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 Golden State Warriors rank second and 12th in the NBA in pace, respectively. Houston also ranks fourth in the league in offensive rating, while Golden State ranks 24th in defensive rating. The Rockets are -10 point favorites in a game set at 233.5 points, and they boast the highest implied team total on the slate at 121.8 points.
Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook was playing at an elite level prior to that All Star Break. He posted 50+ DK points in 9 of his last 10 games, including a trio of games with 69+ DK points. He’s a player that boasts 70+ DK point upside because of his elite triple-double potential. Westbrook is seeing 20+ shot attempts per game, while ranking second on the team with a 34.2% usage rating. He leads the starters in rebounding rate (11.6%) and assist rate (35.7%) on the season, though. Westbrook is surprisingly cheap on this slate, and he can be used in all leagues tonight.
James Harden
James Harden is the other focal point of the offense, boasting a team-high 36.6% usage rating on the season. He also owns a respectable 9.2% rebounding rate to go along with an outstanding 34.2% assist rate. Similarly to Westbrook, Harden comes with triple-double potential on a nightly basis. He’s a player that relies heavier on scoring, though. Still, Harden started to heat up prior to the All Star Break, scoring 67 and 66.5 DK points in his last pair of games. He also boasts 80+ DK point upside. Harden hasn’t been as consistent as Westbrook, but he’s another expensive option that can be used in all leagues.
Robert Covington
Robert Covington recently joined the Houston Rockets via trade. He was playing at a high level prior to joining Houston, and he seems to have found his groove in the rotation. He scored 39.25 and 27.75 DK points in his last 2 games prior to the All Star Break, but his price tag doesn’t represent that. Covington is another player that will be locked into 35+ minutes for Houston. He can contribute in each of the five categories, making him a solid option to pair with Westbrook and Harden.
Wildcard GPP: Low Owned Stack
Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers currently rank 10th and 18th in the NBA in pace this season. Brooklyn only ranks 22nd in the league in offensive rating, while Philadelphia ranks fourth in defensive rating. The Nets are +7.5 point underdogs in a game set at 214.5 points, giving them an implied team total of 103.5 points tonight.
Spencer Dinwiddie
Spencer Dinwiddie is a leader of the offense with Kyrie Irving injured. He saw 34+ minutes in each of his last 3 games, averaging 19.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 10.3 assists (45.3 DK points) in 35.0 minutes per game in those contests. Dinwiddie is averaging 3.1 more DK points per game on the season on the road, and he has found tremendous success in three matchups against Philadelphia this season.
Caris LeVert
Caris LeVert has seen a larger offensive role over his last 5 games. Over that span, he’s averaging 24.0 points, 3.8 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 1.8 steals (40.1 DK points) in 32.2 minutes per game. LeVert scored 40+ DK points in 4 of those 5 games, including a 51.25 DK point performance. He boasts elite upside for his price tag, and could go overlooked in this matchup.
DeAndre Jordan
DeAndre Jordan is another player that has seen his role increase in recent games. Over his last 3 games, Jordan is averaging 11.0 points, 14.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 2.0 blocks (35.6 DK points) in 26.7 minutes per game. He posted 40+ DK points in 2 of those 3 games, flashing elite upside for his price tag. Jordan is expected to find similar minutes tonight, making him an outstanding option at a position that is likely to be condensed to only a few players tonight.
Hidden Gem: Value Guard
Jordan Poole
Jordan Poole has seen an increased role over his last four games. Over that span, he’s averaging 14.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.3 steals (25.8 DK points) in 28.3 minutes per game. Poole also scored 20+ DK points in each of those games, while flashing 30 DK point upside. He has been at his best at home, as well, where he’s averaging 3.3 more DK points per game than on the road.
Poole gets a matchup against the Houston Rockets, who rank second in the NBA in pace and 15th in defensive rating. He is a player that relies heavily on scoring, and will benefit from the pace and open shot opportunities in this game. Poole is expected to find minutes in the low-30s tonight for the third consecutive game. He is a player that is better suited for tournaments, but can be used in all leagues if needed.
Hidden Gem: Value Big
Kyle Anderson
Kyle Anderson has quietly been playing well recently. He’s averaging 8.5 rebounds, 7.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists (23.3 DK points) in 27.5 minutes per game over his last 4 contests. Anderson boasts upside, as well, recently posting 31.5 DK points in only 24 minutes against the New Orleans Pelicans. Overall, he’s averaging 0.88 DK points per minute through 48 games this season.
Anderson gets an interesting matchup against the Sacramento Kings. They only rank 25th in the NBA in pace, but they also rank 20th in defensive rating. Anderson is expected to find minutes in the mid- to high-20s tonight. Similarly to Poole, he can be considered in all leagues, but is best suited for tournaments on this particular slate.
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