RADIO
James Harden and Giannis Antetokounmpo have spent nearly the first month of the NBA season reminding everyone why they had an MVP race for the ages during 2018-19. To kick off this year, on a nightly basis, the two have engaged in a show of one-upmanship, with Monday serving as the latest evening in which the darlings of fantasy hoops take the floor.
Making a lineup around Harden or Antetokounmpo is nearly always possible, as many DFS owners are aware. It’s tough to make any kind of case against them, so I won’t. Instead, I’ll be delivering a few plays across a nine-game slate Monday that I believe to have some extraordinary upside.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 11/18/19. You can also check out today's FanDuel lineup picks. Remember to monitor injury news as the slate can completely change before line-up lock.
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DraftKings DFS Guards
Damian Lillard - PG, POR @ HOU ($8,600)
The face of the Portland Trail Blazers franchise has made one thing patently clear over his first 13 games this year: there aren’t many defenders in the league that can guard him. No knock against either Rockets star guard, but they aren’t on the shortlist. Lillard, who is playing a league-high 38.5 minutes per contest, is on pace to average a new career high with 29.5 points per game, all while shooting what would be a career-best 46.2 percent from the floor. His price tag has dipped to this number due to a rough last few outings. I’ll be banking on Lillard -- who has gone for 22 points or more in 12 of his 13 contests -- to have a comeback showing during what is currently the game projected for the most points (over/under listed at 231) during the entire slate.
Luka Doncic - PG/SG, DAL v. SA ($9,800)
Perception-wise, the San Antonio Spurs present a challenging matchup. But despite years of having presented themselves as a defensive stalwart, that simply hasn’t been the case this season. Through their first 13 games, they are yielding the eighth most points in the league at 114.5 per night and do not have a lockdown on-ball defender with guards Derrick White, Dejounte Murray, DeMar DeRozan and Bryn Forbes all having defensive ratings above 110. This is where Doncic comes in. Having established himself as an MVP candidate with five triple-doubles already to his credit, Doncic has scored better than 50 DraftKings points in 10 of his 12 outings. He has an immensely high floor, and with his price below the $10,000 mark, it makes him an affordable commodity even on a slate full of high-priced stars.
DraftKings DFS Forwards
Danuel House - SF/PF, HOU v. POR ($3,700)
While owners will want to confirm with 100 percent certainty that House is playing before tip-off, the sharpshooter has been tagged as probable to make his return following a three-game absence. That time off allowed his price tag to slip through the cracks, as Houston’s main marksman on the wing had gone above and beyond $5,000 on a consistent basis. Seven of House’s first nine games saw him score in double figures, while he has averaged 2.5 makes from deep per game. House may have some of the highest ownership of any player available Monday as he will likely see a significant workload with Eric Gordon still sidelined, in addition to reaping the benefits of getting open shots spotting up off the ball from Harden and Russell Westbrook.
Pascal Siakam - PF/C, TOR v. CHA ($9,000)
No Kyle Lowry for the time being means that Siakam will have the opportunity to ascend near the super stardom that he has appeared to linger near for the past year. Over his last five games, he has taken 24 or more shots in four of those outings. In all of those contests, he has played at least 39 minutes. In short, Siakam is going to be the No. 1, No. 2 and likely No. 3 scoring option Monday versus a Hornets defense that doesn’t truly boast anyone capable of matching up with the reigning Most Improved Player. There’s no question that taking Siakam in this slate trends more toward those with GPP aspirations; getting a star (who is missing excellent teammates) that is averaging nearly a 26-9-4 line against a moribund defensive unit seems like a risk worthy of taking for those who are bold enough to fade Harden or Antetokounmpo.
DraftKings DFS Centers
Myles Turner - C, IND @ BKN ($6,100)
Back from an ankle injury that cost him eight games, Turner’s price has simply not returned to form. Even after a double-double against Milwaukee on Saturday that included four blocked shots, Turner’s price remains reasonable, especially against a Brooklyn team that is allowing the fourth most points per game to opposing centers in DraftKings this year. For what it’s worth, Turner’s career 124 offensive rating versus the Nets is his second highest against any opponent in the league. Factor in that fellow frontcourt running mate Domantas Sabonis has picked up a questionable designation and Turner should see a hefty workload that allows him to provide return on his price. I see him as a strong cash play.
