Greetings ladies and gentlemen! As long as there’s sports being played, there’s also DFS to add another element to our degeneracy. Approaching a DFS lineup can be challenging, and with only roughly 1/4 of the entries being paid, you need to know who the best plays are.
The difference between cashing for $5 and $5,000 can be as simple as finding a “diamond in the rough” (or your “Tarik Cohen” as Sean would call it). The beauty of the NBA is that there is always a low-ownership bench player that randomly decides to go off for 25 points which translates into a nice DFS score.
If you’ve been struggling to cash your NBA lineups or if you’re a DFS veteran just looking for a second opinion, you’ve come to the right place. I’m going to take a look at some of the best players available on the NBA slate for Wednesday, August 12th on DraftKings.
I’m going to do things a little differently today. Normally, I’ll break down the players by salary. However, today’s slate will be much like yesterday’s. All kinds of starters are out for their various “injuries” and others are playing limited minutes as they get ready for the playoffs. Today, I’m just going to talk about some various players to eye.
James Harden – HOU ($11,100)
Playing James Harden today is really going to depend on your strategy and how many entries you are playing, but you’re going to want him if possible. Houston has already announced that Russell Westbrook will sit this game against Indiana out after carrying the load while Harden was off last game. There are quite a few teams that have been rotating their star players each game for rest, and it looks like the Rockets will do the same.
Harden is already one of the most consistent players on the floor, but his usage goes through the ceiling when Westbrook is out. He’s a pricey option, but he’s scored at least 60 fantasy points in three of his five games since the return and he can be counted on.
Kyle Lowry – TOR ($8,600)
You may have guessed by the photo at the top, but I love Kyle Lowry today. His Raptors are taking on the 76ers who are without Ben Simmons, and they sat Tobias Harris, Joel Embiid and Josh Richardson last game. Richardson’s day off was listed as rest and he’ll be back, but Embiid and Harris have been dealing with lingering injuries. I feel like they will lean towards the side of caution and get their stars as healthy as possible before the playoffs.
Lowry took a rest day last game, and he will be fresh. With no real defensive threat in the backcourt of Philadelphia, Lowry will continue to look sharp in the bubble. Since the return, he’s averaging 40 fantasy points per game and Lowry will be a consistent anchor for your lineup.
Paul George – LAC ($8,400)
Be sure to keep an eye on the injury report because there’s no official word yet on if he will go, but I believe Paul George will take the court Wednesday. He took a day of rest last game which isn’t something you see George do every day. The Clippers and the Nuggets both have two games left, and there’s a game and a half separating them. I’m sure the Clippers aren’t going to be overly upset if they lose this one. Still, a win locks up the second seed in the Western Conference and a loss will force a must win in their last game.
George has averaged 42.25 fantasy points per game since the return of the NBA, and he’s a consistent scorer when he’s on the floor. I expect him to suit up for this one, and I look for another spectacular performance.
Jamal Murray – DEN ($7,000)
The pricing on Jamal Murray today is downright disrespectful. Murray is one of the key pieces in this Nuggets offense, and a win for his team here will move them within a half game of their opponent (the Clippers). With only one game remaining after today, this is one that Denver probably like to win.
Something that has made me a believer of Murray, he can still provide you some value with 25 fantasy points on nights where he simply doesn’t have it. Murray’s also shown us before that he can top the 50 fantasy point mark, and he tends to play well in clutch games. No Patrick Beverly equals a much weaker backcourt defense for the Clippers. Ensure you throw Murray in your lineup today as he will have a big game.
Robert Covington – HOU ($6,800)
I’m dipping back in to the Houston pool to play Robert Covington today. He hasn’t been quite the explosive scorer that we saw playing to get out of Minnesota earlier in the season, but he plays his role well with the Rockets.
There’s two things I like about Covington that I feel makes him a viable DFS option each game. First, the fact that he very rarely dips below the 20 fantasy point mark and he hangs around the 25-30 fantasy point range. The second thing I like is the upside he brings as he has been known to top the 40 fantasy point mark in the past. You’re getting exactly as advertised with Covington, and that’s enough for me to trust him.
Tyler Herro – MIA ($5,300)
As long as DraftKings continues to gift me Tyler Herro at a cheap price, I will continue to roster him. Herro’s playing time will fluctuate as the Heat have been known to stick to the hot hand some games. However, he averages around 25 minutes per game and has topped this mark in two of his last three games. Herro will consistently get you at least 20 fantasy points, and there’s always that chance that he drops 51 fantasy points (example: Saturday’s game against the Suns). I love to bargain shop when I can, and you can’t beat the consistency and upside for the pricing of Tyler Herro.
Darius Bazley – OKC ($4,800)
This play is solely based on the assumption that Steven Adams or Danilo Gallinari will continue to miss action. Darius Bazley could be a sneaky play even if the Thunder are with their original starting five, but I’m willing to bet that he will continue to see a decent amount of playing time.
Bazley has taken advantage of the extra playing time as he’s scored 23 fantasy points followed by 37.25 fantasy points before putting up 45 fantasy points last game. He’s now scored at least 20 points in two straight including a double-double last game, and OKC has to give his hot-hand some more run given his recent output.
Hamidou Diallo – OKC ($3,600)
Hamidou Diallo is the perfect play to fill your lineup when you’re short on cash. Some may have noticed, but the Thunder have been short-handed in basically every game back. We don’t know exactly who will be available and who will be out for Oklahoma City, but it’s almost a guarantee that they will be without at least a few players.
Diallo probably isn’t going to score you 30+ fantasy points, but he’s certainly not been scared to get his shots up. He’s now taken at least 11 shots in two of his last three games, and both times he was having off nights. Diallo is a player that can get hot from the floor, and he shot 4-13 last game. He’s not typically a guy that has two bad nights in a row, and I love the cheap play of Diallo.
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