We kick off the NBA week with 9 games on the DraftKings and FanDuel main slate. We have a few names that are currently listed as questionable that could change the way we look at this slate and we already have some big names confirmed out. When it comes to lineup stacks we again see the Hornets take on the Wizards in a game with a total over 240 that figures to get a lot of love!

NBA DFS Tools to dominate tonight's NBA DFS slate!

Make sure to check out today's NBA DFS projections and NBA DFS ownership projections before finalizing your lineups today. We also have the NBA Consistency Report to help identify players that have exceeded value based off their current price tag this season and of course our NBA DFS Lineup Generator!

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Here's the NBA DFS Podcast for today's slate. Like the video and subscribe to our channel!

Notable NBA Injury Updates

Ruled Out

Questionable

Pace Up Spots

Be sure to check out our NBA Matchup Report!

Pace definition: Pace is the total number of possessions a team uses in a game.

*key* Green is elite pace of play, Blue is decent pace of play, & Red is slow pace of play.

Green = Fast Paced team

Blue = Neutral Paced team

Red = Slow Paced team

Wizards rank: 1st vs. Hornets rank: 3rd

Timberwolves rank: 23rd vs Spurs rank: 7th

Pelicans rank: 16th vs Rockets rank: 30th

Clippers rank: 20th vs Mavericks rank: 9th

Thunder rank: 4th vs Kings rank: 24th

Highest NBA Game Totals

Charlotte Hornets vs Washington Wizards - Total: 242

Los Angeles Clippers vs Dallas Mavericks - Total: 231.5

Utah Jazz vs Memphis Grizzlies - Total: 229.5

Top Price Tier

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, PG Thunder (DK)

I've said this on the NBA DFS preview show and I continue to stand by the fact that at the price I am loving SGA as a GPP pivot off of LaMelo Ball here today. Yes, the matchup for Ball is elite, both pace and game total favor LaMello but he isn't $8900 anymore, he is $10,000 where SGA is $10,500. SGA has given us 3 games of 60+ fantasy points and two games of 50+ fantasy points of seven this season. The matchup against the Kings has a total that opened at 226.5 and is now up to 231.5 with just a 1.5-point spread. SGA's floor is safer and his ceiling is just as high. On DraftKings tonight I'll take the lower ownership.

LaMelo Ball, PG Hornets (FD)

On FanDuel tonight Ball is a must start. He is only $9,100 and expected to be the highest rostered player on the slate. There is nothing wrong with playing LaMelo on DraftKings, I just prefer SGA there because of how close they are in price. On FanDuel SGA is nearly $2,000 more expensive. It's a great spot and Ball has a much better shot at giving you 7x return on FanDuel than he does on DK.

Joel Embiid, C 76ers

Embiid is proving that his MVP was no fluke as he continues to dominate which included leading the 76ers to a win over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday. Here we see Embiid in an elite spot against the Detroit Pistons where, as much as we've liked Jalen Duren this season, the matchup favors Embiid here in a big way.

Anthony Davis, C Lakers

After being injured two games ago against the Heat and then ruled out on Wednesday against the Rockets we are getting updates that Anthony Davis should be ready to go here tonight in the Lakers matchup against the Suns. When healthy, Davis has been a STUD this season, returning 6-7x with regularity and makes for a viable pivot off of Joel Embiid tonight at the center position.

Lauri Markkanen, PF Jazz

The Jazz debuted a new starting lineup on Wednesday following the injury to Walker Kessler and Markkanen responded with a near double-double, scoring 24 points with nine rebounds, one block and one steal. When the Jazz faced the Grizzlies earlier this month we saw Markkanen on pace for 50+ fantasy points if not for the blowout, scoring 19 points with 11 rebounds in just 28 minutes. The matchup and the new starting lineup puts Markkanen in another spot for him to give us 50+ fantasy point upside.

Mid-Price Tier

Kyle Kuzma, PF Wizards

We were all in on Kuzma on Wednesday and he did not disappoint, scoring 33 points with nine rebounds and four assists for 51 fantasy points. He again finds himself in an elite spot in a matchup where we know he can take advantage of whomever the Hornets put on the floor against him.

