RADIO
Thursday night's quiet, two-game slate features four playoff-contending Eastern Conference teams looking to move up in the standings. In fact, if the season ended today, these same teams would meet each other in the first round. While there a few high-priced stars on the table, most of the value comes from lower down on the list.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 2/16/17. 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
John Wall - PG, @ IND ($10,700)
Wall is the only $10k player on the slate, and he’s worth paying up for in a cash game. The 26-year-old continues to build on his career year with a streak of eight consecutive double-doubles heading into Thursday’s tilt against Indiana. The Wizards and Pacers met last Friday, and Wall dropped 26 and 14 on Jeff Teague and company. With two days off in between games, Wall should be well-rested enough to play at least 40 minutes in what is likely to be a tough battle— Washington won the last meeting at home by five points. Consider Wall a strong bet to extend his double-double streak and hit at least 5x value Thursday night.
Marcus Smart - PG/SG, @ CHI ($5,700)
Since he came into the league, Smart has been somewhat inconsistent on the offensive end, failing to reach a 37% field goal percentage in each of his first two years. However, since Avery Bradley went down with an Achilles injury, Smart has stepped up his game. Over his last 14 contests, the 22-year-old has averaged 12.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 5.1 assists as the starting shooting guard. Additionally, he has the ability to make an impact on the defensive end, racking up an absurd eight steals in Wednesday night’s win over the 76ers— this was his third game with at least five steals in the month of February. Smart will likely draw Michael Carter-Williams on Thursday, and should be able to exploit that matchup on both sides of the ball.
Michael Carter-Williams - PG, vs. BOS ($5,100)
Speak of the devil. Carter-Williams has carved out a bigger role on Chicago’s offense of late, splitting starts at point guard with Jerian Grant and picking up some additional starts when Dwyane Wade sits out, as he likely will on Thursday. The former NBA Rookie of the Year hasn’t been a consistent source of production, but he has flashed solid potential, with at least 30 Draftkings points in three of his last six games. Opposing point guards have scored 20 points in four consecutive games against the Celtics, and while MCW could start at shooting guard, he is likely to run the point for some of the night.
DraftKings DFS Forwards
Paul George - SF, vs. WAS ($8,200)
While George has experienced a decrease in points, rebounds, assists, blocks and steals since last year, he has become a more efficient player, improving upon all three shooting percentages and cutting down on his turnovers. The 26-year-old has eclipsed 40 DK points in three of his last five games, struggling to put the ball in the hoop on two occasions but dominating in the other contests. Last week against the Wizards, the Pacers’ Thursday night opponents, George posted 31 points on 12-of-23 shooting with four rebounds, two assists and a block. The three-time all-star is in a position to replicate that stat line on Thursday, and those who pay up for Wall can look to George for solid across-the-board production at a reasonable price.
Markieff Morris - SF/PF, @ IND ($6,900)
Morris has seen his name come up many times in this article series, and as long as his price tag remains under $7k, he is likely to make several more appearances. Despite two down performances earlier this month, Morris remains a reliable fantasy option, with 34 or more Draftkings points in seven of his last 10 games— including 48 (26 points, 10 rebounds) against the Pacers just last week. Indiana allows the third-most DK points to the power forward position, and with Thaddeus Young out through the All-Star break, Indiana’s overall defensive effort has been lacking. Another 20-10 showing from Morris is more than reasonable.
Taj Gibson - PF/C, vs. BOS ($4,700)
Gibson’s value has plummeted over the last few weeks, and with it, his price. He continues to receive quality playing time, and has scored in double figures in six of the last seven games in which he has seen at least 20 minutes. His rebounding numbers have taken a dive, but he could have a chance to rectify that against a Boston team that currently possesses the fifth-worst rebounding percentage and is without its leading rebounder— shooting guard Avery Bradley. Gibson a high-risk, high-reward option in tournament play.
Bobby Portis is a cheaper, even more risky option who can free up cap space for two or three of the top-tier guys in tournaments.
DraftKings DFS Centers
Marcin Gortat - C, @ IND ($6,000)
Continuing with the heavy Wizards stack, Gortat is the clear-cut top center option on this slate. He has eclipsed 35 Draftkings points in eight of his last nine games, racking up seven double-doubles in that span. The 10-year veteran is playing his best basketball of the season, averaging 14.8 points, 12.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks across six games in February. He will get an opportunity to maintain that pace on the road against Indiana on Thursday night— the eve of his 33rd birthday. The Pacers currently rank as the fourth-worst rebounding team in the NBA, and will be without one of their top glass-crashers in Thaddeus Young. At a modest $6k price tag, the red-hot Gortat is certainly worth a roster spot in all formats.
Kelly Olynyk - PF/C, @ CHI ($4,500)
If none of the top options appeal to you, Olynyk could serve as a cheap plug-in for any format. He has produced at least 22 Draftkings points in six straight contests, including a 40-point showing in a tough matchup against the Jazz this past Saturday. The 25-year-old has made an enormous impact on the glass for Boston, pulling down an average of seven boards over the last seven games for a Celtics team that is led in rebounds by its injured shooting guard (Avery Bradley, 6.9). As long as he continues to see the floor, Olynyk should have no problem hitting value again on Thursday night against the Bulls.
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