This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Should we start looking at recently-traded targets today, or is it too soon? We'll have to wait on news about that closer to game lock, but I'm definitely going to keep an eye on this six-game slate as tip-off approaches.
SLATE OVERVIEW
PHI (-11.5) vs. CHI O/U: 214
ATL (-2.5) vs. NY O/U: 225.5
MEM (-2) @ WAS O/U: 240
HOU (-3.5) vs. UTA O/U: 232
LAC (-8) @ CLE O/U: N/A
POR (-3) vs. MIA O/U: N/A
INJURY SITUATIONS TO MONITOR
Trae Young (ankle) QUESTIONABLE
Young was absent from Friday's contest and his status is up in the air for Sunday. Jeff Teague ($4,700) garnered the start and will likely receive another opportunity if Young sits, but you should also consider Brandon Goodwin ($3,800) who put up 31 DKFP in 27 minutes of action. If Young plays, he has a great setup against the Knicks and I would have no problem playing him.
Joel Embiid (neck) QUESTIONABLE
Al Horford (Achilles) QUESTIONABLE
Kyle O'Quinn (personal) OUT
They may allow Embiid a night off on Sunday, which will leave the Sixers thin at center with Horford and O'Quinn likely out as well. While Norvel Pelle ($3,000) would be a safe choice, I'd wait to see if Glenn Robinson III ($4,700) passes his physical. If he's cleared, he could suit up and contribute immediately.
Jimmy Butler (shoulder) OUT
Tyler Herro (foot) OUT
Normally I'd give Herro the nod with Butler absent, but his absence and the arrival of Jae Crowder and Andre Iguodala make things a bit more complicated. Recently-traded players are tough to play in that we aren't sure if they'll even suit up, much less contribute in a significant way. To be safe, Kendrick Nunn ($5,600) and Goran Dragic ($5,900) are safe pivots, but I'd wait to see what'll happen with the new arrivals as they would be great low ownership plays.
Zach LaVine (neck) QUESTIONABLE
If LaVine sits, things could open up for Shaquille Harrison ($3,000) with Kris Dunn (knee) out, but Tomas Satoransky ($5,100) has been upgraded to probable and would absorb a lot of LaVine's minutes if he's sidelined.
Thomas Bryant (foot) OUT
Bryant will miss a few games, and it's time for Rui Hachimura ($4,800) to get back to the excellent numbers he was generating prior to a lengthy absence. I like him over both Moritz Wagner and Ian Mahinmi.
Eric Gordon (leg) QUESTIONABLE
Gordon's spot in the rotation is already in jeopardy due to the arrival of Robert Covington ($5,300), who is still priced incredibly well in his new surroundings. Until further notice, I'm going to give Covington exposure on a regular basis.
Although it isn't yet listed, It's safe to assume that Kawhi Leonard will sit in this back-to-back as per usual, which means boosts for Lou Williams ($6,800), Paul George ($8,100) and a possible start for Landry Shamet ($4,400).
ELITE PLAYERS
Damian Lillard, POR ($10,200) vs, MIA
You can bet Lillard is still hopping mad after a missed goaltending call denied Portland a much-needed win. If you happened to watch that game against the Jazz, it was almost comical to watch Utah do everything short of putting him in a headlock to keep him from scoring. The officials not only missed that goaltending call, but they also let Utah batter Lillard relentlessly, and he still put up incredible numbers. Miami represents another tough defense, but Lillard also made child's play out of that matchup, scoring 62 DKFP in his last game against the Heat.
Bradley Beal, WAS ($9.900) vs. MEM
Memphis is one of the season's biggest surprises, but they allowed Beal to run all over them in their last matchup with the red-hot shooting guard grinding out 56.5 DKFP. Beal will get 25-30 percent ownership on Sunday, but I still like him in my cash contests.
Russell Westbrook, HOU ($9,800) vs, UTA
Westbrook should be fresh after a night off, and so far it seems like the small-ball setup is a great fit for the point guard. Day One of the new-look Rockets gave Westbrook almost 60 DKFP, and I expect a big number in spite of Utah's tough defensive play.
EXPECTED CHALK AND OTHER TARGETS
John Collins, ATL ($8,700) vs. NY
As I said, I think this is a great setup for Atlanta and I would give Collins even more exposure if Trae sits again. We won't see new arrivals Dewayne Dedmon and Clint Capela yet, although I can't wait to see the Hawks run out a Capela/Collins front line. For tonight, Collins should have no problem approaching 50 DKFP against Julius Randle and the Knicks. Randle put up a 17/11 line in his last game against the Hawks, but that was without Collins in the lineup.
Bam Adebayo, MIA ($8,300) @ POR
Although Hassan Whiteside (leg) will play, I suspect he'll be a bit sluggish with the injury. All the fireworks will be happening in the backcourt, but Adebayo should be able to neutralize Portland's effectiveness up front. Miami's star center has scored 40 or more DKFPs in eight of his last 10 games, and I like Adebayo against Portland's 24th-ranked rebounding numbers.
Donovan Mitchell, UTA ($7,300) @ HOU
Houston's new setup isn't going to help its defensive numbers and they are especially vulnerable to shooting guards. In recent weeks, the Rockets have yielded big numbers to Devin Booker and Terry Rozier, and I'm fairly confident Mitchell will follow suit. While I'm on the subject of Utah's backcourt, Mike Conley ($5,400) has turned things around and it looks like he's making up for lost time after an injury-plagued, underperforming first half. We can finally click on him with a bit more confidence moving forward.
Ja Morant, MEM ($6,300) @ WAS
As long as Morant is at this price, I'm game to play for his ceiling. His 33.6 DKFP average already beats 5x value. And even though he's exceeded that number in only half of his last 10 games, the Wizards rank among the worst teams in the league in scoring defense. That's good news for Morant.
Bojan Bogdanovic, UTA ($6,000) @ HOU
It's hard to ignore Bojan's consistency and the forward is almost a lock to beat value when his 3-point shot is humming, even though there are many mouths to feed in the starting lineup. He drilled seven threes in his last matchup against the Rockets and will come in with some confidence against Houston's weak defense.
Also consider: Elfrid Payton, NY ($7,500) @ ATL (if Young sits)
VALUE PLAYS
Ish Smith, WAS ($5,000) vs, MEM
With Isaiah Thomas shipped out of town, the door is now wide open for Smith to take over the point guard role full-time. Although Shabazz Napier has come on the scene, it's too early to make a reliable prediction of his place in Washington. If Smith continues to start as expected, he's coming in at an excellent price. This salary could give him up to 7x value if he meets projections. Smith will have to contend with Ja Morant today, but I still like him because his price is too good to pass up.
Danuel House Jr., HOU ($4,700) vs. UTA
House put up one of his best performances of the season against Utah, ending with a 47 DKFP payday. Even though he struggled in Houston's first game with their new small-ball approach, I still think House will be a vital component of shoring up the undersized frontcourt alongside P.J. Tucker. Sharps may shy away from him due to the lackluster number, but I still like him in GPP scenarios.
Kevin Porter Jr., CLE ($3,900) vs. LAC
With Kawhi Leonard likely resting today, Porter stands out to me as a guy who could take advantage and put up a value-meeting number against the Clippers as they tend to struggle defensively when Leonard is out. Paul George will still be around to shore up the defense, but I still think Porter could exceed his 5x value threshold of just under 20 DKFP.
