Have no fear LineStar friends, your regular NBA sensei Greg Landry will be returning on Wednesday. Until then, this is Carl Taylor (@dailydogsports) putting together the newsletter for the time being. It's a solid 7-game docket tonight with some close contests lined up, as four of the games have lines of 5 points or less. It's Cyber Monday – but it's also national cake day so let's get ourselves a slice today! 

Games That Stand Out at First Glance

The contest of the night has to be the Boston Celtics traveling to visit the New Orleans Pelicans. The Pelicans are 8-1 at home on the season and are listed as -1 favorites vs. Boston today. The Celtics are in a tough spot, having dropped 4 of their last 5. Not to mention Boston is playing their 3rd road game in 4 nights.

Another interesting matchup sees the Indiana Pacers visiting the Utah Jazz. The Jazz are -5 point favorites despite playing leg 2 of a back-to-back and possibly missing Donovan Mitchell for the 2nd straight game (Q-ribs). Utah is just 2-5 at home this season while the Pacers have had 2 nights off before this game. Possible upset special.

The San Antonio Spurs have given up 135+ points in 2 of their last 4 games. They also play their third game in four nights tonight but are -6 favorites at the Chicago Bulls. Then again, the Bulls are horrible so this contest really is a tough read.

The Houston Rockets had won 5 straight games but they're coming into tonight's contest with the Washington Wizards having dropped consecutive contests at Detroit and at Cleveland. Even so, oddsmakers have made the Rockets -3.5 favorites despite the fact that the Wizards have beaten the Clippers and the Pelicans in their last two home games.

There's a lot of variety in tonight's DFS card so let's see who's going to be sweet, whose going to be moist, and who will ultimately help us take the cake:

Guards

Zach Lavine (DK: $7,700 FD: $8,600 Y! $35 )

There's value on Zach Lavine tonight as he's not even the most expensive Bulls player (Justin Holiday) vs. a fatigued San Antonio team playing their third straight road game. Lavine would be a solid play regardless as he's coming off a 28 point / 8 rebound night vs. the Timberwolves. That was preceded by a 24 point / 9 assist game vs. the Heat, so that shows Lavine is doing more than scoring. The Spurs are giving up 4+ AST/game to SG starters and Lavine has tallied 35+ minutes in three straight games so there should be opportunities.

Evan Fournier (DK: $5,300 FD: $6,400 Y! $20 )

Evan Fournier should be in line for a big night vs. a Golden State team that has allowed 110+ points in 3 of the last 5. The Magic are on game 2 of a B2B but Fournier logged just 27 minutes vs. the Lakers. The Warriors allow 31.8 FPPG to SG starters and were torched by Buddy Hield of the Sacramento Kings for 28 points last game. Fournier has a 27 point game this week and has had either 4+ rebounds or assists in 8 of the last 9.

Eric Bledsoe(DK: $7,200 FD: $ 7,400 Y! $29 )

It's a toss-up as to who is going to help Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks cover the -5 point road swing at Charlotte tonight. Either Malcolm Brogdon or Eric Bledsoe are solid plays for a Milwaukee team that has scored 135+ points in 2 of the last 3. Bledsoe is the pick, as he's coming off a 20 point, 10 assist night vs. San Antonio. The Milwaukee PG has tallied 5+ assists in six straight games and has also grabbed 4+ rebounds in 8 of the last 9. Charlotte is giving up 34.8 FPPG to PG starters that includes 6.4 AST and FG's. The Hornets are also playing in their second game in as many nights. 

Forwards

Domantas Sabonis (DK: $6,800 FD: $6,900 Y! $25 )

The Pacers are in a great upset spot tonight at Utah. There is great value on Domantas Sabonis in this matchup as Myles Turner missed the last game and is questionable again tonight. Sabonis is also Q with an ankle injury but he got the start last time out and put up 19 points and 16 rebounds while logging 34 minutes. Sabonis has put up 15+ points in 4 of his last 5 and has also grabbed12+ boards in three of those. Utah is giving up 5+ rebounds to opposing PF reserves alone. These two teams met up a week ago and Sabonis had 19 points in just 26 minutes while also grabbing 9 rebounds.

Dario Saric (DK: $ 4,900 FD: $ 5,400 Y! $15)

At the very least, Dario Saric's usage should be up again tonight, as Andrew Wiggins ahead of him in the lineup is coming off an 0-12 shooting night with 1 assist and 1 rebound. Saric logged 24 minutes as Wiggins and Robert Covington combined to shoot 1-30 from the field vs. the Bulls. Saric responded with 19 points and 14 rebounds in that span and could have a similar productive night at Cleveland where Minnesota is a 6 point road favorite. The Cavs have allowed 110+ points in 3 of their last 5 games and still rank last in the league in terms of defensive efficiency.

Markieff Morris (DK: $4,400 FD: $4,700 Y! $14)

Tonight's value play at the F position is Markieff Morris. His ownership is a microscopic 3.8% but Washington is actually in a real good spot to hand Houston their 3rd straight road loss. Dwight Howard is out again tonight for the Wizards, so Morris should see increased playing time down low. He had a 15 point, 9 rebound night the last time out, which was Morris' third straight game with double digit scoring and 5+ rebounds since Howard has been sidelined.

Centers

Karl-Anthony Towns (DK: $10,000 FD: $10,800 Y! $43 )

He's obviously a very costly play but is there anybody offering as much consistent value in DFS as Karl-Anthony Towns lately? The Timberwolves big man is coming off a 35 point, 22 rebound night vs. the Bulls – his second 20+ rebound night over the last four games. The fact that Minnesota is 1-8 on the road doesn't help tonight's situation...but the fact that they're playing Cleveland does. Towns had just 12 points and 9 rebounds vs. the Cavs back in October and Cleveland does actually play well vs. opposing centers (31.3 FPPG, under 8 REB/game) but all that's going to do is lower Towns' ownership across your leagues – which is a good thing.

Al Horford (DK: $5,400 FD: $6,300 Y! $ 21)

Boston would seemingly be in a tough spot vs. Anthony Davis and the Pelicans but Al Horford is lined up for a big night. New Orleans allows 34.8 FPPG to opposing C that includes 6.8 FG/game and 9.8 REB. Boston has a positive pace differential in this matchup where the Celtics are just +1 road underdogs and the betting public is split 50/50. Horford needs a bounce back game vs. New Orleans as he had just 6 points and 4 rebounds when the teams met up last March. Horford has three games of 10 points or less scored in the last four but he should see more scoring opportunities with Jaylen Brown, Gordon Hayward, and possibly Terry Rozier all missing tonight's game.

Cody Zeller(DK: $4,000 FD: $ 4,900 Y! $ 12 )

Cody Zeller is a solid value play at the C position if he can produce any sort of scoring tonight. That is very well possible against a Milwaukee team that is giving up 6.8 FG/game to opposing C. The Bucks score a lot, as is indicative by the O/U in tonight's contest being by far the highest on the board at 235.5. Milwaukee also gives up a lot of points too though, as they've allowed 115+ in five of ten. Zeller has 4+ rebounds in 9 of 10 and has also added 4+ assists in 4 of 6. 

Good luck today!

Freeroll

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