RADIO
It was a fantastic Friday night throughout the association. Kevin Durant, James Harden, and the Nets went into enemy territory and overcame a fourth-quarter deficit, defeating the 76ers at the Wells Fargo Arena. In the end, Durant would go on to finish as arguably the top fantasy option on the slate by amassing a decisive triple-double. Out in Chicago, Lonzo Ball had a triple-double of his own, helping the Bulls take down the Zion Williamson-less New Orleans Pelicans. With the victory, his squad currently sits at a perfect 2-0. Some of the other notable performances include Nikola Jokic captaining his crew to a dub against the Spurs. At the same time, Spencer Dinwiddie took advantage of the absence of Bradley Beal by posting 34 points to an overtime win against the Indiana Pacers.
With Saturday's festivities right around the corner, there are some things to consider regarding lineup construction. Kyle Lowry is currently questionable after he sprained his left ankle on opening night. In addition, the Pistons continue to await the debut of Cade Cunningham, with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2021 NBA Draft currently on the shelf because of his own ankle issue. Fortunately, he's is on track to return once Detroit returns home from its three-game road venture.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel on 10/23/21. These DFS lineup picks can vary from higher-priced players and elite options to lower-priced players and value picks on FanDuel. You can also check out today's DraftKings NBA DFS lineup picks. Keep an eye on RotoBaller’s injury news to stay up to date before lineups are locked. Also, please give me a follow on Twitter @DennisMClausen, and feel free to say hello. Good luck!
Featured Promo: For this week only, take 50% off any full-season or yearly Premium Pass on the site! Just enter discount code THANKS when checking out. Thanks for being a reader, and Happy Holidays! Sign Up Now!
FanDuel Guards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Zach LaVine, PG/SG - vs. DET ($8,700)
While Lonzo Ball has been a great addition to the Bulls' roster, Lavine remains a pivotal piece of the equation. The 26-year-old has been circled by headlines over the last few months, mainly due to the uncertainty surrounding his future beyond the 2021-22 campaign. LaVine's also been in the news because of his stellar play so far this year.
He's currently averaging a whopping 33 points and will be entering Saturday evening fresh off a 43.7 fantasy point performance against the Pelicans. The former UCLA Bruin opened the season by racking up 52.4 fantasy points against his upcoming opponent, the Detroit Pistons, so that's a pretty good indicator of what's to come. Nevertheless, LaVine has been playing too well to omit from any DFS lineup, primarily since his rostering cost should be much higher than it is.
Tyler Herro, SG/SF - @ IND ($5,500)
As previously mentioned, Kyle Lowry is in danger of missing Saturday's matchup in Indiana. Obviously, that wouldn't be good news, especially since he's only played in one game for his new club so far. However, even if he does hit the floor, Herro should remain a priority option for DFS lineups.
He had an offseason that included adding muscle, and he recently received some high praise after Shaq declared that he is just as good as Luka Doncic and Trae Young. The 21-year-old has supported Shaq's claim, although the sample size is small considering Miami has had just one game this season. However, he did look awesome after he dumped 27 points on the Milwaukee Bucks, doing so while shooting 50 percent from deep off eight attempts.
Also Consider: DeMar DeRozan ($7,300), Lonzo Ball ($6,200), Derrick White ($5,900), De'Anthony Melton ($5,100), Tim Hardaway Jr. ($4,800), Terance Mann ($4,400), Jeremy Lamb ($3,600)
Want more NBA DFS tools and content? Our NBA Premium package includes our daily DFS Cheat Sheets, Research Station, Optimizer, and access to our Premium Slack Chatrooms where members can chat with our NBA analysts. Check out this big win from RotoBaller premium member Bsuperak on FanDuel using our Premium tools - join in on the winning!
FanDuel Forwards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Nickeil Alexander-Walker, SG/SF - @ MIN ($6,000)
We knew Alexander-Walker was in for a more substantial role this season. Yet, he's played better than anyone could have imagined throughout the first two games of the year.
Yes, Zion Williamson hasn't played as he continues to recover from offseason foot surgery. Still, even when he and his 300-pound frame make it back, Alexander-Walker should continue to contribute. In the meantime, DFS managers should continue to benefit, and at only $6,000, he is certainly someone who can help offset the price of some of the costlier options available on this seven-game slate.
Scottie Barnes, SF/PF - vs. DAL ($5,100)
The basketball community was semi-shocked when Toronto decided to select Barnes with the No. 4 pick of the 2021 NBA Draft. He played well during the preseason, and he appears to be continuing that trend in games that actually count.
Although turnovers were an issue during his inaugural outing against the Washington Wizards, he finished just one board shy of a double-double. However, he got it done on Friday evening against the Celtics, and he racked up 25 points and 13 rebounds in the process. He also went 11-for-17 from the field and drained one of his two shots from distance. At least until Pascal Siakam returns to the equation, the rookie has a clear path to playing time and should continue to have plenty of chances to contribute on the fantasy end moving ahead.
Also Consider: Kristaps Porzingis ($6,800), Myles Turner ($5,900), Isaiah Stewart ($5,300), Jordan Nwora ($4,400), Jae Crowder ($3,900), Patrick Williams ($3,800), Naji Marshall ($3,700), Alize Johnson ($3,500)
FanDuel Centers - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Karl-Anthony Towns, C - vs. NOP ($11,000)
While Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid are widely considered the best centers in the league, Towns, at one point, was included in the conversation. However, after missing an excessive amount of time over the last few seasons, fantasy managers have continued to hold out hope that he will play up to his potential and enter the MVP conversation.
The 25-year-old kicked off his seventh season with a bang. He racked up an impressive 30-point, 10-rebound double-double to lead Minnesota to a win over the Houston Rockets while also displaying some defensive prowess by adding two blocks to his stat line. The Price tag is massive. Still, if KAT can produce the way he did on opening night, it will pay off.
Also Consider: Nikola Vucevic ($8,500), Bam Adebayo ($8,100), Jusuf Nurkic ($7,600), Jonas Valanciunas ($6,300), Ivica Zubac ($4,400)
Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App
Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy basketball mobile app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, lineup notifications & DFS articles. All free!
