Tuesday, November 15, brings a four-game featured slate with the first action tipping off at 7:30 p.m. ET on both DraftKings and FanDuel. Let’s look at the player pool to discuss the top NBA DFS building blocks today for DraftKings and FanDuel lineups. Be sure to check out the Stokastic NBA DFS & Fantasy Basketball home page, where you can find fantasy basketball picks and analysis for each slate of games.
NBA DFS Building Blocks Today: Tuesday, November 15
Core Play of the Day — Kevin Durant: Brooklyn Nets-Sacramento Kings
- Stokastic’s Preliminary Point Projections: DraftKings: 54.55 | FanDuel: 53.12
- Stokastic’s Preliminary Rostered Projections: DraftKings: 20.9% | FanDuel: 28.6%
- DFS Salary: DraftKings: $11,200 | FanDuel: $11,300
Kevin Durant once again is the core building block today, with the point guard position providing several top-shelf options. Kyrie Irving still has two more games on his team mandated suspension, and Ben Simmons has played in only three of the last eight games, moving to a bench role that has seen him with more than 16 minutes just once. He was out Sunday with a sore back and is currently listed as questionable.
Since Brooklyn fired head coach Steve Nash, the team is 4-2 thanks to Durant. The Nets have a 99.7 defensive efficiency rating during this stretch while also slowing their pace of play down to just 95.5 possessions per 48 minutes. Sacramento plays at an above-average pace with a below-average defense, which bodes well for Durant.
This has been a productive season for Durant from a fantasy perspective, as he is producing his second-best per-game average and the best of the last eight seasons. Everything flows through him when Irving is off the court, and the uber-efficient forward has been outstanding under new head coach Jacque Vaughn. Over the last six games, he is averaging 36.0 minutes per game and 18.7 field goal attempts with a 51.8% success rate. This has culminated in 28.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 2.6 combined blocks and steals for just over 52 fantasy points per appearance.
Domantas Sabonis: Sacramento Kings-Brooklyn Nets
- Stokastic’s Preliminary Point Projections: DraftKings: 44.72 | FanDuel: 42.91
- Stokastic’s Preliminary Rostered Projections: DraftKings: 15.5% | FanDuel: 14.3%
- DFS Salary: DraftKings: $9,200 | FanDuel: $9,600
Tonight Domantas Sabonis and the Kings will be hosting the Nets in one of two West Coast nightcaps. October was a rough month for the 26-year-old, and he finished up the final days of the calendar by fouling out of consecutive games.
Using the beginning of November as an arbitrary starting point, in his last six games, Sabonis is averaging 22.3 points, 12.3 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 1.2 combined blocks and steals. On FanDuel, he is a coveted option with dual position eligibility as a power forward and a center. DraftKings has him as a center-only play, though with the utility spot employed there, we can easily roster two centers.
Additional NBA DFS Picks Today – Sports Wagering Opportunities
Tonight Nic Claxton has an 8.5 over/under line on rebounds for his matchup against the Kings. The Stokastic NBA player projections have him for 11.3 rebounds and a 78% expected win rate. In seven of his last nine games, Claxton has nine or more rebounds. In this stretch, he has averaged 26.7 minutes and 9.4 boards. Sacramento has been in the bottom third of the league this season when it comes to rebounding, and anything short of a double-double for Claxton should be viewed as a disappointment.
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San Antonio Spurs-Portland Trail Blazers
This is a back-to-back for the Spurs, who lost in a landslide 132-95 to the Warriors last night. It was such a shellacking by the hometown team that most of their starters did not set foot on the court in the final frame, aside from Jordan Poole —Â who was filling in for Klay Thompson —Â and a brief, 84-second appearance by Draymond Green.
On the bright side, San Antonio rested Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson and Jakob Poeltl after their third quarter rotations in anticipation of tonight’s game. That trio is definitely one to target, along with point guard Tre Jones, who was out last night with a rumbly in his tumbly. Assuming he is good to go tonight, we have a strong quartet of options in an up-tempo matchup.
Jusuf Nurkic (hip) has missed the last three games and Keon Johnson (hip) the last four; both are questionable tonight, as is Justice Winslow (non-COVID illness), who was out on Saturday. Portland does have a healthy Damian Lillard and Anfernee Simons. After missing 10 days at the end of October and into early November, Lillard has seen his minutes increase for three consecutive games, peaking with Saturday’s 37.7 minutes and 53 fantasy points. Even if his compadres all return, Lillard is a top option tonight against the ole defense of the Spurs.
Simons has a fair salary, as do Jerami Grant and Josh Hart. The more Blazers that are out tonight, the better the fantasy prospects become for the ambulatory options. The value for Drew Eubanks and Trendon Watford depends on Nurkic being out again, and the same goes for Nassir Little and Winslow. If news is still pending when the slate first locks, there will be opportunities for the savvy gamer if proper planning and legwork has been done.
Final Thoughts on NBA DFS Picks Today
Tonight has a wide spread of start times, considering there are only five games on the docket. The first two tilts tip off at 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. ET, with only one matchup beginning before the 10:00 p.m. ET West Coast doubleheader.
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