This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Slate Overview
BOS at POR: The Celtics have won six straight over the Blazers.
MEM at WAS: The Grizzlies have won nine of their last 13 games against the Wizards.
DET at LAC: The Clippers have won 11 of their last 12 games in this series.
SAC at LAL: The Lakers have won five straight games over the Kings.
For the latest spreads and over/unders, visit RotoWire's NBA Odds page. There you can also find player props, futures, picks, articles and sportsbook bonus codes.
Injuries to Monitor
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
BOS - Jayson Tatum (Achilles), Chris Boucher (personal)
POR - Jrue Holiday (calf), Damian Lillard (Achilles), Jerami Grant (Achilles), Robert Williams (knee), Scoot Henderson (hamstring)
MEM - Brandon Clarke (calf), Ty Jerome (calf), Jock Landale (calf), Vince Williams (knee), Zach Edey (ankle)
WAS - Corey Kispert (hamstring), Cam Whitmore (shoulder), Kyshawn George (hip)
DET - NONE
LAC - Bogdan Bogdanovic (hamstring), Ivica Zubac (ankle), Bradley Beal (hip)
SAC - Zach LaVine (ankle), Domantas Sabonis (knee), Keegan Murray (calf)
LAL - Jaxson Hayes (ankle), Austin Reaves (calf)
Elite Players
Guards
Cade Cunningham, Pistons ($10,700) at Clippers
It's fascinating to see the leap Cunningham has made this season because he truly looks like an MVP candidate. After struggling the opening week, Cunningham is averaging 27.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 10 assists and 1.8 steals across his last 24 fixtures. He's been even better recently, scoring at least 57 DraftKings points in five of his last six outings. A matchup with the Clippers used to be concerning, but they surrender the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing point guards. In their two matchups last season, Cade collected 58 and 63 DK points!
Ja Morant, Grizzlies ($7,500) at Wizards
Memphis fans have had a rough season, but this team is finally turning things around. The Grizzlies have won 11 of their last 16 outings and are just one game below .500. That's wonderful since Morant just made his return to the lineup, scoring at least 39 DK points in two of his last three outings. That's more in line with the stud we've seen over recent years, and a matchup with Washington should keep him headed in the right direction. The Wizards rank 29th in points allowed and 30th in defensive efficiency while surrendering the most fantasy points to opposing PGs. We also don't mind that Morant has at least 44 DK points in five of his last six matchups with Washington.
Forwards/Centers
Jaylen Brown, Celtics ($9,700) at Trail Blazers
Expectations were low for the Celtics this season, but Brown has them looking like one of the best teams in the East. The All-Star is averaging 29.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.1 steals en route to 47 DK points per game. That boost in production is no surprise since Tatum is out for the season, and he should continue to be the focal point of this Boston offense. That opportunity is outstanding in a matchup with Portland because the Blazers own a 21st OPRK against opposing wings.
Kawhi Leonard, Clippers ($9,200) vs. Pistons
Kawhi's inability to stay on the floor has made him tough to trust for fantasy, but he's always an elite option in DFS. The former Finals MVP is completely healthy right now, scoring at least 54 DK points in three straight outings. He's also flirting with a 60-point average in that span while playing 40 minutes a night. If Leonard is going to play 40 minutes a game, he should be a five-figure player. Detroit can be a daunting matchup, but Kawhi has 41 and 49 fantasy points in his last two games against them.
Expected Chalk
Luka Doncic, Lakers ($12,000) vs. Kings
Doncic is one of the safest options on every slate, but he's an easy pick with Reaves missing this game. That will force Luka to do even more, which is hard to believe given he's already flirting with a 40 percent usage rate. That absurd rate has led to Luka averaging 33.7 points, 8.5 rebounds, 8.7 assists and 1.5 steals per game. That elite stat-stuffing gives Doncic one of the highest floors in fantasy, scoring at least 41 DK points in every game he's finished while posting a 63-point average on DraftKings. Squaring off with Sacramento is the icing on the cake because the Kings are 26th in points allowed and 28th in defensive efficiency.
Mid-Range Money
Payton Pritchard, Celtics ($6,400) at Trail Blazers
We already talked about how Brown has seen a bump due to Tatum's injury, but it's been more beneficial for Pritchard than anyone else on this roster. He's now the starting point guard for the C's, averaging a career-high 33 DraftKings points per game. That even includes a slow start, with Pritchard averaging nearly 40 DK points per game across his last 18 outings. That's bad news for the Blazers, who post a 27th OPRK against opposing point guards.
Tobias Harris, Pistons ($5,400) at Clippers
Harris has an unfair reputation due to a silly contract by Philly, but this guy has quietly been one of the 50 best players in the NBA over the last decade. It appears DFS sites have forgotten that, too, because seeing him at $5,400 seems frivolous. Harris has scored at least 26 DK points in five of his last six outings while scoring 33 and 36 fantasy points in his two most recent games. That's amazing for such an affordable player, especially since Harris faces a 25th-ranked Clippers defense. It's also a revenge game for Harris, who has scored at least 29 fantasy points in four straight meetings with LA.
Value Picks
Marcus Smart, Lakers ($4,900) vs. Kings
This is a risky recommendation, but Smart appears to be starting in place of Reaves. We've seen glimpses of that over recent weeks, with Smart scoring at least 27 DraftKings points in four of his last six outings. Most importantly, Smart is playing over 30 minutes a night in that span. Seeing a $5K player with a 30-minute floor is already a massive bonus, but it's backed by some fantastic production as well. It's not like Sacramento is a scary matchup, surrendering the ninth-most fantasy points to opposing SGs.
Brook Lopez, Clippers ($4,500) vs. Pistons
This is easily the best per-dollar play on the board. Bro-Lo may be used in nearly every lineup out there, but you have to capitalize on this mistake by DraftKings. This former All-Star has taken over as the starting center in LA with Zubac sidelined, and he responded with 47 DK points across 33 minutes in his last start. We don't expect 47-point gems every time out, but we're talking about a guy who was $7K as a starter just a couple of years ago. It isn't easy to understand why Lopez is just $4,500, but this will likely be the last time he's below $5K until Zubac returns in a few weeks.
Keon Ellis, Kings ($3,600) at Lakers
Sacramento has been hit hard by injuries, but it's created some value for DFS purposes. Ellis has always been an attractive option when given the opportunity, and the Kings finally have to give him a full allotment of minutes. That led to Ellis scoring 34 DK points across 32 minutes in a rare start in Sacramento's most recent game. That's been common for Keon over recent years, though, averaging over 30 DK points per game whenever he plays at least 29 minutes. Not to mention, LA ranks 26th in defensive efficiency ratings.
