Fantasy Basketball: NBA Draftkings Top Salary Value Plays – Locks Edition

Hey guys! So I want to apologize in adnvance. Today’s article will be a “Lock Plays” edition but I will give some honorable editions to give you multiple choices for tonight’s 8 game NBA Draftkings slate. We did get hit by Sacramento blowing out Orlando causing Vucevic to come in under-value and Tim Hardaway Jr. was Tim Hardaway Jr. and he lost us cash once again. Lets try and turn this ship right around so good luck and cash out!

NBA Draftkings – The Breakdown

So as usually, with any NBA Draftkings slate, we’re going to look at a players stats, usage rate, previous game stats, the opposing teams defensive stats versus the players position, and their salary. A big part of daily fantasy sports is a players salary. We build our lineups around key players and if they are players like Lebron James, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, or Giannis Antetokounmpo, then they come along with a hefty price tag. We need a player to hit at least five times their value with their salary to make it “worth it” in a sense but what we really want and need is for it to be around six or possibly even seven times their value.

For example, the other night Russell Westbrook was priced at $10,900 versus the New Orleans Pelicans so we needed him to hit 54.50 fantasy points to return five times his value. Sadly, he did not. This is why we’re switching up the article format and trying to dig even deeper with our NBA Slates.

Now we might not always have multiple players (minimum two) discussed at every position on every article because the NBA has the weirdest schedule this season.

Lets not waste any more time and kick off the research for this 8 game NBA Draftkings Slate. As always though, I will be sticking with Draftkings as I rarely play on Fanduel anymore. Good luck and lets cash out!

NBA Draftkings – Top Point Guard

Ben Simmons vs. Washington Wizards

Salary: $9,100 – Needs to score 45.5 fantasy points or more to exceed value

Getting to face one of the worst defenses versus points guards and with a good match history, Ben Simmons is tonight’s top point guard play. Ben Simmons is currently averaging 16 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assist in 33 minutes this season. People expected things to get better for him and Joel Embiid with the addition of Jimmy Butler but we have seen that is already going sour. But less focus on that and more on Ben Simmons history versus the Washington Wizards.

In a small sample of just five games, Simmons is averaging 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assist versus them, almost a triple double. When they faced off in November, Simmons almost did what he usually does and records a triple double versus them with 13 points, 10 assist, and 8 rebounds. Hard to fade someone like Ben Simmons versus this poor Washington Wizards team while he’s almost averaging a triple double versus them.

On the defensive side of things for the Washington Wizards, they are allowing point guards to average 24 points, 9 assist and 6 rebounds per game. Making it seem easily for Ben Simmons to exceed value tonight. In his last five games, Simmons has returned value in three of those games scoring 57.5, 41.8, and 56.5 fantasy points.

Simmons currently holds a usage rate of 22% with Joel Embiid and Jimmy Butler on the court, while there is no news yet of resting or injury, don’t be surprised if something does pop up. Usually only happens with back to back games for Joel Embiid or if Jimmy Butler decides to keep fighting his head coach and the front off. But on the positive side of things, Ben Simmons is someone to build a lineup around tonight.

Honorable Mentions:

Kemba Walker | Victor Oladipo | Kyle Lowry

NBA Draftkings – Top Shooting Guard

Steph Curry vs. New York Knicks

Salary: $10,000 – Needs to score 50 fantasy points or more to exceed value

Now I know Steph Curry isn’t a shooting guard but according to Draftkings, we can play him there so we are going to do so if needed tonight. Steph Curry is currently averaging 29 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assist on the season. While things aren’t going correctly for the Warriors like they usually do, Curry is still performing to what we’re used to. The New York Knicks are currently allowing shooting guards to average 23 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assist per game, something we should be excited about.

In 17 games against the Knicks, Curry is currently averaging 24 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assist. The last time these two teams faced off earlier this year, Curry recorded 29 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assist. He has returned value in the previous five games, scoring 53.3, 49.3, 54.3, 47.8, and 57.3 fantasy points. Curry is also sitting at a usage rate of 31% on the season and that is with a healthy Golden State Warriors

The pace between these two teams is only separated by .2, where the Warriors are sitting at 105 possessions per game and the New York Knicks are sitting at 104.8 possessions per game. While they don’t play at the fastest pace in the NBA, there should be enough opportunity for Steph Curry to easily exceed his value of 50 fantasy points tonight. The only way this doesn’t happen is if the Golden State Warriors have an off night but even if that happens, Curry should be the one who steps up to try to help them have a chance.

