This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
FanDuel has elected to omit the early game between the Nets and Hornets, so there are five games to choose from for your Sunday NBA DFS action.
SLATE OVERVIEW
BOS (-5) @ HOU O/U: 224.5
NYK (-12) vs. ORL O/U: 215.5
PHI (-8.5) @ OKC O/U:217.5
GSW (-3) @ SAC O/U: 231.5
LAL (-5.5) vs. MEM O/U: 221
The Warriors and Kings meet in the ever-present battle for seniority in NorCal, and they hold the highest O/U of the group. Even though the ORL/NYK matchup lists a low total, we have excellent metrics since they just played each other. We should be able to get a good idea relative to today's valuation.
INJURIES
BOS Jaylen Brown (knee) - QUESTIONABLE
This is a wait-and-see situation for Brown. And since it is the earliest game on the slate, we should know more before the first lock. Due to Boston's tight rotation, I don't see any viable pivots worth mentioning.
ORL Gary Harris (hamstring) - QUESTIONABLE
Harris hasn't taken the floor yet, and that's allowed Jalen Suggs ($5,500) to see more court time. A debut from Harris would likely curb Suggs' production.
NYK Nerlens Noel (knee) - QUESTIONABLE
NYK Taj Gibson (personal) - QUESTIONABLE
If both players sit, Mitchell Robinson ($6,300) emerges as a more attractive play.
PHI Joel Embiid (knee) - QUESTIONABLE
We're probably going to see Embiid with a questionable tag reasonably often. But unless he's on a back-to-back, he'll continue to play. Andre Drummond (ankle) is doubtful for Sunday, so Paul Reed ($3,500) would be in for a sharp minutes increase on the slight chance Embiid sits. Drummond's absence will cause a bump for Reed anyway, but not enough for DFS viability.
ELITE PLAYERS
We have eight players at 9k or above on the slate, and it's no surprise Anthony Davis ($10,600) and LeBron James ($10,200) sit at the top. We've seen both All-Stars play an almost identical amount of minutes up to this point, but I would prefer James at a slightly lower salary. Davis, on the other hand, is a lot more appealing as a spend-up option. I don't doubt James' usage and outcome, but he's more of a tournament play than Davis with the latter offering a more reliable floor. Stephen Curry ($10,200) is right there in the mix, and he's running hot from downtown as usual. You can sometimes run into variance when he goes cold, but the potentially fast pace of this matchup is encouraging. Although he's a tad too expensive, I like Jayson Tatum ($9,800) against the Rockets - but Julius Randle's ($9,500) plum matchup against the lowly Magic runs a close second. Ja Morant is of less interest to me on a back-to-back, and I'm adopting a wait-and-see stance on Russell Westbrook. There are more reasonable point guards who interest me.
EXPECTED CHALK AND OTHER TARGETS
De'Aaron Fox, SAC ($8,500) vs. GSW
Fox's salary is a little too good to pass up, though his last game against Utah proved underwhelming. Sacramento's other role players will face a stern test against Draymond Green and other good defenders like Kent Bazemore. And despite the dominating presence of Stephen Curry, he isn't exactly known for his defensive skill set. I like Fox's chances against Curry and Jordan Poole while the rest of the Kings struggle with better defense up front.
Tobias Harris, PHI ($7,600) @ OKC
Embiid is hurting, and it's always a good to go with Harris based on that news. I may sound like a broken record this season, but Harris is as solid and reliable as they come - especially for cash games. He won't blow you away with a considerable upside game unless Embiid is sitting. An early exit for Embiid is still a possibility in this lopsided matchup, and we've seen several situations where Harris has led the squad in cleanup duty.
Jaren Jackson, MEM ($6,700) @ LAL
The loss of Jonas Valanciunas practically eliminated Memphis' post-up game. And while Steven Adams will be a serviceable big man, he's not exactly known for his finesse. Jackson has fought through injury and now is 100 percent along with a fully healthy roster, so it's time for him to shine. He faces a stern test against the Lakers, but could be a surprise on this slate by stretching the field with his long-range effectiveness and an ability to rack up boards and blocks.
Also consider: Christian Wood, HOU ($8,100) vs. BOS, Mo Bamba, ORL ($6,800) @ NYK
VALUE PLAYS
Tyrese Maxey, PHI ($5,800) @ OKC
Seth Curry ($5,000) is less expensive here, but I think Maxey is likely to do his share of cleanup work in what could be a massive blowout in Philly's favor. I certainly don't mind Curry, but there's a chance the coverage for Curry will be higher. And while Maxey is well-known to the sharps, the general public may not be as up to speed on what's happening with the Sixers with Ben Simmons' absence.
De'Anthony Melton, MEM ($5,300) @ LAL
I think you can also bunch Desmond Bane ($5,500) into the same category. When you consider their vital contribution to Memphis' rotation, you can't find a better set of budget guys on this slate. They're currently crushing value at his salary by a mile due to logging 30 or more minutes with the Grizzlies. I prefer Melton due to his better multi-category potential, but Bane is also acceptable as a second SG.
Davion Mitchell, SAC ($3,800) vs. GSW
I wouldn't encourage a stack with Fox here, but the Kings' usage of Mitchell is intriguing. I think they're using him more as a defensive stand-in than anything else, but he logged 32 minutes against the Jazz and produced four steals. Mitchell didn't score much, but he may be suitable as a flyer if you're spending up at many positions.
Also consider: Cole Anthony, ORL ($4,900) @ NYK, Damion Lee, GSW ($4,100) @ SAC
