Danilo Gallinari could have a fantasy coming out game this evening. A revenge game against his former team could spark him, too, with Denver surrendering the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing small forwards.
See below for a breakdown of value plays for tonight’s slate of games on Fan Duel by FantasyPros.
Nikola Vucevic (C – ORL) vs. DET $9,700
We initially wanted to squeeze Vooch into the studs section, but there were five guys I couldn’t pass up on. That lands him here, though, playing some of the best basketball of his career right now. Over his last 10 games, Vucevic is averaging 52 FD points per game. Most importantly, the offense is being run through him with Aaron Gordon and all of the aforementioned point guards injured. Not to mention, Detroit surrenders the most fantasy points in the NBA to opposing centers.
Darius Garland (PG – CLE) vs. OKC $5,900
Garland is in this article so much that his name is starting to get burned into my screen. The simple fact is, these sites keep him way too cheap. We’re talking about a guy who averaged 34 FanDuel points per game before his injury and has not been far off of that recently. In fact, he’s averaging 28 fantasy points per game across his last 12 outings. That makes it hard to believe he remains below $6,000, especially considering this is a 21-year-old getting better by the day. Not to mention, Oklahoma City ranks 22nd in total defense.
Michael Carter-Williams (PG – ORL) vs. DET $4,500
With Markelle Fultz and Cole Anthony going down, MCW has stumbled into a solid role as the starting point guard in Orlando. Since returning from injury last week, Carter-Williams has played at least 27 minutes in four-straight games, averaging 25.4 FD points per game in that span. That’s really all you can ask for from someone this cheap, and we haven’t even discussed this superb matchup against a 21st-ranked Detroit defense.
Al Horford (C – OKC) at CLE $6,300
Big Al has quietly had a resurgent season for the Thunder, and he really deserves more credit for what he’s done. Since coming off maternity leave last month, Horford has scored at least 27 FanDuel points in nine of his last 11 games. He’s also averaging 37.3 FD points per game in that span, and that makes this price tag look silly. Facing Cleveland only adds to his intrigue, with the Cavaliers ranked 23rd in defensive efficiency.
Nerlens Noel (PF – NYK) vs. MIN $5,300
With Mitchell Robinson out for the next four weeks, Noel will continue to start at the center. While he’s yet to have a big game, we can’t overlook the fact that he’s playing 30 minutes a game as the starter. What’s amazing is that he’s averaging 25 fantasy points per game in that expanded role, despite never taking more than seven shots or reaching double-digits in scoring in any game. That means he could go nut if he records a double-double, which he’s certainly capable of when you look at some of his past statistics.
Danilo Gallinari (SF – ATL) vs. DEN $4,600
Gallo’s numbers are not going to sway you to use him but look a little deeper. He’s actually seen his minutes slowly creep up recently, playing at least 24 minutes in four-straight. What we really like is that he’s taken at least 13 shots in three of those outings. If he keeps playing that much and taking that many shots, it’s just a matter of time before he starts dropping 25-plus fantasy points at ease. A revenge game against his former team could spark him, too, with Denver surrendering the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing small forwards.
Cedi Osman (SF – CLE) vs. OKC $5,400
With Andre Drummond, Kevin Love, Larry Nance Jr, and Taurean Prince all nicked up, Osman remains a fantastic value. This guy’s been productive all season when given the minutes, scoring at least 28 FD points in the nine games he’s played at least 32 minutes. While he didn’t reach 32 minutes on Friday, Osman still dropped 31 FD points! If you get that from a $5,400 player, you’ll have no problem fitting in two or three of the studs we’ll discuss later on.
Dennis Smith Jr. (PG – DET) vs. MIN $4,600
Now that Derrick Rose is in New York and Delon Wright is dealing with a groin issue, it’s time to see what DSJ can do! He’s the only point guard remaining, providing 28 FD points across 23 minutes of action in that fill-in on Friday. This is a former top-pick, and he definitely has the ability to go off if given the opportunity. The best part about this might be the matchup, though, with Minnesota ranked 27th in points allowed and 24th in defensive efficiency.
Will Barton (SF – DEN) at ATL $5,200
The Nuggets are yet another short-handed team, missing guys like Gary Harris, P.J. Dozier, Paul Millsap, and JaMychal Green. That leaves the wing positions very thin, forcing Barton into some big minutes. That’s evident when you see that Barton has played at least 34 minutes in six of his last seven games. He’s definitely had some duds in that stretch, but he’s too talented to be this cheap, especially with a workload like this.
Seth Curry (SG – PHI) at TOR $4,000
Curry was clearly hampered in his return from COVID, but recent results would indicate that he’s over it. He’s played at least 34 minutes in five-straight games, averaging over 21 FD points per game across his last seven outings. That might not sound too great, but it’s really all you can ask for from a $4K player. Toronto’s not the defense we used to fear either, ranked 16th in defensive efficiency.
