DraftKings NBA picks November 22: Giannis or LeBron?

NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 07: Dwight Howard #12 of the Charlotte Hornets reacts late in the fourth quarter against the New York Knicks during their game at Madison Square Garden on November 7, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /

DraftKings NBA picks November 22: Giannis or LeBron?

After a day off (there were no DraftKings tournaments for just one game) Tuesday, we have the largest slate of the season with 28 of the 30 teams in action on Wednesday. Sure, you could have played the Tuesday-early Wednesday slate, but with no late swap, no thanks. I’m dumb, but not that dumb. That makes this DraftKings tournament enormous! Finding value and picking the right spots to spend our allowance is more important than ever!

Point Guards

Best Bets:

Ben Simmons ($9,500): Once again, Simmons topped 50 DraftKings points. It doesn’t matter who he plays right now. I don’t really like Westbrook against the Warriors, so I will go with Simmons and save the $900. Though it does seem that if Westbrook is really going to get after someone, it would be the Warriors.

Kyle Lowry ($8,200): There are plenty of pitfalls at the top for point guards. John Wall is playing the best team in defense against the point and coming off of fluid in his knee. Lillard has another tougher matchup. So does Curry. I’m not saying that they wont be worth playing, but Lowry put up 50 DraftKings points on the Knicks in the first meeting between the two teams. He could have just as many points at a much lower price.

Kemba Walker ($8,000): Walker has put up some big numbers lately, and he is going against a Washington team that is playing its third game in four days. Wall wasn’t completely healthy coming into this, so it stands to reason that he wont be his normal self in this game. That opens the door for Walker to have another game well above value.

Honorable Mention:

Chris Paul ($7,500): Paul has picked up 72 DraftKings points in just 55 minutes in two games since his return to the court. The fans in Houston will finally get to watch Paul in action, and he is going to want to put on a show here. The Rockets should up his minutes a little more in this one so long as it doesn’t turn into a blowout. Paul should play around 28 minutes or so, which could put him well above value if the last two games are any indication.

Lonzo Ball ($7,300): Ball had a staggering 16 rebounds on Sunday in his second triple-double of the season already. You just never know when he is going to go off, but a game against the rebuilding Kings looks to be another superb matchup for the rookie.

Eric Bledsoe ($6,500): Bledsoe’s return to Phoenix? Forget the fact that this is statistically a sound matchup. Bledsoe feels he was done wrong by the franchise, and he is going to want to show them up in front of everyone. You know what? I think Jason Kidd is going to let him do it. I’m all over Bledsoe here!

Dark Horses:

Spencer Dinwiddie ($6,300): Dinwiddie has been excellent with D’Angelo Russell out. In three games since Russell went down, Dinwiddie has 125.5 DraftKings points. Those games were all against teams in the top half of the league defensively (Golden State, Utah, and Boston). I love Dinwiddie against the Cavs. Their defensive woes on the perimeter continue.

Dennis Smith Jr. ($5,500): Memphis is a tougher matchup, but Smith has picked up 59 DraftKings points over two games against them already this season. This time around Conley is out, so Smith could be in for even better numbers. Don’t shy away just because its Memphis. Smith has proven he can handle it.

Mario Chalmers ($5,000): Chalmers dropped a 40 spot on Monday night. He is still very underpriced since he has the starting point guard gig in Memphis for the foreseeable future. Chalmers remains a strong value pick with his price this low.

Jose Calderon ($3,000): The Cavs thrust Calderon into action with Rose, Shumpert, and Thomas all hurt. He responded with 24.5 DraftKings points, and ran the offense better than it has looked all year. I expect Calderon to keep starting as long as he keeps producing, even if Shumpert and Rose return. For now, Calderon is a sure 7x value at the lowest price possible. You need this value play, even if everyone else has it.

