RADIO
A new-look NBA is upon fans of DFS, who much like the teams that they spend nights watching, will have to adjust to the new lay of the land. Friday’s eight-game slate is an excellent crash course in that endeavor, as superstars are sprinkled around teams that are still getting their rotations up to speed a day after the Trade Deadline.
There are a few contests (Houston/Phoenix, Dallas/Washington) that are likely to jump off the page due to their totals, while four of the league’s six worst defensive units in points per game allowed are all on the docket. With that in mind, here are some gems that we’ve attempted to unearth amidst a picture that is anything but clear.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 2/7/20. 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
Donovan Mitchell - PG/SG, UTA v. POR ($6,900)
Despite having gone for 25 points against Portland last Saturday, Mitchell has seen his price tag decrease to one of its lowest levels of the season Friday. There have been two clunkers mixed around an excellent campaign, which puts him in the cat-bird seat as a buy-low option, especially for those in cash contests. While his assists totals have taken a slight hit with Mike Conley back in the mix on a full-time basis, Mitchell has gotten up at least 20 shots in five of his last six games, indicating that volume will not be an issue.
Kendrick Nunn - PG/SG, MIA @ SAC ($4,900)
Very soon, in the wake of their Trade Deadline moves, the Heat are going to have a vastly different look. But the new look that they are likely to be sporting Friday has more to do with injuries, as Jimmy Butler (shoulder) appears unlikely to play and Tyler Herro has already been ruled out of commission. Their opponent Friday will be Sacramento, who found out firsthand on Jan. 20 how nightmarish it can be to guard Nunn, who packed the stat sheet with 25 points, seven rebounds and six assists in 43 minutes. Getting a high-volume scoring guard that is likely to log minutes in the 35-38 range seems like a no-brainer at Nunn’s price tag.
Ben McLemore - SG/SF, HOU @ PHO ($4,200)
As Russell Westbrook rests on the second leg of a back-to-back, McLemore comes to the forefront as a player with significant DK flexibility that can be had at a reasonable price tag. His most recent outing without Westbrook available featured him playing 37 minutes against Charlotte on Tuesday, in which he got up nine threes. There is little disputing his three-point dependency on being an adequate DFS option, but without Westbrook in the mix, and with Phoenix allowing 36.7 percent of opposing threes to go down, McLemore receives a significant boost. Owners may also take some interest in Austin Rivers, Eric Gordon or Danuel House.
Langston Galloway - SG, DET @ OKC ($3,900)
With the duo of Derrick Rose and Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk already ruled out Friday, Galloway will once again be one of the more appealing punt plays on the board. Despite going for 17 and 15 points, respectively, in his last two outings, his price tag remains extremely low, even as he has gotten up double-digit shot attempts and hit three triples in back-to-back games. While he is unlikely to compile a massive stat sheet-stuffing performance, his rostering should allow for owners to snag other high-priced stars where available. Galloway has been a vastly more consistent three-point marksman away from Detroit this season (42.3 percent on the road, 38.8 percent at home), which when coupled with his 46.1 three-point percentage when receiving at least 30 minutes of playing time, should be enough reassurance to believe in the benefits of his upside.
DraftKings DFS Forwards
Christian Wood - PF/C, DET @ OKC ($6,000)
The breakout campaign of Wood had been simmering beneath the surface for the first 53 games of the season for Detroit, but on the heels of Andre Drummond being shipped off to Cleveland, it’s officially time to turn the reins in the frontcourt over to Wood for the remainder of 2019-20. And for the time being, it’s clear sailing ahead with Blake Griffin and Markieff Morris both out of the mix, which should allow Wood to continuing seeing above 30 minutes on a nightly basis. The team may elect to continue bringing him off the bench, but even coupling that with his increased price tag, he is still worth rostering Friday as his current price tag isn’t likely to remain for much longer. When seeing at least 20 minutes of playing time this season, Wood is averaging 15.4 points and 7.0 rebounds on a nightly basis.
Tim Hardaway - SG/SF, DAL @ MEM ($5,200)
The Wizards’ defensive maladies have been well-documented this season and unquestionably represent a sizable chunk of why I believe Hardaway to be a solid option Friday. But taking stock of Dallas, with Kristaps Porzingis (broken nose) questionable to suit up, Hardaway is yet again in line to see a significant offensive role. At 120.8 points per game by the opposition, Washington hasn’t exactly done much well consistently on defense, but guarding the three-point line -- where Hardaway loves to make his money -- has been particularly insipid, allowing opponents to knock down 37.6 percent of looks from deep, the third-worst mark in the league. Hardaway has averaged seven three-point attempts over his last six games, and it would not be surprising to see him blow past that mark when factoring in the tempo of Friday’s outing.
DraftKings DFS Centers
Deandre Ayton - C, HOU v. PHO ($8,600)
The Rockets have gone all-in on their small ball lineup in the post-Trade Deadline haze. But the issue for Friday is that there isn’t a player on the roster that is likely to slow Ayton on the block. Phoenix has given an increased workload to its big man over the last three outings (all of which have been double-doubles), who has churned out an average of 23.7 points on 50.7 percent shooting. His DK price tag has crept up to its highest mark since Jan. 22, but the prospect of either P.J. Tucker or Robert Covington attempting to defend him the entire evening is upside that is too tantalizing to ignore.
