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Easy Breezy: Chalk Stack
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers rank 20th in the NBA in pace, while the New York Knicks rank 28th in the same category. Philadelphia only ranks 18th in the league in offensive rating, but New York has struggled, ranking only 22nd in defensive rating. The Sixers are -6.5 point favorites in a game set at 208.5 points, and they feature an implied team total of 107.5 points on this slate.
Josh Richardson is doubtful to play tonight, while Al Horford has been ruled out. That will slot Matisse Thybulle into bigger minutes. He isn’t a huge part of the offense, but he’s averaging 10.3 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 3.7 steals, and 1.9 blocks on a per-36 minute basis through 17 games. Overall, Thybulle is averaging 0.77 DK points per minute in 2019. He’s expected to find minutes in the mid- to high-20s tonight. Thybulle needed only 25 minutes to score 32.75 DK points in his last game. His versatility makes him an outstanding option, and there’s very little reason to avoid him for his current price tag.
Furkan Korkmaz is in a similar position to Thybulle tonight. He’s expected to play minutes in the 30s, but he comes with far too low of a price tag. Korkmaz recently played 34 minutes against the San Antonio Spurs, scoring 27.5 DK points. He isn’t the safest option on the slate, as he struggles to produce peripheral stats. With that being said, Korkmaz is a solid scorer, and he should see plenty of opportunities in a plus matchup against a weak defense tonight.
James Ennis hasn’t played a ton of minutes this season. He’s averaging 15.1 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.0 steal on a per-36 minute basis, though. He’s also averaging a healthy 0.84 DK points per minute in 2019. While he hasn’t seen a ton of playing time through 18 games, Ennis is expected to find minutes in the mid-20s tonight. He’s near the minimum price, and makes a relatively safe option. This stack costs only $9.4K, giving you over $8K per player to fill out your roster.
Important Odds: Vegas Stack
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers only rank 22nd in the NBA in pace. They get a matchup against the Washington Wizards, who currently rank fourth in the league in pace. Los Angeles also ranks sixth in the NBA in offensive rating, while Washington ranks last in the league in defensive rating. The Lakers are -11.5 point favorites in a game set at 235 points, giving them the highest implied team total on the slate at 123.3 points.
Rajon Rondo has played 25+ minutes in 2 of his last 3 games. In those games, he was able to score 29.75 and 33.25 DK points. With that being said, Rondo is coming off of a 14 DK point performance against the New Orleans Pelicans. That has kept his price tag low for an elite matchup tonight. Rondo is expected to play minutes in the mid-20s tonight, giving him tremendous upside for tournaments.
LeBron James is averaging 28.8 points, 6.7 rebounds, 10.8 assists, and 1.3 steals (58.5 DK points) in 36.1 minutes per game over the last 10 days. He has scored 50+ DK points in 8 of his last 10 games, while flashing 70 DK point upside over that span. Washington doesn’t have anyone that will be able to guard games, and the pace will give him extra opportunities to record peripheral stats. He’s an elite option on this slate, and can be used in all leagues.
Anthony Davis has caught fire recently. Over the last 10 days, he’s averaging 27.2 points, 7.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 2.5 blocks, and 2.2 steals (52.7 DK points) in 34.1 minutes per game. Davis has also scored 60+ DK points in 3 of his last 5 games. He’s a player that can contribute in each of the five categories, and he’ll benefit from the pace of this game. Davis is still cheap enough to be considered in all leagues tonight.
Hidden Gem: Value Guard
JJ Redick
Redick has caught fire recently. He’s averaging 20.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.5 assists (32.8 DK points) in 32.3 minutes per game over the last 10 days. Redick has played 29+ minutes in 8 of his last 9 games, scoring 27+ DK points in each of those games. He has also flashed 40+ DK point upside over that span.
Redick gets a matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder, who ranks 19th in the NBA in pace. They also rank 14th in the league in defensive rating. Redick is expected to see 30+ minutes once again tonight, and he’s absurdly priced. He’s a player that can be used in all leagues tonight.
Hidden Gem: Value Big
Nicolas Batum
Nicolas Batum has only played in eight games this season. He has seen inconsistent minutes, but he’s averaging 6.6 points, 7.4 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 1.0 steal, and 1.0 block on a per-36 minute basis. Batum played 31 minutes in his last game, scoring 24.75 DK points. He’s a versatile player, who can contribute in each of the five categories.
Batum gets a matchup against the Detroit Pistons. They rank 26th in the NBA in pace, while also ranking 20th in defensive rating. Batum is expected to play minutes in the mid- to high-20s tonight. He isn’t an overly consistent player, but he’s cheap enough to be considered in tournaments on this slate.
Follow Justin Bales on Twitter (@BalesSJustin)
