National Basketball Association

Denver Nuggets: DFS Picks for the Season Opener against the Pelicans

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 3:23 p.m. ET

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Mar 15, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis (23) and Denver Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried (35) battle over a loose ball during double overtime of a game at the Smoothie King Center. The Nuggets defeated the Pelicans 118-111 in double overtime. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

In tonight’s season opener, the Denver Nuggets will take on the New Orleans Pelicans, setting up a handful of players from either team as potentially valuable draftees for Daily Fantasy Sports fanatics.

Last season, the Nuggets got pelted by shooters and guards, but mostly held their own in the paint. The Pelicans suffered from similar weaknesses, though they formed a notoriously flimsy reputation when it came to stopping offensive-minded centers.

Whether or not these trends will continue into the 2016-17 season remains to be seen. But as of now, it seems as safe a bet to follow as any (no pun intended).

Disclaimer:

For those still unaware, Daily Fantasy Sports platforms such as FanDuel, DraftKings, and Yahoo Sports allow fans to build daily fantasy rosters from/with preset salary caps. Legality of such venues currently varies by state. Make sure to check the legal status of Daily Fantasy Sports in your state before getting too involved, try to play intelligently, and remember to always practice self-control!

Now, lets look at some picks for this Nuggets/Pelicans match-up

Here, we take a look at which Pelicans players should be ignored, while others deserve your attention

Feel free to ignore:

-E’twaun Moore.

When it rhymes, it must be true. His skill-set alone (against Denver’s defense) would lead you to believe that he is set up for a big night, but this may not be the case. Last year, on the Bulls, Moore logged 31 minutes in a game against Denver, and only produced 8pts and 3reb. That’s simply not enough production to warrant his drafting onto your roster. Despite his impressive preseason outings, I’d suggest passing on Moore tonight.

-Solomon Hill

Similarly to Moore, on his old team (the Pacers) Hill saw good minutes against the Nuggets, but failed to produce. He managed 6pts, 6reb, and 2ast in 28 minutes. In both cases, the sample size is only one game. But still, neither did enough in that one game to make for smart picks.

-The Pelicans’ centers.

They’re all pretty lame, and none offer enough upside to be worth drafting.

Take a look at:

-Anthony Davis

Does it even matter what team he’s up against? Last season,  while battling illness, Davis managed 27pts, 6reb, and 1ast, against the Nuggets, all in just 20 minutes. This gives no indication that they were able to slow him down, and even with a new starting front-court, the Nuggets seem likely to fall victim to a monstrous performance by AD. If he can avoid an injury of course.

-Tim Frazier

If you’re weary of Davis’ consistently high salary, then you may want to consider drafting Tim Frazier. The PG should log heavy minutes with Jrue Holiday out for personal reasons, and he performed quite well against the Nuggets last season, under similar circumstances. In 29 minutes, Frazier produced 17pts, 5reb, and 8ast. I’d expect similar numbers, with the likely possibility of double-digit assist numbers.

-Buddy Hield

Hield may also be worth a look, as offensive minded guards have typically done well against the Nuggets lately. Not to mention his coming in hot from the preseason, and a big ol’ chip on his shoulder after many believed he would start the season at SG for the Pelicans. Watch for Buddy to be aggressive off the bench in his regular season debut against the Nuggets.

Wildcard: Terrance Jones.

Jones did pull off a 23pt, 7reb performance against the Nuggets last season (on the Rockets) in just 21 minutes, but he is not a very consistent player. It’d be a gamble, but drafting Jones could pay off.

Here, we take a look at which Nuggets players should be ignored, while others deserve your attention

Feel free to ignore:

-Nikola Jokic

I might catch some heat for this one, but Jokic will have a tough match-up against AD. The last time that these two met, Jokic managed a respectable 13pts, 2reb, and 2ast in 22min. This stat line is not bad, but it’s also nothing to get excited about. Jokic has a lot of upside, and he has shown great improvement in just a short amount of time. But for this match-up, especially with his transition into the team’s starting PF, it may be wise to avoid Jokic.

-Gary Harris

First off, he remains questionable for the opener. Even if he did play, Harris would likely be a bit rusty, as he also missed much of the preseason, where many other league players got to oil up their gears. If that’s not enough, the last time that Harris played against a Davis-inclusive Pelicans squad, he managed a miserable 2pts, 2reb, and 2ast, in 22min of play. Wait for Harris to get a few games under his belt before paying attention to him in DFS.

