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I really like the Sunday NBA DFS slates, but I would like them better if all of the games were played at the same time. As it is, I really like a few of the players in the early games, so I will seek out slates that include those games. Most of the positions have solid options across the board, though you probably shouldn’t plan to spend too much at center. You don’t have to fill that position first, but it won’t do you any good to get to the end of your FanDuel lineup and realize you have $8000 left to spend on your center.
It is also worth noting, I’m not planning to pay up for Russell Westbrook, James Harden or Anthony Davis. I like those guys just fine, I just like the tier below them better.
?Point Guard
Devin Harris was scheduled to start Thursday, but head coach Rick Carlisle put Pierre Deshawn Jackson in the lineup just before tipoff. Neither Harris nor Jackson did a whole lot with their playing time, but Harris played 20 minutes to Jackson’s 13. Both could come off the bench with Wesley Matthews expected to play Sunday, but Harris is still a decent punt play.
Brandon Jennings is averaging 17.5 points, 4.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists as a starter this season. If Derrick Rose’s sprained ankle keeps him out, Jennings is an excellent value.
Among the teams playing Sunday, only the Pacers have allowed more points to opposing point guards than the Pelicans. John Wall has gone three consecutive games with single-digit assists, and I doubt the streak gets to four.
| PLAYER | TM | H/A | OPP | GP | MPG | FT% | 3PTM | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | FG% | USAGE | FDPTS/G | DKPTS/G | YPTS/G | $FD | $DK | $Y |
| Devin Harris | DAL | A | SAS | 30 | 15.8 | 87% | 0.8 | 5.6 | 1.9 | 1.5 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 38% | 18.02% | 10.8 | 11.6 | 11.2 | $3,500 | $3,900 | $10 |
| Brandon Jennings | NYK | A | ATL | 48 | 23.4 | 77% | 1.1 | 8.1 | 2.6 | 4.7 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 1.9 | 39% | 18.09% | 18.2 | 19.9 | 18.8 | $4,600 | $4,400 | $10 |
| John Wall | WAS | A | NOP | 44 | 36.3 | 82% | 1.1 | 23 | 4.6 | 10.1 | 2.2 | 0.5 | 4.3 | 46% | 30.61% | 44.7 | 47.6 | 45.3 | $10,200 | $9,800 | $48 |
Shooting Guard
Tim Hardaway Jr. will likely start with Thabo Sefolosha out Sunday. Hardaway Jr. is averaging 15.3 points, 2.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 31.2 minutes as a starter this season, and his price is pretty modest for that kind of production.
Norman Powell is averaging 18.7 points and 5.0 rebounds and a starting shooting guard this season. DeMar DeRozan is questionable, but Powell is a strong play if he starts, especially on FanDuel.
Tyreke Evans is back to playing 20+ minutes following an ankle injury last week, and he is averaging 14.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 5.1 assists when he plays at least 20 minutes this season. Evans if a solid alternative if Norman Powell returns to the bench, and he is cheaper than Powell on DraftKings.
If DeMar DeRozan returns to the starting lineup, feel free to return him to your DFS lineups. DeRozan’s price is quite modest, especially on DraftKings, and there is no reason to believe he will be limited once he does return.
| PLAYER | TM | H/A | OPP | GP | MPG | FT% | 3PTM | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | FG% | USAGE | FDPTS/G | DKPTS/G | YPTS/G | $FD | $DK | $Y |
| Tim Hardaway Jr. | ATL | H | NYK | 45 | 23 | 65% | 1.7 | 11.8 | 2.2 | 1.9 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 1.1 | 45% | 22.57% | 17.7 | 19.2 | 18.6 | $4,600 | $4,100 | $11 |
| Norman Powell | TOR | H | ORL | 43 | 16 | 76% | 0.7 | 6.8 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 44% | 18.91% | 11.5 | 12.3 | 11.9 | $4,900 | $5,600 | $10 |
| Tyreke Evans | NOP | H | WAS | 19 | 17.6 | 85% | 1 | 10.3 | 3.3 | 4 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 1.3 | 41% | 28.64% | 21 | 22.3 | 21.5 | $5,700 | $5,400 | $18 |
| DeMar DeRozan | TOR | H | ORL | 44 | 35.4 | 85% | 0.4 | 27.9 | 5.3 | 3.8 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 2.4 | 47% | 34.42% | 40.4 | 42.1 | 40.6 | $9,000 | $7,700 | $42 |
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Small Forward
Davis Bertans has scored at least 11 points in three consecutive games, and he has a good chance to play 20 minutes for the second consecutive game with Jonathon Simmons out. Bertans is risky, and he doesn’t do much besides score, but you can’t beat the price.
Sam Dekker is averaging 12.0 points and 3.5 rebounds in 27.0 minutes with Eric Gordon out the last two games. Dekker is a fine alternative if you don’t trust Davis Bertans or if you have a bit more to spend at small forward.
Jimmy Butler is a pretty safe bet to bounce back after he scored just three points on 1-13 shooting Friday. The Bulls are a hot mess, but Butler is the one player you can count on.
