RADIO
We have a solid nine-game slate to send the NBA off into the All-Star break, giving us as DFS players plenty of opportunity to partake in the fun before nearly a week off, unless you’re partaking in some All-Star Game contests.
There are what appear to be some interesting game environments on tap as we approach the first-half finish line, with the Clippers-Wizards, Nuggets-Pacers, Heat-Pelicans, Kings-Trail Blazers and Warriors-Suns battles all looking particularly intriguing.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel on 3/4/21. I’ll be providing multiple player suggestions for players at guard, forward and center on FanDuel, aiming to highlight one option apiece at the high, middle and lower end of the salary scale. You can also check out DraftKings lineup picks and injury news before lineups lock. Good luck, RotoBallers.
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FanDuel DFS Guards
Bradley Beal, SG – vs. LAC ($10,400)
Beal may be tad less popular than usual on the large slate coming off a sub-par tally – by his standards – of 34.7 FD points against the Grizzlies on Tuesday. However, he’d eclipsed 50 FD points on four occasions over the previous six games, and he’s offered over a 5x return on his lofty salary in 10 of 32 games. The positional matchup is a reasonably favorable one for Beal, especially if Patrick Beverley is preoccupied with Russell Westbrook a good portion of the time. Los Angeles has allowed 42.0 FD points per game to two-guards, along with the eighth-most points (23.7) and fifth-most assists per game (5.0) to the position.
Paul George, SG – at WAS ($7,900)
George is a strong play at this salary irrespective of whether Kawhi Leonard (back) suits up, and he naturally has a clear opportunity to overdeliver handsomely on his salary if his teammate sits out. George boasts a 33.3 percent usage rate and is averaging 1.17 FD points per game without Leonard on the floor this season, and he draws a matchup against a Wizards team already allowing the fifth-most FD points per game (43.1) to two-guards over the last 15 contests. Washington is also playing at the fastest pace in the league (107.5 possessions per game), which will give George, who’s already eclipsed 40 FD points in 15 of 27 games, plenty more opportunities than usual to work with.
Goran Dragic, PG – at NO ($5,400)
Dragic has scored 22.3 to 37.6 FD points in his last three games, and he’s returned more than 5x his current salary in 10 of 21 contests overall. The veteran is also shooting 50.0 percent, including 48.6 percent from three-point range, while averaging 31.2 FD points across five road games this season. The opposing Pelicans could well help facilitate another strong return, as New Orleans is allowing the second-highest offensive efficiency (30.1 percent) to point guards on the campaign, along with the third-most FD points per game (55.0) to the position over the last 15. That latter figure is partly the byproduct of the Pels surrendering the most assists (11.6) and sixth-most made threes (3.5) per contest to ones during that span, enhancing the chances of Dragic qualifying as one of the better potential bargains of the night.
Also consider: Damian Lillard ($10,100); Stephen Curry ($9,900); Russell Westbrook ($9,600); DeMar DeRozan ($8,500); De'Aaron Fox ($8,300); Gary Trent Jr. ($5,500); Eric Bledsoe ($5,400)
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FanDuel DFS Forwards
Giannis Antetokounmpo, PF- at MEM ($11,300)
Antetokounmpo has been on quite the tear, even by his standards, scoring 58.0 to 74.0 FD points in nine of the last 11 games. His highly elevated salary isn’t repelling due to his immense ceiling, and Kyle Anderson and Brandon Clarke give up two and three inches in height, respectively, to Antetokounmpo down low. The Grizzlies have been fairly solid versus power forwards, but they’re allowing 42.8 FD points per game to fours on the season and Antetokounmpo certainly has the talent to exploit Memphis’ bottom-half-of-the-league ranking in offensive efficiency in the paint.
Michael Porter Jr., SF – at IND ($6,600)
Porter has scored 25.4 to 41.5 FD points in the last five games, and he scored 27.9 and 29.9 in two other games in the last eight contests as well. The second-year wing has double-digit rebounds in four of those outings as well, and he’ll draw a favorable matchup Thursday against a Pacers team that’s allowing 46.0 percent shooting to small forwards, including 40.8 percent from three-point range. That could spell trouble against the hot-shooting Porter, who boasts a 49.4 percent success rate overall this season -- including 40.7 percent from downtown – and who sports even better 53.5 percent and 46.7 percent figures in those respective categories over the aforementioned eight-game sample.
Mikal Bridges, SF – vs. GS ($5,700)
Bridges’ skill set and salary make him a very strong value candidate against the fast-paced Warriors, which will be playing on the second game of a back-to-back Thursday. Bridges checks in running hot as well, scoring 25.4 to 32.7 FD points in eight of the last nine games while typically contributing in four or five categories.. Golden State could be without Kelly Oubre Jr. (wrist) again for Thursday’s game, and the Dubs already come in allowing the fourth-most rebounds (9.4), second-most assists (5.4), third-most made threes (3.4) and sixth-most steals (2.1) per game to small forwards in the last 15 games, along with 43.3 FD points per game to the position during that span. Bridges also has a good track record against the Warriors this season, having posted 36.7 FD points across 32 minutes back on Jan. 28.
Also consider: Julius Randle ($9,300); Domantas Sabonis ($9,200); Jayson Tatum ($9,000); Zion Williamson ($8,900); Jaylen Brown ($8,400); Norman Powell ($7,400); Marvin Bagley III ($6,700); Carmelo Anthony ($5,400)
FanDuel DFS Centers
Nikola Jokic– at IND ($11,600)
Jokic is the highest-salaried player on the slate, but he’s worth every penny given his ability to put up a 60-to-70 FD-point tally on any given night. The Joker has scored over 55 FD points in five consecutive games, and in 10 of the last 11 overall. That sample includes three tallies over 60, and Jokic has a season-high total of a jaw-dropping 88.6. The opposing Pacers don’t exactly shape up as well-equipped to slow him down, either, as Indiana has allowed the third-most points (27.2), fifth-most steals (1.5) and fifth-most FD points (59.3) per game to centers over the last seven games, along with the fifth-most points in the paint per home game (50.2) for the season.
Jonas Valanciunas —vs. MIL ($6,800)
Valanciunas has been one of the most reliable mid-salary options at center all season, as evidenced by his average of 33.5 FD points per game and scores of 26.7 to 42.7 FD points in seven of the last eight games. The big man has seven double-doubles during that span as well, and he’s facing a Bucks team that’s given up the second-most points (26.9), third-most assists (5.4) and fifth-most FD points (56.8) to fives over the last 15 games. Valanciunas has flashed a ceiling of nearly 60 FD points this season and has delivered over 5x his current salary in half his 26 games, making him highly appealing if you're sticking in the mid-range at center Thursday.
Nerlens Noel – vs. DET ($5,500)
Noel has been very reliable from a fantasy perspective since taking over the starting center job after Mitchell Robinson’s hand injury, scoring 23.8 to 40.2 FD points in eight of the last nine contests. The veteran won’t wow from a points perspective, but his ability to supplement his fantasy production with rebounds and blocks certainly helps insulate him from clunkers when he gets sufficient minutes. The Pistons are certainly the type of team that could coax one of his best performances out of him, considering Detroit is allowing the fifth-most rebounds (15.8) and most blocks (3.1) per game to centers on the season, along with 54.5 FD points per game to the position.
Also consider: Deandre Ayton ($7,500); Enes Kanter ($6,600); Mason Plumlee ($6,300); Ivica Zubac ($4,800)
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