DraftKings NBA Picks March 22
By Mike Marteny
DraftKings NBA Picks March 22
We have eight NBA games again tonight in the main DraftKings tournament. Most of the NBA elite is back in action after a mostly star-less Tuesday. It did make for some interesting scores and lineups though!
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The money line last night down a bit to 262.5 DraftKings points. The lineup with Bulls value was a disaster. The other was very close to the money, but a Clippers blowout ruined that with Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan sitting the entire fourth quarter.
The winning lineup was a three way tie at 358 DraftKings points. The winning lineup used the huge nights from DeMar DeRozan and DeMarcus Cousins, along with the big time value of Tobias Harris and Ish Smith.
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. As far as the healthy scratches, we are all in the same boat. The only ones we really have a shot to switch out anymore are the games that tip at or before 7:30 eastern.
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Point Guards
Best Bets:
Russell Westbrook ($13,100): Just put him in your lineup and get out of the way. Westbrook struggled at home against the Warriors, playing just 27 minutes in the blowout loss. Look for him to get back on track against a Philadelphia team that he picked up 61.5 DraftKings points on the first time around.
John Wall ($9,300): The Hawks remain one of the league’s worst defending the point. Just keep an eye on Wall’s status here. He is nursing some soreness in his left knee, like he has for most of the last couple of weeks. Wall has not sat out a game since November, so we should still expect him to play. He just may not be as explosive as usual.
Honorable Mention:
Kyrie Irving ($8,600): Irving beat up on the Lakers on Sunday despite Kevin Love being back. He picked up 44.5 DraftKings points on Denver in the first meeting. There is no reason for him not to go nuts on Denver again, especially with Love not quite at 100%.
Jeff Teague ($6,500): Isaiah Thomas‘s shot has not been there from outside since returning from a knee injury. It doesn’t look like he is quite back to normal yet. So I will look to Teague, who will be defended by Thomas. Teague has 78.25 DraftKings points in two games against Boston so far this year. It looks like he should at least be near that number tonight.
Dark Horses:
Rajon Rondo ($5,700): So, apparently someone told the Bulls that they could still make the playoffs this year. Rondo played a whopping 40 minutes last night, and even though the Bulls lost to the Raptors for the first time since 2013, Rondo had 50.25 DraftKings points. Don’t expect him to pull that off against Detroit, but he should still hit around 6x value if the Bulls play him starter’s minutes again.
Jamal Murray ($4,500): Murray is seeing the minutes, but will we see the production? Murray’s minutes have dipped slightly with the reintroduction of Emmanuel Mudiay into the rotation. However, Murray has still scored in double figures in seven straight games. He provides enough steals and rebounds to be a threat to 5x value with the potential for a lot more at any given time.
Ish Smith ($4,200): Smith had a big game last night against the Nets with Reggie Jackson struggling again. There is no word on whether he will see more minutes than Jackson or not, but for this price, it may be worth a shot. Smith could hit 5x value from the bench for this price.
My picks: Teague(PG), Smith(G); Westbrook(PG), Smith(G)
Shooting Guards
Best Bets:
Jimmy Butler ($8,900): Butler went nuts on Toronto last night. He put up 67.25 DraftKings points on the Raptors. Detroit will provide more resistance, but Butler still has 128.5 DraftKings points in three games against the Bulls this year with Dwyane Wade in the lineup. Don’t be surprised if Butler is close to 50 tonight.
Nicolas Batum ($6,900): Batum has 120.25 DraftKings points in three games against Orlando this year. That would put him around 5.5x value, which is more than we can say for what Bradley Beal has done lately. Will Barton is dynamic, but only if players in front of him are sitting. Batum is by far the safest bet if you aren’t paying up for Butler.
Honorable Mention:
Gary Harris ($6,300): No matter who starts or who sits, Harris has been one of the few constants for the Nuggets in in the last month or so. Only Charlotte and Boston have been able to hold him under 30 DraftKings points in March. Harris has a good floor, and has a decent ceiling even though he doesn’t start.
