DraftKings NBA Picks October 20: Can we use three centers please?

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DraftKings NBA Picks October 20: Can we use three centers please?

We have another huge night with ten games for our main DraftKings NBA tournament. Toronto, Brooklyn, Indiana, Boston, New York, Orlando, Charlotte, and Minnesota are all in the second night of back to backs. It usually doesn’t matter this early in the season, but be aware that some minutes may be limited, especially for those players that played huge minutes last night.

Point Guards:

Best Bets:

Ben Simmons ($9,800): Simmons has 116.5 DraftKings points in two games. That’s well over 5x value on the young season. He is playing a Magic team that hasn’t defended the point well since Penny Hardaway was there. Simmons could be in for another huge night, as in his second triple double in as many games.

John Wall ($8,500): Normally I wouldn’t go out of my way to use a point guard against Toronto, but Wall put up 50.25 against a stout Miami defense in the opener. This price is too cheap for a healthy John Wall, no matter who the opponent. I see Wall as a decent pivot off of Simmons, but I don’t think he outscores him.

Honorable Mention:

Kemba Walker ($7,600): Walker came back to earth a little after a monster in the opener, but he still hit 5x value. Walker is a good fit in the new Charlotte offense. After seeing Wall have a strong game against the Heat in the opener, I think Walker to could the same here tonight. He has the skill set to do so.

Kyrie Irving ($7,300): Irving was a disaster against the Sixers in the opener, but put up a good line in a losing effort against Toronto last night. This price looks pretty low for Irving, especially going after a team that doesn’t really play defense in the Knicks. The only thing that I would really watch out for here is if Boston limits Irving’s minutes after he played 36 last night. Boston is deep enough to rest Irving for longer stretches without losing much production.

Zach LaVine ($6,900): It was LaVine that went bonkers in the absence of Kris Dunn on Thursday, not Cameron Payne. That will probably hold again tonight with Dunn missing his second game due to the birth of his child. Congrats Kris, and we will enjoy another stat sheet stuffer from LaVine in your absence.

Dark Horses:

Rajon Rondo ($6,000): The Lakers can still get away with the excuse that they are limiting Lonzo’s minutes, but what they are really doing is giving themselves the best chance to win. There is no shame in playing on the second unit. It’s where Lonzo can get a lot of work right now. Rondo racked up 37 DraftKings points with a double double in the opener. Expect close to the same against Houston tonight.

Reggie Jackson ($5,600): Pop quiz time: Who is the worst team in the league against point guards? If you said Orlando, you’re close. They are 29th. It’s the Bulls. You know, the ones that Ben Simmons put a triple double on in his last game. Jackson isn’t going to do that, but hitting value at this low of a price is pretty much a given.

Fred VanVleet ($4,500): The Toronto bench is what made them one of the best teams in the East last year. It is doing the same this year. VanVleet already has 53 DraftKings points in 53 minutes over two games this year. He’s getting you 26 DraftKings points for this price. You can pretty much write that in ink. If that’s enough for your value play, enjoy the VanVleet! Just make sure Delon Wright is still out first.

My pick: Walker(PG), LaVine(G)

HOUSTON, TX – SEPTEMBER 24: James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets poses for a portrait during the Houston Rockets Media Day at The Post Oak Hotel at Uptown Houston on September 24, 2018 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /

Shooting Guards:

Best Bets:

James Harden ($11,300): Harden fell one rebound shy of a triple double in the opening loss to the Pelicans. He is going to go plenty to hit value against the Lakers guards, but if he is going to stuff stat sheets like that, Harden has a very high floor. The bad news is that Beard still needs 56.5 DraftKings points to hit 5x value at this price.

Kawhi Leonard ($8,400): Leonard has Raptors fans dreaming of banners in the rafters after shelling Boston for 51 DraftKings points. Leonard certainly looks completely healthy, and big stat lines like this are going to be the norm. Expect another strong showing for Kawhi against Washington tonight.

Honorable Mention:

Devin Booker ($8,300): We know that Booker is capable of huge games like he had in the opener. His issue has been being able to do them with any regularity. A lot of his production was from scoring, so there is always some risk involved with him. However, if his shot is falling, Booker can help you take down a GPP.

