We are practically halfway through the seed matches in Orlando and we have five more matches scheduled for Saturday. The action begins with the Blazers against the Clippers at 1pm ET and ends with the Mavericks against the Bucks at 8.30pm
This will be an absolutely wild slate from an injury point of view. Virtually every team has at least one player listed as questionable and most teams have multiple guys who are unsure. A lot could change between now and the tip, and a lot could change between 1pm and 8.30pm
With this in mind, flexible training will be even more important than usual. For news, analysis and updated training, download the DK Live app. You can also do it follow DK Live on Twitter @dklive.
Set your own DraftKings formations here: NBA $ 450K Saturday Shootaround [$100K to 1st]
Point Guard
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Damian Lillard, POR v LAC, $ 10,000 – One thing I can say with certainty about today’s list is that Lillard will be up and running. The Blazers are just one game behind the Grizzlies for the # 1 seed. 8 of the Western Conference and the difference between n. 8 and n. 9 is huge. If the Blazers manage to outrun the Grizzlies, whoever finishes ninth will have to beat the Blazers twice in a row to knock Portland out of the playoffs.
Lillard took his A-game to Orlando, averaging 31.3 points, 11.3 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game. He scored at least 48.25 DKFP in all four games and broke the DKFP 60 mark in two of them. He has a tough bout against the Clippers, but this bout should be slightly easier than usual with Patrick Beverley out of lineup. On a chalkboard without a lot of secure stuff, Lillard is as secure as possible.
Other options – Luka Doncic ($ 11,000), Ricky Rubio ($ 6,400)
Value
Mount Morris, DEN vs. UTA, $ 4,400 – The Nuggets are rolling out another lengthy injury report ahead of Saturday’s game against Jazz. Gary Harris and Will Barton remain out, while Jamal Murray and Troy Daniels are listed as questionable. If all four players are eventually knocked out, there will be plenty of minutes in the backcourt.
Morris started as a point guard for the Nuggets in each of the team’s first four games in the bubble and did an admirable job. He was limited to just 17.5 DKFP in his last game, but scored 30 DKFP in each of the previous two.
Other options – Reggie Jackson ($ 5,400), Goran Dragic ($ 5,100, currently questionable)
Armed guard
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Devin Booker, PHX at MIA, $ 8,300 – Raise your hand if you had Phoenix as one of the last remaining undefeated teams in the bubble? Put your hand down, liar. The Suns were given virtually no chance to qualify for the playoffs, but Phoenix only moved up to 1 1/2 you play behind the Blazers for number 9 in the West. The Suns still have a lot of work to do, but Phoenix is definitely alive.
Booker was the offensive focal point for the Suns in Orlando, scoring at least 39.25 DKFP in each of his first four games. He should have another chance for a strong match against the Heat, missing Jimmy Butler and Kendrick Nunn.
Other options – CJ McCollum ($ 7,800)
Value
Tyler Herro, MIA vs PHX, $ 5,100 – Speaking of Heat, expect Herro to handle many of the offensive responsibilities against the Suns. He played 33 minutes off the bench in the last game in Miami and has the potential to enter the starting lineup with Nunn unable to adapt. The Heat hasn’t played a ton of minutes with Butler, Nunn and Dragic off the pitch this season, but Herro has increased his utilization rate by + 7.0% in that scenario.
Other options – Duncan Robinson ($ 4,800), Aaron Holiday ($ 4,700)
Small forward
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Michael Porter Jr., DEN vs. UTA, $ 7,200 – Did anyone’s stock rise more inside the bubble than Porter’s? He thrived for the shorthanded Nuggets, scoring at least DKFP 53.75 in each of his last three games. He showed excellent basketball scoring ability and also scored at least 12 rebounds in all three games.
Porter was literally priced at an all-time low when the seeding games began, but his salary jumped to $ 7,200 against the Jazz. As long as the Nuggets are still understaffed, it’s still way too cheap.
Other options – LeBron James ($ 10,400, questionable), Kawhi Leonard ($ 8,800)
Value
Cameron Johnson, PHX at MIA, $ 5,200 – Johnson played huge minutes for the Suns in Orlando. He has played at least 36.4 minutes in each of his last three games and has scored at least 37.5 DKFP in two of them. He spent most of his time in the PF position, which also gave him a nice boost in the rebounding department. Johnson averaged just 3.3 rebounds per game before the shutdown, but has averaged 10.3 rebounds in his last three games.
The best part is that Johnson didn’t even hit the ball particularly well. He scored 37.5 DKFP in his last game despite only making two of nine shots from behind the arc, so he has even more upside if his jumper starts to fall.
Other options – Gary Trent Jr. ($ 4,800), Victor Oladipo ($ 5,700)
Direct power
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Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL at DAL, $ 10,800 – Who knows exactly what we will get from Giannis on Saturday. This game means absolutely nothing to the Bucks, so it’s entirely possible for Milwaukee to take it easy. He was given the night off two games ago but played 30.1 minutes in his last game.
Ultimately, all that uncertainty with Giannis could make him an attractive option for the tournament. He’ll likely check in with a smaller property than usual and still have one of the higher ceilings on the list.
Other options – Anthony Davis ($ 10,300)
Value
Kelly Olynyk, MIA vs PHX, $ 4,900 – Olynyk was fantastic fantasy value during the reboot and that shouldn’t change against the Suns. He has scored at least 25.5 DKFP in each of his last four games and has scored at least 30.5 DKFP in three of them.
He’ll likely draw another departure in Butler’s place, which also gives him a slightly higher floor than usual.
Other options – Jerami Grant ($ 4,700), Zach Collins ($ 4,300)
Center
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Jusuf Nurkic, POR vs. LAC, $ 8,900 – If Lillard is the engine that drives the Blazers, Nurkic is the transmission. Unsurprisingly, the Blazers have improved significantly with him back in training in Orlando.
Nurkic has also provided fantasy owners with a lot of value. He scored at least 50.75 DKFP in three of his first four games. He has the potential to play even a few more minutes in today’s game given Hassan Whiteside’s injury.
Other options – Nikola Jokic ($ 9,200), Deandre Ayton ($ 7,600)
Value
Ivica Zubac, LAC at POR, $ 5,300 – Zubac was absolutely dominant in his last match. He recorded 44.75 DKFP against the Mavericks in just 24.3 minutes thanks to a perfect 100% field goal over 10 attempts. It’s certainly due to some regression in that department moving forward, but he still has the potential to restore value to his current salary.
Other options – Brook Lopez ($ 5,000), Myles Turner ($ 6,600, currently questionable)
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I am a promoter of DraftKings and I am also an avid fan and user (my username is mlamarca) and I can sometimes play on my personal account in the games I offer recommendations on. While I’ve expressed my personal opinion on the games and strategies above, they don’t necessarily reflect DraftKings’ point of view and I can also field different players and strategies than the ones I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
