This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
As tentatively promised, here's the second part of my weekend NBA recommendations for DraftKings, focusing solely on the 11-game Saturday night slate. Listed below are some of the key injuries to monitor, with potential DFS beneficiaries listed in parentheses. I'll try to post updates later in the day as news comes in.
Carmelo Anthony (Kristaps Porzingis and Aaron Afflalo)
Deron Williams + Devin Harris (J.J. Barea, Wesley Matthews & Chandler Parsons)
Danilo Gallinari + Jameer Nelson (Will Barton, Randy Foye & Kostas Papanikolaou)
Damian Lillard (C.J. McCollum and Allen Crabbe)
Point guard
Kemba Walker, CHA (vs. MEM), $7,000 – I don't really get why Steve Clifford is suddenly letting Kemba play 40+ minutes, but given that it's happened in four consecutive games, it's fair to project Charlotte's point guard for 38+ minutes Saturday night. He hasn't actually made good on the extra minutes so far, but with a negligible dip in usage rate over the last four games, it's only a matter of time before Kemba capitalizes. Even in a tough matchup, the upside-to-ownership ratio should be fantastic.
Other options:Ricky Rubio, MIN (vs. IND), $6,800; Jeff Teague, ATL (vs. NY), $6,300
Shooting guard
Avery Bradley, BOS (at DET), $5,200 – With Jae Crowder, Isaiah Thomas and Kelly Olynyk all heating up, Bradley's production has fallen by the wayside despite consistent playing time in the low-to-high 30s. Aside from the obvious injury issues in the frontcourt, there really hasn't been a substantial change in the Celtics' philosophy – this is merely a matter of Crowder being unsustainably hot at the same time that Bradley has been flukishly cold. Bradley actually cost about $500 more than his teammate as recently as two weeks ago, but Crowder ($5,900) now sits $700 above Bradley. Long term, the two Celtics figure to end up with very similar price points, and I simply think it's foolish to go point-chasing with Crowder. It also helps that Bradley has the better matchup, as the Pistons have defended point guards and small forwards far better than shooting guards, even though they start Kentavious Caldwell-Pope at the two. KCP will likely spend a good chunk of the game on Isaiah Thomas, leaving Bradley free to attack Reggie Jackson and Steve Blake.
Other options:Eric Bledsoe, PHO (vs. PHI), $8,300
Small forward
Evan Fournier, ORL (vs. MIA), $5,000 – Fournier, like most of his teammates, has been all over the place as a fantasy commodity this season, with his torrid start giving way to a bit of a cold streak that led to a massive decline from the ridiculous amount of minutes he was playing. While he isn't quite back to the days of pushing 40 minutes every night, he did log 35, 32 and 35 in his last three games, putting up 31.25, 32 and 31.25 DK points in those contests. With Victor Oladipo still playing like absolute garbage, I'm comfortable projecting Fournier for 33-34 minutes, which makes him a strong play at just $5,000 despite the poor matchup.
Other options: Marcus Morris, DET (vs. BOS), $5,600
Power forward
Taj Gibson, CHI (at DAL), $4,900 – Despite the $500 price jump, I'm confidently recommending Gibson for a second straight day, after he went off for 13 and 10 in a Christmas win over the Thunder. He should be right around 33-34 minutes for as long as Joakim Noah (shoulder) is sidelined, making Gibson a solid bet for 25-30 DK points on a nightly basis. Until his price comes up to around $5,500, he'll be an excellent option even in difficult matchups.
Other options:Anthony Davis, NO (vs. HOU), $10,200; Paul Millsap, ATL (vs. NY), $7,600
Center
Pau Gasol, CHI (at DAL), $7,500 – Speaking of Joakim Noah's absence, Gasol also figures to benefit immensely, as evidenced by Friday's performance of 49.75 DK points over 38 minutes against OKC. He's actually underpriced relative to his season-long average of 39.3 DK points, which has been achieved in just 30.3 minutes per game. Given that he could push 35 MPG in Noah's absence, Gasol is one of the more obvious value plays for Saturday and beyond. Don't be shy about using both Gibson and Gasol in the same lineup, though I am slightly concerned that the latter's minutes will be scaled back a bit in the second game of a back-to-back. That's more of a concern for cash games than GPPs, as it's quite obvious that Gasol offers immense upside for his current price point.
Other options: Dwight Howard, HOU (at NO), $6,600; Kelly Olynyk, BOS (at DET), $5,000
