Welcome to Bales’ Stacks and Hidden Gems for today’s NBA DFS slate for DraftKings! Below, I will discuss my favorite NBA DFS plays for tonight’s slate!
Easy Breezy: Chalk Stack
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets and Memphis Grizzlies rank second and third in the NBA in pace, respectively. Houston currently ranks second in the league in offensive rating, while Memphis ranks 22nd in defensive rating. The Rockets are currently -5 point favorites in a game set at 240.5 points, giving them the highest implied team total on the slate at 122.8 points.
James Harden
Russell Westbrook has been ruled out for the game tonight. James Harden will likely see his usage rating increase to over 40% tonight. He’s also averaging 33.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 8.0 assists, 1.3 blocks, and 1.3 steals (63.5 DK points) in 33.4 minutes per game over the last 10 days. Harden has played 40+ minutes in 2 of his last 4 games, scoring 80+ DK points in each of those games. He is also averaging 43.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.0 block per game without Westbrook in the lineup. He’s is a must start on this slate tonight.
Ben McLemore
Ben McLemore is only averaging 10.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.3 assists (17.3 DK points) in 23.3 minutes per game over the last 10 days. He has seen 30+ minutes in only 2 of his last 6 games, scoring 26.25 and 23.5 DK points in those games. McLemore is expected to see 30+ minutes with Westbrook out of the lineup tonight. The former is also expected to find a bigger role in the offense. He’s far from an elite fantasy option, but he’s cheap enough that he’s a must start with Harden in cash games.
Clint Capela
Clint Capela has found plenty of success recently. He’s averaging 20.0 points, 15.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.3 blocks, and 1.3 steals (47.8 DK points) in 34.0 minutes per game over the last 10 days. Capela saw limited minutes in his last game, but posted 58.5 and 59.5 DK points in his 2 games prior to that. He’s expected to see minutes in the mid- to high-30s tonight. Capela a solid matchup against Memphis, and he comes with 20/20 potential on this slate. He makes a solid option in cash games tonight.
You must be logged in to view the content below. Click HERE to log in.[restrict]
Important Odds: Vegas Stack
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns and Atlanta Hawks currently rank 10th and eighth in the NBA in pace this season. Phoenix also ranks 13th in the league in offensive rating, while Atlanta ranks 26th in defensive rating. The Suns are -3 point favorites in a game set at 230 points, and they boast an implied team total of 116.5 points.
Elie Okobo
Ricky Rubio isn’t expected to be available for the game tonight, leaving Elie Okobo to take over bigger minutes. The latter is averaging 15.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 6.6 assists, and 1.4 steals on a per-36 minute basis this season. Okobo has played 30 minutes only once this season, scoring 29 DK points against the Houston Rockets. He’s expected to see minutes in the mid- to high-20s, and Okobo will likely be one of the highest owned players on the slate.
Devin Booker
Devin Booker has cooled off in his last 2 games, but he’s still averaging 29.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, 6.8 assists, and 1.0 steal (45.4 DK points) in 37.6 minutes per game over the last 10 days. Booker has scored 40+ DK points in 8 of his last 9 games, including 50+ DK points in 5 of those contests. He’s a scorer, who will benefit from the pace and lack of defense in this game. Booker’s price tag is surprisingly low on this slate, and he’s an elite option in all leagues tonight.
Kelly Oubre Jr.
Kelly Oubre Jr. is another player that is locked into big minutes. He’s averaging 22.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.0 assist, and 1.6 steals (41.1 DK points) in 37.5 minutes per game over the last 10 days. He has scored 36+ DK points in 7 of his last 8 games, including a 58.25 DK point performance. Oubre posted 47.25 DK points in his only matchup against Atlanta this season, and he comes with tremendous upside on this slate.
Hidden Gem: Value Guard
Tim Hardaway Jr.
Tim Hardaway Jr. has been a bit of a boom or bust option this season. He’s averaging 16.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.5 assists (27.3 DK points) in 28.3 minutes per game since returning from injury. Hardaway has also played 30+ minutes in each of his last 3 games. Over that span, he has flashed 35 DK point upside.
Hardaway gets a great matchup against the Golden State Warriors, who rank 13th in the NBA in pace and 20th in defensive rating. Hardaway is expected to find 30+ minutes once again tonight. Golden State has struggled against scorers throughout the season, making Hardaway an outstanding option. He’s best suited for tournaments tonight, though.
Hidden Gem: Value Big
Glenn Robinson III
Glenn Robinson III has found a bit of success in recent games. He’s averaging 12.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.2 steals (23.0 DK points) in 29.6 minutes per game. Robinson has scored 20+ DK points in 8 of his last 10 games. Over that span, he has flashed 35+ DK point upside.
Robinson gets a matchup against the Dallas Mavericks. They rank 17th in the NBA in pace and defensive rating through 39 games. Robinson is expected to see 30+ minutes tonight. He’s a consistent option, who comes with solid upside for his price tag. Robinson is cheap enough to be considered in all leagues tonight.
Follow Justin Bales on Twitter (@BalesSJustin)
[/restrict]
DFS Karma is partnered with DraftKings. We are also avid fans and users. As such, we may sometimes play on our personal accounts in the games that we offer advice on. Although we have expressed our personal view on games and strategies, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings. We may deploy different players and strategies than what we recommended in this article. We are not employees of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
