The 2015-’16 NBA season is officially underway. The first few weeks of the season always offer up tough choices, as decisions are largely based off of a small sample size.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 11/03/16. The DFS lineup picks will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options and value plays on DraftKings. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to reach out to me on Twitter @hayudi18.
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DraftKings DFS Guards
Kyrie Irving - PG, CLE ($7,600)
Irving has been Cleveland’s clear No. 1 scoring option this year, with LeBron James taking somewhat of a backseat. The 24-year-old point guard is averaging 26.8 points, 4.0 assists and 3.5 rebounds through the first four games of the season, sporting a 47.6% shooting percentage and a 53.6% three point percentage.
He scored 20 and 19 points in two games against the Celtics last year, shooting 50% in the process. Isaiah Thomas is a sound defensive player, but the Celtics yielded 29 points on 10-for-16 shooting on Saturday night to Kemba Walker, the best offensive point guard they have faced so far.
Zach LaVine - SG, MIN ($6,200)
LaVine has looked like a budding star so far this season, averaging 23.7 points over the first three games. He posted his third career 30-point game in just 29 minutes on Tuesday against the Grizzlies. He’s currently shooting over 50% from the field and from beyond the arc, and has posted solid assist and rebounding numbers for an off-guard. With Ricky Rubio sidelined, LaVine should be able to maintain a large role in Minnesota’s offense.
On Thursday, the Timberwolves will host the Nuggets, who have given up 60 points to Damian Lillard/C.J. McCollum and 62 points to Kyle Lowry/DeMar DeRozan already this season. Denver has a solid offensive attack that could play with the Wolves, meaning LaVine should rack up the minutes and fill the stat sheet.
Arron Afflalo - SG, SAC ($3,800)
Afflalo played a large role in the Kings’ offense Tuesday for the first time this season, and he walked away with 18 points on 7-for-17 shooting and 23.25 points on DraftKings. He had a rough 2015 season with the Knicks, but still managed to score at least 20 points on 10 different occasions. With Darren Collison still not ready to suit up, Afflalo can continue to see ample scoring opportunities as Sacramento’s No. 3 option, behind DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay.
Afflalo and the Kings will travel to Orlando for a Thursday night game against the Magic, who allowed J.R. Smith and Gerald Henderson to post 16 and 18 points, respectively, in back-to-back games in the last week. Afflalo could be a cheap source of production at the guard spot.
DraftKings DFS Forwards
Draymond Green - PF, GS ($7,800)
Thursday night’s showdown between the Thunder and Warriors will largely be Russell Westbrook vs. Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant. However, Green has shown that he can return solid value without scoring much. The 26-year-old forward has posted at least 35 DraftKings points in each of his first four games this season despite not having scored double-digits since opening night. This means that he is averaging 42.6 DK points largely without the help of the extra points awarded for a double-double. Green is third among power forwards in rebounds per game, first in assists, seventh in blocks and tied for first in steals. He can take his value to the next level with just a couple extra baskets.
Andrew Wiggins - SF, MIN ($6,100)
Wiggins is averaging 23.7 points over his first three games this season, and it’s only that low because the Timberwolves blew out the Grizzlies at home on Tuesday. The former No. 1 overall pick made improvements to his offensive game last year, and appears to have further elevated his skill set in his third season.
As mentioned earlier, the Nuggets have already yielded 60 points to the Trailblazers’ backcourt and 62 to the Raptors’ backcourt. Wiggins is technically a small forward, but he and LaVine are Minnesota’s best perimeter scorers. Wiggins is a safe bet to outproduce his current price tag on Thursday.
C.J. Miles - SG/SF, IND ($3,600)
Miles has been the only source of offense off the Pacers’ bench so far this season, averaging 12 points per game as the team’s sixth man. Against the Lakers on Tuesday, he shot 6-for-9 with 16 points, producing 23 fantasy points on DraftKings.
The veteran swingman scored at least 15 points in 21 games last season. He totaled 40 points on 14-for-32 shooting in two meetings with the Bucks, whom the Pacers play on Thursday night. At just $3,800, Miles could turn in a solid performance and allow for cap flexibility.
DraftKings DFS Centers
Myles Turner - PF/C, IND ($7,300)
Turner kicked off the season with a 30-point, 16-rebound showing against the Mavericks. He has since come back to earth, but still managed more than 30 fantasy points in each of the next two games. The 20-year-old showed flashes of brilliance as a rookie last year, averaging 15.8 points and 6.7 rebounds over an 18-game stretch across January and February.
Milwaukee, Indiana’s opponent on Thursday, has allowed 15/9 to Roy Hibbert, 20/23 to Andre Drummond and 35/15 to Anthony Davis so far this year. Turner should have no trouble putting up big numbers against a defensively-challenged Bucks team.
Tyler Zeller - C, BOS ($3,800)
Zeller has served as a solid backup center for Boston since coming over in 2014, but with the addition of Al Horford, minutes and touches could be harder to come by. However, with Kelly Olynyk sidelined with a shoulder injury, Zeller makes for a cheap value play against a Cavaliers team whose center, despite being a great rebounder, is still just 6’9”. A 10-point, four-rebound, two-block performance is all it would take ot make Zeller deserving of a roster spot at his current price.
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