RADIO
After a particularly extended pre-All-Star-break portion of the season, the NBA is finally ready for its week-long pause to its 2021-22 campaign. Most teams have already begun their sabbatical, but there are still five games to play Thursday night.
Despite the modest number of games, there are still plenty of big names in action and potential wire-to-wire battles in Heat-Hornets, 76ers-Bucks and even Mavericks-Pelicans. As such, we still have plenty of appealing options across the salary scale at each position to work with in building our tournament and cash game rosters.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 2/17/22. Remember to monitor the NBA injury report as the slate can completely change before lineups lock. Good luck, RotoBallers.
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DraftKings and FanDuel Guards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Luka Doncic - PG, DAL at NOP (12,500 DK; $11,300 FD)
Doncic's salary is undeniably through the roof, particularly on DraftKings, but on a small slate, there's certainly a degree of risk in not including him in at least a few lineups considering some of his recent performances. The All-Star guard has eclipsed 70 fantasy points in five of his last eight games alone, an astounding figure that justifies the current investment in him on DK and makes him almost a bargain on FD. Doncic also has shot 49.1 percent in three previous games against the Pelicans this season, while New Orleans has allowed the seventh-highest offensive efficiency to point guards (26.6 percent). The Pels are also tied for the fifth-highest three-point shooting percentage allowed (36.2), furthering Luka's case.
Terry Rozier - SG, CHA vs. MIA ($8,200 DK; $7,500 FD)
Rozier is another guard that's been overdelivering on his salaries recently, having eclipsed 60 fantasy points on both sites in two of his last three games. The veteran still struggles with efficiency at times, but he does sport a 23.9 percent usage rate without Gordon Hayward (foot) on the floor and is averaging over 35 fantasy points per 36 minutes on each site in that split as well. The Heat have been more giving defensively on the road and is ranked just inside the bottom half of the league in offensive efficiency allowed to two-guards. Miami is also giving up over 40 fantasy points per game to the position over the last seven, and Rozier shot 50.0 percent, including 60.0 percent from distance, in his one prior game against the Heat this season.
Seth Curry, BKN vs. WAS ($5,500 DK; $6,000 FD)
Curry has been a hit thus far in Brooklyn, shooting at least 50.0 percent in his first two games while scoring over 30 fantasy points in each. His salaries remain surprisingly low Thursday, especially considering Brooklyn will once again take the floor without Kyrie Irving since the game is being played at home. Curry has already averaged over 25 fantasy points on each site in two games against the Wizards this season while with Philly, and Washington comes in allowing over 43 fantasy points per game to small forwards over the last 15.
Also consider: Jalen Brunson - SG/PG, DAL at NOP ($6,400 DK; $6,500 FD)
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DraftKings and FanDuel Forwards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Giannis Antetokounmpo - PF/SF, MIL vs. PHI ($12,100 DK, $11,500 FD)
Much like Doncic, Antetokounmpo will cost you a pretty penny but certainly could prove worth it. The big man is coming off having scored over 70 fantasy points on each site on the strength of a 50-point, 14-rebound double-double against the Pacers on Tuesday, and he did it following a one-game absence due to an ankle injury to boot. He now faces a 76ers team he already racked up over 60 fantasy points against in one prior meeting this season and that's ranked inside the bottom half of the league in offensive efficiency allowed to PFs (25.6 percent). Moreover, Philly has yielded over 45 fantasy points per game to power forwards in the last seven, and with Giannis averaging over 60 fantasy points per contest at home, he could certainly be poised to overshoot the former number by a good bit.
Tobias Harris - PF/SF, PHI at MIL ($7,100 DK; $7,700 FD)
Harris is an intriguing tournament play on the other side of the 76ers-Bucks battle, especially because he's coming off two poor games that have seen him fail to even hit 20 fantasy points. However, the Bucks could help bring out a resurgent performance, as Milwaukee is allowing over 50 fantasy points per game to PFs over the last 15 games. Harris is shooting a solid 46.2 percent on the road this season, and despite his recent two-game skid, Harris is shooting a blistering 56.8 percent, including 55.6 percent from three-point range, over his last 11 games.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope - SF, WAS at BKN ($4,400 DK; $4,200 FD)
KCP has always been a quintessential tournament value play due to his uneven performances, but when he's on, he can certainly significantly outperform his current salaries. The veteran wing has been sharp over the last couple of games, going a blistering 9-for-15 from behind the arc during those contests. He's also been a better overall shooter on the road this season as well (42.8 percent, compared to 39.3 percent at home), and he's averaging over 26 fantasy points per 36 minutes without Bradley Beal on the floor this season. Meanwhile, the Nets have been vulnerable to small forwards of late, giving up over 44 fantasy points per game to the position in the last 15.
Also consider: Kyle Kuzma, WAS at BKN ($9,000 DK; $7,700 FD); Miles Bridges, CHA vs. MIA ($7,900 DK; 7,900 FD)
DraftKings and FanDuel Centers - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Joel Embiid - PHI at BKN ($11,800 DK; $11,400 FD)
Embiid has scored over 40 points in five of his last 13 games alone, and he just saw a streak of seven straight double-doubles snapped in the blowout loss to the Celtics on Tuesday. The big man has flashed a ceiling north of 80 fantasy points this season and is always a particularly appealing consideration in any game where he could play a heavy load of minutes. That has an excellent chance of being the case Thursday against the Bucks, which have allowed over 56 fantasy points per game to centers over the last seven games. Embiid has essentially been matchup-proof anyhow and is shooting a stellar 51.9 percent, including 42.6 percent from three-point range, on the road this season.
Bam Adebayo - MIA at CHA ($8,400 DK; $9,500 FD)
Adebayo has been on a tear in recent games, posting double-doubles in six of his last seven games while averaging 22.9 points, 11.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.0 steals across 32 minutes per outing in that span. The big man is in prime position to continue churning out excellent production Thursday, as few teams have been as permeable in the frontcourt this season as the Hornets. Charlotte has allowed Eastern Conference-high 33.8 percent offensive efficiency to centers, along with NBA-high 68.5 DK/66.8 FD points per game to the position in the last seven games. Then, Adebayo has averaged over 50 fantasy points per game on each site in two prior games against the Hornets, furthering his already strong case.
Also consider: Andre Drummond, BKN vs. WAS ($6,000 DK; $6,600 FD); Ivica Zubac, LAC vs. HOU ($4,700 DK; $6,200 FD)
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