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DFS NBA Picks for FanDuel and DraftKings - Saturday 4/9/22 - All Day
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Point Guard / Shooting Guard
James Harden FD - $9600 DK - $9800
Opponent - IND
Proj Pts FD - 47.93 DK - 51.44
The all-day slate is going to be a tricky one because there isn’t a whole lot in the way of motivation happening in these four games. Most teams are just treading water until the playoffs or their season is well over. But the 76ers still have a chance to make it to the three seed in the East if they want and that should be enough motivation to play the starters at least moderate minutes. Sure, they are likely to completely demolish the Pacers who have been trying to lose with a fury over the last month, but Harden’s floor should be high enough in this one to justify the expense. And seeing as how there will be plenty of cheap plays in other places we are likely to just pay up for him and Embiid and call it a day in that tier.
Jordan Poole FD - $7900 DK - $8000
Opponent - SA
Proj Pts FD - 39.86 DK - 41.99
It’s hard to know how much the Warriors value the three seed in the West though one has to assume they still see this as a very winnable game considering the Spurs have chosen to sit basically their entire starting five. Even in limited minutes Poole could be in for major usage considering Stephen Curry is already out and Klay Thompson is going to sit as well. This scenario played out two games ago against the Kings and Poole ran 34 minutes, putting up 15 shots and dropping 22 points, five rebounds, and four assists. He and Wiggins should lead the way in usage with the only question becoming if they play enough minutes to hit value.
Tre Jones FD - $6500 DK - $5400
Opponent - GS
Proj Pts FD - 30.49 DK - 30.46
The Spurs are sitting basically everyone out for this game including Dejounte Murray, Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, and Jakob Poeltl. It’s going to be the B-Team’s time to shine and there could be quite a few minutes going to some of the lower salaried guys on the squad. With Murray out, Jones has actually seen the price climb some in the short term seeing as how he’s played 30+ minutes in each of the last four. In that stretch, he’s averaged 14 points, nine assists, and five rebounds. That kind of production is more than enough to justify the uptick in salary on both sites. And the usage should climb a bit here as well considering so many guys are out.
Davion Mitchell FD - $7100 DK - $7000
Opponent - LAC
Proj Pts FD - 34.52 DK - 37.38
The Kings said they were going to start reducing Mitchell’s minutes down the stretch and then they went out and ran him 40 minutes against the Pelicans on Tuesday. So who knows with this disaster of a team. It’s hard to totally trust what they are going to do here, though Mitchell’s price is such that it’s not likely to be a massive risk either way. He’s coming off a 15 point, 17 assist game against New Orleans and over the last eight games is averaging 19.5 points and 10 assists. He’s paying value at these prices though the minutes have been on the higher side. That could buzz off for this Saturday game.
Small Forward
Andrew Wiggins FD - $6200 DK - $6200
Opponent - SA
Proj Pts FD - 33.57 DK - 34.1
Like I said with Poole, the Warriors are without Curry and Klay, meaning Wiggins should once again be in line for a moderate usage uptick. In that game I mentioned against the Kings in which Klay was out, Wiggins took 15 shots and dropped 25 points to go with five assists and five rebounds. If that’s the kind of line we are looking at in this matchup against an undermanned Spurs team, then I think the prices are totally fair. Keep an eye out if the Warriors decide to also just semi-punt this game, but I don’t think they will, considering their spot in the standings.
Joshua Primo FD - $4300 DK - $3500
Opponent - GS
Proj Pts FD - 25.72 DK - 26.41
Josh Richardson FD - $4700 DK - $4600
Opponent - GS
Proj Pts FD - 25.45 DK - 25.94
Both of these guys should be in the starting lineup for the Spurs on Saturday and we could also see heavier minutes from Keita Bates-Diop (FD $3900 DK $3000) and Lonnie Walker IV (FD $4800 DK $3800) as well. Essentially, there are going to be five or even six value plays for the Spurs on Saturday because of how they’ve chosen to rest everyone. It’s a shame this isn’t a bigger slate because these guys would offer the perfect opportunity to jam in superstars. But the way the schedule shakes out, most of the end-of-season action is on Sunday as the regular season closes out. Either way, look out for who is in the Spurs’ starting lineup for this game because basically all five of them will be cat game viable.
Power Forward/ Center
Joel Embiid FD - $11600 DK - $11400
Opponent - IND
Proj Pts FD - 61.24 DK - 62.76
These two teams played two games ago and Embiid torched the Pacers for 45 points and 13 rebounds in 39 minutes. Indiana kept it a little closer than would have been believed allowing Embiid the extra run. It’s hard to imagine that happening again, but stranger things and all. This is a pretty easy pay up and there’s a chance that he can grab the scoring title over Lebron James with another big game. Considering all of the cheaper plays going on Saturday stacking Harden and Embiid will likely be the way most lineups go for the all-day slate of games.
Zach Collins FD - $5000 DK - $4500
Opponent - GS
Proj Pts FD - 31.66 DK - 31.99
Jakob Poeltl is going to sit this one out along with a bunch of the rest of the Spurs and Collins should get the start at the five for San Antonio. Last time he ran with the first five was three games ago against the Blazers and Collins was excellent, putting up 18 points and 13 rebounds in 31 minutes of action. He could be headed that way again against the Warriors. There is some chance that Golden State wants to avoid the four seed and goes all out, but they are also sitting Klay Thompson in this game. Either way, it makes for a nice landing spot for Collins.
Draymond Green FD - $6200 DK - $6000
Opponent - SA
Proj Pts FD - 33.77 DK - 34.74
I doubt he plays tons and tons of minutes on Saturday because of the Warriors’ situation, but he’s able to contribute enough across the stat line that I think the floor is high regardless. You know the matchup against the Spurs will be a good one seeing as how they are running all bench players. And Draymond’s lines do lend themselves to scoring points in every way imaginable. He’s putting up nine points, six rebounds, six assists, and 2.7 blocks+steals per game over the last three. None of those will blow you away on their own, but combined he becomes a viable fantasy option.
