DraftKings Daily Fantasy Basketball Helper: Wednesday 8/12/20
With four games to choose from on today's NBA slate, let's look at how to utilize the DFS possibilities.
Here are some of the top plays on DraftKings. As always, good luck.
Point Guard
Malcolm Brogdon ($7,200) -- Brogdon's balling through five games for the Pacers averaging 18.6 points, 6.4 assists, and 6.0 rebounds in 34 minutes of action. He's totaled at least six assists and four rebounds in all five games, plus visiting the free-throw line 4.8 times per game. Brogdon had to exit his only meeting with Rockets this season after playing nine minutes, and this time around, he should have more luck.
Brogdon off one day of rest is his best, averaging 17.2 points, 7.1 assists, and 4.8 rebounds for Indiana. It's unclear whether Russell Westbrook ($10,400) or James Harden ($11,100) will play, but Brogdon's stock will rise tremendously on this small slate if either or both don't. numberFire's model projects Brogdon's stat line to be 18.4 points, 7.3 assists, and 4.4 rebounds versus the Rockets.
Monte Morris ($4,200) -- Morris has been a catalyst in this Nuggets offense recording six-straight games scoring double-digits, and he's played at least 23 minutes each game. With the Nuggets are focusing on health and finding chemistry between all these new lineups, Morris has remained consistent and a pleasant surprise in DFS, averaging 23.9 fantasy points in the bubble compared to 18.6 during the regular season.
The Nuggets will face the Clippers and there could be quite a bit of players missing in this matchup. If the Nuggets decide to rest any starters, Morris will be a prime selection, and depending on what the Clippers do with the guards, he could be in of this best game yet in the most meaningless if their not playing for the two seed.
Shooting Guard
Norman Powell ($5,300) -- Powell lit up the Bucks in the Raptors' previous game, going for 21 points and grabbing 8 rebounds in the win. Powell has scored 11 or more in his last four games, and his 21 points were a bubble-high. Before the league's hiatus, Powell was on fire, posting five-straight 20-point or more games, including back-to-back 30-point performances. When Powell finds his stroke, he can be the most dangerous shooter in the lineup, and versus the 76ers, he could smoothly go for 20.
The 76ers backcourt is thin with Shake Milton ($5,400), Josh Richardson ($5,700), and Alec Burks ($4,900), so Powell could see an increase in production from lack of competition. He faced the 76ers three times this season and averaged 12.0 points and 5.3 rebounds in 26.3 minutes.
Tyler Herro ($5,300) -- Herro saw extended minutes over the last three games with Jimmy Butler, and a few other players missing time. He recorded 33 and 36 minutes in the two games that Butler was out, averaging 22.5 points, 7.5 assists, and 6.0 rebounds. The Miami Heat's opponent, the Oklahoma City Thunder, are down two guards right now and relying on younger, more inexperienced players to assist Chris Paul ($8,200).
The Thunder provides a good advantage for Herro to continue his all-around streak and build off his 17 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists with Butler in the lineup. If the Heat rests their starters in the second half of this game, Herro could be the primary beneficiary alongside Kelly Olynyk ($5,200).
Small Forward
Duncan Robinson ($4,900) -- Along with Herro, Robinson stepped up in Butler's absence and averaged 23 points in two games without him. Versus the Pacers, he scored 14 points and grabbed 5 rebounds in 32 minutes. Robinson is matchup up with Danilo Gallinari ($6,200), a similar offensive player, and he too could benefit from a blowout in either direction, playing a few more minutes.
Robinson met the Thunder once this season and scored 14 points on them, something he's accomplished five-of-six games in the bubble so far. He's shot 45% or better in five-of-six games, and Robinson has connected on four or more three-pointers in his last four games. His 10.5 three-pointers attempted per game in that four-game span is the league-lead, and off one day of rest, he's averaging the most points on the season per game (14.0) and assists (1.7).
Power Forward
Mike Scott ($3,700) -- Scott is the next up for the 76ers after Joel Embiid's injury, and with Al Horford playing mostly off the bench up until two games ago. Primarily a defender and spot-up shooter, he's now in the starting lineup without Embiid. In March, Scott averaged 28 minutes per game with 9.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.0 assists, so he could clearly be trusted in the offense with limited minutes. The lineups for this matchup and what the Raptors do with their veterans are worth watching, but Scott could be a steal in DFS if Horford is out.
Kelly Olynyk ($5,200) -- Olynyk has been a massive difference-maker off the bench for the Heat over six games. In his first four games of the bubble, he averaged 16.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in 30.2 minutes, and in his last two games, those numbers dropped to 8.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 25.5 minutes. Versus the Thunder, if they're missing Steven Adams ($6,700) or Nerlens Noel ($3,800), Olynyk could be a smart and cheap DFS play.
Olynyk posted 12 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists over 18 minutes in his only meeting with the Thunder. The bubble is arguably Olynyk's best stretch of basketball this season, and with two games remaining in the bubble, he should see increased minutes and possibly draw a start.
Center
Ivica Zubac ($5,800) -- Zubac has been a rebounding machine over the last five games, grabbing at least nine and hitting double-digits in his previous four. He also had season-highs in points back-to-back games with 18 and 21 versus the Suns and Mavericks. If Nikola Jokic ($9,200) rests for Denver or plays half the game like his previous outing, Zubac could see his normal-25 minutes and then some extra in the second half because of the Clippers' lack of bigs without Montrezl Harrell. In two meetings with the Nuggets, Zubac is averaging 8.5 points and 7.5 rebounds this season, and in his last five four games overall, he's averaging 14.0 points and 12.7 rebounds.
Bam Adebayo ($7,700) -- Adebayo has been off and on in DFS over the last six games, but he's put up productive enough games to continue selecting him in a few contests. As stated with Olynyk, Adebayo could have an easy double-double without Adams in the lineup for the Thunder and see increased production because of a lack of competition. Adebayo went off in the only meeting of the season for 21 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists versus the Thunder.
His status will depend on how much the Heat want to play him after six-straight games of being the number one or two option on offense while being the anchor of the defense. He's averaging 14.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 5.1 assists in his six seeding games. numberFire's model predicts Adebayo to record 17.2 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 5.2 assists.
Vaughn Dalzell is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Vaughn also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his account, username vdalzell. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his/her personal views, he/she may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his/her personal account. The views expressed in his/her articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.as