Honorable Mentions:

Klay Thompson | Dennis Schroder | Fred VanVleet

NBA Draftkings – Top Valued Small Forward

Tobias Harris vs. Charlotte Hornets

Salary: $7,600 – Needs to score 38 fantasy points or more to exceed value

I feel like every match-up that this man, Tobias Harris, is the perfect match-up and that he’ll never fail me. Except once already this year when he was a last-minute scratch. Tonight Tobias Harris gets to face the Charlotte Hornets, a team that doesn’t defend the small forward position well and a team Harris knows pretty well. In 21 games in his career, Tobias Harris averages 16 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assist versus the Hornets. The two teams have yet to meet this season so we have no earlier match-up to go off all.

On the season though, Harris is currently averaging 21 points, 8 rebounds and 2 assist in 34 minutes of game time. With the Los Angeles Clippers have no true superstar on their team, that’s where the focus comes in with Tobias Harris. He has a usage rate of 24% this season, splitting the usage with Danilo Gallinari mainly since the departure of DeAndre Jordan.

The Charlotte Hornets are currently allowing small forwards to average 19 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assist per game. Also once again, the difference in pace between the two teams is basically one possessions, where the Clippers are playing at a pace of 106 possessions per game and the Charlotte Hornets are playing at a pace of 104.8 per game. Now as usual, I’ll never skip a night of putting Tobias Harris in the lineup, especially when he faces a team that matches up poorly against the forward position. The history, the stats and the paces are all there pointing to Tobias Harris being a top play on this 8 game NBA Draftkings slate.

Other Honorable Mentions

Kawhi Leonard | Danilo Gallinari | Justise Winslow

NBA Draftkings – Top Valued Power Forward

Domantas Sabonis vs. Cleveland Cavaliers

Salary: $7,400 – Needs to score 37 fantasy points or more to exceed value

There are about three teams that we pick on in the NBA DFS world and those three teams are the Phoenix Suns, Brooklyn Nets and the Cleveland Cavaliers. A man who is having an amazing year, Domantas Sabonis, gets to face the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight with a great match-up. The Cavaliers are currently allowing power forwards to average 23 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 assist which means the double double bonus for our man Sabonis.

For the season, Sabonis is averaging 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 assist, hopefully he’ll be able to boost that point average tonight. In 8 games versus the Cavaliers, Sabonis is averaging 13 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assist. Plus the last time the two teams faced off, Sabonis almost pulled off a double double, scoring 17 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assist. This is a match-up made for the Indiana Pacers and Domantis Sabonis tonight.

Domantas Sabonis knows consistency pretty well when it comes to fantasy point. In his five previous games, he has returned value in four of them, scoring 34.5, 38.8, 30.3, 45,and 39.3 fantasty points. But this is where the possessions per game come in on the bad end of things since the Indiana Pacers only average 101 possessions and the Cleveland Cavaliers are still holding the title for the league worse with just 99 possessions. They can’t even crack the hundred mark at all this season. So if this game gets out of hand and it happens early to where the Cleveland Cavaliers trail, don’t expect them to catch back up, causing Domantias Sabonis to go to the bench for some rest.

Other Honorable Mentions

Paul George | Draymond Green | Pascal Siakam

NBA Draftkings – Top Valued Center

Joel Embiid vs. Washington Wizards

Salary: $11,000 – Needs to score 55 fantasy points or more to exceed value

The big man, Joel Embiid, is once again in play and it’s versus one of the weakest teams defending the paint in the NBA, the Washington Wizards. While I’ve already mentioned the turmoil with Jimmy Butler and the 76ers front office, all the attention still remains on what Joel Embiid is doing this season.

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Averaging 27 points, 13 rebounds, and 3 assist per game in just 34 minutes. He has returned value in five straight games, scoring 61, 61.3, 64.3, 77.5, and 52.5 fantasy points. Getting a match-up versus the Washington Wizards and still only having a price tag of $11,000, it just sounds like a steal since all he has to do is score 55 fantasy points to return value. That is nothing to the big man.

The Washington Wizards are currently allowing centers to average 23 points and 17 rebounds per game. In their first match-up this season, the Wizards allowed Joel Embiid to record a double double with 13 points and 15 rebounds in just 22 minutes. In just five games against the Wizards, Joel Embiid is already averaging 22 points, 13 rebounds and 3 assist. While we have a lot of top talent that we can possibly build around, I would look at these Philadelphia 76ers on your first look as they all seem to be in a great match-up.

Other Honorable Mentions 

                                         DeAndre Ayton | Steven Adams | Willie Cauley -Stein     

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