My picks: Simmons(F), Chalmers(PG), Calderon(G); Calderon(PG)

WASHINGTON, DC – OCTOBER 18: Bradley Beal #3 of the Washington Wizards walks onto the court against the Philadelphia 76ers in the second half at Capital One Arena on October 18, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

Shooting Guards

Best Bets:

DeMar DeRozan ($8,400): Harden’s output has predictably gone down a bit with the return of Chris Paul. I expect it to dip a little more as Paul begins to chew up more minutes. Harden may still be worth it with the way Denver is scoring lately, but I would rather save the money and go with DeRozan against the Knicks. DeRozan put up 41.5 DraftKings points on the Knicks in the first meeting with them. That is right at 5x value.

Bradley Beal ($7,800): Beal has scored over 20 points in nine of the last 11 games. He is shooting well even if he isn’t handling the ball more like he was when Wall was out. It is a little more risky with him relying more on scoring, but the Hornets haven’t been able to guard anyone on the perimeter. This looks like a good situation for Beal again.

Honorable Mention:

C.J. McCollum ($7,300): McCollum only had points and rebounds on Monday, and he still hit value! He will have Redick trying to guard him tomorrow,which is a huge advantage for C.J. Lillard is going to be tangling with Ben Simmons all night, so McCollum could be in for a pretty big game here.

Khris Middleton ($6,900): Middleton is capable of big games. We have seen him put up more than 50 DraftKings points four times in the last 11 games. The bad news is that he has been in the 20’s six times in that same span. It’s all or nothing with Middleton. I would lean more towards the former against the Suns, but Bledsoe will likely steal some of his thunder.

Donovan Mitchell ($6,600): The return of Rubio didn’t hurt Mitchell much at all. The only team to hold Mitchell under 30 DraftKings points in the last six was the Knicks, and he still pulled 28 in that one. Mitchell is providing a solid floor and decent upside as a great all around threat on the perimeter for Utah.

Dark Horses:

Will Barton ($5,400): Barton gets the most minutes, Gary Harris puts up the most consistent stat lines, and Jamal Murray has the most upside despite playing the fewest minutes. Such is the life of the DFS person trying to pick which one to use. There will be plenty of opportunities against Houston tonight. Which one do you feel most comfortable with?

Denzel Valentine ($4,800): Valentine continues to make a positive impression. He has topped 20 DraftKings points in nine of the last 11 games. He has a good floor at a cheap price with decent upside. You can’t ask for much more in a value play at this price.

Allen Crabbe ($4,600): With Dinwiddie covering the point, it has freed up some minutes at shooting guard. Crabbe has gobbled those up and is hungry for more with 97.75 DraftKings points in the three games since Russell went down. Crabbe is still a great value at this price. However, we know how inconsistent Crabbe has been in his career. This may not last.

My pick: MitchellSG); Crabbe(SG), Beal(G)

DENVER, CO – NOVEMBER 09: Paul George #13 of the Oklahoma City Thunder faces off against Wilson Chandler #21 of the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center on November 9, 2017 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /

Small Forwards:

Best Bets:

Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,500): The Suns are the second worst team in the league defending the small forward position. You know they are going to have huge issues with arguably the best one on the planet. Predictably, Antetokounmpo was under value on Monday against Washington. He still picked up 45 DraftKings points. The only thing that can slow down Giannis is a blowout, and even then, I bet he still breaks 50.

LeBron James ($11,400): The King has his worst game of the season on Monday, but that was because he only played 27 minutes in the blowout win. The Nets are the worst team in the league allowing points to small forwards, so LeBron is in line for a huge game. Just be aware that if this game gets out of hand, LeBron will watch most of the fourth from the bench. The Cavs need to limit his minutes when they can.

Kevin Durant ($10,000): Durant is listed as questionable, but if he can walk, he’s going to play. There is still bad blood between the fans and Durant as well as Westbrook and Durant. They may have reconciled somewhat, but it’s more of a Johnny and Joey Ramone relationship than Wade and LeBron. I think that’s why Durant sat Sunday. He wants to be at his best for this one. If you are thinking about moving off of the top two, Durant could provide good points at low ownership.

