DraftKings NBA Picks March 13
By Mike Marteny
DraftKings NBA Picks March 13
There are eight games in the main DraftKings tournament tonight, which leaves about half the league in action. There are some stars to choose from, but can we get the value picks right to propel our lineups into the money?
More from DFS
- DraftKings Open Championship picks 2023: Best PGA DFS golf lineup
- Genesis Scottish Open DraftKings picks 2023: Best PGA DFS golf lineup
- Rocket Mortgage Classic DraftKings picks 2023: Best PGA DFS golf lineup
- US Open DraftKings picks 2023: Best PGA DFS golf lineup
- RBC Canadian Open DraftKings picks 2023: Best PGA DFS golf lineup
The money line was up at 278.5 DraftKings points tonight, which isn’t that surprising considering all the value plays that were available last night. I had great nights from Jordan Clarkson and James Harden, but missed with the Heat value plays of Johnson and Johnson. The other lineup fell victim to subpar nights of the rest of the Lakers.
The winning lineup was way at 345.75. He hit on both Hassan Whiteside and Harden, with a good game from Kristaps Porzingis. It’s not often that you see the winning lineup have three guys under 30 DraftKings points.
I can’t stress enough how important it is to watch our Twitter feed right up until lock time. We will try and relay the information out to you as soon as we can, along with any lineup changes. If you aren’t able to do that, my best advice is to lay off of anyone that may be injured.
If you would like to try DraftKings for the first time, use this link for the referral bonus! It is good for $10 worth of free entry tickets. We have plenty of advice on the site to help you turn that into a solid bankroll!
Point Guards
Best Bets:
John Wall ($10,200): Wall pushed just over 50 DraftKings points in the first matchup with the Timberwolves this season. He also has at least 5x value in four straight and seven of the last ten games. We should be able to ride his hot March a while longer!
Kemba Walker ($8,100): Walker has at least 5x value in seven of the last eight games. The only team that held him under was Orlando. Don’t count on the Bulls being able to do so either. The Bulls are free-falling due to lineup experimentation lately. Just one more consequence of that is below average point guard defense. Walker has 92.5 DraftKings points in two games against Chicago. If you don’t pay up for Wall, Walker is an excellent plan B.
Honorable Mention:
D’Angelo Russell ($7,700): Russell has 65.25 DraftKings points in two games against Denver this season. He did all of that in just 50 minutes of court time. Russell has been playing more lately, and his stats have increased accordingly. The Lakers are showcasing the future right now, so Russell could have a huge game if he plays the 30-35 minutes that he has logged lately.
Elfrid Payton ($7,000): Payton has played very well lately, and has even started to play with some consistency. He picked up two triple-doubles in the last week, and has not been under 28 DraftKings points in the last five games. Payton picked up 25.75 DraftKings points in the first game against the Kings ,but he was just 2-13 from the field in that game. He is shooting much better from the field right now.
Ricky Rubio ($6.800): Rubio has been over 5x value, in some cases way over, in each of the last eight games. His price is still a bit low for where he has been performing lately. Washington held him under wraps in the first meeting, but Zach LaVine was in the lineup then. Rubio’s numbers have increased quite a bit with LaVine out, so he should be a great source of 5x value again.
Dark Horses:
Dennis Schroder ($6,100): Schroder has been over 29.5 DraftKings points in all but one game over the last month. He has finally shown some consistency after struggling with that for the first couple of months. Schroder has one the higher floors in this price range, but he lacks the huge upside of someone like Payton or Rubio.
Jordan Clarkson ($5,500): Clarkson had his best game of the season last night with 30 points, eight assists, and six rebounds. That was good for 52.5 DraftKings points and nearly 10x value! You may not get that out of him tonight, but Clarkson remains one of the best plays at this level. He rarely lets you down.
Jamal Murray ($4,100): If you have watched Murray play this year, you know what kind of upside he has. The Nuggets have increased his minutes slightly after publicly saying they were going to, but he still has not gone over 21 minutes in a game lately. There are a lot of option for Denver right now, but it would suit them better to give Murray as much run as they can. Will they? If they do, he is worth a speculative play because the upside is real.
My picks: Walker(PG), Clarkson(G); Schroder(PG), Clarkson(UTIL)
Shooting Guards
Best Bets:
Bradley Beal ($7,600): I trust Beal against the Timberwolves without their best exterior defender a lot more than I trust DeMar DeRozan against a pretty tough Dallas perimeter. Yes, I know DeRozan’s usage rate is way up with Kyle Lowry out, but he has still hit 5x value just once in the last four games. Meanwhile, Beal is the in what is likely the best stretch of his career right now. He has been over 33 DraftKings points in each game since the All Star Break. He has a really high floor, and a really good matchup.
Nicolas Batum ($7,200): Batum has 92.25 DraftKings points in two games against the Bulls this season. He is also riding a streak of five straight games of over 5x value. With Frank Kaminsky out, Beal and Batum have taken over a lot of the scoring duties. If Kaminsky does return tonight, Batum’s vaue will likely take a bit of a hit.