Gordon Hayward, SF Hornets

Speaking of someone that could be on Kuzma, we have Gordon Hayward who has been a plug and play guy for me this season. He's healthy-ish, currently probable to play, and with Terry Rozier out of the lineup we know there are not only more shots to go around but the offense can run through him as well. What I also love is the aggressiveness on the glass this season which has helped boost his floor.

Jordan Clarkson, SG Jazz

As I mentioned, the Jazz put out a new starting lineup with Keyonte George and Ochai Agbaji in the lineup. With those two starting we saw Jordan Clarkson take 26 shot attempts against the Pacers. George is a developing rookie and Agbaji  has shown to be more of a 3-and-D player during his limited time last season. The Grizzlies do not have a great defense, even with Marcus Smart and Jaren Jackson Jr. and I expect Clarkson to again take control of the offense for the Jazz here tonight. 

Keegan Murray, PF Kings

As I said, the game total in this one is now up to 231.5 points with the spread moving in the favor of the Kings. De'Aaron Fox has already been ruled out and we saw Murray take 17 shots last game. Now, he hasn't been hitting his shots but that could change tonight against the Thunder who have been playing some high-scoring games here. Not to mention it is a big pace up spot for the Kings tonight facing a Thunder team that ranks 4th in pace while the Kings rank just 24th. If Murray hits the shots and continues to rebound like we've seen him rebound then we may very well get a ceiling game out of him.

Marcus Sasser, PG Pistons

I know it's hard to trust guys we aren't familiar with but as I said on the NBA DFS Preview Show this morning, if you were to block out the name and just look at the numbers then you would have little hesitation about putting Sasser in your lineups given the fact we has gone for 30+ fantasy points in four of the last five games while still being priced under $6,000. Yes, the matchup against the 76ers isn't a good one for the Pistons BUT Sasser should be the guy that also gets the blowout run based off previous playing time. Alec Burks and Jaded Ivey are already ruled out so the backup guard minutes are his. 

I won't go too much into it but if you would feel better about a safer floor, you can pivot to Derrick White at a similar price point.

Value Price Tier

Santi Aldama, PF Grizzlies

We talked extensively about him on the show this morning and he figures to be pretty popular tonight given his price and the matchup. Aldama played 26 minutes in his second game of the season, coming off the bench, and finished with 28.5 DK points. He has a legit double-double upside and combined for 3 total blocks and steals. Given this matchup against the Jazz who can stretch the floor it wouldn't shock me to see the Grizzlies give Aldama more minutes than Biyombo here tonight as they go with a more athletic front court against John Collins, Lauri Markkanen and Kelly Olynyk.

Luke Kennard, SG Grizzlies

Again, not a ton of value tonight but the Grizzlies do have the appealing options. We saw Kennard score nine point in two minutes against the Heat on his way to playing 27 minutes and score 22 fantasy points. He has played at least 27 minutes in three straight games with 20+ fantasy points in each contests. Those of you who have been playing DFS long enough likely remember the days of Luke Kennard shooting the lights out at times for the Detroit Pistons and if he is going to get this much playing time in a spot against a bad defensive team in the Utah Jazz then I could see him getting hot  from the floor while taking 10+ shot attempts. 

Day'ron Sharpe & Trendon Watford, C Nets

Both bigs for the Nets should see playing time today with Ben Simmons already ruled out and the the Nets having to go up against Kristaps Porzingis. They both played similar playing time against the Clippers and both were productive when on the floor. I'd lean with whomever starts and if neither start it's probably a coinflip as to who would be the right choice. What I will say here is that the Celtics have already ruled out Al Horford tonight so their backup center is Luke Kornet, which would be a great matchup for either player.

Jock Landale / Tari Eason, C/PF Rockets ( IF Sengun is ruled out)

Eason made his season debut on Wednesday and we were pleased to see him continue to be a fantasy point per minute monster, scoring 24.8 fantasy points in just 14 minutes of play. Now, we were told he would be limited to 15 minutes but once he gets going that is going to increase and that increase could come tonight if Sengun ends up being ruled out. IF Sengun is ruled out we expect Jock Landale to start. He is another fantasy point per minute beast that would instantly become one of the highest rostered players on the board.

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