Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) dribbles the ball during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Washington Wizards, Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Thursday's slate was so weird. We discussed yesterday how ugly it was, and the teams didn't disappoint. Almost every game was a blowout, and numerous good players sat out. Luckily, this slate is much better. There are nine games in action and very few question marks in terms of COVID protocols and injuries. There's a lot to talk about, though, so let's go ahead and get into it!
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Opponent - CHI
Proj Pts FD - 27.28 DK - 28.71
We have some big-name players we need to save up for, so let's kick things off with some values at the guard positions. Anthony is just that, taking over PG duties in Orlando. Losing Markelle Fultz was the thing that earned him the job, but Aaron Gordon's injury assured him the majority of the ball-handling duties. That's actually led to Anthony scoring at least 22 DraftKings points in nine of his last 11 games, averaging 26.3 fantasy points per game in that span. That's all you can ask for from a $5K player, particularly with Anthony dropping at least 28 DK points in back-to-back games. We also don't mind the fact that Chicago surrenders the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing point guards, too.
Opponent - MIN
Proj Pts FD - 28.09 DK - 28.96
With George Hill and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander both sidelined, Maledon has carved out a nice role for himself. Not only has he entered the starting lineup, Maledon is also playing 32 minutes a night across his last four fixtures. He's providing 27 DraftKings points per game in that span, and that's an excellent total from a player in this price range. What's also nice is that he collected 29 DK points on Wednesday despite shooting just 2-of-12 from the field, exemplifying his stat-stuffing ways. That becomes even more attractive when you consider that Minnesota ranks 26th in defensive efficiency.
Malcolm Brogdon is a good bet as anyone for 40 fantasy points, and that makes him intriguing around $8,000.
Opponent - IND
Proj Pts FD - 30.68 DK - 32.37
Let's keep the value plays rolling with Big Bled. The talented shooting guard has remained cheap all season long, and it's hard to understand why. Since struggling the opening week, Bled has returned to the $6,000 player we used to know and love. In fact, he's averaging 27 DK points per game across his last 14 fixtures. That's a rare sight from a mid-$5,000 player, especially when you see that his average is even higher over his last six outings. Indiana has struggled with opposing shooting guards this season, too, surrendering the sixth-most fantasy points to them.
Opponent - MIN
Proj Pts FD - 33.39 DK - 32.98
We already discussed how SGA and George Hill are sidelined, but Oklahoma City will also be without Luguentz Dort. That opens up a ton of minutes for these backups, particularly Diallo. Hamidou showed what he could do with those extended minutes on Wednesday, dropping 32 DK points across 32 minutes of action. That followed up a 26-point gem across just 15 minutes in his previous game, giving him a 23-point average in 20 minutes a night for the season. That's an astounding rate from a talented player, and it would equate to 45-50 fantasy points if Diallo plays the 35-40 minutes we anticipate here. Diallo will be the best value on the slate if we end up getting that sort of production. Obviously, we love the matchup too.
If you have the salary, Bradley Beal is always a great pick for the Wizards.
Opponent - WAS
Proj Pts FD - 45.28 DK - 44.28
We were all over Jimmy Buckets on Wednesday, and we're going right back to the well in the same matchup. Let's kick things off by starting with the opposition. Butler and the Heat get to face the Washington Wizards here, which is an absolute godsend for anyone against them. Not only do they rank dead-last in total defense, but Washington also plays at the fastest pace in the NBA. That makes any opposing team's best player a must-use against them, especially a beast like Butler. Since returning from injury, Jimmy has at least 45 DK points in five-straight games as well. In his two meetings with the Wizards this season, he's averaging 22.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 9.0 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. Don't fade this guy!
Opponent - UTA
Proj Pts FD - 41.07 DK - 41.87
Revenge game? Hayward was probably the best Utah player since the Karl Malone-John Stockton era before Donovan Mitchell, and one has to believe he's going to be hungry against his former team. Banking on narratives is dangerous for DFS, but the statistics from this dude are stupendous. Over his last 16 games played, Hay is averaging 40 DraftKings points per game. That's actually barely above his season average anyway, showing just how ridiculous he's been all year. The small forward portion is actually one we can exploit for the Jazz too, with Bojan Bogdanovic being Utah's worst defender.
Jerami Grant's has been amazing all year and has dropped to about $7K on both sites.
Opponent - WAS
Proj Pts FD - 45.33 DK - 46.97
We already discussed how bad Washington's defense is, and that's a huge boost for a guy like Bam. The pace paired with that bad defense forces players into more stat-stuffing, and that's something Adebayo does at ease. Over his last seven games, Bam is averaging 22.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.9 blocks per game. That equates to 45 DK points per night, which is only 2.3 points higher than his season average. He's killed the Wizards this season, too, averaging 1.43 DK points per minute in two meetings with them. One of those was a blowout, but if he performs at that rate and gets the usual 35 minutes we expect, we're projecting Bam for a 50-spot.
Opponent - LAC
Proj Pts FD - 28.37 DK - 27.96
This play is not going to excite any of you, but Theis has been excellent recently. The big man has actually started in six-straight games, scoring at least 25 DK points in five of them. He's also averaging over 32 fantasy points per game in those five outings, and that's not something you often see from a $5K player. What adds to his value here is that Boston might be without Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart. That opens up a ton of minutes for everyone else, with the Celtics choosing to go bigger with those guys off the floor. The Clippers one weakness happens to be their interior defense too, ranked 23rd in rebounding.
If you're feeling risky, Chris Boucher is below $5K on both sites and was approaching $8K about three weeks ago.
Opponent - CHI
Proj Pts FD - 50.65 DK - 53.66
Vooch really doesn't get the credit he deserves because he's simply one of the best big men in the NBA. Where that's really evident is in his floor, scoring at least 33 DraftKings points in all but one game this season. A 32-point floor from a sub $9K player is a rare sight, and it just shows how undervalued he is in the eyes of the fantasy community. What makes that even crazier is that he has at least 39 DK points in 18 of 22 games en route to a 46-point average. That's really rough news for a Chicago team with their starting center injured, ranked 25th in defensive efficiency and third in pace this season.
Opponent - MIN
Proj Pts FD - 34.77 DK - 35.23
Big Al is probably the second-best player on this roster, but he's going to be the focal point with SGA, Hill, and Dort all out. Horford has a 25 percent usage rate with those three off the floor while averaging 1.1 DK points per minute. That's even scarier when you see his form since returning from injury, averaging 37 DraftKings points per game across his last four fixtures. We absolutely adore that average with so many guys missing, and we can't overlook the fact that he faces one of the worst defenses in the NBA too. Also, Minnesota owns a 28th OPRK against opposing centers, missing Karl-Anthony Towns.
Cody Zeller has been crushing it recently and should continue to get better with P.J. Washington out.
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