Jimmy Butler ($7,700): Butler missed just two shots last night. Two. He dominated Cleveland in every way possible, and now gets a Dallas team that was smoked by Booker in the opener. Butler is way too cheap here. Thibs is going to play him until he falls over, but in all fairness, he would do this regardless of whether Butler wanted out or not.

Tim Hardaway Jr. ($7,000): Hardaway had a bit of an off night, and didn’t record a single assist last night against the Nets. So yeah, I’m kind of nervous to use him against Boston tonight. On one hand, we saw Kawhi shred Boston, but Hardaway is not Kawhi. Hardaway is still the main scorer for the Knicks, but this may be the first time this year where I’m not all over him. Boston is tough enough to steer me away, especially when Butler is only $700 more.

Dark Horses:

Eric Gordon ($5,300): Like Antonio Banderas in Assassins, Gordon is lethal from long range. The veteran guard hit 7 of 14 shots in 29 minutes in the opener. Gordon sees this kind of run on a regular basis. He could own the Lakers second unit tonight. Gordon has high volume and is a shartshooter, two critical things when picking a value play that doesn’t start.

Josh Hart ($4,900): Hart was his usual efficient self in the opener, and looks like he could be the big scorer on the second unit. Hart’s upside is capped while playing only about half the game, but more performances like that can only help his outlook on the season. He has strong potential off the bench against Houston.

Nik Stauskas ($3,700): I think the Blazers like their new toy. Stauskas lit up the Lakers off the bench, pouring in 24 points en route to 34 DraftKings points in 27 minutes in the opener. Portland is expected to use Stauskas in this capacity, and he proved last year and in the opener that Stauskas can put up some big lines in limited minutes.

My pick: Stauskas(SG)

SAN ANTONIO,TX – OCTOBER 17 : DeMar DeRozan #10 of the San Antonio Spurs is fouled by Andrew Wiggins #22 of the Minnesota Timberwolves in closing seconds in season opener at AT&T Center on October 17 , 2018 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that , by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) /

Small Forwards:

Best Bets:

Aaron Gordon ($8,000): Gordon played just 25 minutes last night, so he should be very well rested for this one. The Magic are going to need his athleticism against the long and athletic Sixers, so expect something closer to what we saw in the opener. The inconsistency that has plagued Gordon throughout his career was on display last night. That makes him hard to rely on, but we all know that Gordon has the upside to put up huge games from time to time.

DeMar DeRozan ($7,200): DeRozan was strong in his Spurs debut, putting up 38 DraftKings points in 38 minutes. We may not see any huge numbers out of DeRozan like we did in Toronto, but I do really like DeRozan for cash games. His consistency makes him worth the price.

Honorable Mention:

Josh Richardson ($6,800): So far, the offense is running through Richardson. He has responded with two big outings to open the season. Richardson is a lock for 6x value tonight, and could go even higher if he hits more than 35% of his shots.

Caris LeVert ($6,500): LeVert has put together two very strong outings to open the season. Even when Crabbe and RHJ come back, I still see LeVert playing big minutes. It’s not just the scoring. LeVert has ten rebounds and nine assists to go with his 55 points. He is a strong threat to top 30 DraftKings points for the third straight game to open the season tonight.

Dark Horses:

Andrew Wiggins ($6,100): Wiggins has been strong in the first two games, putting up 68.75 DraftKings points in 74 minutes. If he can continue to play like that even with Butler on the court, I do like Wiggins at this price. I like this play more if Harrison Barnes is out again, so make sure to keep an eye on that situation.

Otto Porter ($5,700): Porter was a dominant force against a Heat team that is widely considered to be one of the more physical teams in the league. Porter only scored nine points, but he racked up 11 rebounds, three steals, and three blocks. That’s going to rack up those DraftKings points in a big hurry! I like Porter tonight, even against a deep Toronto squad.

My pick: Richardson(SF)

DETROIT, MI – OCTOBER 17: Blake Griffin #23 of the Detroit Pistons reacts to a fourth quarter play while playing the Brooklyn Nets during the home opener at Little Caesars Arena on October 17, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

Power Forwards:

Best Bets:

Blake Griffin ($8,600): The Bulls have several pieces that they can slot up front, but not one of them plays a lick of defense. Griffin is going to be able do dominate the interior here. I’m not opposed to using both him and Drummond here. This is a game where they can completely control the whole game from the interior. Expect that to happen.

