We’re back with a four-game NBA slate on Thursday. Using Stokastic’s NBA DFS Boom/Bust tool, let’s dive into the player pool to discuss the best NBA DFS contrarian picks on DraftKings this evening, including Giannis Antetokounmpo and Isaiah Hartenstein.
NBA DFS Contrarian Picks — Plays For Today
Contrarian Stud — Giannis Antetokounmpo: Boston Celtics-Milwaukee Bucks
Giannis Antetokounmpo is the top contrarian play on DraftKings at $12,000. He is averaging a healthy 59.5 DraftKings points per game this year, making him deserving of being the most expensive player on the slate. With his tough matchup against the Celtics, however, the field is having trouble getting to Giannis, and multiple other studs are garnering more interest.
As of this writing, Antetokounmpo is only projected to be 11.00% owned on DraftKings, yet he has a 14.60% optimal percentage. Although he’s priced correctly for his median outcome, Giannis has slate-breaking upside every time he steps on the court, even in a less-than-advantageous matchup. With Milwaukee a loser of four out of its past five games, expect the best Giannis and the Bucks have to offer tonight in a nationally televised game at home against Boston.
Contrarian Mid-Tier — Isaiah Hartenstein: New York Knicks-Dallas Mavericks
Isaiah Hartenstein is DraftKings’ top contrarian mid-tier play at $6,500. Since Mitchell Robinson went down with an ankle injury in early December, Hartenstein has emerged as a top-10 center in the fantasy basketball landscape. He is averaging just under 40 DraftKings points over his past five games, and Hartenstein continues to crush his $6,500 price tag. He looks great again in a matchup against the Mavericks.
Despite his consistent production, the field is shying away from Hartenstein now that his price tag is finally starting to rise. While these numbers can change as news comes out, Hartenstein is currently projected to be only 14.70% owned on DraftKings. With an optimal percentage of 18.30%, he stands out as one of the top differentiators on the slate.
Contrarian Value — Precious Achiuwa: New York Knicks-Dallas Mavericks
Sticking with the Knicks, backup center Precious Achiuwa is the top contrarian value play on DraftKings at $3,400. Achiuwa is currently the highest=graded leverage play on the board, and he is a nice way to get different in tournaments without much opportunity cost. Although he is projected for only 14.62 DraftKings points, Achiuwa is projected to be optimal a whopping 15.50% of the time according to Stokastic’s tools. The field isn’t getting to him at nearly this rate, however, as he’s only projected to be in 7.40% of lineups. Achiuwa’s $3,400 price tag also opens up some options for lineup construction.
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