NBA DFS picks August 23: Who is worth playing in a Boston sweep?

NBA DFS guard plays

I’ve been a Luka truther for most of the season, but this is one spot where I don’t mind the fade. Even if he does play, there is no way that his ankle is 100%. Watching the injury, I thought for sure he would miss one game if not more. I still expect a solid game out of Luka, but the upside just isn’t there if he wont be operating at 100%.

Utah hammered Denver without much help from Mitchell in Game 3. My only issue here with Mitchell is the price. With Conley back, his ceiling isn’t nearly as high. For that reason alone, it’s hard to pay this kind of a premium for him on DraftKings even in cash games. Mitchell is FanDuel only for me today.

Caris LeVert is carrying the Nets. That will be even more on display with Joe Harris leaving the bubble. We may have to look to the gutted Nets for value, but LeVert is still the little engine that could, even with little around him. His floor happened in Game 3 and he still broke 30 fantasy points. His upside is among the highest on the slate still, but I’m limiting him since Toronto is going to make someone else beat them.

For the money, Fred VanVleet is one of the best plays on either site. Lowry and Powell are decent options, but VanVleet consistently leads that team in scoring. I prefer Lowry on FanDuel due to PG being much weaker over there, but Fred is the Raptor to own if you’re going with a one-off.

It was Kemba Walker that carried Boston with Hayward out. The Celtics finally turned him loose, and I expect more of the same here. That said, Kemba is still a bit of a risk here. That was the first game of anywhere near value since the season resumed.

Lou Williams is back in playoff form but is not up to playoff price on either site. It’s tough to punt SG on FanDuel, but LouWill is a great option on DraftKings where position flexibility allows you up to five guards in your lineups.

For what it’s worth, I would use Conley over both Ingles and Clarkson. Conley’s return was a detriment to the fantasy value of Mitchell, but Conley himself turned out to be a nice value. Still, Utah’s backcourt is loaded. if Conley struggles, there’s no shortage of guards the Jazz can turn to for a spark. I will have limited exposure.

Josh Richardson is the only Sixer besides Embiid that is worth playing right now. Shake had a strong Game 3, but he’s very risky. J-Rich is a cash game staple right now.

If Luka sits, Seth Curry and THJ will be in every one of my lineups. The closest thing to a Clippers weak spot is the point. I’ll run Curry some anyway, but he’s a lock if Luka is out.

Tyler Johnson finally had a good game for the Nets, but it was only when Temple struggled. I don’t trust either of them honestly, and considering there isn’t much worth spending money on, I’m content to a full Nets fade instead of chasing the fantasy fool’s gold that lies within that team.

This Reggie Jackson is not the playoff gold that his baseball counterpart was. Landry Shamet had a huge Game 3, and I would expect him to start again. He’s a lock on both sites, but Shamet is a much more egregious value on DraftKings.