This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Slate Overview
DAL vs. ATL (-2.5), O/U: 224.5
MIL (-2) vs. MIA, O/U: 224.5
LAC vs. GSW (-3), O/U: 225.5
Injuries to Monitor
Donte DiVincenzo (ankle): OUT
DiVincenzo missed the Bucks' season-opener and is expected to remain out through Thursday's contest. This will once again result in more playing time for Grayson Allen and Pat Connaughton, who both put up solid numbers in Tuesday's contest against the Nets.
Bobby Portis (hamstring): OUT
Portis missed the Bucks' season-opener and will remain out through Thursday's action, leaving room for Jordan Nwora to pick up some extra minutes once again. Nwora put up 15 points, six rebounds, a steal, a block and an assist in 26 minutes off the bench Tuesday.
Nicolas Batum (personal), Serge Ibaka (back), Kawhi Leonard (knee): OUT
With three key frontcourt players sidelined, the Clippers will have to look to guys like Luke Kennard, Terance Mann and newly acquired Justise Winslow to put in extra minutes off the bench, while Eric Bledsoe and Marcus Morris will likely fill the starting roles.
Jonathan Kuminga (knee), James Wiseman (knee): OUT
Kuminga and Wiseman both missed the Warriors' season-opener against the Lakers, leaving them a bit thin in the paint, but Nemanja Bjelica came up big with 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting, 11 rebounds, four assists and a steal in 26 minutes off the bench, providing a focal point in the frontcourt for the second unit.
Klay Thompson (Achilles): OUT
With Thompson's return still about a month away, the Warriors will continue to look to Jordan Poole to fill in alongside Stephen Curry in the backcourt. Poole made a solid impact in the Warriors' season-opener, with 20 points on 8-of-18 shooting, including 4-of-11 from deep.
Elite Players
Guard:
Luka Doncic ($10,600)
Doncic and the Mavs will start their season with a matchup against the Hawks. Doncic was a DFS gold mine last season, averaging 55.2 DK points per game, and nothing less should be expected from him coming into his fourth NBA season. The matchup against the Hawks is favorable, as Doncic has a significant size advantage over the Hawks' backcourt, which ultimately could cause them to send another primary defender. However, that will only open up more opportunities for Luka to find his teammates in mismatched coverages.
Stephen Curry ($10,000)
Curry notched a triple-double in his season-opener on Tuesday, with 21 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists. He shot just 5-of-21 from the field but managed to impact the game in a big way nonetheless. Looking ahead, we can expect him to find his groove from the field, but with the way he can adapt and recover from short slumps, he almost always finds a way to put up significant numbers. In addition, Curry nabbed three steals in Tuesday's contest and can be expected to grab at least one or two per game, which is a nice compliment to his overall DK points totals.
Trae Young ($9,100)
Trae Young will begin his season going up against Luka Doncic, which has to provide a little bit of extra motivation for him to prove a point, as the two were essentially traded for each other on draft night, and as a result, are so often compared to each other. Despite being the smaller of the two, Young has proven he is not deterred from finding his shot and even weaving his way to the basket almost at ease. Young averaged 46.7 DK points per game last season and can only be expected to pick up where he left off, especially with his big men, John Collins and Clint Capela, healthy and able to finish down low when he finds them with his excellent court vision.
F/C:
Giannis Antetokounmpo ($10,300)
Giannis came up huge in his season-opener on Tuesday, with 32 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists, two blocks and a steal in 31 minutes. He shot 12-of-25 from the field, including 1-of-4 from deep. Coming off the championship and Finals MVP, Giannis is as confident as ever in his ability to get the job done, which certainly factors into the way he can come out strong and bounce back from any momentary failures. The Heat have some strength to oppose him, but they lack in height, which will allow him to gobble up a few extra boards and blocks.
Paul George ($9,700)
The Clippers will open their season missing key players, Kawhi Leonard, Serge Ibaka and Nicolas Batum, which leaves the majority of offensive responsibilities to Paul George. George proved through the playoffs last season that he can carry the load and impact the game across the board to help give his team a chance on any night. He will be going up against the Warriors, who do not have a top-tier wing defender to contain him, which should allow him to get going and find his rhythm.
Jimmy Butler ($8,300)
Jimmy Butler has always been the type to play with a chip on his shoulder, and after a quick exit from last season's playoffs, he will be even more motivated to make sure he and his team get out to a good start. Butler will be playing alongside the Heat's newly acquired Kyle Lowry, who should only make Butler's life easier by helping keep the offense flowing and opening up some clean shot opportunities. Butler averaged 45.0 DK points per game last season, and although he is going up against the formidable Bucks, he has the grit and toughness to force himself onto the stat sheet in multiple ways.
Expected Chalk
Giannis Antetokounmpo ($10,300)
Anytime Giannis is on the board, he is pretty much a must-have in your lineup. He is one of the best players in the league at stuffing the stat sheet, as he provides such an impact on both ends of the floor. His team looks to him as a primary option on offense, which ensures a significant point total, while his size, wingspan and agility allow him to dominate the glass and pick off steals and blocks. He totaled 32 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists, two blocks and a steal in 31 minutes in his season-opener against the Nets and should be able to put up similar numbers against the Heat. Although the Heat may have a couple more seasoned defenders to throw his way, the fact that he is surrounded by some solid shooters keeps the floor from getting to crammed around him, leaving room for the Finals MVP to operate and, at the very least, pick up a few extra fantasy points thanks to offensive rebounds and put-backs.
Value Picks
Jordan Poole ($5,500)
Jordan Poole contributed 20 points on 8-of-18 shooting, three assists, two rebounds and a steal in 25 minutes in the Warriors' season-opener against the Lakers. He will continue to see significant touches as he fills in for the Injured Klay Thompson. Poole has the green light to let his shot fly, and with the one solid performance already under his belt this season, he should not lack confidence going into his second contest.
Nemanja Bjelica ($4,600)
With the Warriors remaining shorthanded in the frontcourt, Bjelica will see extended minutes again, especially after impacting the season-opener, with 15 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and a steal in 26 minutes of action. Bjelica is going up against the Clippers, who will be missing some of their stronger frontcourt players, which should allow him a few more rebounding and scoring opportunities as he faces second and third-tier defenders.
Pat Connaughton ($4,500)
Donte DiVincenzo remains sidelined, leaving extra minutes up for grabs for a Connaughton, who already showed that he can make the most of it, with 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting, three rebounds, two assists and a steal in 30 minutes of action in the Bucks' season-opener on Tuesday. Playing with the Bucks' second unit, he will be able to avoid many of the Heat's elite defenders while being more of a focal point in the offense.
P.J. Tucker. ($4,000)
P.J. Tucker is expected to start for his new squad in their season-opener, while he also goes up against his former team. Although he could draw the tough matchup against Giannis Antetokounmpo, Tucker will benefit from playing substantial minutes, as well as playing alongside a guy like Kyle Lowry, who will undoubtedly be looking for him in his favorite spot for the corner three.
Jordan Nwora ($3,700)
With Bobby Portis remaining out of the lineup, it leaves Jordan Nwora as the Bucks' go-to sub at the power forward position. Nwora logged 15 points, six rebounds, a steal and a block in 26 minutes of action in the Bucks' last contest, and he should be able to produce similar numbers going up against the Heat's second unit.
