RADIO
Five games occupy Thursday’s slate, with all eyes on a showdown between Kawhi Leonard’s Spurs and Russell Westbrook’s Thunder— a possible playoff preview. However, the highest-scoring game of the night is likely to be the not-so-marquee matchup between the Lakers and the Suns— both teams allow more than 110 points per game. Only Westbrook and LeBron James sit north of $10k, so there is plenty of value to be found all across the slate.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 3/9/17. 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.
DraftKings DFS Guards
Eric Bledsoe - PG, vs. LAL ($8,700)
Bledsoe has eclipsed 40 Draftkings points in six of his last nine games, including 65.5 against the Lakers on Feb. 15— he posted a triple-double that night. Phoenix will host the Lakers again on Thursday, with Bledsoe drawing another matchup against the team that yields the fifth-most DK points to the point guard spot and have allowed 111 points per game to date. The 27-year-old guard has enormous upside, especially given the matchup, but his floor is strong enough that he isn’t a risk in cash games.
Mike Conley - PG, vs. LAC ($7,400)
Conley is playing his best basketball of the year since the All-Star break, garnering at least 40 Draftkings points in each of his last five contests. The 29-year-old is averaging 29.0 points and 6.4 assists with 16 made three-point field goals over that span. He will look to continue his strong play on Thursday against the Clippers, who have been susceptible to big performances by opposing point guards.
Conley has been as reliable as they come lately, with decent upside at a $7,400 price tag. He is more than worthy of occupying the point guard spot for those not willing to spend up for Bledsoe, Damian Lillard or Kyrie Irving— let alone Westbrook.
Nick Young - SG, @ PHO ($4,000)
Young is one of the more streaky shooters in the league, but he is on one of his hot streaks right now. He has received more touches with Lou Williams gone, and has the potential to catch fire on any given night.
The 31-year-old has shot 15-for-35 from beyond the arc in his last four games, and will match up on Thursday with a Suns team that allows the highest three-point percentage in the NBA. Young doesn’t often add much in terms of rebounds or assists, but is capable of accumulating four or five in either category on a given night to go along with a couple of steals. At just $4k, he provides a ton of potential in addition to some cap relief.
DraftKings DFS Forwards
Kawhi Leonard - SF, @ OKC ($9,700)
Water is wet. The Earth is round (shoutout to Kyrie Irving). Kawhi Leonard is a viable Draftkings choice. The 25-year-old has scored 30 points in four consecutive games — the third time he’s done that this season — averaging 60.38 DK points in that span. Gregg Popovich chose to rest Leonard for Wednesday’s tilt against the Kings, providing his superstar forward with two days off in advance of Thursday’s game against fellow MVP candidate Russell Westbrook and the Thunder. Even if Leonard doesn’t continue his 30-point streak, his ability to stuff the stat sheet should allow him to hit value— although his increased price means he is a better play in cash games.
Dario Saric - PF, @ POR ($7,700)
Over the last month, Saric has not only become one of the key players in the Sixers’ rotation, but he has transformed into Philadelphia’s go-to scorer. The 22-year-old is averaging a team-high 18.9 points over its last 12 games. He has also managed 8.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists over that stretch.
The Sixers have a meeting with the Trail Blazers on Thursday night. Portland boasts the league’s fifth-worst scoring defense and rebounding numbers in the bottom third. The Blazers also allow the sixth-most DK points to opposing power forwards. With no fewer than 36 fantasy points in nine of his last 10 games, Saric is a solid bet to produce value again on Thursday.
Marquese Chriss - PF, vs. LAL ($4,900)
The Suns continue to roll with their younger players, and Chriss has been one of the biggest benefactors, playing 25.9 minutes per game in seven contests since the break. The 19-year-old rookie is overflowing with talent, and has averaged 11.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.4 blocks and 1.0 steals over that span.
Chriss is an upside-only option— in those seven games, he has posted at least 29 DK points twice and failed to reach 20 on three other occasions. However, he has an appealing matchup on Thursday, as the Lakers and the league’s fourth-worst defense come to town. Power forwards Anthony Davis and Dirk Nowitzki have combined for 56 points and 20 rebounds against the Lakers in the last two games. Chriss is worth owning in tournaments at a price tag under $5k.
DraftKings DFS Centers
Jusuf Nurkic - C, vs. PHI ($7,000)
Since joining the Trail Blazers, Nurkic is averaging a robust 14.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.6 steals in just under 30 minutes per game. In those seven contests, the 22-year-old has managed more than 30 Draftkings points six times, including 55.5 against the Thunder last Thursday.
One week later, he will match up with a 76ers team that ranks 29th against centers and has been playing without Joel Embiid (injured) and Nerlens Noel (traded). Hassan Whiteside and Andre Drummond have each posted a double-double against Philly this month, and Nurkic could very well follow suit. Even being in the $7k range for the first time ever, Nurkic should be able to hit value in cash games.
Enes Kanter - C, vs. SA ($5,500)
Since returning from injury following the All-Star break, Kanter has outplayed fellow big man Steven Adams. The 24-year-old has scored in double-figures in six consecutive games — more than 30 DK points in four of those games — despite averaging just 23.2 minutes over that stretch.
As strong as the Spurs are defensively, Pau Gasol doesn’t offer up a particularly daunting matchup. DeMarcus Cousins and Karl-Anthony Towns both put up around 50 fantasy points against San Antonio in the last week, and while Kanter is unlikely to sniff that kind of production, he is more than capable of another 15-10 showing.
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