Nov. 1 brings yet another gigantic 13-gamer, with the large-field contests locking at the traditional 7 p.m. ET on DraftKings and FanDuel, and there are several options in the player pool worth analyzing to find the top NBA DFS building blocks and NBA DFS picks for DraftKings and FanDuel lineups. Luka Doncic and Anthony Davis are popping in projections, though there are ample options to choose from tonight. Let’s dig into the NBA DFS picks and core plays.
NBA DFS Picks & Building Blocks Today: Wednesday, November 1
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Core Play of the Day — Luka Doncic — Dallas Mavericks vs. Chicago Bulls
- Stokastic’s Preliminary Point Projections: DraftKings: 62.17 | FanDuel: 58.98
- Stokastic’s Preliminary Rostered Projections: DraftKings: <5.0% | FanDuel: <5.0%
- DFS Salary: DraftKings: $12,600 | FanDuel: $12,900
Kyrie Irving missed the last game with a sprained foot, and he is listed as questionable once again. Of course, it is enough of a boost to Luka Doncic if he were to be out again, as Doncic has merit as one of the highest median fantasy projections even if Irving plays. Tonight there are 26 teams in action, which should provide ample value options as well as several mid-tier fantasy-point-per-dollar plays that will be revealed throughout the afternoon and through lock.
Through three games this season, Doncic is averaging 36.7 minutes and a 55.6% success rate on 24.0 field goal attempts per game. Even more impressive is the unsustainable 48.6% conversion rate on his 12.3 3-point attempts per tilt. The 24-year-old has improved this facet of his game, as he had a 34.9% conversion rate over the prior three seasons.
Depending on how news breaks, it is likely that Doncic will crest into double-digit projected tournament popularity as more salary cap becomes available with each discount dandy that appears.
Anthony Davis — Los Angeles Lakers vs. Los Angeles Clippers
- Stokastic’s Preliminary Point Projections: DraftKings: 52.07 | FanDuel: 53.27
- Stokastic’s Preliminary Rostered Projections: DraftKings 9.4% | FanDuel: <5.0%
- DFS Salary: DraftKings: $9,800 | FanDuel: $11,600
Tonight we have the first installment for the season of the Battle for Los Angeles, which is always fun. This is a back-to-back for the Clippers, who topped Orlando 118-102 last night. Of course, the dust has not settled yet for the James Harden trade, but the mercurial guard is likely to make his debut on Monday as he works on conditioning and becomes acclimated to yet another new team.
Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Russell Westbrook each played 33 minutes last night, and over the last several seasons, it has been an adventure to find out if the first two of this trio will be playing in back-to-back games. It would be a surprise if Leonard were to play tonight, and George is a coinflip. Westbrook, Bones Hyland, Ivica Zubac and Norman Powell would be the likely players to see 30 minutes tonight.
Anthony Davis has dropped 63-plus fantasy points in each of the last three games, and we all know that when healthy he is a dominant force. Of course, health is the wild card, and he will be turning 31 years old this spring. This is also the third game in the last four days for the Lakers, but the team does not play again until Saturday and just has two games over the next seven days.
Davis has averaged nearly 40 minutes in these last three games, so it would make sense that he could get some in-game rest if it looks like the outcome of the tilt is in hand at the end of the third quarter. Rui Hachimura and Jarred Vanderbilt are out, so Christian Wood and Taurean Prince are names to remember for the two-game late slate.
Brooklyn Nets at Miami Heat
It looks like the understudies on the Brooklyn Nets are stepping into prime time, with starters Spencer Dinwiddie, Nicolas Claxton and Cameron Johnson all out with various maladies. In his last two games, both without Johnson and Claxton and part of the last game without Dinwiddie, Ben Simmons has averaged a tick over 40 fantasy points. In these games he has 10.5 points, 10.0 rebounds, 8.0 assists, and 2.5 combined blocks and steals. For as much as DFS gamers dislike him, he is deserving of our consideration tonight.
Mikal Bridges is only a tertiary tournament target on this 13-game slate, but Lonnie Walker IV is on the short list as one of the better discount dandies on both DraftKings ($4,800) and FanDuel ($4,600), as he is the logical replacement for Dinwiddie as the main offensive facilitator. Last night in 29 minutes, Walker popped off for 19 points, five rebounds and four assists, along with one steal and one block. That is a reasonable target for tonight if he sees minutes in the mid-30s as expected.
Cameron Thomas is one last tournament option, and he can still fill up the basket, even against an above-average defense like Miami’s.
Of course, Bam Adebayo (knee) and Jimmy Butler (knee) are listed as questionable, which is sort of the default position for the Heat. This is not a back-to-back, so the expectation should be that both players are a go tonight, and we will at least know their status before tipoff. Brooklyn’s defense is going to take a hit without three starters and particularly without Claxton. The Heat have a 114.5 implied point total, though they are still going to have to take care of business as 5.5-point home favorites. The team has dropped three straight, so if it can notch a win tonight, it should also get one on Friday against the visiting Washington Wizards and can head into Week 3 with a .500 record.
Additional NBA Building Blocks Pick — Sports Betting Opportunities
Isaiah Stewart is an intriguing option in the sports betting world, with a +200 line to record a double-double. NBA Bet Pro currently has Gordon projected for 35.0 minutes, 12.02 points and 8.39 rebounds, with +160 “True Odds,” which is how OddsShopper measures the potential expected ROI; in this case, it indicates a line that is inefficient by nearly 12%.
Jalen Duren is dealing with a sprained ankle and was not a participant in today’s shootaround, with Marvin Bagley III the likely player added to the starting rotation and James Wiseman coming out of purgatory to get some second-unit minutes. It is likely that this line will move closer to a neutral play, so it is one worth acting quickly on for a half unit of action.
For those who are late to the party, Stewart has +100 odds for over 23.5 points + rebounds + assists (PRA), which has a neutral OddsShopper ROI rating. Adding in 1.44 expected assists to his points and rebounds above gives Stewart a 21.85 median PRA projection. Yes, that is below the target threshold of 23.5 but only by one made field goal, which is easily in the realm of outcomes for Stewart against the Trail Blazers if Duren does sit in advance of tomorrow’s matchup in New Orleans.
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Final Thoughts on NBA DFS Picks & Building Blocks Today
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