This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Home games for the Clippers and Lakers have been postponed due to the fires in the Los Angeles Metro area, leaving us with a three-game offering for the NBA on Saturday. We'll tackle the limited player pool and offer our best endorsements for DraftKings in this article. The slate tips off at 7:00 p.m. ET.
SLATE OVERVIEW
For the latest spreads and over-unders, visit RotoWire's NBA Odds page. There, you can also find player props, futures, picks articles and sportsbook bonus codes.
INJURIES
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report. Below are some of the most recent and relevant injuries for Saturday. Keep in mind that this is not a complete list. Use your best judgment when evaluating ongoing injury scenarios elsewhere on the slate.
POR Deandre Ayton (calf) - QUESTIONABLE
POR Jerami Grant (face) - OUT
Donovan Clingan ($3,100) will start if Ayton can't go, and Deni Avdija ($7,100) will continue to start in Grant's absence.
ELITE PLAYERS
Cade Cunningham ($10,400) is the only player above $10k in Saturday's player pool. The PG pool is deep enough to fade Cunningham at this price, but the favorable matchup against Toronto is enough to consider him.
We only have seven players in what we normally consider as the 'elite' range. Anthony Edwards ($8,800) is my favorite play in that group, and I also favor Tyler Herro's ($8,800) continued success in a favorable matchup against Portland. Although I wouldn't stack Scottie Barnes ($8,900) and RJ Barrett ($8,400), both players are excellent production sources against the Pistons today.
EXPECTED CHALK AND VALUE PLAYS
Julius Randle, MIN ($7,200) vs. MEM
Although a high total and a narrow spread give us confidence in hammering this game, I found Memphis' salaries to be prohibitive across the board. It's one reason that I am willing to spend on Randle, who we should be able to afford if we are prudent at the top. The Grizzlies are close to full strength, but I think the Timberwolves can outplay them.
Jakob Poeltl, TOR ($6,300) @ DET
Although I have no issue with Bam Adebayo, I endorse the discount for Poeltl, who is in the midst of a productive run against some of the league's best big men. Racking up 43 DKDP against Cleveland is no easy task, but his recent spin-up is enough to make me recommend Toronto's center against Jalen Duren. Poeltl has a noticeable height and experience gap over Duren and is priced right at DraftKings' median price.
Shaedon Sharpe, POR ($5,900) vs. MIA
Although the Trail Blazers are toiling at the bottom of the Western Conference, Sharpe is one of the most productive players you'll find in this salary range. I also like teammate Anfernee Simons ($6,800) as a great mid-level pivot for the point guard position. Portland and Miami haven't played each other yet, but I think Portland's backcourt will represent most of the team's production in this matchup.
Jaime Jaquez, MIA ($5,900) @ POR
Although Herro is my top choice for the Heat, Jaquez is enjoying success as Jimmy Butler's (suspension) direct pivot. He's coming off an excellent 43.3-DKFP performance against the Jazz, which is an excellent example of the swingman's upside.
Malik Beasley, DET ($5,600) vs. TOR
Beasley has been an effective fill-in during Jaden Ivey's extended absence. Tim Hardaway (back) is questionable, which will result in more minutes for the veteran if the tag holds. Hardaway and Beasley are in a timeshare at off-guard, and although Beasley's positional eligibility is limited, he's still worth a go in this scenario.
Jaden McDaniels, MIN ($4,000) vs. MEM
Although I don't think we need to go this low, McDaniels will come in handy if you load up on players like Cunningham or Barnes at the offset. A stack with Edwards is inadvisable due to negative correlation, but I am perfectly ok with McDaniels as a reasonable salary saver.
Although I was very light on Memphis players tonight due to prohibitive salaries, I wouldn't exclude them entirely. Santi Aldama ($4,800) is a good budget play, but I think Ja Morant and Desmond Bane are priced a bit too high, and the frontcourt has an uphill battle against Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert.
