DraftKings, your paradise of DFS nirvana, has done it again, with a new contest called NBA Starting 5. It’s so easy to play that my dad would have fun with it, and he barely knows how to text me.
You select one point guard, one shooting guard, one small forward, one power forward and one center.
There is no salary cap.
The only stipulation is that you must select players from at least two different teams.
That’s it. EZ PZ.
For Thursday’s slate, there are four games.
As for injuries, Lauri Markkanen and Bradley Beal are questionable. Keep track of all the pertinent injury updates at DK Live.
LAC, MEM and SA are playing the second leg of a back-to-back.
DraftKings Sportsbook has DAL -5 OVER HOU at home. The total is 227.5. The other games are not on the board as of 10:00 p.m. ET on Thursday. Log into DK Sportsbook for the updates.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Starting 5 $8K Zone [$2K to 1st]
Point Guard
James Harden has seen the usage rate spike this year with Kawhi Leonard injured and Paul George in Philadelphia. Harden has chucked up 19, 11 and 28 shots in three games this season. He’s also played 36, 38 and 40 minutes. That’s huge because he’s going to grab rebounds and dish out a ton of dimes. All of this has translated into two games over 55 FPTS. In the other game, he finished with 48.25. Harden faced the Suns in the first game of the season. That’s the game he attempted 28 shots. He also grabbed 12 rebounds and dished out eight dimes, good for 56.5 FPTS.
Shooting Guard
Jalen Green is in his fourth year in the Association. He’s always been known as an athletic freak who can get buckets….inefficiently,. With more experience and tutelage of Ime Udoka, Green has increased his efficiency and volume. Through four games, he’s attempting 22 shots and 28.8 points per game. The explosion in three-pointers has been the most eye-opening, hucking up 11.5 per game and converting 41% of them. Green has gone for over 40 FPTS in each of the last three games.
Small Forward
This position is ugly because Desmond Bane is out and Bradley Beal is questionable. To make matters worse, the rest of the options are either low-usage players or strictly shooters. Klay Thompson was great in his Mavericks debut, going for 22 points and 41.25 FPTS. Since then, he’s gone for 28.25, 27.5 and 11.5 FPTS on Tuesday. Thompson doesn’t do much outside of shoot and drain treys, so the floor is low, but he’s going to get plenty of good looks playing alongside Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. I’m selecting Klay because he has the highest ceiling if he can get scorching hot.
Power Forward
Kevin Durant is the metronome of fantasy basketball. He will rarely have a ceiling game but the floor is incredibly high. Durant has played at least 38 minutes in every contest and put up at least 50 FPTS in each of the last two games.
Center
I love Ivica Zubac, as he’s playing a ton of minutes and producing. He is also coming off 50.75 and 60 FPTS. That said, the allure of the Victor Wembanyama ceiling is too much for me to ignore. While he’s had some difficulties to start the season, he’s getting into a groove and could be ready to rocket through the atmosphere. He’s gone for 30.25, 44.75 and 54.5 FPTS. Next stop 60?
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Starting 5 $8K Zone [$2K to 1st]
What is the DraftKings NBA Starting 5 Game Style?
- The Fantasy Sports NBA Starting 5 Game Style is a type of contest in which participants draft lineups by selecting one point guard, one shooting guard, one small forward, one power forward, and one center. NBA Starting 5 is scored the same way as classic NBA DFS contests.
Important Information:
- Fantasy Sports NBA Starting 5 contests require no salary cap balancing.
- NBA Starting 5 contests span multiple games, and Fantasy Sports participants must select athletes from at least two different teams.
- Participants will see all five positions on the draft screen, and must pick one athlete per position.
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is sontzu) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
