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 always keep your eye on the news as the day progresses, as NBA news changes the slate frequently.
Guards
LaMelo Ball ($9,000 DK, $8,400 FD)
| Team Total | Usage Rate | Fantasy Points Per Minute | Opponent Defensive Net Rating Rank | Fantasy Points Allowed Per Game to Position |
| 116.75 | 27.7% | 1.37 | 26th | 49.75 |
The LaMelo play here is a little chalky, but a very under-market price on FanDuel leaves him in play for me today despite a 30% ownership projection. Melo had a massive game on Wednesday, supplying 33 points, nine boards, and five assists to go along with four steals. LaMelo has played 44 and 38 minutes over his last two games and with Gordon Hayward out indefinitely the offense is going to run strictly through Ball here (not that it already hasn’t). But besides that, a matchup with the Pistons and a high team total offer us a bonus incentive to this play. This is likely the last time we will see the price on FanDuel under $9,000.
Bones Hyland ($3,800 DK, $4,400 FD)
| Team Total | Usage Rate | Fantasy Points Per Minute | Opponent Defensive Net Rating Rank | Fantasy Points Allowed Per Game to Position |
| 106.75 | 25.5% | 0.95 | 3rd | 47.54 |
Denver starting point guard Monte Morris is going to miss tonight’s game due to concussion protocol so the ball-handling duties should shift to Bones Hyland and Facund Campazzo. While I list Campazzo here, he has only played double-digit minutes once over the last six games and only has a combined four minutes over the last two. Hyland on the other hand played 25 minutes last game at 27% usage, putting up 9.9x value on his salary. It should be noted that Morris did play 28 minutes in that game as well. With Hyland coming off a confidence-boosting performance and now being put into an injury leverage situation, I am willing to ignore the poor matchup against the Celtics and note that the minutes and usage we should get out of Hyland makes his price worth it.
Forwards
DeMar DeRozan ($9,700 DK, $10,400 FD)
| Team Total | Usage Rate | Fantasy Points Per Minute | Opponent Defensive Net Rating Rank | Fantasy Points Allowed Per Game to Position |
| 122.25 | 31.7% | 1.22 | 14th | 45.62 |
While some may balk on the price of DeRozan on both sites right now, a simple look at his recent numbers makes him beyond worth it. DeRozan has now played six straight games of 36 or more minutes, and four straight games at 35% usage or higher – which is well above his season average. It has now been four straight games of at least 31 points and DeRozan is averaging around 25 shot attempts per game during that stretch. Over DeRozan’s last 13 games he has not fallen below 46 fantasy points, leaving us an elite floor and a 65+ fantasy point ceiling. With some value on this slate, paying up for DeRozan is in play for us tonight. As a bonus, the Bulls carry the slate’s highest total at 122.25 tonight.
Devin Vassell ($4,000 DK, $4,900 FD)
| Team Total | Usage Rate | Fantasy Points Per Minute | Opponent Defensive Net Rating Rank | Fantasy Points Allowed Per Game to Position |
| 112.25 | 18.6% | 0.89 | 27th | 42.12 |
Vassel is tricky to write about for us because his positional eligibility stretches from SF/PF on DraftKings, but SG on FanDuel. Though because the better value comes on DraftKings for today for Vassell, he is being listed as a forward for us. Vassell was in the midst of a shooting slump but broke out of it on Wednesday, shooting 50% from the field for 18 points, three boards, and three assists. With Derrick White shipped out to Boston, Vassell should get more looks and more minutes, as White is leaving behind 1.07 fantasy points per minute and around 21% usage while averaging 32 minutes per game. It makes sense for Vassell’s role to expand here.
Center
Jarrett Allen ($7,900 DK, $7,600 FD)
| Team Total | Usage Rate | Fantasy Points Per Minute | Opponent Defensive Net Rating Rank | Fantasy Points Allowed Per Game to Position |
| 110.25 | 18.6% | 1.14 | 25th | 52.28 |
While Joel Embiid is the preferred center play overall tonight, his price makes it hard to not only roster, but justify as a core play in this article. That being said, Jarrett Allen sits in an interesting spot without a lot of projected ownership tonight. Allen draws a matchup with the Pacers who just traded away Sabonis and Myles Turner is still on the mend. It is hard to say who will grab the start tonight, it likely will be Goga Bitadze, but newly acquired Tristian Thompson could slide into the starting rotation as well. Over either, I still give Allen the matchup advantage and while there are a lot of big mouths to feed in Cleveland between Allen, Love, and Mobley, I don’t mind taking the shot at someone projected for under 5% ownership currently.
