NBA DFS Picks For Fanduel 8/10/2020

I don't know how it happened, but we managed to cash in 50-50s yesterday with Embiid getting hurt in the first quarter, and Kemba scoring less than 15. It feels great to return with a nice 2 win streak after going cold for a little bit. The slate today is riddled with injuries, creating a ton of different lineup opportunities. Dallas and Oklahoma City are basically without their entire roster, and there are tons of injuries to still monitor. Anyways, let's jump right into the picks for the slate!

Injury News:

- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander/Danilo Gallinari/Nerlens Noel/Steven Adams are all out for the Thunder.

- Luka Doncic/Kristaps Porzingis/Dorian Finney-Smith are all out for the Mavericks.

- Goran Dragic/Jimmy Butler should play today after missing the Heat's last few games.

- Donovan Mitchell has been ruled out for today's contest.

- Giannis Antetokounmpo is probable to play with a toothache.

- LeBron James/Anthony Davis/Dwight Howard are all considered probable for today's affair.

- T.J. Warren is listed as questionable with a foot injury.

- Kelly Oubre is doubtful to make his first bubble appearance. (update: ruled out)

- (update: Giannis ruled out)

- (update: Kyle Lowry/Fred VanVleet/Serge Ibaka are all questionable)

Point Guard:

Chris Paul - $7,500:

Chris Paul is basically the only Thunder starter that will be playing today. He has very high upside if he plays his normal minutes, but there is a chance he rests for a half with the Thunder holding out all of their other starters to be cautious. He is a bit of a risk, but one that could greatly pay off if he gets the usage that he should.

Kyle Lowry - $6,800:

* is now questionable*

$6,800 is a fantastic price tag for Kyle Lowry. His fantasy performance thus far in the bubble consist of Fanduel scorings of 57.8, 36.1, 35.8, 25.4, and 38.4 points. All of those but one would hit value easily at his current price tag. The Raptors have a competitive game with the Bucks, and I think both teams will play their usual rotations to try to prove who the better team is.

Trey Burke - $3,700:

The Mavericks' roster is decimated for the slate today leaving Trey Burke as one of their better scoring options. Burke had already seen over 20 minutes in all but 1 game of the NBA restart, but without Luka at the helm, he should see over 30. With the usage he should see this afternoon with a near minimum price, Trey Burke is close to a must play.

Other great plays: Jamal Murray - $6,500, Eric Bledsoe - $5,700, Aaron Holiday - $4,600, Monte Morris - $4,000, J.J. Barea - $3,500

Shooting Guard:

Jimmy Butler - $7,500:

Jimmy Butler is on track to play today after missing 3 games with a foot injury. If he plays with his usual work load, he is an excellent option on the slate. He scored over 40 FD points in both of his games prior to injury, and I would expect him to be around there today if healthy. Butler and Warren have had some heated moments before, so this rematch could see a boost in his value. *Make sure to check status before lock*

Fred VanVleet - $6,800:

* is now questionable*

Like Lowry, $6,800 is a very good price tag for FVV. In the bubble, he has only failed to over 38 FD points once, which would be terrific value at his cost. I am clueless as to why he got a price decrease after the last slate, but let's take advantage of it. He will be in my lineup today.

Luguentz Dort - $3,900:

Luguentz Dort is a superb value play for anyone who needs a cheap option at the position. He has seen over 30 minutes in all but 1 of the Thunder's bubble games so far, and that was with most of the team being healthy. Also, he has scored over 20 FD points in his last 4 games, so he isn't much of a threat to bust. Great play in all formats.

Other great plays: Khris Middleton - $7,200, Jordan Clarkson - $4,400, Delon Wright - $4,200, Donte DiVincenzo - $4,000

Small Forward:

T.J. Warren - $7,500:

Mr. Bubble MVP himself will be a lock in my lineup if he suits up today. Warren is listed as questionable, but he played in the Pacers' last game, so I think he does again today. His unreal fantasy performances since the NBA restart include 67.3, 74.2, 50.9, 34.7, and 43.5 FD point outings. He even got a price decrease since the last slate he was on, making him even more intriguing. *Make sure to check status before lock*

Pascal Siakam - $7,300:

Pascal Siakam finally found himself again on Sunday as he scored 26 points against the Grizzlies. That performance still wasn't good enough to impress most of his fantasy owners, but that was because he only recorded 1 rebound and 3 assists. I don't expect him to only have 4 combined rebounds and assists again, so I think he finally has his fantasy showing that we have been waiting for. Most models project him to do very well.

