RADIO
Just three games on the main slate means get ready for some repetition. There will be a lot of the same players throughout most of the winning lineups so look for those guaranteed studs and those one or two prime sleepers. The Toronto Raptors starters and bench should have no limitations going up against the Magic, but that won't come close to the scoring upside the Denver-Los Angeles matchup has.
You can go either way and both games are perfect for stacking. As much as I love playing as many Nuggets as possible tonight, that's exactly what I am afraid of. The Nuggets have so many options ready to utilize that it's hard to predict the hot hand every night outside of Nikola Jokic. My gut says Will Barton and Danilo Gallinari play well for their respective teams, but the more I look at the games, the more I like the potential of the Magic versus Raptors. Not only is Kyle Lowry a lock for tonight, but rostering Aaron Gordon, Evan Fournier, and Nikola Vucevic actually seems like a viable strategy.
As always make sure to check the status of players before the opening tip. For the rest of the article, I will be providing with my daily fantasy basketball lineup for DraftKings on 2/24/19.
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DraftKings DFS Guards
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander - PG/SG @ DEN ($4,000)
Have to love playing decent guards against the Denver Nuggets. Yes, they have great options to help in case they get beat, but it won't be enough to stop Shai Gilgeous-Alexander from getting to his spots. Despite his general inconsistency, Gilgeous-Alexander has shown veteran-type traits and attributes on the court. He uses his body well, and when he isn't able to beat his defender based on speed or strength, he willingly passes it up. Not the best for DFS, but it shows his ability to make the right play. Since the Nuggets won't get rolled over like other teams, look for Alexander to take into his own hands more often than not. He will continue to find the open man, but with such a low price, I love his upside against a quality team. Alexander is going to be one of those players that plays above his level and will live up to the moment. The Clippers will need production from the backcourt and I fully expect Alexander to deliver.
Allonzo Trier - PG/SG vs. SAS ($3,700)
The Knicks don't have much, if any, upside tonight. Yes, the Spurs defense isn't the same as it has been in previous years, but they still play a focused game of basketball on most nights. The biggest thorn in the Spurs side is playing down to their competition. They have proven they can play with some of the best, but they have also exposed themselves and been beaten by some of the league's worst. Tonight, it's literally the league's worst versus the Spurs and that means the only hope is for New York to bank on their isolation players. Allonzo Trier is one of the few players in the rotation that is able to score against most players and will shoot without hesitation, even if he's missed every shot to that point.
DraftKings DFS Forwards
Rudy Gay - SF/PF @ NYK ($5,700)
I mean, there isn't much to this pick because it's fairly self-explanatory. The Knicks are lacking in just about every defensive category and they even struggle to put together consistent offense. All in all, that means the Spurs are going to have more than enough chances to do anything they want this game and I like the idea of Rudy Gay having complete freedom in MSG. His price isn't too high for his projected and even if there is a blowout, I still trust Gay to get his share of production even in limited minutes. Best case scenario is that the Knicks are just shooting incredibly well, keep this game close and Gay get's legitimate minutes and is needed to produce.
JaMychal Green - SG/SF @ DEN ($4,400)
JaMychal Green has never been at the forefront of the "consistently productive players" conversation, but that doesn't mean he fails the eye test. He focuses on rebounding, defense, and second chance points, which actually makes him a consistent frontcourt option in the rotation, just outside of fantasy basketball and DFS conversations. While with the Clippers, there hasn't been much in regards to Green's upside moving forward seeing how he will have to play behind Montrezl Harrell, his biggest obstacle. When on the court, he will get rebounds and and do what needs to be done but you need to play him against the right matchup. Tonight is the right matchup. The Nuggets lack toughness and defense in their frontcourt, so even though Paul Millsap does bring defense, Green has the athleticism to counter most of how Millsap, or hopefully Trey Lyles, will guard him.
DraftKings DFS Centers
Marc Gasol - C vs. ORL ($5,600)
Just because I mentioned Nikola Vucevic in the introduction doesn't mean that I would suggest fading Marc Gasol in this matchup. It may put you in a dilemma for who to roster at center, but both surprisingly have equal upside against each other. Vucevic might have the athletic advantage, but both players are able to produce regardless of who is defending them because of their skill-set. This game should revolve around the frontcourt and while there is plenty of backcourt upside, I think both Gasol and Vucevic will have defensive upside, giving a bonus to whoever rosters them. Like stated earlier, Vucevic versus Toronto is good-to-go, but if you need to save the salary, Gasol can provide the perfect, lower-priced option.
