We have a three-game slate on Draftkings. There are lots of new faces in different places and coaches looking to play at faster tempos. This is a sneaky good slate for opening night but injuries will play a role also. Good luck this season and good luck on opening night.
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Detroit Pistons at Atlanta Hawks
Vegas sees this game as a 103-96 Atlanta Hawk victory. Both teams have some new starters and most notably will be Kent Bazemore stepping in at the SF spot for Atlanta. When Demarre Carroll was out last year it was Bazemore who stepped in and played well. He will certainly outperform his $3,000 price tag. Andre Drummond also had some huge games when Greg Monroe was out of the lineup and the paint opened up for him to work. Detroit is playing differently this year with more of a stretch 4 starting along side Drummond. Ersan Ilyasova steps in at the 4 spot and makes for a nice play at $5,700. The game runs through Reggie Jackson, who is capable of a big scoring game or a triple double. Detroit will look a lot like the Orlando Magic years ago under Van Gundy with an anchor in the middle and perimeter threats around him. Atlanta can score in bunches led by the PG play of Jeff Teague and Dennis Schroder. They make for good plays but my concern is the time share. Korver is back in at SG and can stroke it with the best in the NBA. Millsap and the aforementioned Bazemore figure to score early and often.
Upper Echelon:
• Andre Drummond $8,200
• Reggie Jackson $7,800
• Paul Millsap $7,700
• Kent Bazemore $3,000
Price is Right:
• Jodie Meeks $3,000
• Stanley Johnson $4,700
• Ersan Ilyasova $5,700
• Kyle Korver $4,900
Cleveland Cavaliers at Chicago Bulls
The Vegas projection in this game results in a 100 to 98 Bulls victory for Coach Fred Hoiberg in his debut. If you watched his Iowa State teams play they will push tempo and use their athletic skill to attack. LeBron James claims to be ready to play after a back injection last week. Derrick Rose also is ready to play in the opener, most likely with a face mask, but admitted to still having blurred vision. I will be staying away but he makes for a GPP play in this game. The Bulls are switching up the starting lineup and I expect to see Tony Snell and Nikola Mirotic in the starting lineup. Snell at $3,000 is almost sure to pay off. Mirotic put up some huge numbers last year when filling in as the starting SF or PF and his price skyrocketed as a result. Pau Gasol at $8,000 is always capable of a 20 point, 10 rebound game. The Cavs lineup will be glued together as Kyrie Irving and Iman Shumpert will not play. Mo Williams at $4,900 and JR Smith $4,800 will have plenty of minutes to out produce their price tag. JR Smith is the ultimate GPP play capable of 20+ points and multiple 3 point bombs. I also like Kevin Love at $7,500 as he should see big minutes.
Upper Echelon:
• JR Smith $4,800
• Moe Williams $4,900
• Jimmy Butler $7,600
• Nikola Mirotic $6,400
Price is Right:
• Kevin Love $7,600
• Tristan Thompson $4,600
• Pau Gasol $8,000
• Aaron Brooks $4,400
New Orleans Pelicans at Golden State Warriors
I can’t wait to watch the splash brothers pick up where they left off last season. Vegas is handing Golden State this victory will a final score of 112-103. This is a very juicy matchup with last year’s MVP Steph Curry and most people’s favorite for MVP honors this year in Anthony Davis. I love Davis to have a huge game but he’ll have to pay off a $10,400 salary. With the injury to Tyreke Evans and Jrue Holiday being on a minutes limit the Pelicans players hold lots of value in the highest over/under of the night. Eric Gordon looks to get plenty of minutes at both guard spots in this contest and Ryan Anderson will get plenty of looks from the perimeter. Alvin Gentry moves over from the Warriors head assistant coach to the Pelicans bench as the new head coach and he is going to push the tempo. Pushing the tempo against the Warriors may be dangerous as Steph Curry and Klay Thompson get out in transition for high percentage 3 point shots.
Upper Echelon:
• Anthony Davis $10,400
• Eric Gordon $5,200
• Steph Curry $9,500
• Harrison Barnes $4,600
Price is Right:
• Ryan Anderson $5,000
• Dante Cunningham $3,000
• Klay Thompson $7,200
• Festus Ezeli $3,000
