Bulls–Knicks carries the night. The Knicks hold the highest implied total on the slate at 123.0, and they are 12.5-point favorites in a game whose 233.5 total ranks second. Jazz–Pelicans has the top total at 233.6, and Hawks–Wizards is third at 232.0. Eleven games lock at 7:00 PM ET on Wednesday, November 4, and the last tips come at 9:00 PM ET in Raptors–Nuggets and Trail Blazers–Suns.
Several key players are out. Kawhi Leonard is out for the Raptors, Chet Holmgren for the Thunder, Jalen Duren for the Pistons and Ja Morant for the Trail Blazers, and Anthony Edwards and Tyrese Haliburton are out too. Jayson Tatum (DK $10,100) and Josh Hart (DK $6,000) are questionable for 7:30 PM ET games. Jalen Johnson (DK $9,900) is questionable for a Hawks game that tips at lock. Hornets–Nets has the lowest total at 213.1, and the Celtics are 11.5-point favorites over the Bucks.
Injury Watch
- Kawhi Leonard (Raptors, out)
- Chet Holmgren (Thunder, out)
- Jalen Duren (Pistons, out)
- Ja Morant (Trail Blazers, out)
- Egor Demin (Nets, out)
- Jayson Tatum (DK $10,100) (Celtics, questionable)
- Jalen Johnson (DK $9,900) (Hawks, questionable)
- Josh Hart (DK $6,000) (Knicks, questionable)
Point Guard
Cade Cunningham (DK $9,300)
Jalen Duren is out, and Cunningham carries the Pistons against the 76ers with a 31.6% usage rate over a 34-minute projection. He scored 60.3 DK points against the Hornets on November 2, and his last-three average is 48.4.
The Pistons carry a 111.0 implied total, and the books set Cunningham at 24 points and 7.9 assists. His 11.5% optimal rate is the top mark at point guard, and he is one of the field's favorite guards on the slate.
Mikel Brown Jr. (DK $4,800)
Brown runs point for the Nets against the Hornets with Egor Demin out. He projects for 27 minutes at a 26.2% usage rate. He is 8.9% owned with a 10.2% optimal rate.
Immanuel Quickley (DK $6,900)
Quickley scored 36.5 DK points against the Clippers on November 2, and his optimal rate is 10.1%. Kawhi Leonard is out for the Raptors, and Quickley projects for 32 minutes against the Nuggets with a 2.9 line on made threes.
Shooting Guard
Josh Hart (DK $6,000)
The Knicks carry the top implied total on the slate at 123.0 against the Bulls, and Hart holds a 30-minute projection in that offense. He scored 31.5 DK points against the Nets on November 2, with a 23.5 average over his last three.
Hart's lines sit at 7.3 rebounds, 4 assists and 1.5 steals. His 10.9% optimal rate runs neck and neck with RJ Barrett (DK $7,100) for the lead at shooting guard. Bulls–Knicks tips at 7:30 PM ET, after lock, so his questionable tag makes him a late-swap check.
RJ Barrett (DK $7,100)
Barrett draws a 21.2-point line against the Nuggets and carries a 10.8% optimal rate. He scored 42.0 DK points against the Clippers on November 2, and his last-three average is 35.4.
Jrue Holiday (DK $5,700)
Holiday handles the Trail Blazers' backcourt against the Suns with Ja Morant out, on a 29-minute projection. He is 5.2% owned with a 9.6% optimal rate, a leverage of 4.4 for Build & Sim to size.
Small Forward
Scottie Barnes (DK $8,600)
Barnes cleared a hip issue to play on November 2 and posted 56.8 DK points against the Clippers. He draws the Nuggets at a 31.9% usage rate over 34 projected minutes, with a 53.2 average over his last three.
Sportsbooks set him at 22.1 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.5 steals. His 11.2% optimal rate is the top mark at small forward, and the field lines up behind him.
Mario Hezonja (DK $3,900)
Hezonja holds a 26-minute projection on the Cavaliers' wing against the Thunder, with Peyton Watson and Jaylon Tyson out. He scored 32.0 DK points on November 2, with a 27.6 average over his last three. His 10.2% optimal rate is the third-best at small forward.
Paul George (DK $7,200)
George draws the Bucks with the Celtics favored, and he projects for 30 minutes on the wing with an 8.7% optimal rate. He scored 44.0 DK points against the Magic on November 1, then rested on November 2, and his last-three average stands at 43.3.
Power Forward
Karl-Anthony Towns (DK $8,300)
Towns gets the Bulls with the Knicks favored by 12.5, on a 34-minute projection. He scored 38.5 DK points against the Nets on November 2, and his last-three average is 43.3.
The books set him at 19.7 points and 12.1 rebounds, behind a 25.9% usage rate. His 12.8% optimal rate is the top mark at power forward, and the field builds around him.
Anthony Davis (DK $8,400)
Davis draws the Hawks in the game with the third-highest total on the slate, and he carries an 11.3% optimal rate. He scored 45.8 DK points against the Magic on November 2, and the books set him at 22.8 points and 10.3 rebounds.
OG Anunoby (DK $6,200)
Anunoby projects for 35 minutes for the Knicks against the Bulls, with a 9.7% optimal rate. His 5.33 value ties Karl-Anthony Towns (DK $8,300) for the top mark at power forward, and the books set him at 17 points.
Center
Aday Mara (DK $4,300)
With Chet Holmgren out, Mara projects for 23 minutes in the Thunder frontcourt against the Cavaliers. He blocked four shots against the Rockets on October 31, then posted 22.3 DK points on November 2.
Mara's props sit at 1.5 blocks and 6.2 rebounds. He is 7.5% owned with an 8.3% optimal rate, the second-best mark at center.
Alperen Sengun (DK $8,900)
Sengun's passing carries his case against the Timberwolves, behind an 8.1% optimal rate. The books set him at 6.1 assists, and he projects for 34 minutes. He posted 59.3 DK points against the Celtics on November 2, and his last-three average is 55.4.
Onyeka Okongwu (DK $6,400)
Okongwu draws the Wizards with the Hawks favored, and he projects for 31 minutes at center with a 7.9% optimal rate. He scored 32.5 DK points against the Pacers on November 2, with a 36.0 average over his last three.
What The Market Is Saying
The market builds around Bulls–Knicks, with Jalen Brunson (DK $8,100) and Karl-Anthony Towns (DK $8,300) as its default pair. It takes Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (DK $10,300) as its default stud and Mario Hezonja (DK $3,900) as a core value play. It splits on Nikola Jokic (DK $12,300) and on the Pacers–Grizzlies total, and a contrarian view backs Joel Embiid (DK $9,000), Ty Jerome (DK $8,500) and Cameron Boozer (DK $8,000). The news it keys on is the status of Jalen Johnson (DK $9,900) and the Rockets' frontcourt around Alperen Sengun (DK $8,900). DFS Hero has Sengun at an 8.1% optimal rate. The DFS Hero numbers back the Knicks pair through Towns at a 12.8% optimal rate, and push back on Gilgeous-Alexander, who has a 5.3% optimal rate against 8.8% projected ownership and a leverage of -3.5.
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The content in our articles is based on data available at the time of publishing. Always double-check your lineups before locking in your players.
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