Welcome to the NBA GPP Pivots article, where we’ll be looking to uncover some sneaky-good DFS plays away from the popular selections. 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 staples contributes to 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.
We will be looking at Wednesday’s 11-game main slate starting at 7:00 ET.
POINT GUARD
Cole Anthony - Orlando (vs. Atlanta)
Anthony will be somewhat popular tonight, but there are plenty of point guards to choose from on this 11-game slate. In other words, the Orlando guard won’t be as popular as he should be with so many options to choose from. Tonight’s matchup vs. Atlanta looks great, as the Hawks rank 28th in defensive efficiency to point guards. We all know Anthony has legitimate 40-50 FP upside, and he posted 49 FP against Atlanta a month ago to the date. I’m not ruling out a repeat performance.
SHOOTING GUARD
Josh Hart - New Orleans (at Oklahoma City)
Hart has been a regular to this article series, and I believe he makes sense again tonight. All of the usual reasons persist, as the New Orleans’ wing checks in with a bargain mid-range salary. Hart has upside in rebounds and assists, and he’ll see plenty of minutes to flirt with a triple-double once again. The matchup against Oklahoma City looks great too, as the Thunder rank 25th in defensive efficiency to shooting guards.
SMALL FORWARD
Jae’Sean Tate - Houston (at Cleveland)
Keep an eye on the status of Christian Wood, who is questionable tonight with a knee issue. If Wood is out or limited, then Tate becomes a strong play through all formats. The last time Wood missed a game, December 1 at Oklahoma City, Tate stepped up with 73 fantasy points (!) in 35 minutes. Needless to say, he’ll take on a larger role if Wood can’t go.
POWER FORWARD
Sandro Mamukelashvili - Milwaukee (vs. Indiana)
Giannis Antetokounmpo is out tonight. In the last two games he missed, Mamukelashvili saw 21 and 22 minutes respectively. It’s pretty safe to assume that will be his role tonight, and there’s a chance he could see around 25 minutes in order to combat Indiana’s front line. Regardless, Mamukelashvili becomes an interesting choice at a dirt-cheap salary.
CENTER
Daniel Gafford - Washington (at Sacramento)
I really wish Gafford would see 25-30 minutes every game. He’s an efficient fantasy producer, but he’s usually limited to around 20 minutes per contest. Gafford will occasionally see around 25 or so minutes if he’s playing well, but we can’t always bank on that. There’s a chance he’ll thrive in an outstanding matchup against Sacramento, who ranks 28th in defensive efficiency to centers, third in pace, and 24th in rebound rate. We’ve seen Gafford hit 40 fantasy points a few times over the last several weeks, and this is a spot where he can return to that form.
ALSO CONSIDER
Derrick White (PG - SA) is in a similar boat as Anthony, listed above. Both of these guys will be somewhat popular, but I’m really liking their upside. White has topped 40+ FP in three of his last four, and he’s facing a Charlotte team with depth issues in the backcourt.
Kelly Oubre Jr. (SF - CHA) is another high-upside option in this Spurs/Hornets battle. LaMelo Ball is still out for the Hornets, which leaves Oubre with that continued heightened role that has translated to a cool 45 FPPG average over his last four.
Lauri Markkanen (PF - CLE) could step up if Evan Mobley (questionable) is out. Markkanen hasn’t been great from a fantasy efficiency point of view, but stepping into a heightened role (with more minutes) could provide a nice boost for profit potential.