LaMarcus Aldridge ($8,100): Okay, I know that there is no animosity between LMA and his former team, but this is still going to be an emotional homecoming this close to Paul Allen’s passing. Aldridge dominated in a way that he hasn’t really done as a Spur against Minnesota in the opener. Expect another strong showing here against a Portland team that still doesn’t have a lot of presence up front.

Honorable Mention:

Jayson Tatum ($7,100): Tatum could obliterate the Knicks. He put up good outings against both Philly and Toronto, playoff teams from last year. What is he going to do to this ragtag collection of doormats? Tatum should be fully worth the price here tonight.

Paul Millsap ($6,800): Millsap was cold from the floor and didn’t do much on the offensive end, but he still hit value in only 30 minutes. This was an encouraging game for Millsap. If it comes out that Ariza ends up guarding him, I like this a lot less. If he draws anyone else, Millsap is firmly in play for this price.

Dark Horses:

Bobby Portis ($6,300): Portis turned in an easy double double against a strong 76ers team in the opener, so there is hope that he can still hit value against Griffin and the Pistons. However, knowing the way that Griffin can dominate defensively, I think I’m more comfortable moving down. Portis is not at a must play price here, so there is a legitimate chance for a bust.

Trevor Ariza ($5,500): For those of us scratching our heads and wondering what in the world the Suns were going to do with Ariza when they traded for him in the offseason, the short answer is everything. Ariza put up 21 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists in the opener. Yes, it was against a mostly pathetic Dallas squad, but I think Ariza could come close to that production against Denver at a very low price. Say hello to one of the better values on the slate.

Robert Covington ($5,400): Covington does a little of everything, so I’m always happy when his price is this low. Covington is a strong value play at this price because you know he is going to get you 5x value at a minimum with decent upside as well. I especially like Covington if he ends up tangling with Jonathan Isaac, who is mostly still a rookie.

My pick: Griffin(PF), Ariza(F)

PHILADELPHIA, PA – OCTOBER 18: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts against the Chicago Bulls at the Wells Fargo Center on October 18, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

Center

Best Bet:

Joel Embiid ($10,000): Dear Vucevic and Mo: Good luck trying to stop this force of nature.

Andre Drummond ($9,700): I can see Drummond as a pivot to Embiid simply because he is the best rebounder in the league. Drummond is no slouch on offense either, and even though Embiid has a pretty easy matchup with Orlando, Drummond’s against the Bulls is far easier. Wendell Carter has no chance against Drummond. Neither does Portis.

Nikola Jokic ($9,500): The 42 DraftKings points for Jokic in the opener was rather pedestrian, but he could be huge here. Jokic ravaged the Suns last year, and they could be without Ayton tonight. If they are, Jokic could have a huge game at lower ownership because of the tasty matchups of those in front of him.

Honorable Mention:

DeAndre Jordan ($7,500): This looks cheap considering what Aldridge just did to the Timberwolves. Not to mention what Love did to them last night. Towns has been ravaged by opposing centers, and even though Jordan isn’t that much of an offensive force, he is enough of one to blow past value at this price.

Enes Kanter ($6,900): Kanter is going to have a much tougher go of it against Boston, but with as high as his usage is and as low as the price is, there is value here. I see another double double performance from Kanter but it will likely be closer to the opener against Atlanta output than last night against some G League interior defense.

Dark Horses:

Domantas Sabonis ($6,100): What would happen if the Pacers turned Sabonis loose? Sabonis has 69 DraftKings points in just 51 minutes so far this season, turning in double doubles in both outings. The Nets are ghastly on the interior defensively, so I expect another huge showing for Sabonis, even in his normal limited minutes.

Jarrett Allen ($5,900): Honestly, I think my defensive chops are about on par with Allen from what we have seen from his first year plus in the league. I’m nowhere near Allen on offense, and that’s all us DFS players really care about unless his horrid defense starts cutting into his playing time. It hasn’t yet, and may never. Allen’s 39 DraftKings points against Drummond in the opener means when can use him against pretty much anyone. Allen is a huge bargain tonight.

JaVale McGee ($4,800): McGee was a monster in just 22 minutes against Portland, racking up 32.5 DraftKings points. I would like to see the Lakers use him more, but McGee is completely worth the price even if they don’t.

My pick: Sabonis(C), McGee(UTIL)

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