Thursday, Oct. 28, brings a six-game main slate with a host of players listed as questionable or doubtful. Let’s look at the player pool and discuss the top NBA DFS picks for DraftKings, FanDuel and Yahoo lineups. Do not forget to head over to the Awesemo NBA DFS home page for more great written daily fantasy basketball content.
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NBA DFS Picks: Building Blocks, Thursday, Oct. 28
Yahoo Play of the Day — Dejounte Murray: San Antonio Spurs at Dallas Mavericks
- Awesemo’s Preliminary Point Projections: Yahoo and FanDuel: 40.07 | DraftKings: 41.25
- Awesemo’s Preliminary Rostered Projections: Yahoo 21.8% | FanDuel 17.9% | DraftKings 6.4%
- DFS Salary: Yahoo $33 | FanDuel $8,300 | DraftKings $8,800
Dejounte Murray is coming off a triple-double, and though that came in an overtime game in which he played 40 minutes, it demonstrates his ability to contribute across several statistical categories. Keep in mind that DeMar DeRozan and Patty Mills are no longer with the Spurs, so Murray and backcourt mate Derrick White are the main offensive options and facilitators for San Antonio. On a per-minute basis, Murray has been averaging 1.31 Yahoo points, which is well above his 1.1 fantasy points from the last two seasons. Though this will likely settle somewhere in the 1.2 to 1.25 range over the course of the season, it has not yet been factored into the Yahoo salary algorithm. White is also in play at a friendly $25 for those who are budget conscious tonight.
Luka Doncic: Dallas Mavericks vs. San Antonio Spurs
- Awesemo’s Preliminary Point Projections: Yahoo and FanDuel: 52.09 | DraftKings: 56.04
- Awesemo’s Preliminary Rostered Projections: Yahoo 24.6% | FanDuel 31.4% | DraftKings 24.6%
- DFS Salary: Yahoo $52 | FanDuel $10,700 | DraftKings $11,000
The Mavericks have a nice matchup tonight against the Spurs, who are playing faster and with worse defensive efficiency than they have in years past. Through three games Luka Doncic has been struggling with his shot, but that should come around soon enough. Once that happens he will see an uptick in scoring, which will more than compensate for the inevitable return for his 11.3 rebounds per game sliding back towards 8 to 8.5. Tonight there is a chance that Kristaps Porzingis will be out after leaving the last game in the third quarter with back tightness. If he is out, Doncic moves from a terrific play to arguably the best option on the board. Either way, he will certainly be popular, though there are plenty of ways to differentiate lineups at other positions.
Ja Morant: Memphis Grizzlies at Golden State Warriors
- Awesemo’s Preliminary Point Projections: Yahoo and FanDuel: 37.27 | DraftKings: 39.55
Awesemo’s Preliminary Rostered Projections: Yahoo 21% | FanDuel 1.7% | DraftKings 3.2%
DFS Salary: Yahoo $35 | FanDuel $10,000 | DraftKings $9,600
While this is the fourth game in six days for the Grizzlies as they wrap up a West Coast road trip, Ja Morant only played 32 minutes last night, as the starters were pulled for the final 5:34 in a blowout loss to the Trail Blazers in Portland. Even in the shortened action, Morant still notched 36.8 Yahoo points. On the season he is averaging 1.42 fantasy points per minute, which is a major step up from his 1.08 his first two seasons. It looks like he is on the cusp of leveling up, and the matchup against the Warriors tonight should be a fast-paced affair. Morant is an absolute steal at $35 in Yahoo, which makes him a core option in all formats on Thursday.
Yahoo Daily Fantasy Basketball Discount Dandies
Jalen Brunson: Dallas Mavericks vs. San Antonio Spurs
- Awesemo’s Preliminary Point Projections: Yahoo and FanDuel: 22.47 | DraftKings: 23.44
- Awesemo’s Preliminary Rostered Projections: Yahoo 18.8% | FanDuel 12.7% | DraftKings 11.7%
- DFS Salary: Yahoo $11 | FanDuel $4,900 | DraftKings $5,000
Once again Jalen Brunson is looking like a stellar option on Yahoo at only a dollar above the minimum salary, and he is one of the top bargain plays across the other DFS sites. Brunson has been running the offense whenever Doncic is off the court while playing around 10 minutes per game alongside him. When Porzingis left the game with a back issue in the third quarter on Tuesday, Brunson replaced him and never left the floor for the remainder of the game. Though Brunson is the fourth offensive option behind Doncic, Porzingis and Tim Hardaway Jr., he has an established role in the offense and is becoming a go-to player for new head coach Jason Kidd.
Alex Caruso: Chicago Bulls vs. New York Knicks
- Awesemo’s Preliminary Point Projections: Yahoo and FanDuel: 20.95 | DraftKings: 20.76
- Awesemo’s Preliminary Rostered Projections: Yahoo 6.2% | FanDuel 1% | DraftKings 8%
- DFS Salary: Yahoo $11 | FanDuel $5,000 | DraftKings $4,300
This is a reasonable salary for Alex Caruso, as he is becoming a key part of the new-look Bulls, who have won four straight to open the season. Tonight they are taking on the Knicks and are 2-point home favorites. Caruso should have a steady baseline of 20 to 22 minutes in the rotation, and then he has additional opportunities in the back half of the fourth quarter with the closing unit depending on what the opposing team runs out. Caruso is a solid backcourt defender, he can move without the ball, and he also is a decent shooter. This gives him the edge in the closing lineup over Patrick Williams, particularly if the opponent only has one big on the floor to match Nikola Vucevic.
Dwight Powell: Dallas Mavericks vs. San Antonio Spurs
- Awesemo’s Preliminary Point Projections: Yahoo and FanDuel: 19.44 | DraftKings: 18.96
- Awesemo’s Preliminary Rostered Projections: Yahoo 3.2% | FanDuel 3.7% | DraftKings 14%
- DFS Salary: Yahoo $10 | FanDuel $4,600 | DraftKings $3,700
There is some risk with Dwight Powell’s upside, though as long as he is starting he is in play on Yahoo and DraftKings for his low salary. If everyone is healthy, there is uncertainty with the fourth quarter minutes, as Porzingis and Maxi Kleber could easily play the nominal center role and ace out Powell. However, he has played fourth quarter minutes with both players, and Kidd’s preferences with this roster are not clear yet. If Porzingis is out tonight, that provides a little more certainty for minutes going to Powell, but it does not mean extra minutes by any stretch.
Final Thoughts on NBA DFS picks for the Thursday, Oct. 28 Slate
Even with just half a dozen games on the slate, there are quite a few news items that should open up additional value plays or boost the prospects of key offensive stalwarts for some teams. Keep in mind that salaries and scoring formats differ across the various fantasy sites, and a slam-dunk play on Yahoo may be a below-average NBA DFS pick on DraftKings or FanDuel.
