Friday’s seven-game DraftKings NBA DFS main slate tips off at 7 p.m. ET, with NBA Cup group play adding tournament stakes throughout the schedule. Anthony Edwards remains out, while Anthony Davis, Peyton Watson, Scottie Barnes, and Jarrett Allen carry questionable designations, creating opportunities worth targeting across these three value picks.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $300K Friday 8’s [$100K to 1st]
SG Kyshawn George, Washington Wizards at Atlanta Hawks ($5,800)
George just put up 40 FPTS against Atlanta on Wednesday, and we’re getting him at $5,800 for the rematch. He supplied 25 points, four boards, and seven assists in 35 minutes, continuing a season in which he’s averaging 17.3 PPG and shooting 51% from the field. Wednesday’s 10-for-14 shooting will be difficult to repeat, but seven assists illustrate how he can contribute elsewhere, while Davis’ questionable status could leave additional offensive responsibility available. Washington enters this East Group C matchup at 1-0 after beating Charlotte by 16, giving the Wizards an opportunity to reach 2-0 while handing Atlanta a loss in its Cup opener. George already delivered against this defense with Davis playing, so his appeal doesn’t depend on Washington losing its star big man; it can only get better.
PG/SG Ayo Dosunmu, Minnesota Timberwolves at New Orleans Pelicans ($6,700)
Dosunmu’s price has gone up in his new role with Anthony Edwards sidelined, and across five starts without Edwards, Dosunmu is putting up 19.8 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 4.6 APG, and 2 SPG in a touch over 34 minutes per game. He’s also taking 15.6 shots per game and is handling a pretty decent role at the moment filling in for the injured superstar.
Dosunmu has exceeded 35 FPTS in four of those five games, including two above 48, and with Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo out along with Terrence Shannon Jr. listed as Questionable, we have to seriously start considering Dosunmu. Minnesota can move to 2-0 in West Group B after opening with a 26-point win over the Clippers, while New Orleans begins its Cup schedule tonight. The tournament stakes add context, but Dosunmu’s workload is what makes this salary attractive: he’s getting starter minutes, plenty of shots, and multiple ways to rack up points.
SF/PF Mario Hezonja, Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Philadelphia 76ers ($4,100)
Hezonja returned from Europe after a six-season hiatus from the NBA and is already giving the Cavs some juice with 8.6 PPG and 5.9 RPG. He has quietly supplied approximately 27.6 FPTS per game across his last three appearances, which is decent production for his $4,100 salary. He played at least 20 minutes in each contest and contributed 12 points, eight boards, and one assist in 23 minutes Wednesday, giving us a recent example of useful fantasy production without a huge scoring night. Jaylon Tyson remains out, while Watson and Allen are questionable, making Watson’s status particularly important to Hezonja’s opportunity on the wing. Cleveland opens East Group B play against a Philadelphia team already sitting at 1-0, with a win allowing the Cavaliers to draw even on wins and secure the head-to-head result against a group opponent. Hezonja’s price leaves room for a productive outing in modest minutes, although a return to unrestricted action for Watson would make this a slightly less appealing pick.
