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 11/04/16. 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
DeMar DeRozan – SG, TOR ($8,000)
DeRozan has consistently been exceeding, which is why his price tag is so surprising tonight. He has been an elite scorer this season, as he has taken more than 20 shots per game and he’s averaging 36.3 points per game. He has also adds 5.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.5 steals per game, as well. He gets a decent matchup against the Heat, who have been far from an elite defense this season, but do like slowing the pace down at times. Still, DeRozan is a big enough part of the offense to be used in all leagues tonight.
J.J. Barea – PG/SG, DAL ($4,800)
Barea has been a pleasant surprise for the Mavs this season. He’s playing big minutes off the bench, and he has been a solid scorer. He adds a few extra stats each game, as well, which gives him good upside. He gets a great matchup against the Blazers, who are one of the fastest paced teams in the NBA. That will give Barea a few more extra possessions for fantasy points. He’s still fairly cheap, and he can be used in all leagues until his price jumps a bit more.
Sean Kilpatrick – SG, BKN ($4,400)
Kilpatrick was one of the best players in the NCAA when he was at Cincinnati, but that hasn’t transferred to the NBA. Still, he has plenty of upside and he has looked great through five games this season. He played the majority of his minutes at point guard after Jeremy Lin was injured, and he get more minutes at point guard tonight. He’s coming off a huge game against the Pistons, and while he isn’t like to repeat that effort, he should easily be able to exceed value tonight.
DraftKings DFS Forwards
Anthony Davis – PF/C, NO ($10,900)
Davis has been a boom or bust option this season, as he has scored 70 or more fantasy points in three of his five games, but in those two games that he didn’t, he didn’t score more than 30 fantasy points. This is the type of game that Davis should excel in, as he loves playing teams that push the pace. The Suns are also a young team that doesn’t have anyone that can guard Davis. If I’m paying up for a player tonight, it will be Davis, although he may be too expensive to be used in cash games.
Otto Porter – SF, WAS ($4,800)
The Wizards are quietly playing in a few very high scoring games. That bodes well for Otto Porter, who is a player that can score extremely well. He has been playing 35+ minutes per game recently, and he has also been taking double digit shot attempts. He also has double double potential with rebounds. He gets a good matchup against the Hawks, who have struggled at times, and Porter is an elite tournament option for his price tag.
Trevor Booker – PF, BKN ($4,700)
Booker is slightly underpriced tonight. He’s averaging over one fantasy point per minute this season, and he has been playing minutes in the high-20s. He’s coming off a terrible game, but his minutes were encouraging. He should be able to get on track with Jeremy Lin out. He may shoulder more of the offensive load, and he gets a decent matchup against the Hornets, who are dealing with some injuries right now. Booker does come with a small amount of risk, but he can be used in all leagues for his low price tag.
DraftKings DFS Centers
Marc Gasol – C, MEM ($6,700)
If Marc Gasol is playing full minutes, he should be used in all leagues. On the season, he’s averaging 16.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 2.3 blocks per game. The Grizzlies are playing at a much faster pace this season, and Gasol is playing with the ball in his hands more. They are giving him plenty of rest days, which his price tag seems to reflect, although he should be playing full minutes tonight. He gets a good matchup against the Clippers, who have struggled at times against the center this season. Gasol can be used in all leagues once they announce he’s the starter.
Marcin Gortat – C, WAS ($5,900)
Gortat’s stats are a bit skewed because of one bad game, but he’s still averaging a double double on the season. He’s playing huge minutes for the Wizards, and he has the ability to score much more than he has displayed this season. He can contribute in each of the five categories at some level, and his price tag is too low tonight. The matchup is less than ideal, but he’s too cheap for how many minutes he’s playing. He can be used in all leagues tonight.
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