This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Team Analysis
Defense to Avoid: San Antonio Spurs vs. Dallas Mavericks
The Spurs have allowed the ninth-fewest fantasy points to guards, the third-fewest to forwards and the second-fewest to centers, making them a tough matchup at home against a Mavericks team that will be missing their starting point guard and doesn't have a dominant center.
Offense to Use: Houston Rockets at Indiana Pacers
The Pacers allow the ninth-most fantasy points to guards, the seventh-most fantasy points to forwards and the ninth-most to centers. They are generally poor defensively across the board, so any Rocket player has a good opportunity to surpass expectation.
Teams on Back-to-Backs:
First game: Cavaliers, Mavericks, Magic, 76ers
Second game: Warriors
PLAYER RECOMMENDATIONS
Damian Lillard, POR vs. GS ($8,300): This spot is a toss-up between Lillard and Stephen Curry, as I fully expect both point guards to play well. Curry went nuts Saturday night with 43 points and nine treys through three quarters, and it's rare to see players stay on that level two nights in a row. After being left off the All-Star team, Lillard had a huge scoring night against a tough Grizzlies defense Friday, finishing with 33 points, six assists, five treys and five boards. On Sunday, Lillard faces a Warriors defense on the second night of a back-to-back that has allowed the 10th-most fantasy points to point guards over the last 10 games.
Bradley Beal, WAS at NO ($6,600): Beal has averaged 20.3 points, 3.3 boards, 4.3 assists, 2.0 treys and 1.5 steals per game over his last four and now faces a Pelicans defense that has allowed the fifth-most points to shooting guards over the last 10 games.
Devin Harris, DAL at SA ($3,900): Harris seems to be the last man standing, with Deron Williams and J.J. Barea out injured and Pierre Jackson was just cut from the team. If Harris gets the start, he has a chance to produce starter numbers for punt-play prices, even against a tough Spurs defense that has allowed the fourth-fewest fantasy points to point guards this season.
Paul George, IND vs. HOU ($7,900): George averaged 32 points with five boards, 3.7 assists and 1.7 steals per game over his last three outings, and he now faces a Rockets defense that has allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to small forwards over the last 10 games.
Markieff Morris, WAS at NO ($6,600): Morris has been consistently productive for several weeks, and over his last 11 games he is averaging 17.4 points, 9.2 boards, 2.5 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.8 blocks per game. Sunday he'll face a Pelicans defense that has allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to power forwards this season.
Donatas Motiejunas, NO vs. WAS ($3,500): Motiejunas has started earning a steady role for the Pelicans, averaging 11.3 points, 5.0 boards, 1.7 assists, 1.7 combined steals/blocks and 1.3 treys in 21 minutes per game over his last three, and he now faces a Wizards defense that allows the ninth-most fantasy points to power forwards.
Draymond Green, GS at POR ($7,800): Green has triple-double potential on any given day, though on the stacked Warriors offense he also has the potential to fade on any given game. He scored only five points in 26 minutes of a blowout Saturday, but he still contributed five boards, five assists, two steals and two blocks. He has an excellent matchup Sunday, facing a Trail Blazers team that allows the most fantasy points per game to power forwards.
Mason Plumlee, POR vs. GS ($6,200): Plumlee averaged 14.0 points, 11.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists 1.3 steals and 1.0 blocks per game over his last four, including four consecutive double-doubles, and he'll look to continue his streak Sunday against a Warriors defense that has allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to centers over the last 10 games.
Clint Capela, HOU at IND ($4,700): Capela had a slow start after his return from injury, but he has gotten better of late, scoring in double figures in four of his last five appearances and averaging 14.4 points, 6.4 boards and 1.6 combined steals/blocks in 20 minutes per game over that span.
