Today’s Projections | NEW! Enter The Jersey Freeroll
2015-16 Game Logs | Player Scoring Calendar | Salary Database | Points Allowed By Position
You have to be considering Brandon Knight ($7,200) after his massive 52.5 DraftKings point game on Saturday night against the Warriors. After missing 21 games with a groin injury he was eased back into action on Thursday night, playing only 25 minutes. We didn’t know how long he would be on a minutes limit, but clearly not long. He was unleashed for 37 minutes against the Warriors and returned a 30-7-6 line for his owners. That’s the type of upside you are looking for when you roster Knight. He’s scored 40+ DraftKings points in 11 of the 44 games he’s played this season and has piled on games of 60, 68 and 78 DK points. The sky is the limit for Knight who will likely take 20+ shots a night down the stretch for the Suns.
Speaking of big games, it’s Demar Derozan ($7,700) who is also coming off a monster effort on Saturday night, posted a 38-10-7 line for 67 DraftKings points. These big games are becoming old-hat for Derozan who is averaging 42.2 DK PPG over the last seven. He’s a pure shooter who has been proficient in at least two other categories in the last month. The Bulls are currently listing Jimmy Butler as questionable for this tilt. He hasn’t played since the 5th and his effectiveness as one of the league’s better defenders is to be determined. If Butler sits out or is somehow not 100%, Derozan would get an extra boost.
Luol Deng ($6,200) is one of the bigger beneficiaries of the Heat being banged up after the All-Star Break. More recently, he is averaging 39.9 DraftKings PPG in the last four contests. He’s turned into either the first of second scoring option on a shorthanded team. He’s providing well-rounded box scores while scoring 17.8 points, nine rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.5 steals per game during this recent stretch. Teammate Dwyane Wade sat out Saturday’s game and is listed as question for tonight. If Wade is out, Deng will be asked to do quite a bit on offense.
The last ten have been a roller-coaster for Gorgui Dieng ($5,800) but you cannot deny his upside. Dieng has posted five games of 33+ DraftKings points including three games of 40+ during that stretch. His most recent game was his best, posting 47.25 DK points on OKC, courtesy of a 25-9 line. That scoring output is likely an outlier, but it bodes well for Dieng being more involved moving forward. He’s a solid rebounder who is likely to rack up multiple blocks and steals on a nightly basis. The matchup with Phoenix is excellent and should lead to plenty of opportunity for Dieng to continue his solid play.
Converging trends for Hassan Whiteside ($8,200) who is too good to pass up tonight. We already talked about the depleted Miami Heat roster which has allowed Whiteside to average 46.9 DK PPG in the 12 games since the All-Star Break. He’s been a monster on both ends of the court, averaging 18.8 points and 14.8 rebounds per game in that span. He’s leads the league in blocks per game with nearly four a night! He’s a full 1.5 blocks per game ahead of second place, which is the same margin that separates second and 49th on that list. He is truly in a class of his own. So he’s playing well and gets the dream matchup. Denver had zero answer for Whiteside in their only meeting this season. Whiteside dropped a massive 19-17-11(blocks) game on them for 69.75 DraftKings points. That was his highest fantasy output this season.
That’s all folks! Be sure to follow me on Twitter for more player analysis as news and injuries break closer to tip-off! Commentary based on DraftKings strategy and scoring.