DraftKings, your paradise of DFS nirvana, has done it again with a new contest called NBA Starting 5. 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.
For Thursday’s Starting 5 slate, there are 13 games.
Keep track of all the pertinent injury updates at DK Live.
On DraftKings Sportsbook, there are two double-digit favorites: BOS -15 over CHI and HOU -10.5 over NOP. There are two games within 3 points: MEM -3 over GSW and SAS -1 over ATL. There are four games with a total of at least 230: CHI/BOS (243.5), GSW/MEM (236), ATL/SAS (233.5) and IND/PHO (236). There are three games below 220: OKC/ORL (209.5), BKN/TOR (219) and NOP/HOU (217.5). Log into DK Sportsbook for the updates.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Starting 5 $6K Zone [$2K to 1st].
Point Guard
LaMelo Ball gets one of the best matchups for fantasy, as the Wizards are second in pace and 29th in defensive efficiency. The spread is only four points, so Ball should see a full complement of minutes. Ball only played 26 minutes last game due to a blowout, but in the prior three contests, he played 37, 40 and 40 minutes, contributing 56.5, 68.25 and 75.75 FPTS.
Shooting Guard
Devin Booker is playing around 38 minutes per game and has gone for over 40 FPTS in eight of the last 10 games, with two of those over 50. This game has a healthy total of 235.5 and the Pacers are eighth in pace and 22nd in defensive efficiency.
Small Forward
RJ Barrett has garnered a usage rate of over 30% in each of the last three games with Scottie Barnes out. He’s put up 48, 49.75 and 55.75 FPTS over that span and showed that he can be the alpha. Barnes is questionable for Thursday, so there’s a chance he continues to don the crown. The Nets are 27th in defensive efficiency and have already commenced Operation Tank.
Power Forward
Jayson Tatum is the alpha for the Celtics and has put up at least 40 FPTS in all but two contests this season. He’s gone over 50 FPTS 14 times with six of those over 60. The Bulls are second in pace and 25th in defensive efficiency. These teams met at the end of November and Tatum put up 66 FPTS against them.
Center
Karl-Anthony Towns returns to Minnesota to face the team that traded him for the first time. There could be some extra emotional energy in this one. Regardless, Towns has been one of the best fantasy players all season. He’s gone over 50 FPTS 15 times with six of those over 60 and a high of 71.5 FPTS. With Jalen Brunson stressing the paint, Rudy Gobert will likely provide plenty of open looks for Towns.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Starting 5 $6K 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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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 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.
