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
New Orleans Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans and Minnesota Wolves rank fourth and third in the NBA in pace, respectively. New Orleans also ranks 15th in the league in offensive rating, while Minnesota ranks 20th in defensive rating. The Pelicans are -11.5 point favorites in a game set at 247.5 points, and they boast the highest implied team total on the slate at 129.5 points.
Lonzo Ball
Lonzo Ball has been one of the most consistent options for New Orleans throughout the season. He’s averaging 10.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, 9.0 assists, and 2.4 steals (37.7 DK points) in 34.1 minutes per game over the last 10 days. He saw 35 and 38 minutes in his last 2 games, scoring 42 and 50.75 DK points. Ball is a triple-double threat, who will see extra opportunities because of the pace of this game. He’s expected to see 35+ minutes tonight, making him an outstanding option tonight.
Brandon Ingram
Brandon Ingram hasn’t been the most consistent option for the Pelicans. He’s averaging 22.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.2 steals (37.2 DK points) in 34.0 minutes per game over the last 10 days. He’s coming off of a terrible performance, but scored 48.5 and 50.75 DK points in his 2 games prior to that. Ingram posted 56 DK points in his only matchup against Minnesota this season, as well. He’s expected to find minutes in the mid- to high-30s, adding to his upside. Ingrams’ inconsistencies have kept his price down, and he makes an outstanding option on the slate tonight.
Zion Williamson
Zion Williamson is another consistent option for New Orleans. Over the last 10 days, he’s averaging 28.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.0 assists (38.7 DK points) in 31.5 minutes per game. Williamson has scored 37+ DK points in 6 of his last 7 games. He flashed 50+ DK point upside over that span, as well. He boasts a usage rating of around 30% on a nightly basis. Williamson is an athletic player that thrives in transition. He’ll see plenty of easy shot attempts around the basket, and will find 30+ minutes tonight. He’s a must start in a New Orleans stack tonight.
Important Odds: Vegas Stack
Minnesota Wolves
The Minnesota Wolves and New Orleans Pelicans will be featured in one of the fastest paced games on the slate tonight, which has already been outlined above. Minnesota currently ranks 23rd in the NBA in offensive rating, while New Orleans ranks 21st in defensive rating this season. The Wolves are +11.5 point underdogs in a game set at 247.5 points, but they still possess an implied team total of 118 points.
D’Angelo Russell
D’Angelo Russell has seen plenty of ups and downs this season. He’s averaging 23.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 7.6 assists, and 1.4 steals (45.6 DK points) in 33.6 minutes per game over the last 10 days. Russell is the leader of the Minnesota offense, and has quietly flashed triple-double upside. He’s expected to see around 35 minutes tonight, and should find plenty of success in this matchup. He’s an elite option.
Malik Beasley
Malik Beasley is coming off of a pair of bad games, but he’s still averaging 19.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.7 assists (31.6 DK points) in 33.4 minutes per game over the last 10 days. He’s another player that relies heavily on scoring, making him outstanding in this matchup. Beasley is expected to see 30+ minutes on the slate tonight, and he makes a solid option in all leagues against New Orleans.
Juan Hernangomez
Juan Hernangomez is averaging 13.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists (27.8 DK points) in 28.1 minutes per game over the last 10 days. He’s heating up, though, scoring 28.75, 50.25, and 32.5 DK points in his last 3 games. Hernangomez is expected to see minutes in the high-20s or low-30s once again tonight. While he’s cheap enough to be considered in all leagues, he’s a player that is best suited for tournaments on this large of a slate.
Wildcard GPP: Low Owned Stack
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings only rank 24th in the NBA in pace, while the Washington Wizards rank fifth in the league in the same category this season. Sacramento also ranks 21st in the NBA in offensive rating, while Washington ranks 29th in defensive rating. The Kings are -5.5 point favorites in a game set at 234.5 points, giving them one of the highest implied team totals on the slat at 120 points.
De’Aaron Fox
De’Aaron Fox continues to find success for Sacramento. He’s averaging 22.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and 1.0 steal (38.1 DK points) in 32.4 minutes per game over the last 10 days. Fox is a player that boasts 50+ DK point upside, especially in a fast paced matchup. He has also been slightly better at home this season. Fox will play full minutes tonight, and he makes an outstanding tournament option.
Buddy Hield
Buddy Hield has been playing limited minutes in recent games. Still, he’s averaging 14.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.0 steal (25.3 DK points) in 23.1 minutes per game over the last 10 days. He has posted 25+ DK points in each of his last 4 games, while flashing plenty of upside. Hield may only see 25 minutes again tonight, but he’s cheap enough to make a solid GPP option on this slate.
Nemanja Bjelica
Nemanja Bjelica’s inconsistent minutes have kept him from being a cash option in recent games. He’s averaging 10.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 2.8 assists (25.6 DK points) in 28.5 minutes per game over the last 10 days. Bjelica has played 30+ minutes in 6 of his last 10 games, averaging 33.4 DK points per game in those contests. He’s expected to see around 30 minutes tonight, and he can be considered in a Sacramento stack tonight.
Hidden Gem: Value Guard
Patty Mills
Patty Mills is a boom or bust option for the San Antonio Spurs. He’s averaging 12.6 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 1.2 steals (19.4 DK points) in 21.4 minutes per game over the last 10 days. Mills caught fire in his last game, posting 34.5 DK points in only 23 minutes. He’s a player that relies heavily on scoring, and will benefit from this matchup.
Mills will face off against the Charlotte Hornets. They rank last in the NBA in pace, while also ranking 24th in the league in defensive rating. Mills is expected to see 20+ minutes in this game. Mills isn’t safe enough to be used in cash games, but he’s an outstanding tournament option for his current price tag.
Hidden Gem: Value Big
PJ Washington
PJ Washington has performed well since the All Star Break. He’s averaging 12.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.4 assists (26.1 DK points) in 32.3 minutes per game over the last 10 days. Washington has posted 26+ DK points in 5 of his last 6 games. Over that span, he flashed 35 DK point upside, as well.
Washington gets a plus matchup against the San Antonio Spurs. They rank 15th in the NBA in pace and 25th in defensive rating through 59 games. Washington has found consistent minutes recently, and he’s expected to play 30+ minutes tonight. He’s cheap enough to be considered in all leagues on this slate.
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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.
