RADIO
With the NFL season officially over, we now move into the bulk of the NBA schedule and therefore we are going to get some really solid Sunday slates of NBA DFS action. Today we have a six-game main slate on Draftkings that locks at 6:00 PM.
There are two games that are going to really jump off the page for DFS purposes today. The Washington Wizards and Memphis Grizzlies square off in a battle between the 30th and 20th ranked defenses, respectively. Both these teams also play at a fast pace, which has led to a massive 239 point Vegas total. The other game that should be popular today is the Atlanta Hawks vs. New York Knicks. That game features the 27th and 22nd ranked defenses, respectively, and a solid 227 point Vegas total. The Houston-Utah game has the second-highest total today and is another game that I have a lot of interest in targeting today.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 2/9/20. You can check me out on Twitter @ThunderDanDFS where I am usually tweeting about fantasy sports and DFS. Remember to monitor injury news as the slate can completely change before line-up lock.
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DraftKings DFS Guards
Goran Dragic - PG, MIA @ POR ($5,900)
Jimmy Butler is going to sit out again on Sunday, giving us an opportunity to target the remaining Miami core players today in a great matchup against the 26th rated Portland defense. I prefer Dragic to Kendrick Nunn for about 300 more dollars because he comes off the bench and leads the second unit, leading to a higher usage rate. In seven games without Butler this season, Dragic is averaging 18 points, 3 boards, and 5 assists. Meanwhile, Portland has really struggled this season against ball-handlers and guards in general. Dragic didn't quite meet expectations on Friday night against Sacramento, but I expect him to have a big performance today in a much better spot.
Dillon Brooks - SG/SF, MEM @ WAS ($4,900)
Like I mentioned in the opening, this is a game that is oozing with fantasy potential. I like the Memphis side here a lot, and one underpriced piece of their attack is shooting guard Dillon Brooks. He can be inconsistent at times but carries a ton of upside today at this price and in this game environment. Brooks popped off for 23 points, three boards, and three assists in the first matchup between this team and while his lack of peripheral stats can be frustrating at times, he can still exceed salary-based expectations on points alone today. Washington is really bad (24th in the NBA) against shooters/scorers and I expect Brooks to thrive in the uptempo atmosphere that this game will have tonight.
Trae Young - PG, ATL vs. NY ($10,400)
With Westbrook likely to return and cap Harden's production, I have Trae pegged as the top raw point producer on this slate today, which puts him in play for both cash games and GPPs. He's showed an impressive ceiling this season and has been carrying the Atlanta offense pretty much the entire year. He's everything we want in a fantasy player - high usage, good assist rate, and guaranteed minutes. He plays in close games and blowouts, making him game script proof. Earlier this year he dropped 42 points and eight assists on the Knicks and he's fully capable of replicating that or even outperforming that with a ceiling game today.
DraftKings DFS Forwards
Paul George - SF, LAC @ CLE ($8,100)
I am going to speculate here that Kawhi Leonard could sit out tonight on the second half of a back-to-back. Then again, the Clippers could decide to play him after they had an embarrassing loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves last night. Either way, Paul George is much too cheap for a player of his caliber. The Cavs are the 29th ranked defense in the NBA. The Clippers should put up a lot of points tonight, and I expect PG13 to have his way with their defense. If Kawhi does sit, then he becomes one of the easiest plays on the slate and a cash-game lock. But if Kawhi plays, I still have a lot of interest in rostering George in tournaments.
Rui Hachimura - PF/C, WAS vs. MEM ($4,800)
After a lengthy absence, Rui has returned to the Washington rotation and made an immediate impact. The rookie forward has gone for 20 and 30 DK points in his first two games back and seen 26 and 29 minutes in those games. They don't seem too concerned with easing him into the rotation, so I think we see 30+ minutes from him today in a great matchup against this Memphis defense. The Grizzlies have been hurt badly on the interior this season, specifically on the offensive glass. With Thomas Bryant out again, I expect Rui to play a lot of minutes at the four and the five, giving him excellent upside for points, boards, and blocks. He's an excellent value tonight.
Bojan Bogdanovic - SF/PF, UTA @ HOU ($6,000)
I want some exposure to this Utah team here in a solid pace-up spot against the Houston Rockets. The Rockets play at the second-fastest pace of any team in the league, meaning more possessions and shots for the Jazz tonight. This Houston team is giving up a ton of open looks from behind the arc and that's the best part of Bogdanovic's game. He averages three long balls a game and attempts 7.6 threes per contest. 6k is a fair price for a player who is averaging over 20 actual points per game this season and I think he gets overlooked by many people on this slate, especially with Mike Conley (5,400) and Donovan Mitchell (7,300) being popular Utah targets.
DraftKings DFS Centers
Hassan Whiteside - C, POR vs. MIA ($7,600)
With Joel Embiid (8,200) questionable to play against Chicago, I'm going to give you another badly underpriced center recommendation today. By all means if Embiid plays, you should target him in a great spot against the Bulls, but Hassan Whiteside is a sneaky pivot off Embiid for 600 less. While the matchup won't stand out on paper, Whiteside has been one of the most consistent centers in the NBA over the last month. He is routinely posting huge double-doubles and 50+ DK point performances. He had 21 points and 18 boards in the Blazers first matchup with the Heat and his ability to block shots always gives him a huge ceiling.