I always seem to be on the wrong foot with Paul George, but he seems pretty cheap for a guy who has at least 31 points, four rebounds, three assists and one steal in three consecutive games. The Rockets have allowed 108.3 points and 8.8 steals per game this season, so George should have a strong chance to keep it going Sunday.
| PLAYER | TM | H/A | OPP | GP | MPG | FT% | 3PTM | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | FG% | USAGE | FDPTS/G | DKPTS/G | YPTS/G | $FD | $DK | $Y |
| Davis Bertans | SAS | H | DAL | 38 | 10.4 | 83% | 0.9 | 4.1 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 49% | 14.58% | 7.3 | 8 | 7.8 | $3,600 | $3,000 | $10 |
| Sam Dekker | HOU | A | IND | 50 | 19.7 | 59% | 0.9 | 7.5 | 4.1 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 48% | 16.14% | 15.2 | 16.2 | 15.7 | $4,100 | $4,000 | $10 |
| Jimmy Butler | CHI | H | PHI | 46 | 36.7 | 87% | 1.2 | 24.4 | 6.5 | 4.7 | 1.7 | 0.3 | 2.1 | 45% | 26.92% | 41.2 | 43.2 | 41.8 | $9,700 | $8,800 | $46 |
| Paul George | IND | H | HOU | 39 | 35.7 | 93% | 2.3 | 22.7 | 5.9 | 3.3 | 1.7 | 0.3 | 2.9 | 45% | 27.91% | 35.8 | 38.7 | 37 | $8,300 | $7,900 | $37 |
Power Forward
Domantas Sabonis is the most likely candidate to pick up minutes with Enes Kanter out. Sabonis probably won’t go for 20 and 10, but you could do far worse for a punt play on a short slate.
Al-Farouq Aminu is averaging 9.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.5 steals against the Warriors this season. Aminu is a solid play Sunday, and I love his price on DraftKings.
Among teams playing Sunday, only the Pacers and Trail Blazers have allowed more points to power forwards than the Thunder this season. Kevin Love is super safe anyway, but I will happily plug him into my lineups considering the rest of his position is pretty weak.
| PLAYER | TM | H/A | OPP | GP | MPG | FT% | 3PTM | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | FG% | USAGE | FDPTS/G | DKPTS/G | YPTS/G | $FD | $DK | $Y |
| Al-Farouq Aminu | POR | H | GSW | 30 | 28.2 | 71% | 0.9 | 7.4 | 6.9 | 2.1 | 1 | 0.7 | 1.5 | 36% | 15.06% | 20.9 | 22.4 | 21.3 | $5,300 | $4,300 | $18 |
| Domantas Sabonis | OKC | A | CLE | 47 | 21.3 | 68% | 0.8 | 6.1 | 3.5 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 1 | 43% | 14.60% | 13 | 14.1 | 13.3 | $3,500 | $3,000 | $12 |
| Kevin Love | CLE | H | OKC | 40 | 32 | 87% | 2.6 | 20.3 | 11.1 | 1.9 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 2.1 | 43% | 26.93% | 36.8 | 39.7 | 38.1 | $8,000 | $8,000 | $38 |
Center
Steven Adams is averaging 14.7 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.7 blocks in three games since his two-game absence for a concussion. At the very least we can probably expect similar production going forward with Enes Kanter out. Adams probably isn’t going to turn into a 20-point scorer the way Kanter was for most of January, but he should have less competition for minutes, shots and rebounds.
I was really disappointed when I saw Joel Embiid did not travel to Chicago for tonight’s game, and not solely because I am going to tonight’s game. The Bulls has struggled against athletic bigs for most of the season, and Embiid could have put up huge numbers. Fortunately, the 76ers have more than one athletic big, and Jahlil Okafor is the cheapest of the three. Okafor was a healthy scratch Friday, but he should reenter the starting lineup with Embiid out. Okafor is an excellent DFS play, just make sure he is in the starting lineup before you use him.
Much like Al-Farouq Aminu, Mason Plumlee has played pretty well against the Warriors this season, averaging 8.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.0 assists. Perhaps more importantly, Plumlee has ripped off four consecutive double-doubles, averaging 14.0 points, 11.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists over that span.
| PLAYER | TM | H/A | OPP | GP | MPG | FT% | 3PTM | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | FG% | USAGE | FDPTS/G | DKPTS/G | YPTS/G | $FD | $DK | $Y |
| Steven Adams | OKC | A | CLE | 45 | 30.3 | 71% | 0 | 12.2 | 7.5 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 1.9 | 59% | 16.71% | 25.6 | 27 | 25.6 | $6,000 | $5,600 | $19 |
| Jahlil Okafor | PHI | A | CHI | 31 | 23 | 61% | 0 | 11.2 | 4.8 | 1 | 0.4 | 1.1 | 1.5 | 53% | 22.40% | 20.1 | 21.1 | 20.1 | $4,700 | $4,700 | $12 |
| Mason Plumlee | POR | H | GSW | 48 | 28 | 56% | 0 | 11.1 | 7.8 | 4.2 | 0.9 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 53% | 18.30% | 29.5 | 30.6 | 29.5 | $7,000 | $6,200 | $23 |