Honorable Mention:

Paul George ($8,500): George is filling in quite nicely as the new Durant in Oklahoma City. George is playing the most minutes on the team, and leading the team in points, threes, and steals. He may not stuff the stat sheet quite like Durant, but he’s close. If by some miracle Durant doesn’t play, George becomes an elite option for me. He is a suitable replacement for the top options anyway.

Tyreke Evans ($7,200): Dallas is tough on the wings, but not at the point. Evans has been playing point some with Conley out, so this matchup isn’t as bad as it might seem on the surface. Still, Evans is more of a play if you are looking to avoid high ownership. I don’t see a big game from him at any rate.

Otto Porter ($6,100): Porter was able to hit value against the Bucks, but it wasn’t really due to his scoring. That is the main reason I’m off of T.J. Warren tonight. Porter is a more solid play against Charlotte, and should outdo his price point here.

Dark Horses:

Harrison Barnes ($5,600): Memphis is a solid defensive team, but Barnes has 64.75 DraftKings points in two games against them so far this year. That puts him closer to 6x value than 5x. He will likely be at lower ownership playing the Grizz as well.

Kyle Anderson/Danny Green ($4,600): The two headed replacement for Kawhi Leonard has done a fine job so far. Anderson has more upside, but Green is the more consistent producer. I would go with Anderson in GPP’s and Green in cash. Unless you are strapped for cash in a GPP lineup. You can use both because of the position versatility.

Wesley Johnson ($3,800): Gallinari is going to be out at least the rest of the week, so that gives Johnson good value once again. He has put up 95 DraftKings points over the last three games, and is facing a Hawks team that can’t really stop anyone. I like Johnson to hit around 7x value again.

My pick: George(SF); James(SF), Johnson(F)

NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 20: Blake Griffin #32 of the Los Angeles Clippers reacts after he fouled out against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on November 20, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

Power Forwards

Best Bet:

Blake Griffin ($9,300): The fact that the Clippers are riding a long losing streak means that maybe the starters will get a little more run than usual when they blowout the Hawks. Hell, maybe they wont. Maybe this is where the Clippers are now. This could end up being a close game. At any rate, I trust Griffin’s production more than A.D. against the Spurs.

LaMarcus Aldridge ($8,100): The Spurs offense has been running through Aldridge with Kawhi out. That wont change, even against the Pelicans. Aldridge wont have one of his best games here, but he is still a strong threat at 5x value at a position that doesn’t have many.

Honorable Mention:

Draymond Green ($7,600): Green is still an afterthought on offense. We all know that going in. We don’t use Draymond for his offensive skill set. We use him because his defensive chops give him a high and sustainable floor. Any scoring is just going to add value.

Carmelo Anthony ($6,700): This should be an up and down and high scoring game. That favors the scorers of the Thunder a little more. The Thunder are stronger at forward with George and Anthony, and they have a capable Steven Adams if the Warriors decide to send Draymond after Anthony or George. I expect Anthony or George to come up big tonight. Who knows, it may even be both!

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson ($6,400): It looks as though Trevor Booker will be out again, which would leave a larger role open for RHJ. He is already looking comfortable offensively for the first time in the pros. and he is still a really good rebounder. The Cavs are really missing Tristan Thompson up front because that pushes Love to the middle. RHJ can hold his own against Jeff Green or Crowder.

Dark Horses:

James Johnson ($5,600): If Boston has a weak link right now, it’s at power forward. Johnson picked up 26.25 DraftKings points on Boston in the first meeting. A duplication of that would put him close enough to 5x value to keep you in the hunt for cash.

Zach Randolph ($5,000): There is a lot of potential up front for the Kings, but Randolph is the only sure thing. The Kings are committed to giving Randolph good minutes to move Labissierre along slowly. At this price, Randolph is a strong bet to hit value every time he takes the court. Randolph lacks significant upside, but if you are just looking for a pretty sure thing, Randolph is there.