Honorable Mention:
Gary Harris ($5,800): Harris is playing so well right now that Denver can’t afford to take minutes away from him right now. He has at least 5x value in seven of the last ten games. He has gone over 6x in three of those. The Lakers are not particularly strong on the perimeter, so Harris should see plenty of open shots here. He has been knocking them down lately.
Evan Fournier ($5,600): I really don’t trust the performances of Dwyane Wade with the struggling Bulls or the suddenly ice cold Seth Curry. Fournier is cheaper and hasn’t been under 20 DraftKings points in March. Oh, and he is playing the Kings, who are one of the worst defenses in the league. He should be somewhere around 6x value in this one.
Tim Hardaway Jr. ($5,100): Hardaway struggled against Memphis, but more concerning was the significant drop in minutes. He only took five shots in 21 minutes, but he did hit three of them. Hardaway put up 39.25 DraftKings points on the Spurs in 31 minutes earlier this year, but he carries a hefty amount of risk with everyone healthy. The Hawks prefer the defense of Thabo Sefalosha.
Dark Horses:
Buddy Hield ($4,000): Hield played 67 minutes and put up 56.25 DraftKings points over the weekend. The Kings are starting him right now. So long as they do, Hield has a lot of upside. He is a great shooter, but the rest of his game has yet to round into form. Something to take away from the weekend is that he hauled in 11 rebounds. That is a nice development, and makes him less of a risk.
Kyle Anderson ($3,600): If Leonard sits, which looks likely, Anderson is the guy to own. He has 61 DraftKings points in 56 minutes over the last two games. He has little to no value with Kawhi on the court, but he is a great source of value if he is forced to hit again. Make sure to watch our Twitter feed to find out for sure if Anderson is in play!
Jeremy Lamb ($3,500): The struggles of Marco Belinelli have opened the door for Lamb once again. He has played more than 20 minutes in each of the last five games, picking up 110.25 DraftKings points in that span. That leaves him at 7x value lately, which is well worth taking a shot on.
My pick: Hield(SG); Beal(SG), Anderson(G)
Small Forwards
Best Bets:
Giannis Antetokounmpo ($10,100): Hmmm….where will Giannis play? If he starts at power forward again, he could eat JaMychal Green alive. If he starts at shooting guard, Tony Allen is not the defensive pest that he used to be. At any rate, Giannis will be attacking Memphis’s two worst defensive positions tonight, which leaves him likely to come close to his 55.5 DraftKings points total in the first meeting.
Andrew Wiggins ($7,100): Small forward is littered with pitfalls tonight. Kawhi Leonard still has not passed the concussion test, and is more towards doubtful than probable. Jimmy Butler failed to hit double digit points yesterday in yet another blowout loss to the Bulls. Gordon Hayward didn’t even hit 2x value at his price in the first meeting against the Clippers, who continue to stymie small forwards. That leaves Wiggins, who picked up 48.75 DraftKings points in the first game against Washington. It has been a rough March for Wiggins, but he has played the who’s who of small forward defenses so far. I like him here!
Honorable Mention:
Khris Middleton ($6,300): It was an encouraging sign to see Middleton play 70 minutes between Friday and Saturday combined. He only picked up 55.75 DraftKings points, which leaves him a tad under value, but just the fact that he is a big part of the rotation again makes him a threat to produce huge value at this price.
Tyreke Evans ($5,400): Evans’s ceiling is not what it was in New Orleans since he hasn’t played 30 minutes in a game since being traded to the Kings. He still gets consistent minutes in the mid-20’s, and produces DraftKings points right in the same area. He has a solid floor, so Evans is a good cash game play, but lacks the upside most want in a GPP lineup.
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist ($4,900): MKG isn’t much of a factor on offense, but he is a very good rebounder and good passer. That leaves him a pretty solid foundation, but it also leaves him with a pretty low ceiling. That said, he has managed 54 DraftKings points in two games against the Bulls this year. Considering the way the Bulls are playing right now though, this could turn into another blowout and limit his minutes.
Dark Horses:
Tony Snell ($4,000): Snell is still seeing good minutes despite the presence of Middleton, and has he done quite a bit with them lately. Snell has averaged 28.1 DraftKings points per game over the last ten days. He is a great value if he can keep it up.
Chandler Parsons ($3,400): The Grizzlies are still easing Parsons back to ease strain on his knee, but he is finally starting to play enough to produce. He has played at least 20 minutes in each of the last six games. Once he finds his shooting stroke, he could be a great value for a game or two while his price adjusts. Are you willing to take the risk?
My Pick: Middleton(SF); Wiggins(SF), Middleton(F)
Power Forwards
Best Bets:
Karl-Anthony Towns ($10,600): Towns destroyed the Bucks on the inside over the weekend. Big surprise, right? Washington will provide a little more resistance, but I doubt they are able to keep Towns under 20 points and double digit rebounds. That is not a guarantee of 5x value, but Towns is a walking double-double, which gives him a solid floor.
