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Easy Breezy: Chalk Stack
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors and Atlanta Hawks have been playing at an above average pace this season. They rank 13th and 11th in the NBA in pace, respectively. Toronto also ranks eighth in the league in offensive rating, while Atlanta ranks 27th in defensive rating. The Raptors are -7.5 point favorites in a game set at 223.5 points, giving them an implied team total of 115.5 points tonight.
Fred VanVleet has been locked into big minutes for Toronto with Kyle Lowry injured. He’s averaging 22.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, 7.3 assists, and 2.5 steals (43.1 DK points) in 36.1 minutes per game over the last 10 days. VanVleet has scored 38+ DK points in 6 of his last 7 games, including each of his last 4 contests. Furthermore, he has scored 50+ DK points in a pair of those games. VanVleet is a major part of the offense, and he’s averaging 39.1 minutes per game on the road in 2019. VanVleet is still reasonably priced, and he’s a safe option in all leagues tonight.
Norman Powell’s minutes haven’t been overly consistent, but he has found plenty of success recently. He’s averaging 15.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.3 assists (26.5 DK points) in 30.4 minutes per game over the last 10 days. Powell has also scored 33 and 39 DK points in 2 of his last 3 games. This is somewhat of an ideal matchup for him, as he relies heavily on scoring. Atlanta could struggle to stop Toronto’s offense, and Powell is expected to see 30+ minutes tonight. He isn’t the safest option on this slate, but he should features enough ownership to be used in this stack.
Pascal Siakam is averaging 22.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.0 block, and 1.0 steal (42.3 DK points) in 37.6 minutes per game over the last 10 days. He could see 40+ minutes tonight if this game stay close. Siakam has also scored 40+ DK points in 8 of his last 10 games. He boasts 65 DK point upside, and this is a matchup Siakam should be able to take advantage of.
Important Odds: Vegas Stack
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks currently lead the NBA in pace in 2019. They get a matchup against the Detroit Pistons, who rank 25th in the league in pace. Milwaukee also ranks fourth in the NBA in offensive rating, while Detroit ranks only 22nd in defensive rating. The Bucks are -12.5 point favorites in a game set at 227.5 points, and they feature the highest implied team total on this slate at 120 points.
Donte DiVincenzo has played 24+ minutes in each of his last 5 games. He’s averaging 12.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.8 steals (25.2 DK points) in 25.4 minutes per game in those contests. He has also scored 25+ DK points in each of his last 4 games, while flashing upside. DiVincenzo is still surprisingly cheap, and he is a safe option, who can also be used in tournaments tonight.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is averaging 30.8 points, 13.8 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 1.0 block, and 2.0 steals (63.5 DK points) in 32.5 minutes per game over the last 10 days. He’s coming off of an 80.25 DK point performance against the Portland Blazers. Antetokounmpo is a triple-double threat, who can contribute in each of the five categories. He’s an elite option on a nightly basis, regardless of the slate.
Brook Lopez has found quite a bit of success over his last four games. He’s averaging 14.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 3.5 blocks, and 1.5 steals (34.3 DK points) in 28.0 minutes per game in those contests. He has scored 20+ DK points in each of those games, including a 50 DK point performance against the Chicago Bulls. Detroit has struggled against centers this season, and Lopez makes an outstanding option tonight.
Wildcard GPP: Low Owned Stack
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz only rank 21st in the NBA in pace this season. They get a matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans, though, who rank fifth in the league in pace. Utah also only ranks 23rd in the NBA in offensive rating, while New Orleans ranks 26th in defensive rating. The Jazz are -7 point favorites in a game set at 221 points, and they own an implied team total of 114 points.
Donovan Mitchell has found plenty of success recently. He’s averaging 26.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3.0 assists (42.3 DK points) in 36.0 minutes per game over the last 10 days. He has scored 40+ DK points in 7 of his last 9 games, including a pair of games with 50+ DK points. He’s a focal point of the Utah offense, and Mitchell should find plenty of success against one of the weaker defenses in the NBA.
Bojan Bogdanovic is far from a consistent option, but he comes with plenty of upside for his price tag. He has played 35+ minutes in 3 of his last 4 games, while flashing 45 DK point upside. Bogdanovic is a player that relies heavily on scoring, and he will benefit from this matchup. He is athletic enough to keep up with the pace, while boasting enough scoring potential to dominate the New Orleans defense.
Rudy Gobert continues to produce for Utah. He’s averaging 15.4 points, 16.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 4.0 blocks (46.7 DK points) in 36.0 minutes per game over the last 10 days. He has scored 40+ DK points in each of his last 6 games, including a pair of games with 50+ DK points. New Orleans doesn’t boast any big men that can slow Gobert down in the paint, and he quietly owns 20/20 potential tonight.
Hidden Gem: Value Guard
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Caldwell-Pope has played 30+ minutes in each of his last games due to an injury to Avery Bradley. In those games, he scored 29.75 and 22.5 DK points. Overall, Caldwell-Pope is averaging only 0.69 DK point per minute over the last month of play. He has flashed solid consistency with upside recently.
Caldwell-Pope gets a matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies, who rank sixth in the NBA in pace and 23rd in defensive rating. In their only matchup, Caldwell-Pope scored 26.5 DK points in only 28.4 minutes. He’s expected to see 30+ minutes once again tonight, and he can be considered in all leagues.
Hidden Gem: Value Big
Wes Iwundu
Iwundu has barely played in 2019. He is averaging 9.2 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 2.4 assists on a per-36 minute basis. Iwundu is also averaging only 0.68 DK points per minute this season. It’s difficult to find a groove when playing single-digit minutes in a game, though.
Iwundu gets a matchup against the Indiana Pacers, who currently rank 26th in the NBA in pace, while also ranking sixth in defensive rating. Iwundu has been named the starter tonight, and he’s expected to play minutes in the mid-20s. He’s the minimum price on DraftKings, and he makes an outstanding option tonight.
Follow Justin Bales on Twitter (@BalesSJustin)
