Vassell had a rough go of it as well but has at least 32 DraftKings points in two of his last three, he’s a solid secondary option. Keldon Johnson is in the same boat, a lot of this starting lineup was killed by the blowout last time out. Zach Collins is going to continue to start at center next to Wemby and is a guy I like in all formats, he’s always been a nice per-minute producer. Jeremy Sochan has great PG/SF eligibility at a nice price tag and will look like a nice option as he continues to start at point guard for this team. Lastly, Tre Jones is a fine option off of the bench as well, but he’s going to be killed by blowouts as we saw last game since he’ll lose a rotation or two coming off the bench. From the Suns, they’ll be without Devin Booker and Bradley Beal yet again tonight, below is how this team has operated with these guys off of the court this season:
- Eric Gordon – 24.3% usage rate; 0.95 fpm
- Grayson Allen – 13.0% usage rate; 0.76 fpm
- Josh Okogie – 25.6% usage rate; 0.63 fpm
- Kevin Durant – 30.9% usage rate; 1.41 fpm
- Jusuf Nurkic – 18.9% usage rate; 1.11 fpm
Durant is going to be the guy to get to as a spend-up option here, he’s going to look like an elite option yet again on a short slate. The rest of this starting lineup is firmly in play as well due to the minutes and production that open up with these guys out. Jordan Goodwin will continue to make sense off of the bench as well and has been about a fantasy point per guy with the elevation in his minutes. His price has come up, but it’s well warranted.
5-star play: Kevin Durant
4-star play: Victor Wembanyama, Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, Zach Collins, Jeremy Sochan, Eric Gordon, Jusuf Nurkic, Jordan Goodwin, Grayson Allen, Josh Okogie
Deeper Value: Drew Eubanks
GPP Sleeper: Tre Jones, Victor Wembanyama
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Orlando Magic @ Los Angeles Clippers
Vegas Total: 220.0
Vegas Spread: Lac -6.5
Starting with the Magic, Paolo Banchero has been fine but he’s not performing to where his price tag has been. I do think he’s probably the best player and has the highest potential of anyone on this team, but he’s just gotta figure it out after struggling a bit. I don’t love the price tag quite yet, but he’s a fine tournament option due to his upside. Franz Wagner looked great again last night and has at least 35 FanDuel points in back-to-back games, he makes sense as a mid-range wing yet again. Wendell Carter Jr. saw his minutes shoot up last night against a big Lakers team but he didn’t do a whole lot with them, that said, I still like the price tag on a short slate. Then the trio of Markelle Fultz, Cole Anthony, and Jalen Suggs feel like similar options in the same price tier. It’ll be tough to determine who has the big night between the three on any given night but are all worth a look at the very least. Fultz and Suggs had the big nights last night. Then we round the slate out with the Clippers who just acquired James Harden from the Sixers this morning so they’ll be without the pieces of that trade, guys like Robert Covington, KJ Martin, Nic Batum, and Marcus Morris. Expect Bones Hyland and Norman Powell to get a ton of bench run here to help fill those minutes along with potentially guys like Amir Coffey and Jordan Miller. Paul George and Kawhi Leonard feel like similar options in this one and both make sense at this price tag on a short slate. Russell Westbrook has been solid but feels like he’s priced right where he should be. Ivica Zubac is a tournament option at center while Mason Plumlee is probably just an MME-type of player.
5-star play: None
4-star play: Paolo Banchero, Wendell Carter Jr., Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs, Markelle Fultz, Kawhi Leonard, Paul George
Deeper Value: None
GPP Sleeper: Cole Anthony, Bones Hyland, Norman Powell, Ivica Zubac, Mason Plumlee
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