Fansided

NBA Preseason DFS: Friday, 10/11 – Ben’s Big Breakout

By Dan Palyo

Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images
Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images /
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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – OCTOBER 07: Tomas Satoransky #31 of the Chicago Bulls handles the ball during a game against the Milwaukee Bucks at the United Center on October 07, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. 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 Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – OCTOBER 07: Tomas Satoransky #31 of the Chicago Bulls handles the ball during a game against the Milwaukee Bucks at the United Center on October 07, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. 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 Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /

NBA Preseason DFS: Bulls @ Pacers

Bulls: Wendell Carter is questionable, Shaq Harrison is doubtful, and Chandler Hutchinson is OUT.

Pacers: Victor Oladipo is OUT. Aaron Holiday and T.J. Leaf are questionable.

The Bulls are a team that interests me on this slate in that they increased their starters’ minutes a little in their second game and they have affordable players who are solid fantasy assets. They have an elite scorer in Zach Lavine (fifth in scoring so far in the preseason with 22 points per game in 23 minutes), a “jack of all trades” in Otto Porter (saw his minutes increase last game and nearly triple-doubled, a scrappy point guard who can stuff the stat sheet in Satoransky (looks like he’s beating out Kris Dunn for the starting spot right now) and a knockdown shooter playing the stretch-four in Lauri Markannen.

The Pacers are a good defensive team, but will be without Oladipo and lost Thaddeus Young in the offseason (to the Bulls, in fact.) Carter, Harrison, and Hutchinson are going to be part of this rotation in the regular season, but if they miss again tonight then that should leave minutes available for Thaddeus Young off the bench.

The Pacers haven’t played since back-to-back games against the Kings last weekend. Their starters played huge minutes in the first game but saw 20 or fewer in the second game. They should be well-rested and perhaps we see them get 25+ minutes tonight. Remember, the preseason is short so teams only have a handful of games to see their team chemistry and Indiana is a team with a number of new players on the roster with Brogdon, Warren, and Lamb all being huge additions this offseason.

The entire starting five is really in play here tonight for the Pacers, but I like Sabonis the best. It’s been well documented that I have a man-crush on him and his per-minute numbers are pretty insane. Chicago’s defense is lousy, especially on the interior, so Sabonis and Turner could do some damage. T.J. Warren (aka “T.J. Buckets) can score 20+ points with ease when he’s rolling and Jeremy Lamb is a big guard who always has rebounding and steals/blocks upside on top of his ability to score the rock.

Elite Plays: Zach LaVine, Otto Porter, Domantas Sabonis, T.J. Warren

Secondary Plays: Lauri Markannen, Tomas Satoranksy, Thaddeus Young, Malcolm Brogdon, Jeremy Lamb, Myles Turner