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Fantasy Basketball Picks: Top DraftKings NBA Starting 5 DFS Plays for February 7

Fantasy Basketball Picks: Top DraftKings NBA Starting 5 DFS Plays for February 7

DraftKings Fantasy Advice DFS NBA

Published:

By: Stan Son

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 six games.

No team is playing the second leg of a back-to-back.

As for injuries, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Cade Cunningham, LaMelo Ball and Guerschon Yabusele are questionable. Andre Drummond is doubtful. RJ Barrett, Kyle Kuzma, De’Andre Hunter, Caris LeVert, Khris Middleton, Malcolm Brogdon, Bruce Brown, Davion Mitchell, Kelly Olynyk, Jakob Poeltl, Georges Niang, Marjon Beauchamp and Sam Merrill are out. Keep track of all the pertinent injury updates at DK Live.

On DraftKings Sportsbook, there are three double-digit favorites: SAS -11.5 over CHA, CLE -16.5 over WAS and OKC -19 over TOR. There is one game within 3 points: PHI -1.5 over DET. There are three games with a total of at least 230: UTA/PHO (231.5), CLE/WAS (233.5) and MIL/ATL (236.5). There is one game below 220: MIA/BKN (209.5).

Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Starting 5 $8K Zone [$2K to 1st] (Early).

Point Guard

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is playing at such a level that his initials should be changed from SGA to GOD. He’s scored at least 50 points in three of the last seven games, finishing with 74.5, 63.25 and 81.5 FPTS in those contests. He is The Alpha for the Thunder offense and is one of the most unstoppable offensive forces in the league. Could he finish in the 40 to 50 FPTS area? Absolutely, and that is the likely outcome, but the floor/ceiling combo is too enticing, especially since many of the other players at the position are questionable.

Shooting Guard

‘Twas a successful Spurs debut for De’Aaron Fox on Wednesday, contributing 24 points, 5 rebounds, 13 assists and 3 steals in 37 minutes. The usage rate was 25.2%. Playing alongside Victor Wembanyama provides so many more seams in the defense for Fox to exploit with his Road Runner-esque speed. Fox finished with 57.75 FPTS on Wednesday and another 50-burger is well within the range of outcomes.

Small Forward

I hate this position, but I think Jalen Williams is the safest. He only played 26 minutes and finished with 27.25 FPTS on Wednesday, but that was due to the 31-point blowout and SGA going for 50. Prior to that, Williams put up 44.25, 48 and 59 FPTS. He’s the Robin to the SGA Batman and should put up the most raw FPTS at the position.

Power Forward

If Giannis Antetokounmpo plays, you click his name. He has missed the last two games, though, and is questionable for Friday. In two prior games against Atlanta, Giannis put up 53.75 and 74 FPTS. If Giannis is unable to go, then it’s Miles Bridges. Bridges only put up 31.5 FPTS on Wednesday, but that’s because he only played 26 minutes. Prior to that, he was playing in the mid-to-high 30s and contributed at least 45 FPTS in five straight with a high of 56 FPTS. LaMelo Ball may be out, which would place more offensive responsibility on him. If Ball plays, Bridges would lose some usage but get easier shots.

Center

Victor Wembanyama was erratic to start the season, but he’s become very consistent from a fantasy perspective lately. He’s put up at least 40 FPTS in each of the last 10 games with seven of those over 50 and two over 60. On the season, Wembanyama has two games over 80 FPTS and it’s only a matter of time before he starts contributing that on the regular. He’s going to score and grab rebounds, but he can also block 10 shots in a game! Playing alongside De’Aaron Fox is only going to make it easier to contribute on the offensive end.

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. 

Stan Son
Stan joined DraftKings in December of 2020. It was a glorious time, except for that whole COVID thing, when we got Madden streams and boisterous bat flips from the KBO. I was brought on board to bring some West Coast flavor. I especially love hoops, and most of my content is in that arena. When I walk along the beach, strumming my guitar, the beat that I hear is not one of crashing waves. No, it is the beat of the ball bouncing off the hardwood with highs provided by the squeaks of the sneakers. Ball is life.
Disclaimer

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 skills 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.