NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: Jan 4
Denver’s Jamal Murray has scored at least 41 DraftKings fantasy points in 6 of his last 7 games.
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We only have two games to talk about for Thursday’s slate. That’s the Milwaukee Bucks vs. San Antonio Spurs (7:30 ET, TNT) and the Denver Nuggets vs. Golden State Warriors (10 ET, TNT). With that in mind, let’s look at the top DFS plays on tonight’s slate.
Core plays
Stephen Curry (PG/SG – GSW): $9,000 DraftKings, $8,700 FanDuel
Chef Curry is coming off one of his best games of the season on Tuesday, scoring nearly 60 DraftKings points. That has his season average just below 50 fantasy points per game, and it’s bizarre to see this guy hovering around $9,000 on both sites. He’s been a five-figure player for most of his career, and we love that Curry has a 42-point average in his last six matchups with Denver.
Jamal Murray (PG – DEN): $8,000 DraftKings, $8,500 FanDuel
Murray has always been a stud whenever he’s been healthy, which appears to be the case right now. The Denver guard has scored at least 41 DraftKings points in six of his last seven games while generating a 45-point average in that span. That means Murray is about $500 too cheap on both sites, and we don’t want to fade him against the Warriors. In their three matchups since the start of last year, Murray is averaging nearly 50 DraftKings points per game against them.
Cash game considerations
Giannis Antetokounmpo (PF/C – MIL): $12,000 DraftKings, $12,100 FanDuel
Giannis struggled in his first few weeks with Damian Lillard, but he’s rolling right now. The former MVP has scored at least 61 DraftKings points in 13 of his last 17 outings. He’s also flirting with a 70-point average in that span and should slice through this subpar San Antonio defense. The Spurs sit 25th in defensive efficiency and 28th in points allowed, with Antetokounmpo recording a triple-double against them earlier in the year!
Nikola Jokic (C – DEN): $11,600 DraftKings, $11,900 FanDuel
The Joker is in this section every day, and he’s impossible to avoid on a two-game slate. Over the last three years, the two-time MVP has established a 45-point floor, averaging over 60 DraftKings points per game. You know he wants to show out against a team like the Warriors, scoring at least 55 DraftKings points in eight consecutive meetings with Golden State. That’s bad news since they’re 20th in total defense.
GPP targets
Klay Thompson (SG/SF – GSW): $5,900 DraftKings, $5,900 FanDuel
It’s been a rough season for Klay, but we’re seeing glimpses of the sharpshooter finding his stride. Klay has scored at least 26 DraftKings points in eight of his last 10 outings while cracking 38 fantasy points in half of those! That’s the form that made Thompson an $8K player in the past, and we have to bank on him getting better since he’s been one of the best shooters ever.
Brook Lopez (C – MIL): $6,200 DraftKings, $7,300 FanDuel
We had Lopez in this section yesterday, and we’re going back to him for all the same reasons. The big man has struggled the last three weeks but has 37 DK points in back-to-back outings. We love that since he’s showcased a 60-point floor while posting a 40-point average for most of November. Squaring off with the Spurs is the best part, though, with San Antonio surrendering the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing centers.
Value plays
Michael Porter Jr. (SF/PF – DEN): $6,600 DraftKings, $6,800 FanDuel
MPJ is having a breakout year in Denver, averaging over 30 DraftKings points per game. He’s also scored at least 32 DraftKings points in 20 games this season and should be locked into 35 minutes and 15 shots in this matchup with the Warriors. In his last three meetings with Golden State, MPJ is averaging over 40 DK points per game.
Trayce Jackson-Davis (PF/C – GSW): $5,700 DraftKings, $5,700 FanDuel
The Warriors have decided to stick TJD into their starting lineup, and he’s due for a price bump in this expanded role. The talented youngster has at least 29 DK points in five of his last eight fixtures, posting a 28-point average in that span. That’s all you can ask for from such an affordable player, and we have to assume he will play 30 minutes to oppose Jokic.
Advantageous pricing
- Brook Lopez (C – MIL): $6,200 DraftKings, $7,300 FanDuel
- Victor Wembanyama (PF/C – SAS): $8.300 DraftKings, $9,500 FanDuel
- Damian Lillard (PG – MIL): $9,300 DraftKings, $8,600 FanDuel
- Aaron Gordon (SF/PF – DEN): $5,800 DraftKings, $6,400 FanDuel
- Jonathan Kuminga (SF – GSW): $5,300 DraftKings, $6,000 FanDuel
- Reggie Jackson (PG – LAC): $4,600 DraftKings, $5,300 FanDuel
