Draft Kings

DraftKings Preview: Best Value Plays 12/9

Need help filling out your DraftKings lineup with low-priced players? Here are tonight’s best values.

Alan Draper profile picture
Sports Editor
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With 10 NBA games tipping off tonight, you have plenty of options to choose from when building your DraftKings lineup. In order to win big on DraftKings, you usually need to pick out some of the cheaper players in order to afford some of the stars who consistently post great numbers.

Each Wednesday, we’re helping you pick out some of the better value plays that should have good outings given their upcoming matchup. Having these cheaper players perform well for your team is key in taking home cash. These weekly DraftKings preview articles are designed to shine the light on those players who cost less than $6,000 and should play well.

If you haven’t done so already, be sure to enter our DraftKings league before 7 p.m. ET tonight. It is $3 (or free for new users) and it has a $300,000 prize pool, including a $20,000 first-place prize). Here are six cheap plays to keep an eye on tonight:

PG: Zach LaVine, Minnesota Timberwolves – $5,200

LaVine looks to have a very friendly matchup tonight. LaVine and the Timberwolves take on a Lakers team that ranks 26th against opposing point guards. Not to mention, the Lakers currently own the league’s second-worst defense and are giving up 107.2 points per 100 possessions.

LaVine has been very consistent this season and is averaging nearly 26 fantasy points per game. He recorded 21 points, three rebounds, two assists and a steal in 25 minutes of action on Monday against the Clippers. He’s also shown that he can get hot from behind the three-point line at times, which should warrant a spot in your lineup considering the bonus points DraftKings hands out for three-pointers.

Honorable Mention: Ramon Sessions – $3,600

SG: Kyle Korver, Atlanta Hawks – $4,500

Korver represents probably one of the best value plays given his price tag and his production. As a starter, he’s averaging 31.7 minutes per game and is still shooting extremely well – converting on 49 percent of all of his shots, including 43 percent from three-point range.

Korver faces a great matchup tonight against a Dallas Mavericks team that ranks 23rd against shooting guards. He’s averaging 21 fantasy points per game, and should give you that again tonight in a favorable matchup.

Honorable Mention: Wesley Matthews – $5,000

SF: Jae Crowder, Boston Celtics – $5,700

With perhaps the best small forward out tonight, this may be where you want to take a cheaper player. Kawhi Leonard is listed as questionable tonight against Toronto with an illness, so Crowder could be an option for you if you don’t want to overspend at this position.

On the season, Crowder is averaging 26 fantasy points per game and has pieced together seven-straight outings with at least 21 fantasy points. Over that stretch, Crowder is shooting 43 percent from three-point range. Chicago ranks 26th against opposing small forwards, which should allow Crowder to have another productive game tonight.

Honorable Mention: Jared Dudley – $4,200

PF: Nikola Mirotic, Chicago Bulls – $5,000

Mirotic earned our pick last week, but managed only nine fantasy points. He left after five minutes of action after getting hit with an inadvertent elbow to the face that required stitches. Mirotic didn’t miss any games for the Bulls and returned to the lineup on Saturday. We’re going to go back to Mirotic at power forward again given his low price tag.

Mirotic put up 20.8 fantasy points on Saturday, and followed that up with 31.3 fantasy points on Monday. He had 13 points, seven rebounds, four assists, a steal and a block during that game on Monday and seems to have put that injury behind him. He should continue the strong play tonight against the Celtics, who rank 22nd against power forwards.

Honorable Mention: Julius Randle – $6,000

C: Gorgui Dieng, Minnesota Timberwolves – $4,900

Look for Dieng to have a solid game for you tonight. He’s averaging 20.3 fantasy points per game and has scored at least 22 fantasy points in each of his last seven games. Over this stretch, he’s averaging 27 minutes per game off of the bench for the Timberwolves.

As we previously mentioned, the Lakers have the second-worst defense in the league and are also second-worst against opposing centers. Dieng is also a threat to block shots, which are worth two points each in DraftKings. He’s averaging one block per game and has already turned in a five-block performance this season.

Honorable Mention: Bismack Biyombo – $5,000

UTIL: Otto Porter, Washington Wizards – $5,800

Porter has been very hot over his last three outings, as he’s averaging 34.7 fantasy points per game. DraftKings rewards bonus points for double-doubles and Porter has recorded back-to-back double-double performances. He should continue his strong play against a Rockets team that ranks dead-last in the league versus small forwards.

Let me know how your team did by reaching out to me on Twitter, @CodyTaylorNBA.

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We encourage you to give these players a look as you build your starting lineups for tonight. Here are three contests you can enter now:

$300K Sharpshooter: This league is only $3 to enter (or free for new users) and it features a $300,000 prize pool, including a $20,000 first-place prize. CLICK HERE TO DRAFT YOUR TEAM.

Massive $5 Double Up: In this league, anyone who finishes in the top half of the field doubles their $5 entry fee, winning $10. CLICK HERE TO DRAFT YOUR TEAM.

$350K Shootaround: This league is $20 to enter because it features a $350,000 prize pool and a $50,000 first-place prize. Because only the top 4,125 teams win cash, the prizes are much bigger. CLICK HERE TO DRAFT YOUR TEAM.

Alan is an expert gambling writer who works as one of the chief editors for Basketball Insiders. He has been covering online gambling and sports betting for over 8 years, having written for the likes of Sportlens, Compare.bet, The Sports Daily, 90min, and TopRatedCasinos.co.uk. His particular specialisms include US online casinos and gambling regulations, and soccer and basketball betting. Based in London, Alan holds an MA in English Literature and is a passionate supporter of Chelsea FC.

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