Welcome to another edition of Bales’ Top GPP plays. In this article, I will outline my favorite NBA GPP plays for today’s games. If you want all of my core plays along with our staff’s Final Thoughts articles and access to our Discord, click here.
Guards
Devonte’ Graham
Graham’s quietly found quite a bit of success this season. Through 14 games, he’s averaging 12.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, 6.4 assists, and 1.6 steals (30.4 fantasy points) in 33.3 minutes per game. Graham’s seen bigger minutes recently, averaging 34.2 fantasy points in 36.4 minutes per game over the last 10 days. He’s also coming off of a massive 40.75 fantasy point performance against the Toronto Raptors.
Graham gets an elite matchup against the Chicago Bulls, who rank second in the NBA in pace and 28th in defensive efficiency this season. Graham doesn’t boast an elite usage rating, as it generally sits around 20% on a nightly basis. With that being said, his upside comes through versatility and his ability to shoot from beyond the arc. Graham’s also expected to continue to see minutes in the high-30s with the potential for double-digit three-point attempts on any given night. He’s a player that tends to go overlooked in a backcourt with Terry Rozier and LaMelo Ball, but he boasts tremendous upside for a surprisingly low price tag.
Eric Gordon
Gordon has shown mixed results in an inconsistent role this season. He’s averaging 15.9 points with 2.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists (24.8 fantasy points) in 27.3 minutes per game through 9 contests. Gordon’s played 25+ minutes in 6 of those 9 games, and he’s averaging 30.4 fantasy points per game in those contests. He’s scored 29+ fantasy points in each of his last 2 games, as well.
Gordon gets a plus matchup against the Detroit Pistons tonight. They currently rank 24th in the league in pace and 26th in defensive efficiency. The Houston Rockets will be without a number of players tonight, including John Wall and Christian Wood. Gordon’s usage rating is expected to sit around 25%, as he’s one of their top scoring options tonight. He’s expected to play minutes in the mid-30s once again, as well. Gordon isn’t generally a highly owned player, but he comes with tremendous scoring potential in this matchup. He’s an outstanding tournament option on this slate.
Bigs
Marvin Bagley III
Bagley’s looked outstanding on a per-minute basis this season. He’s averaging 13.5 points and 7.8 rebounds (26.7 fantasy points) in only 26.2 minutes per game through 15 contests. Bagley’s quietly played 29+ minutes in 5 of his last 10 games, as well. In those games, he’s averaging 34.3 fantasy points per game, including a pair of games with 40+ fantasy points. He’s also played 29+ minutes in each of his last 3 games for the Sacramento Kings.
Bagley gets a relatively difficult matchup against the New York Knicks, who rank last in the NBA in pace and fifth in defensive efficiency. His usage rating fluctuates quite a bit, although it’s expected to sit in the low- to mid-20s tonight. Bagley’s a great scoring option, who comes with double-double potential each night. He’s expected to find around 30 minutes tonight, although he’ll come with a bit more risk if Hassan Whiteside is able to suit up. Bagley’s quietly been elite at home, where he’s averaging 1.12 fantasy points per minute as opposed to 0.83 fantasy point per minute on the road. Although the matchup is less than ideal, he boasts elite upside for his price.
Daniel Gafford
Gafford’s played limited minutes through 12 games this season. He’s averaging 5.4 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks (12.8 fantasy points) in only 14.0 minutes per game. Overall, Gafford’s averaging 32.9 fantasy points per game on a per-36 minute basis. He’s seen 20+ minutes in only 1 of his 12 games this season, posting a 15/5/2/1/2 line against the Washington Wizards. He recorded 29.75 fantasy points in that game.
Gafford gets an interesting matchup against the Charlotte Hornets tonight. They rank 19th in the league in pace and eighth in defensive efficiency this season. Gafford won’t see a high usage rating, but he boasts upside from his versatility and ability to contribute in each of the five categories at some level. Wendell Carter Jr. is doubtful to play tonight, leaving Gafford to find minutes in the mid-20s at center. He’ll garner some ownership tonight, although he’ll likely be under-owned because of his center only eligibility. DeMarcus Cousins is another center-only option, and he’s likely to be the highest owned player on this slate. Gafford can slide into your utility slot, though, as he’s an outstanding salary relief option tonight.
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