Bryan Armetta breaks down Thursday’s six-game NBA slate to find undervalued players to slot into your lineups.
Injuries and ever-changing rotations are the only guarantee in the NBA, which makes finding value in DFS contests a difficult task. Yet, if you look close enough, there’s plenty of hidden gems available to slot into your lineups. Here are three players from Thursday’s slate that are being slept on.
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SG/SF Dalton Knecht, Los Angeles Lakers ($4,500)
Last week’s trade for Dorian Finney-Smith has created a bit of a logjam at forward for the Lakers. That’s not great news for Dalton Knecht, but the rookie has shown enough to stay in head coach JJ Redick’s rotation. This season, the Tennessee product has averaged 10.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.1 assists on 46.7% shooting from the field (35.5 3PT%).
Ultimately, Knecht’s playing time comes down to how well he’s shooting the ball. There have been ups and downs, but the 23-year-old has showcased his potential several times this season, most notably during a 37-point performance against the Jazz in November. The Trail Blazers are allowing opponents to hit 38.0% of their three-point attempts, the second-worst mark in basketball. Los Angeles’ young sharpshooter only needs to connect on a handful of shots to deliver value at this price.
PF/C Nikola Jovic, Miami Heat ($4,400)
Jimmy Butler trade rumors, and ‘conditioning’-related absences, have made for some interesting Miami lineups over the past few weeks. That’s meant more minutes for some of the team’s lesser-known players, including Nikola Jovic. The third-year pro has put up 11.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.4 assists over his last five games. That includes an eight-point, seven-rebound, six-assist outing over 34 minutes against the Pelicans last night (24.8 FPTS).
Jovic’s numbers don’t jump off the page, but his all-around play is perfect in DFS formats. Even if he doesn’t receive over 30 minutes in tonight’s contest, there should be plenty of room for production. The Pacers are allowing the second-most DK fantasy points to opposing power forwards, spurred by the seventh-most points in the paint given up to opponents (50.3).
PG/SG Cason Wallace, Oklahoma City Thunder ($3,800)
There are plenty of factors behind Oklahoma City’s terrific 27-5 start. At the top of the list is a stifling defense surrendering the fewest points in basketball (103.2). Head coach Mark Daigneault has the luxury of rotating through a collection of elite perimeter stoppers, including Cason Wallace. The Kentucky product’s offensive numbers aren’t the most impressive: 6.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists through 31 appearances. However, he’s been fantastic on the other end of the floor, notching 1.7 steals and 0.7 blocks on just under 27 minutes per game.
Wallace isn’t someone that you want to start every night, but he’s a perfect end-of-lineup selection in the right matchup. That could be tonight against the Clippers in a battle of top-five defenses. In a game that could get ugly, the former lottery pick’s skill as a two-way menace could come in handy. Los Angeles is sloppy on offense, giving up the fourth-most turnovers in the NBA (16.6). If Wallace gets his hands on a few passes, easy transition buckets might follow. At $3,800, this price tag is the perfect way to afford a splurge at another position.
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is b.armetta) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
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