February, now, has come and gone, and after March passes, the NBA playoffs will begin in April. The league will conclude the season’s penultimate full month with an exciting 10-game slate, including nationally televised matchups between the top two teams in the Eastern Conference and the two in Los Angeles.
With more than half the league in action — and eight games available on the featured slate — DFS players on DraftKings have no shortage of options for tonight’s contest. Here are three must-start players for February 28:
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C Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets at Detroit Pistons, $12,200
Jokić is a must-start in any situation, as he proved last night; I didn’t put him on my top three centers list, because I thought he’d be limited somewhat by Giannis Antetokounmpo, and he proceeded to record 32 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists (69.0 FPTS). I’m going to back him tonight, even against the league’s hottest team — Detroit, which has won eight straight games. Over the course of their winning streak, the Pistons have allowed just 105.9 points per 100 possessions, the league’s best defensive rating across that span, so it won’t be easy for Jokić.
Still, the Joker should be okay against center Jalen Duren, who has allowed opponents to shoot 0.3 percentage points better within 10 feet of the basket than they otherwise would. Overall, for the season, Detroit has allowed the 12th-most fantasy points to opposing centers. Even during its winning streak, it’s allowed only the 11th-fewest second chance-points and the fifth-most points off turnovers; Jokić ranks fifth in second-chance points and 49th in points off turnovers this season.
PG Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder at Atlanta Hawks, $10,700
Just like Jokić is a must-start if he’s playing, so is the MVP front-runner, Gilgeous-Alexander. The Thunder suffered one of the most surprising losses of the season on Monday, blowing a 24-point fourth-quarter lead to the Minnesota Timberwolves. It wasn’t SGA’s fault; he recorded 39 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists (64.5 FPTS), and the team bounced back with a 129-121 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday. In the Brooklyn game, Gilgeous-Alexander had 27 points, three blocks, and two steals (45.0 FPTS).
While that Nets team has been good over their last 10 games — posting the league’s fourth-best defensive rating across that span — the same can’t be said for the Atlanta team that Gilgeous-Alexander will face tonight. In their last 10 games, the Hawks have the league’s ninth-worst defensive rating and are just 5-5. They’ve dropped to ninth in the Eastern Conference, six games behind the Pistons for sixth and 5.5 games ahead of Brooklyn in 11th. For the season, Atlanta has played at the league’s second-fastest pace and allowed the fourth-most points, 14th-most rebounds, sixth-most assists, and third-most steals, as well as the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing point guards. The less said about Trae Young ($9,300) on defense, the better.
PF/C Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns vs. New Orleans Pelicans, $9,100
These two teams will play for the second night in a row, after New Orleans pulled off a surprising 124-116 victory last night. The Pelicans were led by Zion Williamson ($8,900)‘s first career triple-double, but Durant did his part, dropping 28 points and adding five rebounds (42.25 FPTS). He should have no problem repeating his performance tonight, especially since Williamson and CJ McCollum ($7,100) are both resting. Normally, I’d say to be wary of the star playing a truly awful team out of fear that he might rest early, but to be honest, Phoenix isn’t nearly good enough to blow New Orleans out, even without Williamson and McCollum.
In what has been an absolute disaster of a season in the Big Easy, the Pelicans basically do nothing well. They’ve allowed the fifth-most points, fourth-most rebounds, and fourth-most assists this season, as well as the 10th-most steals and ninth-most blocks. Plus, they’ve consistently been killed by big men, allowing the second-most fantasy points to opposing centers. Given that Durant has spent 23% of his time at center this season — tied for the second-highest rate of his career — he should be well-poised to take advantage of New Orleans’ weakness inside. Opponents have shot 1.3 percentage points better than usual when guarded by Kelly Olynyk ($5,000), who should be in line to draw the start tonight with Williamson sidelined.