Avery Bradley ($6,100): Bradley finally got his shot falling on Monday. He ended up with 41.25 DraftKings points, which is back to where his production was before he got hurt. With Thomas still struggling with his shot some, Bradley could pick up some slack again tonight against the Pacers.
Dark Horses:
J.R. Smith ($4,400): Smith has yet to find his shot since his return, but he is still doing enough other things to keep him from being a complete bust. Denver is the worst team in the league against shooting guards, so Smith has a great chance to get going here. He is a medium risk, but there is high reward potential here.
Garrett Temple ($4,200): Temple has at least 5x value in six of the eight games since his return. Buddy Hield is a huge risk against Milwaukee because he is only a shooter. Temple is good at many other things and doesn’t rely on points for fantasy value. He is a solid play, but with limited upside.
Nik Stauskas ($4,100): Stauskas has been putting up numbers across the board lately, and he is still the starter at shooting guard for the Sixers. As long as he keeps playing well, the minutes will be there. He could be a nice value at this price.
My pick: Butler(SG); Stauskas(SG), Temple(UTIL)
Small Forwards
Best Bets:
Paul George ($8,300): George contributes in a lot of different categories, so it has made him a solid player to use lately. Small forward is filled with pitfalls tonight with LeBron James taking on a Nuggets team that could end up in a blowout, and who is also in the top five of the league in small forwards defense. Giannis Antetokounmpo was under value last night, and likely will be in a potential blowout against the Kings. George may not hit value against the Celtics, but I think he will be closer than the top two.
Gordon Hayward ($7,400): Hayward had 33.75 DraftKings points in the first game against the Knicks. Again, that is a little under value, but he has a chance to do better than that. After all, it is the Knicks. And Utah is still battling for playoff position. A blowout could happen, but if it does, Hayward will be a big reason for it as Utah’s most accomplished scorer.
Honorable Mention:
Robert Covington ($7,300): Covington is turning into Draymond Green. Seriously. He is not the passer that Green is, but he has at least six rebounds in every game since March 6th. He has at least one block in all but one of his last ten games. He has a steal in all but two. The difference is that Covington is a much more accomplished scorer than Green. That also makes Covington a player with a nice floor and a whole bunch of potential.
Khris Middleton ($6,200): MIddleton racked up 43.75 DraftKings points against the Blazers last night. He was on fire from everywhere. He will take that hot shooting down to Sacramento to take on an entire team that doesn’t defend well. Middleton should be well over value once again.
Jae Crowder ($6,000): Crowder has 114.5 DraftKings points over the last three games. Tonight he gets an Indiana team that he put up 27.5 DraftKings points against in his first game against him this year. That would put Crowder at 5.5x value. I have a feeling he could do better than that.
Dark Horses:
Taurean Prince ($5,000): Prince has burst on the scene for Atlanta lately, and could provide a lot of rest for starters if he plays like he has been playing. Prince is still adapting to life in the NBA, and as Yogi Ferrell has shown, the league catches up with you quickly. Prince is a threat for 5x value or more, but you are going to be dealing with a highly owned potential bust.
Andre Roberson ($4,000): The whole Thunder team was embarrassed by Golden State on Monday. Roberson was no exception. Roberson picked up 5x value in the first game against Philadelphia. His upside is non-existent, but Roberson is a sure value pick.
My Pick: Covington(SF); Middleton(SF)
Power Forwards
Best Bets:
Dario Saric ($7,600): Saric was ice cold in the first meeting with the Thunder, going just 2-12 from the floor in his 27 minutes. However, he has been in a groove regularly since joining the starting lineup. Aside from a foul-riddled game against Orlando and a horrid shooting night against the Clippers, he has been over 30 DraftKings points in every game since the break.
Marvin Williams ($6,400): Williams continues to put up good numbers across the board for Charlotte. He has averaged 28 DraftKings points per game in the three games against Orlando this year, which would leave him under value, but he had to deal with Serge Ibaka in those games. This time he wont have to. Expect him to be around 5x value or a little better.
