Timberwolves–Pelicans carries the highest total on the slate at 230.6. The Timberwolves' 117.3 implied points tie the Raptors for second-highest. 76ers–Cavaliers sits right behind at 230.1, and the Hawks hold the highest implied total at 118.0 as 7.5-point favorites over the Wizards. Seven games lock at 7:00 PM ET, every one of them NBA Cup group play.
The low end belongs to Celtics–Hornets at 207.5, with the Celtics favored by 9.5 and the Hornets' 99.0 the lowest implied total. The Mavericks are 7-point favorites over the Jazz. The Raptors are without Kawhi Leonard, the Timberwolves are without Anthony Edwards, the Thunder are down Chet Holmgren and Jaylin Williams, and the Jazz lose Jaren Jackson Jr. Scottie Barnes (DK $8,800), Jalen Johnson (DK $9,700) and Anthony Davis (DK $8,600) are questionable. Five games tip after lock, and late swap re-solves the open spots as those statuses land.
Injury Watch
- Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves, out)
- Kawhi Leonard (Raptors, out)
- Jaren Jackson Jr. (Jazz, out)
- Chet Holmgren (Thunder, out)
- Jaylin Williams (Thunder, out)
- Jalen Johnson (DK $9,700) (Hawks, questionable)
- Scottie Barnes (DK $8,800) (Raptors, questionable)
- Anthony Davis (DK $8,600) (Wizards, questionable)
Point Guard
Immanuel Quickley (DK $6,800)
Kawhi Leonard is out, and Quickley starts at point guard for the Raptors against the Bucks behind a 117.3 implied total. He projects for 33 minutes. His props line sits at 19.4 points and 6.5 assists.
His form holds steady, with a 32.9 DK average over his last three games and 33.4 on the season. He carries the top optimal rate at point guard at 18.3%, and the field is all over him.
Scottie Barnes (DK $8,800)
Barnes runs at a 31.9% usage rate with 33 projected minutes against the Bucks, and he carries a 17.2% optimal rate. His 46.6 DK average over his last three games tops his 45.2 season mark, and he holds the second-best projection at point guard. He is a crowd favorite and questionable with an adductor and groin issue, and his 8:00 PM ET tip makes him a late-swap check.
Kyrie Irving (DK $7,400)
The Mavericks are 7-point favorites over the Jazz, and Irving came off the injury report for his knee, scored 49.3 on November 4 against the Spurs, and carries a 15.0% optimal rate. He averages 45.6 DK over his last three games, and his props line sits at 21.6 points. The field piles in, and he holds the third-best optimal rate at point guard.
Shooting Guard
RJ Barrett (DK $7,300)
Barrett's last three games average 40.1 DK points, above his 36.5 season mark. He faces the Bucks with 33 projected minutes. His props line sits at 24 points.
He carries a 25.1% usage rate and the top optimal rate at shooting guard at 17.2%. He is the chalk at the position, with a 5.37 value at his price.
Tyler Herro (DK $6,900)
Herro's props line sits at 19.9 points against the Raptors, in the third-highest total on the slate, and he carries a 12.0% optimal rate. He scored 37.3 on November 4 against the Celtics, with a 34.0 DK average over his last three games. His 27.8% usage rate makes him a popular guard on the slate.
Kyshawn George (DK $5,800)
George scored 40.0 on November 2 against the Magic, then 40.0 on November 4 against the Hawks, with a 34.4 DK average over his last three games and a 10.3% optimal rate. He faces the Hawks again with 33 projected minutes. The field has caught on at his price.
Small Forward
AJ Dybantsa (DK $6,200)
Dybantsa plays a 31-minute role for the Wizards against the Hawks, in a game with a 228.5 total. His props line sits at 18.6 points, and his usage rate is 23.6%.
His form is climbing, with a 28.7 DK average over his last three games against a 27.5 season mark. He holds the third-best optimal rate at small forward at 13.6%, and the crowd likes him at this price.
Jaden McDaniels (DK $6,500)
Anthony Edwards is out, and McDaniels starts for the Timberwolves against the Pelicans in the highest total on the slate, 230.6, with a 13.0% optimal rate. He projects for 33 minutes with a props line of 16.9 points. He scored 33.0 on November 4 against the Rockets, and he is a heavily played forward.
Dyson Daniels (DK $6,600)
Daniels starts in the Hawks' backcourt against the Wizards, and the Hawks' 118.0 implied total is the highest on the slate. He averages 30.6 DK points over his last three games. He is 11.7% owned with an 11.8% optimal rate.
Power Forward
LeBron James (DK $7,500)
76ers–Cavaliers carries the second-highest total on the slate at 230.1, and James plays 33 projected minutes against the Cavaliers. His props line sits at 6.7 assists and 6.7 rebounds.
He scored 42.0 on November 4 against the Pistons, in line with his 42.3 DK average over his last three games. He holds the top optimal rate at power forward at 18.0%, and the field agrees with the pick.
Jalen Johnson (DK $9,700)
Johnson pairs a 25.5% usage rate with 33 projected minutes against the Wizards, carries a 12.4% optimal rate, and his 73.0 ceiling is the top mark at power forward. His props line sits at 7 assists. He is questionable after an ankle issue kept him out Wednesday, and he is a popular pick at the top of the position.
Lauri Markkanen (DK $7,400)
Jaren Jackson Jr. is out, and Markkanen starts at power forward for the Jazz against the Mavericks with a 12.0% optimal rate. He scored 48.0 on November 4 against the Pelicans, with a 39.5 DK average over his last three games. His props line sits at 20.1 points and 2.6 threes, and the field leans on him.
Center
Rudy Gobert (DK $5,500)
Gobert starts for the Timberwolves in the highest total on the slate, 230.6 against the Pelicans, who are without Yves Missi at center, and he carries a 16.5% optimal rate. His props line sits at 10.8 rebounds. He projects for 32 minutes.
He scored 34.8 on November 4 against the Rockets, and his last three games average 32.3 DK points. He carries the top value at center at 5.72, and he is a crowd favorite at the position.
Aday Mara (DK $4,600)
Chet Holmgren and Jaylin Williams are out, and Mara plays 25 projected minutes in the Thunder frontcourt against the Grizzlies. His last three games average 25.4 DK points. He is 13.8% owned with a 16.4% optimal rate, a gap Build & Sim can size.
Myles Turner (DK $4,900)
Turner scored 41.8 on November 4 against the Celtics, with a 34.4 DK average over his last three games and a 14.8% optimal rate. He faces the Raptors with 30 projected minutes and a props line of 1.7 threes. The field likes him at the price.
What The Market Is Saying
The market builds around Ayo Dosunmu (DK $6,700), with Joel Embiid (DK $8,700) as the default stud center, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (DK $10,200) as the default top guard, and Kyrie Irving (DK $7,400) and Rudy Gobert (DK $5,500) in the core beside them. It splits on Scottie Barnes (DK $8,800) and on Embiid's ceiling, and it watches the questionable tags on Barnes, Jalen Johnson (DK $9,700), Anthony Davis (DK $8,600) and Jarrett Allen (DK $6,300). A minority of the market turns to Cooper Flagg (DK $9,900) and Jayson Tatum (DK $10,000) to flip builds. DFS Hero pushes back on Dosunmu with an 11.1% optimal rate against 21.1% ownership, and sides with Embiid at an 11.3% optimal rate against 10.2% ownership. DFS Hero has Barnes at a 17.2% optimal rate.
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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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