Kenneth Faried ($3,400): Why Denver doesn’t start Faried anyway is beyond me. I get that Millsap is a good player, but Faried showed the ability to dominate whenever they played him more than half the game.I don’t know if he pimped out a coach’s wife or something, but at any rate, we finally get to see what we have been missing……at a REALLY low price. I’m all in.

My pick: Faried(PF); Green(PF), Faried(UTIL)

LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 13: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers dunks in front of Justin Anderson #1 during a 109-105 win over the LA Clippers at Staples Center on November 13, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

Center:

Best Bets:

DeMarcus Cousins ($10,300): Cousins is usually the safer play when the Pelicans run into a team that is strong up front. That has been the case this season anyway. Cousins is the better rebounder and more of a presence on the defensive end, so his floor is always a bit higher. I’m not usually big on using people against the Spurs frontcourt, but Cousins could be the exception.

Joel Embiid ($9,700): Both the Warriors and Jazz were able to keep Embiid mostly under wraps. Of course, part of that with the Jazz was the fact that he only played 27 minutes in a convincing win. Embiid should be able to have his way with Portland tonight. Expect his output closer to where we would expect it to be.

Nikola Jokic ($8,900): Normally, this would be a place where I would be all over Towns, but I don’t trust it with Minnesota operating more on the outside with Wiggins and Butler. Jokic is a touch cheaper, and going against a Houston team that is getting better on the interior, but not enough to question me using Jokic. The only thing really concerning me here is Denver’s assault from the wing not relying on Jokic on the inside. His scoring is down lately, but Jokic is a strong enough defender to reach value without a lot of points.

Honorable Mention:

Marc Gasol ($8,300): To me, Gasol doesn’t look like much of a step down tonight. All of the options above him have little things that make me not want to use him. That isn’t there with Gasol. He racked up 98 DraftKings points in two games against the Mavs so far this year. There is no reason for him not to do it again.

DeAndre Jordan ($7,000): Jordan has had a rough go of it lately. The Clippers have played a horde of teams that are strong in the middle. Jordan’s reprieve starts tonight. Atlanta is pretty weak all over. Jordan will have no problems rebounding over the undersized Hawks front. He should end up with over 5x value tonight.

Nikola Vucevic ($6,900): Vucevic broke out of his slump against the Pacers on Monday. Tonight, he gets a similarly weak team up front in Minnesota. Defense isn’t Towns’s forte. Vucevic could have another strong night at a very low price.

Dark Horses:

Derrick Favors ($6,300): Favors struggled against Philadelphia, but he’s not alone in that respect. You can give him a pass. The Bulls are strongest defensively at center, but they are still in the middle of the league in that respect. That means that the Jazz may attack more from the outside, leaving Favors to defense to hit his value. That could still happen against the Bulls. We saw what he is capable of against the Magic. He could be a decent value pick here.

Brook Lopez ($5,700): Outside of a complete clunker against Philadelphia (seeing a pattern here?), Lopez has had a strong first season in L.A. He has topped 30 DraftKings points seven times in the last 11 games. That is consistent 5x value with the potential for more. He cracked 40 and 50 DraftKings points in that span as well!

Thon Maker ($3,300): John Henson will miss at least the next two games with an eye injury. This could finally be the chance for the Bucks to turn Maker loose. He is like a fawn on offense, but his defense is solid. If he plays somewhere around 30 minutes – and he may have to – Maker is easily 6x value with the potential for more. I do have a feeling that the Bucks may go very small against Phoenix, which would likely mean more court time for D.J. Wilson. However, if you are ever going to take a flier on Thon in a GPP, this is probably the time to do it. Wilson may be a decent play as well.

My pick: Lopez(C), Gasol(UTIL); Gasol(C)

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