Honorable Mention:
Kristaps Porzingis ($6,200): Porzingis put up 44 DraftKings points on the Jazz earlier this year in just 33 minutes. With Derrick Favors limited at best, Porzingis could have another good game here. Another trend to watch is the Knicks limiting Carmelo Anthony‘s minutes down the stretch. Porzingis will likely reap the rewards of this. He could be a sneaky value play tonight.
Tobias Harris ($6,000): Harris had a big games last night Brooklyn. Now he gets a team that is equally weak up front in the Bulls. Harris in not a very consistent performer, but given the right circumstances, he can put up some big numbers at a value price.
Aaron Gordon ($5,600): Gordon has done well in most games since taking over at power forward. Only Golden State was able to really hold him under value. He is a strong bet against Charlotte tonight. Gordon still has pretty good upside, and right now, he is a low-risk commodity.
Dark Horses:
Ersan Ilyasova ($5,500): Ilyasova has had two solid games starting for Paul Millsap. His upside is mostly limited, but Washington is a solid matchup for him. Some may be off Ilyasova after his subpar performance against Charlotte, but he should bounce back tonight.
Thaddeus Young ($4,600): Young has 48 DraftKings points over the last two games. Boston has had issues defending the power forward position all season long. Young’s upside is not what it used to be, but he is still capable of putting up 6x value or more on Boston tonight.
My pick: Porzingis(PF), Ilyasova(F); Ilyasova(PF), Gordon(F)
Center
Best Bets:
Nikola Jokic ($10,000): Jokic held his own against Tristan Thompson in the first meeting. He put up 52.75 DraftKings points on Cleveland in the first meeting. Jokic is a great rebounder and accomplished scorer, but what sets him apart is his superior passing skills for a big man. He may not have a huge game against Cleveland, but value is definitely possible. And he likely wont be highly owned.
Rudy Gobert ($7,700): Gobert was merely average in his first game against the Knicks. However, things were different then. Joakim Noah was guarding him in that game. Gobert has averaged 45.9 DraftKings points in the last eight games. The blowout potential makes him a bit of a risk, but he could put up a huge game none the less.
Honorable Mention:
Dwight Howard ($7,000): Howard has seen a slight uptick in value with Millsap out. He put up 119.75 DraftKings points in three games against Washington so far this year. Marcin Gortat obviously can’t stop him, and Howard could see even better totals that usual with Millsap out.
Al Horford ($6,600): Horford has four straight games of more than 40 DraftKings points. He has struggled against Indiana so far this year, but overall the Pacers still aren’t that strong up front. Horford has been going strong with Thomas cold from the field. If that continues, Horford could have another big night.
Richaun Holmes ($6,200): Holmes had a monster night with Jahlil Okafor out, putting up 53 DraftKings points on the Magic. The Thunder are marginally better up front, but Holmes could be in for another really good night for the price. I’m not even sure it matters if Okafor plays or not.
Dark Horses:
Frank Kaminsky ($5,600): Kaminsky is finally living up to the potential that he had when he was drafted last year. He is a bit of an anomaly since he doesn’t rebound well for his size, but we knew this going in. He didn’t in college either. What he does is confound defenses with his superb shooting and passing skills. His upside is limited with Zeller back, but he is still a solid cash game piece with some upside.
Enes Kanter ($5,100): Kanter put up 37.5 DraftKings points in just 24 minutes against the 76ers in the first meeting. The arrival of Taj Gibson has muddled the situation some, but Kanter has proven that he can still put up solid numbers in limited court time. Kanter has hit 20 DraftKings points in nine of the last ten games. He should provide solid value against the Sixers tonight with the potential for more.
Tristan Thompson ($4,800): Thompson picked up 36.25 DraftKings points in the first meeting with Denver this year. Jokic apparently can’t defend him either. The return of Kevin Love has dropped Thompson’s value a little bit.
My pick: Holmes(C), Kanter(UTIL); Howard(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! I will also have the round by round picks for the NCAA Tournament, the place where your bracket is never busted. Once again, make sure to follow our Twitter feed leading up to tipoff!