Welcome to Bales’ Stacks and Hidden Gems! Below I will discuss my NBA favorite plays for tonight’s slate!
Easy Breezy: Chalk Stack
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets and Detroit Pistons rank fourth and 25th in the NBA in pace, respectively. Houston also ranks second in the league in offensive rating, while Detroit ranks 19th in defensive rating. The Rockets are -6 point favorites in a game set at 225.5 points, and they feature one of the higher implied team totals on the slate tonight at 115.8 points.
Russell Westbrook will rest tonight, leaving James Harden to see an even larger role in the offense. He has caught fire over his last 2 games, averaging 54.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 7.5 assists, 2.5 blocks, and 2.0 steals (82.5 DK points) in 38.5 minutes per game. Harden’s has been an efficient scorer in those games, as well, as he’s shooting 60% from the field and 60.6% from beyond the arc. Harden will be handling the ball more with Westbrook out, allowing him to record more peripheral stats than usual in this game.
Ben McLemore has been playing well recently. He’s averaging 17.0 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.8 assists (26.1 DK points) in 29.5 minutes per game over the last 10 days. He’ll see a larger role in the offense, which is crucial for a player like McLemore, who relies so heavily on scoring. He’s also likely to find minutes in the mid-30s, adding to his consistency. McLemore also comes with 40+ DK point upside, although he doesn’t flash it often.
Clint Capela can be considered here, but I’m siding with Danuel House. He has been ice cold recently, averaging 8.0 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.0 assists (16.1 DK points) in 30.1 minutes per game over the last 10 days. House has also scored fewer than 18 DK points in each of his last 4 games. With that being said, he’s averaging 0.75 DK points per minute on the season. House will be forced into 30+ minutes tonight, and he’ll see a larger role in the offense than he has recently. He will also find more opportunities to peripheral stats with Westbrook out, making him a bit safer than he has been in recent games.
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Important Odds: Vegas Stack
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards and Memphis Grizzlies are two of the fastest paced teams in the NBA. They rank second and sixth in the league in pace. Washington also ranks fifth in offensive rating, while Memphis ranks 21st in defensive rating. The Wizards are +1.5 point underdogs in a game set at 235.5 points, but they still boast an implied team total of 117 points.
Bradley Beal boasts a team-high 31% usage rating in 2019. He hasn’t been an overly dominant option recently, averaging 25.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 6.0 assists (41.6 DK points) in 383. Minutes per game over the last 10 days. Still, Beal comes with 60+ DK point upside, and this is an elite matchup for a dominant scorer. He’ll continue to see minutes in the high-30s, giving him as much upside as nearly anyone on this slate.
Davis Bertans is no longer cheap, but he still makes an outstanding option. He’s averaging 24.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.0 block (39.0 DK points) in 33.4 minutes per game over the last 10 days. Bertans is also coming off of a 50.75 DK point performance against the Charlotte Hornets. He’s a player that relies heavily on scoring, making this an elite matchup, similarly to Beal. He adds tremendous upside to this stack.
Rui Hachimura continues to play well, averaging 18.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 2.4 assists (32.9 DK points) in 38.1 minutes per game over the last 10 days. He could see minutes in the high-30s tonight, and he’ll be forced to spend some time at center. Hachimura is a double-double threat, and he has flashed 40+ DK point upside throughout his rookie season.
Hidden Gem: Value Guard
Tim Hardaway Jr.
Tim Hardaway Jr. is another but consistent. He’s averaging 12.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.4 assists (21.3 DK points) in 26.3 minutes per game over the last 10 days. With that being said, Hardaway Jr. scored 39.75 DK points only 2 games ago. He has also flashed 50+ DK point upside throughout the season.
Hardaway gets an interesting matchup against the Miami Heat. They rank 21st in the NBA in pace and ninth in defensive rating, but have featured a worse team on the road this season. Hardaway is tentatively expected to see 30 minutes tonight, but his minutes have been as inconsistent as his play. He’s strictly a tournament option on this slate.
Hidden Gem: Value Big
OG Anunoby
OG Anunoby has been playing well recently. He’s averaging 11.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.2 blocks, and 1.6 steals (27.6 DK points) in 30.2 minutes per game over the last 10 days. Anunoby has scored 26+ DK points in each of his last 3 games, including a 47 DK point performance against the Philadelphia 76ers. He comes with tremendous upside because of his ability to contribute in each of the five categories.
Anunoby gets a plus matchup against the Brooklyn Nets tonight. They rank ninth in the NBA in pace and 16th in defensive rating. Anunoby is expected to find minutes in the mid-30s tonight. He makes an outstanding option, although he is best suited for tournaments.
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