NBA DFS Picks: Building Blocks for Saturday, May 8th | Pascal Siakam

Saturday has a backloaded schedule with three games tipping off in the first 30 minutes of lock and then four games all going off at 10 p.m. ET. That is one heck of a “late-night hammer” loaded with fantasy goodness! Let’s look at the seven-game slate and discuss the top NBA DFS picks for DraftKings, FanDuel and Yahoo lineups.

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NBA DFS Picks: Building Blocks, Saturday, May 8th

Yahoo Play of the Day — Pascal Siakam: Toronto Raptors vs. Memphis Grizzlies

• Awesemo’s Preliminary Point Projections: Yahoo and FanDuel: 48.18 | DraftKings: 49.53

• Awesemo’s Preliminary Rostered Projections: Yahoo 34.8% | FanDuel 34.6% | DraftKings 26.0%

• DFS Salary: Yahoo $38 | FanDuel $8,900 | DraftKings $9,000

Tonight, the Raptors will be without Kyle Lowry, Fred VanVleet, Chris Boucher, OG Anunoby and Yuta Watanabe is unlikely to play. That means Pascal Siakam, Khem Birch, Gary Trent Jr. and rookie Malachi Flynn will be carrying the load. Siakam has surpassed 60- Yahoo fantasy points in two of his last three games. Earlier this week, he averaged 40 minutes, 31.5 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and 3.5 combined blocks/steals in Los Angeles against the tough defenses of the Lakers and Clippers. While Memphis has a good defense, they do play fast and it is not the same caliber as the LA squads. Siakam should see at least 35 minutes and he will be a threat for 50-plus fantasy points.

Russell Westbrook: Washington Wizards at Indiana Pacers

• Awesemo’s Preliminary Point Projections: Yahoo and FanDuel: 56.88 | DraftKings: 61.5

• Awesemo’s Preliminary Rostered Projections: Yahoo 10.4% | FanDuel 21.0% | DraftKings 34.8%

• DFS Salary: Yahoo $58 | FanDuel $12,000 | DraftKings $11,100

Finally, the DFS sites are moving Russell Westbrook towards an appropriate salary. However, because we are in late-season NBA with all the tanking and resting along with legitimate injuries, value options abound. Westbrook is averaging a triple-double leading the league with 11.4 assists per game. Astonishingly, he is sixth in the league averaging 11.4 rebounds per game. Over his last 10 games, the former NBA MVP is averaging 13.9 rebounds, which is more than any other player in the league.

If you need more convincing, then keep in mind the Myles Turner is out and the Indiana rim projection is horrible. In two games this season against the Pacers, Westbrook is averaging 38.6 minutes with 24.5 points, 17.5 rebounds, 22.5 assists and 2.5 combined blocks/steals for over 80 fantasy points per game.

Domantas Sabonis: Indiana Pacers vs. Washington Wizards

• Awesemo’s Preliminary Point Projections: Yahoo and FanDuel: 48.1 | DraftKings: 50.76

• Awesemo’s Preliminary Rostered Projections: Yahoo 9.6% | FanDuel 11.6% | DraftKings 10.6%

• DFS Salary: Yahoo $47 | FanDuel $10,600 | DraftKings $10,500

Myles Turner and JaKarr Sampson are out once again. Malcolm Brogdon is questionable and has missed the last four games with a hamstring injury. Edmond Sumner and Jeremy Lamb are both questionable with knee injuries having missed the last two and 10 games respectively. This all is lining up once again for Domantas Sabonis to have a huge role in a delicious matchup against Washington. During the first two games of this series the teams combined for 295 and 256 points in regulation.

Looking at NBA WOWY we can see that in 980 minutes with both Turner and Brogdon on the floor, Sabonis is averaging 1.18 Yahoo fantasy points per minute. Without that duo Sabonis sees a nearly 15% increase in his production to 1.36 fantasy points per minute. There is added synergy playing both Sabonis and Westbrook on the same roster in the hopes of yet another game with pinball scoring.

Good Value

Gary Trent Jr: Toronto Raptors vs. Memphis Grizzlies

• Awesemo’s Preliminary Point Projections: Yahoo and FanDuel: 29.74 | DraftKings: 31.16

• Awesemo’s Preliminary Rostered Projections: Yahoo 26.4% | FanDuel 40.6% | DraftKings 30.0%

• DFS Salary: Yahoo $19 | FanDuel $5,000 | DraftKings $5,500

After missing six games with a calf injury, Gary Trent Jr. returned to action Thursday against the Wizards playing 36 minutes. With the Raptors resting a host of players, as long as he draws another start it would be reasonable to project him for 32-35 minutes. While Trent does not contribute much in the way of peripheral stats, we know he can pile up the points in a hurry. In his last five starts he is averaging 18.4 field-goal attempts with nine from behind the arc. Tonight, it would not be a surprise to see him in the low-20s for the shorthanded Raptors. A solid NBA DFS value pick.

Risky Value

Houston Rockets at Utah Jazz

Last night the Rockets were the key to some incredibly high fantasy scores. Four starters and Armoni Brooks off the bench all played north of 31.4 minutes as there were only eight healthy players. Danuel House Jr. had 16 minutes off the bench after missing four games and DJ Augustin returned for a 28 minute spot start after missing a dozen games with an ankle injury. Khyri Thomas was signed to a 10-day contract and he played nearly 23 minuets off the bench. There is a chance that Kevin Porter Jr. and Jae’Sean Tate return tonight, which would decrease the minutes for everyone. Even if they are out again, this is a difficult matchup against the Jazz, who have the second-best defensive efficiency in the league over their last 10 games allowing just 105.4 points per 100 possessions. This is one of the four 10 p.m. ET games so we are unlikely to have all of the injury news until well after the first three games are locked which will create a very tenuous lineup construction situation.

Yahoo Daily Fantasy Basketball Discount Dandies

1. Malachi Flynn: TOR vs. MEM – $10

2. Lonnie Walker IV: SAS at POR – $10

3. Jordan Poole: GSW vs. OKC – $10

Final Thoughts on the Saturday, May 8th NBA DFS Slate

Tonight, there are five teams on the second legs of back-to-backs and two teams on the front ends. This could lead to some unexpected news, so be vigilant as always. Keep in mind that salaries and scoring formats differ across the various fantasy sites, and a slam-dunk play on Yahoo may be a below-average NBA DFS pick on DraftKings or FanDuel.

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