This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
The NBA has three games on the docket for Sunday, headlined by the Timberwolves at the Thunder at 7:00 PM ET. Both teams made big changes this offseason and have high expectations, with big DFS scoring potential almost across the board. Speaking of scoring potential, the Lakers and Pelicans sport two of the worst defenses in the NBA as well as some of the most intriguing offensive pieces around, which combines to make a potential DFS explosion. Finally, the Hawks and Nets are both bad teams, but there's not a lot of defense on either team and the player prices are low, which could lead to DFS value. Let's explore today's match-ups.
Guard (premium)
Dennis Schroder, ATL at BKN ($8,800): Schroder is averaging 40.5 fantasy points through two games, just behind Russell Westbrook's 43.5 average, but Schroder is a lot less expensive. Plus, Schroder doesn't have much competition for touches, and he's playing a Nets defense that has been terrible for a really long time.
Guard (moderate)
Lonzo Ball, LAL vs NO ($7,100): Ball was widely panned on social media as a bust after Patrick Beverley schooled him in his first NBA game, but he bounced back with a monster 29 point/11 rebound/nine assist effort in his second game that has everyone excited again. The Pelicans are weak on defense, which should give Ball a chance to try to replicate that effort.
Guard (affordable)
Jordan Clarkson, LAL vs NO ($4,200): Shout out to Spencer Dinwiddie here, because if it weren't for the convention that at least one guard slot goes to a shooting guard, Dinwiddie might have gotten the call here as an injury sub for Jeremy Lin. As it is, Clarkson earns this spot by way of being a high floor, low priced player with upside in a very weak pool of shooting guards on Sunday. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope could make his debut on Sunday with his suspension over, but Clarkson should still have his strong scoring-combo-guard-off-the-bench role to fall back on.
Forward (premium)
Anthony Davis, NO at LAL ($11,500): Davis has been a statistical monster through two games, averaging 34 points with 17.5 boards and 2.5 assists. On Sunday, he faces a Lakers squad that is tissue paper soft in the middle with undersized and/or unathletic defenders that shouldn't slow him at all.
Forward (moderate)
Paul George, OKC vs MIN ($8,400): George is clearly the class of all small forwards going on Sunday, averaging double-digit more fantasy points than the second place guy. His combination of scoring and all-around contributions is robust, and there's no one on Minnesota that projects to being able to stop him.
Forward (affordable)
DeMarre Carroll, BKN vs ATL ($5,500): Carroll has the second-highest fantasy scoring average among small forwards going into Sunday's game, as he finally appears to be healthy after years of injury issues. As a bonus, Carroll also gets to play at home against his former Hawks team to further motivate him.
Center (premium)
DeMarcus Cousins, NO at LAL ($11,500): Cousins, like teammate Anthony Davis, has been statistically monstrous through two games. He is averaging 31.5 points, 12 boards, 3.5 assists, 3.5 blocks and 2.0 steals thus far, and as a reward on Sunday he gets to face the porous defense and lack of athleticism of Brook Lopez.
Center (premium)
Karl-Anthony Towns, MIN at OKC ($9,900): Towns has been a quiet superstar through two games, averaging 19 and 11.5 thus far but with clear upside to a maintainable level of upper-20s of points and teens of rebounds. He has to contend with Aquaman, also known as Steven Adams on Sunday, but Towns has high scorer of the day potential.
Center (affordable)
Dewayne Dedmon, ATL at BKN ($5,500): Dedmon has been solid but unspectacular in his first two games as the Hawks' starting center, averaging 10 points with 7.0 boards and 2.0 blocks in 25 minutes per game. He has a great match-up against a weak Nets interior defense.
