It’s a seven-game, fourteen-team night in the NBA. With plenty of teams playing, determining which big names to start in season-long fantasy and DFS formats is no easy task. Here are the three forwards at the top of Saturday’s slate:
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $222K Fadeaway [$50K to 1st]
1. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks vs. CHA ($12,300)
The Bucks might be inconsistent, but Giannis Antetokounmpo has never been better. The two-time MVP has put up 32.4 points, 12.0 rebounds, and 6.4 assists through fifteen outings, including a 37-point triple-double on Friday against the Pacers. This season, he’s averaging a whopping 61.2 DK fantasy points per game.
Antetokounmpo will look to keep the good times rolling on Saturday against the Hornets. In his last ten games against Charlotte, the Greek Freak has posted 23.9 points, 11.8 rebounds and 5.1 assists. Giannis is expensive, but he’s also the safest bet on tonight’s board.
2. LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers vs. Denver Nuggets ($10,200)
LeBron James might be the only 39-year-old in NBA history that I’d play with confidence on a nightly basis. The four-time MVP has been his normal, dominant self so far, producing 24.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and 9.3 assists this season. He’s put up more than 50 DK fantasy points in nine of his twelve outings.
Heading into a major Western Conference clash, expect The King to rise to the occasion. In his last ten games against the Nuggets, James is averaging 27.4 points, 7.2 rebounds and 8.6 assists. Denver is giving up the second-most fantasy points to forwards, and they’ll be without Aaron Gordon tonight. All signs are pointing to a vintage LeBron performance.
3. Franz Wagner, Orlando Magic vs. DET ($9,300)
Franz Wagner has arrived. After Thursday’s 37-point, 11-assist masterpiece in Los Angeles, Orlando’s young star has put the entire league on notice. The fourth-year forward has taken his game to another level without the injured Paolo Banchero, averaging 25.4 points, 6.2 rebounds and 6.3 assists in his last twelve games.
Detroit is playing improved defense this year, but this is still a good matchup for the Magic. The Pistons will be without Cade Cunningham tonight, one of their better defenders. That should open up plenty of scoring opportunities for Wagner on the perimeter, where he’s generated a career-best 2.1 three-pointers per game. This two-way talent is playing too well to ignore on Saturday.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $222K Fadeaway [$50K to 1st]
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All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook, lines and odds subject to change.
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is barmy) 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.
