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 Friday’s Starting 5 slate, there are seven games.
OKC is playing the second leg of a back-to-back.
As for injuries, Nikola Jokic, Karl-Anthony Towns, Kyrie Irving, Ja Morant, Brandon Miller, Josh Giddey, Aaron Gordon, Cameron Johnson, Talen Horton-Tucker, Ochai Agbaji, Andre Jackson Jr. and Moussa Diabate are questionable. Dorian Finney-Smith is doubtful. Walker Kessler, Lauri Markkanen, Donte DiVincenzo, Immanuel Quickley, Dereck Lively II and Goga Bitadze are out. Keep track of all the pertinent injury updates at DK Live.
On DraftKings Sportsbook, there are two double-digit favorites: BOS -11.5 over ORL and MIL -11.5 over TOR. There are two games with a total of at least 230: CHA/CHI (235) and TOR/MIL (232.5). There is one game with a total below 220: ORL/BOS (210.5). Log into DK Sportsbook for the updates.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Starting 5 $8K Zone [$2K to 1st].
Point Guard
LaMelo Ball gets one of the best matchups for fantasy: Your Chicago Bulls! Da Bulls are second in pace and 22nd in defensive efficiency. A 50, 60 or possibly a 70 burger is within the range of outcomes, especially if Brandon Miller doesn’t play.
Shooting Guard
Anthony Edwards has playing a ton of minutes while being extra aggressive since the start of the new year. He’s put up over 50 FPTS four times with three of those over 60 FPTS. Now he travels to play under the bright lights in MSG? Oh, baby!
Small Forward
Trey Murphy III has been en fuego, hucking and chucking shots from the perimeter while stuffing the stat sheet in every category. He’s put up 52 and 54.5 FPTS in the last two games while playing 38 and 37 minutes. Now he faces a Jazz team that is 29th in defensive efficiency.
Power Forward
The Bucks are favored by 11.5 points, so the risk of blowout is high for Giannis Antetokounmpo. In addition, in two prior meetings with Toronto, Antetokounmpo finished with 46.5 and 44.5 FPTS in 33 and 29 minutes. That is the basement floor, though, and I’m not enamored with the other options at the position. Giannis is always in play to put up 70+ FPTS.
Center
If Nikola Jokic plays, I’m clicking on his name. If he doesn’t, then Mark Williams is my guy. He played a season-high 36 minutes on Wednesday, the first time above 30 since returning from injury. He finished with 57.75 and 52 FPTS in the last two games. Charlotte must feel very comfortable with Williams going forward, as it just traded its backup center, Nick Richards, to Phoenix.
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.
