Welcome to the NBA GPP Pivots article, where we’ll be looking to uncover some sneaky-good DFS plays on FanDuel and DraftKings. These recommendations are usually risk/reward commodities meant to be used in large-field tournaments. Typically, blending these low-owned hidden gems with well-aligned popular picks makes for a viable GPP strategy.
Keep in mind that the following player write-ups were constructed earlier in the day, and sometimes injury/rest situations can alter the fantasy landscape. Monitoring our NBA News & Headlines Feed throughout the day will keep you in the loop while giving you the subsequent DFS consequences of each information piece.
With that, let’s dive into this eight-game slate full of pivot situations!
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POINT GUARD
Kyle Lowry – Toronto (vs Atlanta)
Lowry finally returned from an extended absence to post 36 fantasy points in 31 minutes vs. Indiana on Sunday. I’m guessing that most DFS enthusiasts are still hesitant to utilize Lowry while coming off the back injury. However, we can take comfort in the fact that he saw a good chunk of minutes while posting a well-rounded stat line in his return to the court. That could pave the way for upside this evening while facing an Atlanta team that ranks first in pace, 29th against point guards, and dead last in overall defensive efficiency. It’s rare to find a capable player with a low ownership rate in this good of a matchup, but that could easily be the case with Lowry tonight.
SHOOTING GUARD
Lou Williams – LA Clippers (vs Charlotte)
Williams is the epitome of a boom-or-bust GPP Play. The public loves to back him while he’s in the midst of a hotstreak, but they tend to shy away from his otherwise underwhelming allotment of minutes otherwise. Lou’s salary is somewhat pricey, and he’s coming off a subpar 27 FP effort vs Orlando on Sunday. That marks the second time in four games Williams has recorded less than 28 fantasy points. There’s a good chance he’ll have a low ownership rate as a result, and a fair amount of options at the SG position could push that number down even further. Regardless of that recent mediocrity, Williams still has undeniable upside illustrated through three straight 39+ FP efforts prior to the recent downtick. There’s a chance he’ll get back to that level in a high-scoring matchup (230 over/under) against a Charlotte team that ranks 24th in defensive efficiency vs opposing shooting guards.
SMALL FORWARD
Nicolas Batum – Charlotte (at LA Clippers)
As mentioned in the previous write-up, this Charlotte-LA Clippers matchup has one of the highest totals of the night at 230. This is a pretty good draw for the visiting Hornets (from a fantasy standpoint), as they’ll be playing up in pace against a Clippers team that ranks 9th in possessions per game. Nicolas Batum could be a surprisingly effective producer within that. Don’t look now, but the veteran has been heating up while averaging 30 fantasy points and 34 minutes over his past two games. It comes as no coincidence that Jeremy Lamb missed both of those outings. If Lamb (questionable) is sidelined yet again, Batum could continue to pay dividends on a short salary while facing a Clippers team that ranks 26th vs small forwards.
POWER FORWARD
Richaun Holmes – Phoenix (vs Sacramento)
You never know what Holmes role will look like on any given night, making him a volatile DFS asset. However, he’s extremely cheap as a result, so I don’t mind looking his way when assembling multiple tournament lineups. Holmes has caught fire several times this season – the most recent instance coming with a 40 FP outing vs the Clippers last Friday. If Devin Booker (questionable) is out, Holmes could see more usage and minutes for a Phoenix rotation that will be trying to make up for the absence of their star player. This is a fantastic matchup for Holmes to thrive if the minutes correspond, as Sacramento ranks second in pace, 22nd vs power forwards, 28th vs centers, and 27th in rebound rate.
CENTER
Willy Hernangomez – Charlotte (at LA Clippers)
There’s upside to be had in this Hornets-Clippers matchup, but it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly which players will step up. Either Marvin Williams, Willy Hernangomez, or Bismack Biyombo should come away with a strong fantasy outing against a Clippers team that ranks 23rd vs power forwards and 26th vs centers. Cody Zeller will continue to miss time, leaving Hernangomez and Biyombo to trade big games in his absence. I’m siding with Hernangomez as the better DFS asset with more per minute efficiency. Hopefully the playing time will be there if Willy stays out of foul trouble.
ALSO CONSIDER
Victor Oladipo – SG – Indiana (at Cleveland)
Oladipo is expensive, and there are a ton of top-dollar options to choose from on tonight’s eight-game slate. However, the Indiana superstar could be worth every penny if he’s forced to absorb more usage (and ball-handling responsibilities) with Darren Collison and Cory Joseph both questionable. The matchup looks great against a Cleveland team that ranks 29th vs opposing backcourts.
Alec Burks – SG – Cleveland (vs Indiana)
Looking on the other side of the same matchup leads us to Alec Burks. The draw doesn’t look great on paper, but Burks could make up for that with a boost in both minutes and usage. David Nwaba and Rodney Hood have been ruled out for Cleveland, while Burks logged 40 and 35 minutes respectively in the last two games with both of them sidelined. His recent efficiency leaves much to be desired, but Burks could do some fantasy damage if he keeps seeing that much time.