Julius Randle ($7,500): Wilson Chandler is questionable with a groin injury, and Kenneth Faried is likely out again, which could leave the Nuggets a little thin up front. That bodes well for Randle, who has been on quite a tear lately. Randle has averaged 39.4 DraftKings points per game since the break. He could be a sneaky play if Denver is limited up front tonight. Keep an eye on this situation.
Paul Millsap ($6,900): Millsap turned in one of his most dominant performances of the year in his first game against the Spurs. He racked up 56.75 DraftKings points in that one. He also has eight straight games of more than 5x value. Millsap is one of the safest plays of the night, especially when you consider he wont have to tangle with LaMarcus Aldridge.
Honorable Mention:
Dirk Nowitzki ($6,200): Dirk has topped 40 DraftKings points in three of his last four games. He still has some run left in him, though he rarely plays more than 30 minutes a night anymore. That leaves him with a lower ceiling, but if he is playing like this, does it matter?
Marvin Williams ($5,900): Williams has 138 DraftKings points over the last three games with Frank the Tank out. If he is out again, Williams could be a monster against the depleted Bulls frontcourt. He could abuse the undersized Nikola Mirotic and overmatched Bobby Portis.
Aaron Gordon ($5,800): Gordon looks more comfortable back at his natural position. He is going to look really comfortable there against the Kings tonight. The shuffling of the rotation isn’t helping the Kings any, and Gordon put up 35.5 DraftKings points on them in the first meeting. It wouldn’t be out of line to expect that again.
Dark Horses:
Gorgui Dieng ($5,000): Dieng is losing minutes up front lately, but considering he had 37.25 DraftKings points in the first meeting, Dieng could see more run in this game. The Wizards are pretty stout up front, and could use Dieng more than the undersized Bjelica.
Nemanja Bjelica ($4,000): Of course, coaches don’t always do what fans think they should. There is a good chance that Bjelica continues seeing good minutes. He has played 66 minutes and put up 50.25 DraftKings points over the last two games. He is less of a risk than Dieng because he is the one taking the minutes and he is $1,000 less.
Juancho Hernangomez ($3,900): This is purely speculative just in case Chandler sits. Faried is already doubtful, and groin injuries can be serious. At any rate, Hernangomez put up 24.75 DraftKigns points last week with Faried, Gallinari, and Jokic out. He could be in line for a similar showing tonight if Chandler sits.
My pick: Gordon(PF), Williams(F); Millsap(PF)
Center
Best Bets:
Nikola Jokic ($10,400): Jokic racked up 56.25 DraftKings points in his first meeting with the Lakers. The Lakers aren’t any better up front than they were then. Jokic has not been under 45 DraftKings points since February 26th. He is rolling once again, and could be the highest scorer of the night. He has the matchup to do so.
Marc Gasol ($7,300): Gasol put up 36.75 DraftKings points on the Bucks earlier this year. The Bucks actually match up better with the lean athleticism of Gasol than the bruisers in this league. I’m not saying the Bucks can shut him down, but they should be able to keep him under 50, which is quite an achievement for the Bucks lately.
Honorable Mention:
Nikola Vucevic ($6,900): Vucevic looked good in his return against Cleveland on Saturday with 42.5 DraftKings points against defensive stalwart Tristan Thompson. He has a great matchup against the Kings, who are getting railroaded up front right now. Sacramento will fare better against Vucevic than the huge bigs they have seen lately, but Vucevic should be over 40 DraftKings points for the fifth time in the last six games.
Serge Ibaka ($5,900): Center thins out awfully quick tonight. This is one of the cases where it’s a good thing that many power forwards are also eligible at center. Ibaka has been much better in Toronto, but he still lacks significant upside. He did pick up 57.75 DraftKings points in two games against Dallas while he was in Orlando. That would put him around 5.5x value tonight.
Dark Horses
Ivica Zubac ($3,900): Zubac is firmly planted back in the rotation for now. He has three straight games of more than 20 DraftKings points. Denver could be a little thin up front, which could give Zubac a little easier time finding shots. At any rate, he is a solid value play right now.
Kosta Koufos ($3,900): Koufos is nothing flashy, but he is still very solid. He has at least 21 DraftKings points in each of the last five games. The Kings aren’t particularly deep up front, so he will continue to play nearly 30 minutes per game. He wont wow you, but he is a great cash game play, and a solid GPP option if you need to go cheap.
Dewayne Dedmon ($3,700): Dedmon should see consistent minutes with Aldridge out. He doesn’t do a lot on offense, but he is a good defender, and gets enough blocks and rebounds to keep him at at least 5x value.
My pick: Jokic(C), Koufos(UTIL); Vucevic(C)
Stay tuned for our FanDuel picks, and our picks for NHL and the PGA tour! We even have some EPL picks coming your way! Once again, make sure to follow our Twitter feed leading up to tipoff!