Please note that players on DraftKings and FanDuel have multi-position eligibility and may not always match their position between each other. In this article, we will be breaking down some of our favorite plays on the slate at their positions. Remember to keep your eye on the news as the day progresses, as NBA news frequently changes the slate.
Point Guard
LaMelo Ball ($9,500 DK, $8,600 FD)
| PLAYER | TEAM | GP | W | L | MIN | PTS | TOUCHES | REB CHANCES | POTENTIAL AST |
| LaMelo Ball | CHA | 32 | 17 | 15 | 31.9 | 19.2 | 85.3 | 11.5 | 13.3 |
The Hornets and Bucks are both in the top 5 of Offensive Rating, so this should be a fun matchup on paper. The last time these two teams faced off, we saw 257 points scored, and 2 points decided the game. LaMelo scored 36 points, five rebounds, and nine assists in that game. The Hornets also own the third-worst Defense in the league, which leads to these high-scoring shootouts. LaMelo is the most expensive PG option on both sites, but I still like his ceiling in this spot.
Shooting Guard
Alec Burks ($5,900 DK, $5,900 FD)
| PLAYER | TEAM | GP | W | L | MIN | PTS | TOUCHES | REB CHANCES | POTENTIAL AST |
| Alec Burks | NYK | 37 | 18 | 19 | 27 | 12 | 45.5 | 7.1 | 4.3 |
Kemba Walker has been confirmed OUT, and Evan Fournier is questionable with a thigh contusion. In 567 minutes, with both Walker and Fournier off the floor, Burks averages 1.01 fantasy points per minute.
UPDATE: EVAN FOURNIER CONFIRMED OUT
Small Forward
Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,600 DK, $11,700 FD)
| PLAYER | TEAM | GP | W | L | MIN | PTS | TOUCHES | REB CHANCES | POTENTIAL AST |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | MIL | 31 | 21 | 10 | 32.5 | 27.9 | 70.5 | 17.6 | 11.3 |
The Hornets have shown they can keep up with the Bucks offensively, and with this game being in Charlotte, there’s an even higher chance they keep it competitive throughout. In that scenario, we should see multiple Bucks players exceed value. The Hornets are terrible at defending opposing big men, and they rank 30th in fantasy points allowed to the PF position. In 449 minutes with Jrue Holiday off the floor, Giannis averages 1.78 fantasy points per minute.
Power Forward
Bobby Portis ($6,500 DK, $5,500 FD)
| PLAYER | TEAM | GP | W | L | MIN | PTS | TOUCHES | REB CHANCES | POTENTIAL AST |
| Bobby Portis | MIL | 31 | 20 | 11 | 27.8 | 15.3 | 45.4 | 15.6 | 2.3 |
Everything said previously applies here; this is the best game environment on the slate for fantasy purposes. I like Portis more on Fanduel due to the salary and roster construction.
Center
Hassan Whiteside ($3,500 DK, $6,100 FD)
| PLAYER | TEAM | GP | W | L | MIN | PTS | TOUCHES | REB CHANCES | POTENTIAL AST |
| Hassan Whiteside | UTA | 33 | 24 | 9 | 15.1 | 7.8 | 14.2 | 11.5 | 0.5 |
We have two starkly different salaries for Whiteside between Fanduel and Draftkings; you should have more exposure to his near-minimum salary on Draftkings. The Center position is a little thin tonight, so I still think he’s in consideration of his high salary on Fanduel. In 529 minutes with Gobert off the floor, Whiteside averages 1.23 fantasy points per minute.
