NBA DFS Picks & Playbook for Today’s Games: March 9th
Published: Mar 09, 2024
We have the second night in a row, with just six games for the NBA DFS main slate. Dallas star Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks are taking on Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons. Plus, the primetime matchup tonight is Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics taking on Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns.
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 on their current price tag this season and of course our NBA DFS Lineup Generator!
NBA Injury Report for Today, 3/9
Out
- Kristaps Porzingis
- Victor Wembanyama
- Stephen Curry
- Cameron Johnson
- Ben Simmons
- LaMelo Ball
- Dereck Lively
- Quentin Grimes (Doubtful)
- Josh Okogie
- Nassir Little
- Cedi Osman
- Lauri Markkanen
- Taylor Hendricks
- Bruce Brown
- Malcolm Brogdon
- Shaedon Sharpe
- Jabari Walker
- Lonnie Walker
Questionable
- Luka Doncic (IN)
- Devin Booker
- Jaylen Brown
- Jerami Grant (OUT)
- Deandre Ayton
- Walker Kessler
- Tre Mann
- Trayce Jackson-Davis
- Walker Kessler
NBA Teams on Back-to-Backs Today
Second Leg
First Leg
Pace Up Spots
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
- Dallas Mavericks 9th vs. Detroit Pistons 10th
- Utah Jazz 7th vs. Denver Nuggets 27th
- San Antonio Spurs 3rd vs. Golden State Warriors 11th
- Toronto Raptors 13th vs. Portland Trail Blazers 22nd
- Boston Celtics 18th vs. Phoenix Suns 15th
- Brooklyn Nets 24th vs. Charlotte Hornets 20th
Notable NBA Game Totals Today, 3/9
- Dallas Mavericks vs. Detroit Pistons (+7.5) Game Total: 235
- Utah Jazz vs. Denver Nuggets (-12.5) Game Total: 228
- San Antonio Spurs vs. Golden State Warriors (-11) Game Total: 227.5
- Toronto Raptors vs. Portland Trail Blazers (+3) Game Total: 227
- Boston Celtics vs. Phoenix Suns (+5.5) Game Total: 226.5
- Brooklyn Nets vs. Charlotte Hornets (+6.5) Game Total: 207.5
Top-Price NBA DFS Core Plays
Luka Doncic, PG, Dallas Mavericks
Luka is questionable heading into this one tonight, and I wonder if this would be a good game for him to sit, against the Pistons. However, I can't in good conscious not write him up today, because he has been incredible. He has scored over 70 fantasy points in six straight games. If you do not play him tonight you could regret it, even at his bonkers price. If he is ruled out, Kyrie Irving becomes a core play.
Nikola Jokic, C, Denver Nuggets
Jokic himself is coming off a 72 DKP performance against the Boston Celtics. He posted a 32-12-11 triple-double in a big win over a good team. Jokic has a very good matchup against the Jazz who rank in the bottom six in defensive efficiency in the NBA. Lauri Markkanen is out tonight and the young shot blocker Walker Kessler is questionable to play as well. However, with that said this one could be over early and Jokic may not get a ton of run tonight.
Kevin Durant, PF, Phoenix Suns
KD has not been as good as you would have thought he would be without Devin Booker in the lineup. In the three games without Booker, he scored over 41 DKP just once. He is coming off back-to-back 35-point game performances, but he did not give you the counting stats to really pay off. Booker is questionable heading into this one, but I am fine with KD either way in this one.
Jayson Tatum, SF/PF, Boston Celtics
Tatum is priced at just $9,300 on this slate on DraftKings which is very nice. Once his price gets closer to 10K I would be out because he just doesnt have the ceiling quite as high as Luka or Jokic. What you love about Tatum is he hardly ever busts. He has scored fewer than 40 DKP points just once in his last 16 games. If you want the security, go ahead and play him tonight.
Mid-Price NBA DFS Core Plays
Immanuel Quickley, PG, Toronto Raptors
Quickley is the cover boy for the playbook tonight and he will be in my lineup. With Scottie Barnes out of the lineup, Quickley has really taken over as the alpha in this offense. He is coming off a massive 18-assist game against the Suns which was his third double-digit assist performance in his last four games. He gets a good matchup against the Trail Blazers who are just a mess. However, this game should be competitive because the Raptors are also a mess.
Mikal Bridges, SG/SF, Brooklyn Nets
Bridges was in consideration for the cover with him being in a plus matchup against the Hornets. However, he is just a bit more riskier as he has failed to score over 30 DKP points in his last two games. This game also has the lowest game total on the slate so he could be low-owned. He has a 50-point fantasy point upside in this one with the Nets missing some rotation pieces. At his very solid price tonight I will be taking a stab at him.
Jalen Duren, C, Detroit Pistons
Jalen Duren is a solid mid-tier center tonight going against the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavericks front court is a little thin tonight with Dereck Lively out for personal reasons. Duren's offense has really come around scoring double figures in eight games, to go along with his elite rebounding ability. He has also played at least 30 minutes in four of his past five games as well. Let's just hope he stays out of foul trouble.
Brandin Podziemski, PG/SG, Golden State Warriors
Podz's numbers have been down as of late scoring just over 23 DKP in three of his past four games. With Curry out for tonight's game, they are going to need Podziemski from a scoring standpoint to step up. He hasn't taken more than eight shot attempts in his last five games. That will change tonight with 20+ shot attempts being freed up. Podz is also the cheapest of Kuminga/Thompson/Paul and you should want a piece of that group.
Zach Collins, C, San Antonio Spurs
Zach Collins will be one of the highest-owned players on the slate tonight with Victor Wembanyama out. In the last game, Collins got the start, played 30 minutes, and scored 37.25. We have seen Collins produce time and time again when he gets the minutes, and I do not expect that to change tonight.
Value-Tier NBA DFS Core Plays
P.J. Washington, PF/C, Dallas Mavericks
Washington is an interesting play tonight with more minutes opening up in the frontcourt. If Dallas were to elect to go small for some of this game, Washington is the prime candidate to play small-ball-five. I like Washington's price sitting at under $5,500 on DraftKings in this great matchup against the Pistons. I find it hard that he will make your lineup bust at that price, he should get close to 30 DKP.
Gradey Dick, SG/SF, Toronto Raptors
Gradey Dick is an interesting name to pay attention to as a punt play. He has played at least 24 minutes in four straight games. His fantasy points are dependent on whether or not his shot is going to fall. With Immanuel Quickley dishing out plenty of assists, Dick should see a lot of open looks. The only issue is he does not give you any other counting stats so he is very shot-dependent.
Malaki Branham, PG/SG, San Antonio Spurs
Branham has producing at a strong clip over the past three games. He has started to get consistent run in those games playing at least 26 minutes in each. The good thing for us is that his price still hasn't gone up sitting at just $4,400 on DraftKings. He has scored at least 25 DKP in three straight games. Play him once again tonight against the Warriors in what should be a pretty good game environment.
Daniel Gafford, C, Dallas Mavericks
Daniel Gafford is likely in line to start tonight with Dereck Livley out for the Mavs. In 21 minutes in his last two games, Gafford is a perfect 12-12 from the field and has scored 41, and 24 DKP. He will likely be highly owned tonight and if he gets close to 30 minutes he could have a huge night. He pairs very nicely with either Luka or Kyrie in the pick-and-roll as a rim runner. Gafford is almost a must-play at his price tonight.
DFS NBA Lineup Lock Updates
- Kristaps Porzingis is out for the Celtics tonight. Xavier Tillman is in play now, along with Al Horford.
Player Pool
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