Oct. 29 keeps the season moving along with the first Sunday action and some intriguing information. Tonight the five-game slate gets under way at 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. Can Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard elevate Milwaukee back to title contention? Let’s dig into the NBA DFS picks and core plays.
NBA DFS Picks & Building Blocks Today: Sunday, October 29
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Core Play of the Day — Giannis Antetokounmpo — Milwaukee Bucks vs. Atlanta Hawks
- Stokastic’s Preliminary Point Projections: DraftKings: 47.91 | FanDuel: 46.83
- Stokastic’s Preliminary Rostered Projections: DraftKings 16.0% | FanDuel: 18.7%
- DFS Salary: DraftKings: $9,500 | FanDuel: $10,000
After playing 16 minutes on Thursday, Khris Middleton has been ruled out for rest tonight. He missed so much time last season that he was mostly a non-factor. Of course, there has been a major shift in the Milwaukee lineup with Damian Lillard replacing Jrue Holiday. Lillard was outstanding in the opener, recording 39 points, eight rebounds, four assists and a whopping 17 free-throw attempts, which he converted perfectly. He is very much in play tonight and is one of three players with a 50-plus median fantasy point projection.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is, of course, the real crown jewel tonight, and he was solid in the first game, playing 35 minutes and registering 22 field goal attempts. This resulted in 23 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists, and four combined blocks and steals for a tick shy of 50 fantasy points. Had he done even slightly better from the charity stripe, where he sunk only three of nine attempts, he would have easily cleared that nominal threshold.
Over the last six seasons, Antetokounmpo has averaged nearly 55 fantasy points per game, and that is going to be his typical baseline on the regular once again. Milwaukee plays again tomorrow as the Miami Heat come to town, so it would not be a surprise to see the dynamic duo taking it easy in the fourth quarter if the team takes care of business.
Malik Beasley is a new addition who is replacing Grayson Allen in the starting lineup, and he is likely to get a couple extra opportunities with Middleton out. It remains to be seen if Jae Crowder, Bobby Portis or Pat Connaughton will be entering the starting lineup for Middleton. This trio are neutral plays tonight, though whichever draws the starting nod is likely to get an extra 4 to 5 minutes, which is usually around a 15% fantasy boost.
Joel Embiid — Philadelphia 76ers vs. Portland Trail Blazers
- Stokastic’s Preliminary Point Projections: DraftKings: 56.62 | FanDuel: 56.61
- Stokastic’s Preliminary Rostered Projections: DraftKings 14.3% | FanDuel: 25.2%
- DFS Salary: DraftKings: $10,700 | FanDuel: $11,200
UPDATE:Â And of course, now word is that Embiid may get a rest day. This is a 7:30 p.m. ET tipoff, so we may not have official word on his status when contests lock. Fortunately we can change to Domantas Sabonis or Anthony Davis as a bail-out option.
James Harden will not be suiting up tonight for “conditioning” reasons. It feels like Joel Embiid has had to deal with an endless parade of moody teammates, shaky coaches and, of course, The Process. He is the reigning NBA MVP and rivals Antetokounmpo and Lillard as the top fantasy producers in the player pool. This is a back-to-back as well as the third game in four nights for the Sixers, but the team does not play again until Thursday.
Embiid can be projected for right around 35 minutes, and he should have a little pep in his step, as this is the first game in front of the Philly faithful. Though they were behind in the first half, the 76ers took a double-digit lead early in the third quarter and did not relinquish it for the remainder of the game, pulling out a 114-107 win in Toronto.
Tyrese Maxey is the other key member of the offense, and he should continue flirting with the 40-fantasy-point plateau for as long as Harden is out. Newcomer Kelly Oubre Jr. is providing offense off the bench, and he has been in the closing lineup for each of the first two games. The rest of the roster is not particularly appealing at their current salaries and roles, unless, of course, someone else is unexpectedly ruled out.
Domantas Sabonis — Sacramento Kings vs. Los Angeles Lakers
- Stokastic’s Preliminary Point Projections: DraftKings: 47.11 | FanDuel: 45.03
- Stokastic’s Preliminary Rostered Projections: DraftKings 3.9% | FanDuel: 9.4%
- DFS Salary: DraftKings: $9,900 | FanDuel: $10,300
Domantas Sabonis is an intriguing pivot away from Embiid tonight in a matchup against the Lakers. Sacramento is favored by a bucket at home, and the team will be looking to light the beam once again this season.
Last season the 27-year-old led the league in rebounding, and he looks poised to defend his crown. He was a near-lock for a double-double, putting up 65 in his 79 (82.3%) of his games, along with 14 triple-doubles that trailed only the 29 of Nikola Jokic. Sabonis is a real threat to take a step up to the next level and be one of the few NBA players to average 50 fantasy points per game. In a fun twist, he scored 40 or more fantasy points in 83% of his games, giving him an outstanding floor with ample access to upside.
Additional NBA DFS Building Blocks Pick — Sports Betting Opportunities
Even if you do not get to Sabonis in your DFS lineups, you can still look to capitalize on his upside in the sports wagering market with his +650 odds of recording a triple-double. In his last four games against the Lakers, he has reached this milestone twice and missed by three and four assists in the other two games.
For those looking for a more traditional bet, he also has a -106 on the over of 38.5 points + rebounds + assists (PRA). NBA Bet Pro currently has Sabonis with +108 “True Odds,” which is how OddsShopper measures the potential expected ROI; in this case, it is actually -6%, so you will want to let your confidence drive your final decision on this bet. This is a more exotic recommendation, so scaling back to a half unit is an appropriate bet size.
Currently Sabonis projects for 34.3 minutes, 18.52 points, 12.78 rebounds and 6.69 assists for 37.99 PRA. That is a touch shy of the threshold set by the books, but keep in mind that is a median projection and there is a wide range of actual outcomes.
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Final Thoughts on NBA DFS Picks & Building Blocks Today
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