Tim Hardaway Jr. - $4,900:

As we know by now, the Mavericks will be without their top players today. Tim Hardaway Jr. should be the best player on the court for his team today, which means that he should get drastically more usage than normal. At $4,900, I don't foresee many scenarios where he doesn't reach value. He has huge boom potential today, with relatively low odds of busting.

Other great plays: Joe Ingles - $5,200, Mikal Bridges - $4,800, O.G. Anunoby - $4,200, Darius Bazley - $3,600

Power Forward:

Anthony Davis - $9,200:

I know this isn't the best player analysis, but I just have a gut feeling that Anthony Davis going to have a monster performance today. The Lakers will face off against the 3 seed of the West as of now in the Nuggets, and I think they will want to prove themselves after a slow start to the NBA bubble. Anthony Davis has had a disappointing last 3 games, but I just have a feeling. He is a fine fade if you don't share those same feelings as me about him on the slate.

Maxi Kleber - $4,700:

Mavericks' team today = more opportunity for everyone. There isn't a whole lot more that needs to be said. Kleber is always a good value play at the right price tag, especially with a situation like the one he is in now. Good option in both cash and GPP.

Serge Ibaka - $4,600:

* is now questionable*

Serge Ibaka exploded for 43.9 FD points in yesterday's match-up against Memphis. I don't predict him to have a repeat performance, but he only needs to get a little over half of what he got to reach value. At around the same price, there is a shot that you will need to choose between Ibaka and Kleber, unless playing both. Ibaka has a much higher ceiling, but Kleber is more safe in my eyes.

Other great plays: Bam Adebayo - $7,900, Paul Millsap - $4,300, Dario Saric - $3,900, Mike Muscala - $3,500

Center:

Nikola Jokic - $8,500:

I don't think there has been a single time in the bubble where Jokic has played and he wasn't in my article. If his price continues to stay around this mark, I will continue to mention him too. With the amount of usage that he sees on offense, he always has an opportunity for a huge fantasy showing, while having a pretty high floor as well. The Lakers' defense is very good, but I don't expect it to hinder his performance by much.

Deandre Ayton - $7,700:

If you aren't a fan of Jokic today, then Ayton is an excellent pivot off of him with a bit of a price decrease. The Suns are still undefeated in the bubble and fighting for a spot in the play-in game, so he should continue to see a ton of minutes. Also, OKC's roster is depleted today, so there aren't many players who are going to oppose him.

Marc Gasol - $4,500:

Although I am not a huge fan of playing him, Gasol is probably the safest of the cheap centers on the slate. Players like Olynyk and Marjonovic have more chances to smash value, but they also have a chance of costing your lineup with dud performances. Gasol shouldn't cost your lineup, but probably won't win you it either. More of a cash play than GPP, but I prefer the 2 players above in both formats.

Other great plays: Rudy Gobert - $7,800, Miles Turner - $6,100, Kelly Olynyk - $4,600, Boban Marjanovic - $3,500

Core/Example Lineup:

There are a ton of great value plays for the slate due to the massive number of injuries or players resting. With that being said, there are infinite possibilities of great lineups that can be made. Make sure to monitor the status of players like Butler and Warren, but I will likely be rostering them both if they play. My core 3 for the slate as of now are Trey Burke, Fred VanVleet (update: now questionable), and T.J. Warren, if he plays. Check @SportsVerseHQ for possible lineup updates when more news is released.

As said before, I am going to stop posting my lineups until I am on a hot streak. I am currently on a 2 streak, so if I hit today, then they will be included again. If you would still like my lineup, follow @SportsVerseHQ or @Excyphir, and send a message on twitter to receive it. Good luck!