FanDuel NBA Single-Game Strategy: Warriors/Jazz DFS Preview
Hello Grinders. FanDuel has a solid single-game offering for tonight’s Utah Jazz vs Golden State Warriors game. Let’s dive in and see what we can make of this game.
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The Spread
The Jazz enter as nine-point road favorites on the NBA betting odds, are riding a two-game winning streak and have pushed their record to 30-13, good for 3rd in the Western Conference. They also recently got back Mike Conley from injury but his minutes continue to be limited, as he’s played just 15 and 18 in his two games back so far. Meanwhile, the Warriors have gone the opposite direction, dropping a brutal overtime game to the Blazers and falling to 10-35 on the season, the worst record in the league. On paper the Jazz should have success here, even on the road.
The Injuries
Both teams enter relatively healthy. The Jazz don’t have any injuries to report as of this writing, while the Warriors have listed Jacob Evans as questionable and he has a chance to return from his concussion. Draymond Green missed their last game with an illness but wasn’t listed on the Tuesday injury report, while Glenn Robinson is also probable to return from his ankle injury. With Robinson expected back, that should mean Alec Burks likely shifts back to the bench, while Jordan Poole loses some appeal in the second unit having to play alongside Burks. I’d also expect Eric Paschall to move back to the bench after starting for Green last game.
The Options
Let’s take a look at some of my favorite options and pairings/stacks:
Rudy Gobert + D’Angelo Russell – These two are the most expensive options on this single-game slate but I think they are worth it. Gobert especially has been on a tear lately. Take a look at his FanDuel points by game since the start of the year, courtesy of Statmuse:
He’s riding a seven-game streak of 40+ FanDuel points, and I have no problem spending up for him here against a Warriors team allowing the 8th most fantasy points to opposing centers. With Mike Conley back (even on a limited basis), it makes guards like Joe Ingles and Donovan Mitchell a bit less appealing.
I like stacking Gobert with Russell because if the Warriors are going to stay in this game, it’s going to be from Russell. Russell has been on a tear of his own lately, scoring at least 42 FanDuel points in four of his last five games. The return of Draymond Green tonight may hurt his usage a bit, but it also may help keep this game more competitive.
Marquese Chriss or Royce O’Neal – We’re going to need some value on this slate to jam in the studs, and I think it makes sense to get it via one of Marquese Chriss or Royce O’Neale.
Chriss is coming off a 24.7 FanDuel point game against the Blazers and has seen a steady dose of minutes in the teens since returning to the Warriors. Chriss does lose some appeal with Draymond Green back as that gives the Warriors another big body he has to fight for minutes over, but we saw Chriss destroy this Jazz team back on December 13th where he dropped 43.1 FanDuel points and a massive 12/13/5/2/1 line in just 23 minutes. I realize that has no bearing on what he does tonight, but the upside is there if he can get another 18-20 minutes. He’s my favorite YOLO cheap option on this slate.
If Chriss feels too risky for you, then perhaps Royce O’Neale is worth a look at $7,000. He’s only $500 more than Chriss and should continue to start. O’Neale is not a high usage player but he probably has a safer floor than Chriss just given his minutes are secure (he’s played at least 27 minutes in nine of his last 10 games). Personally I’d rather take a shot on Chriss’ upside in a top-heavy tournament, but I can see the appeal of O’Neale for salary relief.
Alec Burks – My guess is with Glenn Robinson back, the Warriors will shift Burks back to the second unit. I debated whether to write up Damion Lee or Burks, but I could see Burks succeeding here off the bench in a #revenge game against his former team. Even coming off the bench, we’ve seen Burks get starter-like minutes at times and the usage for him in the second unit should be off the charts. If this game also turns into a blowout, I’d expect Burks to get some run as the Warriors are looking to move him before the trade deadline so he should continue being showcased. I don’t mind Lee if you want someone “safer”, but I can see Burks having a bit more upside at potentially lower ownership considering he’s $500 more than Lee and the move to the bench may depress his ownership a tad.
Thanks for reading, and good luck tonight. May variance be on your side.