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 Monday’s Starting 5 slate, there are seven games.
MIA, OKC, POR and UTA are playing the second leg of a back-to-back.
As for injuries, Jimmy Butler is probable. Ja Morant, Paul George, Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, Tari Eason and Steven Adams are questionable. Domantas Sabonis, Fred VanVleet, Tobias Harris, Jordan Poole, PJ Washington, Georges Niang and KJ Simpson are out. Keep track of all the pertinent injury updates at DK Live.
On DraftKings Sportsbook, there is one double-digit favorite: GSW -12.5 over CHA. There are two games within 3 points: PHI -3 over POR and SAC -2 over DAL. There are three games with a total of at least 230: ATL/MEM (253.5), SAC/DAL (232) and DET/UTA (233). There is one game below 220: WAS/MIA (218.5).
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Starting 5 $15K Zone [$5K to 1st] (Early).
Point Guard
Trae Young is the conductor and maestro of the Hawks’ offense. Now that I think of it, when his hair gets disheveled, he does look like Ludwig van Beethoven. Anyways, this game has a whopping total of 253.5! Atlanta and Memphis are 1st and 3rd in pace over the last 10 games, so there will likely be plenty of opportunities to rack up fantasy goodies.
Shooting Guard
Tyler Herro has broken out in his sixth NBA season, averaging a career-high 24.1 points per game. The defensive stats are lacking and will probably never be a big part of his game, but Herro is grabbing 5.4 rebounds and dishing out a career-high 5.7 dimes per game. Over the last six games, the usage rate has been 32%, a four percent increase over the season average. Herro has put up over 60 FPTS in two of the last seven games.
Small Forward
Shaedon Sharpe has always been one of the most athletic players in the league. He’s also been a professional getter of buckets, but was often inefficient and one-dimensional as a player. Something has clicked over the last three games, though, as he’s averaged 26.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists. It’s helped that he’s received 33, 36 and 39 minutes. Part of that is due to injuries, but another part is the trust that Chauncey Billups has in him now. Now he faces a 76ers team that is 26th in defensive rating over the last 10 games.
Power Forward
Jaren Jackson Jr. can dominate every statistical category. I don’t mean that he exchanges blows with Blocks and stands over it. I mean that he can contribute a high number in each. Well, except for rebounds because he likes to hang out on the perimeter. That said, he does chip in there. Anyways, the game against San Antonio on Saturday encapsulates JJJ’s fantasy ceiling: 42 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks and 2 steals. That was good for 59.5 FPTS. This game has the highest total on the slate by a wide margin with both teams playing super fast. In addition, Ja Morant could be ruled out, which could increase the usage rate for JJJ.
Center
Onyeka Okongwu is no longer in a center timeshare with Clint Capela, as he’s been playing at least 30 minutes a game. He even received 41 minutes in an overtime game against the Knicks a few weeks ago, putting up 57.5 FPTS. Another 50-burger is well within the range of outcomes as this game should be an up-and-down affair.
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.
