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 10 games.
LAL, MIN, PHI, PHO, POR, TOR and UTA are playing the second leg of a back-to-back.
As for injuries, Nikola Jokic, Tyrese Haliburton, Stephen Curry, Jamal Murray, Zion Williamson, Andrew Wiggins, Myles Turner, Aaron Nesmith, Yves Missi, Kelly Olynyk, Aaron Gordon, Quinten Post, Scotty Pippen Jr., Trey Lyles and Marcus Smart are questionable. Josh Giddey and Santi Aldama are doubtful. Ja Morant, Pascal Siakam and Corey Kispert are out. Keep track of all the pertinent injury updates at DK Live.
On DraftKings Sportsbook, there are two double-digit favorites: LAL -10.5 over SAS and HOU -13 over PHI. There are two games within three points: GSW -3 over DEN and MEM -3 over SAC. There are seven games with a total of at least 230: IND/MIN (230.5), DET/NOP (232), CHI/UTA (238.5), DEN/GSW (239.5), TOR/PHO (234.5), WAS/POR (231.5) and MEM/SAC (245). There are two games with a total under 220: MIA/NYK (212.5) and PHI/HOU (217).
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Starting 5 $15K Zone [$5K to 1st].
Point Guard
Luka Doncic has the best floor/ceiling/matchup combo on the slate. He’s put up over 60 FPTS in four of the last five games, with a high of 71.25 FPTS; excluding Sunday’s game. The Spurs without Victor Wembanyama have been dead-last in defensive rating. Doncic is garnering a usage rate over 35% and will feast. The only possible issue is that this is the second leg of a back-to-back for Los Angeles, so keep your eyes and ears tuned in for any mention of rest for Doncic.
Shooting Guard
This is an interesting position. If Doncic is out, then Austin Reaves is the way because he will garner a massive usage, and he’s proven that he can thrive in an alpha role. With Ja Morant is out, Desmond Bane has also proven to be able to produce in an alpha role. He put up 53 and 68 FPTS in the last two games Morant was out. Anthony Edwards is another option, but reluctantly. He can pop off for 60-FPTS on any given night, but it’s also likely that ends up in the 30-FPTS range. That said, he’s too talented and garners too high of a usage to make me be too pessimistic.
Small Forward
Deni Avdija has played 41 minutes in each of the last two games, producing a whopping 68 and 53.25 FPTS! Now he faces his former team in the Washington Wizards, who have been playing at the fourth-fastest pace over the last 10 games.
Power Forward
Jaren Jackson Jr. suffered an ankle injury that was supposed to keep him out for a month. He returned within a few weeks and played 28 and 33 minutes over the last two games. He put up 30.25 and 43 FPTS. Jackson is not the best rebounder, but he does stuff the stat sheet.
Center
Nikola Jokic is on the slate. Don’t get cute or be a hero. You click on his name because he has the highest floor/ceiling combo in the game. Jokic has put up over 50 FPTS in each of the last five games with two over 75 FPTS. Six game ago, he went for 100.25 FPTS! Mic drop.
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.
