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FanDuel NBA Picks and DraftKings NBA Picks - Tuesday, 8/4/20
NBA's restart has been nothing but great basketball action. Let's talk Tuesday's picks for DraftKings and FanDuel.Head on over a for your chance to get DFSR PRO, which will give you access to our NBA FanDuel and DraftKings optimizer, our MLB Optimizer and NHL Projections as well. Plus our new player lab! Get started for free by clicking the button below. First time with NBA or NFL? Be sure to read our free NBA and NFL Ebooks on building lineups, general strategy and more. We've got you completely covered.
Point Guard
Russell Westbrook FD - $9600 DK - $9400Opponent - POR
Proj Pts FD - 55.13 DK - 58.33
It’s unlikely, but the Rockets still have an outside shot at the two seed in the West, now trailing the Clippers by three games. And from the start of this thing, they’ve been going for it beating both the Mavericks and the Bucks. Westbrook is averaging 31 points, eight assists and eight rebounds though the first two, though one of those was an OT game. He’s still a relative value against the Blazers and this game has an absurd 243.5 over under, by far the highest of the day. It’s going to be a tough game to fade and stacking the Houston backcourt feels like a great way to start.
Chris Chiozza FD - $4000 DK - $5300Opponent - MIL
Proj Pts FD - 25.54 DK - 25.44
Tyler Johnson FD - $4000 DK - $6600Opponent - MIL
Proj Pts FD - 20.93 DK - 21.3
The Nets had already basically decided to/ been forced to punt the restart. But they are taking it to a new (low) level on Tuesday with Caris LeVert, Joe Harris and Jarrett Allen all having been ruled out for this game against the Bucks. They might lose by 100. But someone has to play the minutes, especially in the backcourt. And that run should go to Tyler Johnson and Chris Chiozza. The former started for the latter on Sunday, but I suspect they both run the one and two on Tuesday. Again, the Nets are going to get obliterated, but I do think 30ish minutes for each even in a blowout is reasonable. And they are coming cheap.
Shooting Guard
James Harden FD - $11100 DK - $11300Opponent - POR
Proj Pts FD - 57.95 DK - 60.77
Like I said with Westbrook, this game is where we are going to start and stop with cash based almost solely on the total. Harden dropped a 49 point, nine rebound, eight rebound OT game against Dallas but struggled against the Bucks (even in the win) going only 5-14 from the field and 3-12 from three. But that was against the Bucks and this will be a decidedly different look. Stacking Harden and Westbrook in cash, with some saving elsewhere should give a massively high floor starting point for this slate.
Victor Oladipo FD - $5300 DK - $5900Opponent - ORL
Proj Pts FD - 36.19 DK - 37.62
James wrote this yesterday before Dipo was ruled out on the front end of the back-to-back but it holds true today:
Oladipo was supposed to be limited to 28 minutes going into Saturday's game, but wound up playing 32 in a nail biter against the 76ers. He paid these prices, netting 26.4 FanDuel points, in spite of going up against Philly's excellent defense. It sure looks like the Pacers are going to be giving him 30+ minutes going forward, and cashing in at these prices is a must in this match-up.
Small Forward
T.J. Warren FD - $6400 DK - $8000Opponent - ORL
Proj Pts FD - 36.8 DK - 36.64
Well, this dude has been something ridiculous over the last two games. He’s averaging an absurd, 40.5 minutes, 43.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, three blocks and 1.5 steals in the first two games. Dude has been the fantasy darling of the bubble but at least Phoenix got cash considerations back for him when they traded him away in the offseason. He was an underowned play on Saturday night, but chalk on Monday. I suspect he’s highly owned here and rightly so considering the usage rate even with Brogdon back in the last game.
Cameron Johnson FD - $4500 DK - $5100Opponent - LAC
Proj Pts FD - 26.55 DK - 27.45
Mikal Bridges FD - $4700 DK - $4900Opponent - LAC
Proj Pts FD - 27.35 DK - 26.16
Bridges and Johnson have been starting at the three and the four for the Suns in the restart and essentially playing major minutes. When you share a court with Devin Booker and DeAndre Ayton, shots are going to be few and far to come by. That much is obvious on that team. Johnson has been the better fantasy option of the two, averaging 17 points per game in the last two and even ripping 12 rebounds against the Mavs on Sunday. The most encouraging piece was the 40 minutes in a close one.
Meanwhile, Bridges has seen 34 and 39 minutes respectively in the first two games, but it’s clear he’s the very last fantasy option (so to speak) when on the court for Phoenix. The lines have been low with a 4/1/1 line in 39 minutes against Dallas. That lack of production is tough to replicate with this many minutes, but he’s also coming very cheap.
Power Forward
Daniel Theis FD - $5200 DK - $4900Opponent - MIA
Proj Pts FD - 32.67 DK - 31.5
The restart didn’t change power forward on FanDuel sucking, that much is for sure. Often, going as cheap as possible is the way to go that appears the case again on Tuesday. The Celtics are really lacking size up front and that’s led to Theis playing big minutes in the first two games and he even double-doubled in the first game going for 13 points and 12 rebounds. Sure, it’s not a perfect matchup against the Heat but we are pretty thin at the position.
Richaun Holmes FD - $4900 DK - $5200Opponent - DAL
Proj Pts FD - 28.65 DK - 27.56
I wrote him up for the first game of this restart and I really still want to believe in Holmes as a good fantasy play for the Kings. Against the Spurs he fouled out in 24 minutes with 10 points and six rebounds. Then the Kings got blown out by the Magic and all of the starters lost minutes. In that one, Holmes had 12 points and five rebounds in 25 minutes. I do think the plan, in a “normal” close game, Holmes is looking at 30 minutes could easily pay value at these prices. The lack of defensive stats in the first two games is also a total outlier. I very much think we are buying low here.
Center
Deandre Ayton FD - $7400 DK - $7500Opponent - LAC
Proj Pts FD - 41.93 DK - 42.66
Aston got in foul trouble against Dallas and ended up with only 21 minutes a a putrid seven points and eight rebounds. But that’s clearly not the Suns’ plan coming into this thing. He dropped a 24 point, 12 rebound line on Washington in the first games, playing 35 minutes. Sure, it’s Washington so we need to adjust those expectations going forward. This is a bad matchup against the Clippers, but I do think the Suns are putting their best foot forward here and Ayton is very much part of that plan.
P.J. Tucker FD - $4000 DK - $4400Opponent - POR
Proj Pts FD - 21.62 DK - 21.45
Look, when you share a court with James Harden and Russell Westbrook, fantasy points aren’t just going to fall into your lap. But as I said with those latter two, The Rockets seem like their going for this thing and Tucker’s played major minutes in the first two games. There’s been some foul trouble with him defending true fives and that will be the case again here with Nurkic. But he’s trickling in some points, averaging four rebounds per game, managing a block and a steal per and should play high 30’s minutes. He’s still coming super cheap on both sites.