Take a look at:

-Danilo Gallinari

Gallinari is coming out of the preseason red hot. He finished with a “perfect game”, hitting all field goals, three-pointers, and free throws, for 16 points in as many minutes. Also, in that same aforementioned Davis-inclusive Pelicans match-up, Gallo managed 18pts, 2reb, and 3ast in just 22 minutes, before exiting with a sprain. It seems like a no-brainer. Draft Gallinari. Want more? Fine. In a game where Davis left after just 6 minutes of play, Gallinari scored 32 point, behind 8 assists and 8 rebounds. Nab him.

Mar 1, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Will Barton (5) rebounds the ball during the first half against the New Orleans Pelicans at Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

-Will Barton

With Harris’ official status unknown, Barton is certainly worthy of a look.

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Even if Harris winds up playing, or even starting, Barton would still be worth a look. He is the sort of effort-driven player that rarely disappoints in DFS production. He always looks to score, is surprisingly reliable for rebounds, and usually ends with a couple assists as well. The last time that Barton played against a Davis-inclusive Pelicans squad, he flirted with a triple-double, managing 32pts, 10reb, and 6ast in 36min. Barton saw extended playing time after

Gallo went down, which he ALWAYS takes advantage of. Barton would either match-up against the shorter and less physical E’Twuan Moore, or the rookie Buddy Hield. This is looking like a good one for Barton, and especially if Gary Harris remains sidelined, he is well worth a look. Rookie guard Jamal Murray may also see a DFS boost if Harris sits out for the opener, but Barton makes for a far wiser choice.

-Jusuf Nurkic

Nurkic did not play against the Pelicans last year, but I (along with all Nuggets fans) have a hunch that he will PERFORM in his debut as Denver’s starting center. Nurkic has placed an enormous chip on his shoulder after a couple of disappointing seasons, and his preseason performance was a thing of glory. In just 23 minutes per-game. Nurkic averaged 12.6 points and 10.7 rebounds. He also showed an upside in passing, logging 14 assists throughout his preseason parade. He has shown reliability from the line as well (going 73.1% so far), which will be huge against the Pelicans’ sloppy centers. I have a feeling that in this game, Jokic will be sowed down, and in his absence, Nurkic will rise. With his size and newfound drive, the rebounds should come easy. Also, Omer Asik fouls out quite often, and Nurkic could have a big night from the line. Nurkic too is well worth a look.

-Wilson Chandler

Chandler is back, and boy does he look good. He averaged 13.7 points and 4.3 rebounds per game so far, and shot 40% from three-point range. Chandler could make for a sneaky value DFS pick.

Wildcard(s):

Mar 6, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried (35) celebrates with guard Emmanuel Mudiay (0) after a play in the fourth quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at the Pepsi Center. The Nuggets defeated the Mavericks 116-114 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

-Kenneth Faried

More from Nugg Love

Like Terrance Jones, Faried put on a monstrous performance against tonight’s match-up last season. In their only game where Davis logged 20+ minutes, Faried managed a whopping double-double, with 21 points and 13 rebounds, in just 24 minutes. Unfortunately for DFS players, Faried is one of the most unpredictable layers, and rarely if ever makes for a lock-in play. With his newly slated bench role to start the season, Faried should find more favorable match-ups, and could easily crank out another double-double tonight. I’d lean towards giving him a solid look, but know that drafting him would still be a gamble.

-Emmanuel Mudiay

Mudiay probably shouldn’t do too well tonight, but he is capable of surprises. Moody came into the preseason with his head on fire, and started off playing way over his abilities. But, as time went on, he slowed things down, played more intelligently, and started stuffing box scores. His versatility as a DFS option gives him strength as a draftee, as points, assists, rebounds, and steals usually come his way in bunches. But still, his general inexperience and still developing self-control make him a wildcard at best. Draft him if you’re feeling it, and feel free to ignore him if you are not.

Conclusion:

And there you have it, you know who to avoid and who to look at. In DFS leagues across the nation, low-buzz teams like the Nuggets and Pelicans often go ignored, which offers the potentially valuable weapon of relative exclusivity. Nothing is set in stone, but these suggestions could help you win some quick cash.

Again, as a friendly reminder, to play intelligently, and practice self-control.

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