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.
No teams are playing the second leg of a back-to-back.
As for injuries, Moses Moody is probable. Joel Embiid, Jalen Brunson, Jordan Poole, Yves Missi, Keyonte George, Andre Drummond, Eric Gordon and Jalen Smith are questionable. LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, John Collins, Cody Martin and Ayo Dosunmu are doubtful. Aaron Gordon and Brandin Podziemski are out. Keep track of all the pertinent injury updates at DK Live.
On DraftKings Sportsbook, there is one double-digit favorite: NYK -10.5 over WAS. There are no games within 3 points but two games have a 3.5 spread: CLE -3.5 over GS and SAC -3.5 over DAL. There are two games with a total of at least 230: DEN/UTA (237.5) and CLE/GS (231.5). There are no games below 220. Log into DK Sportsbook for the updates.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Starting 5 $6K Zone [$2K to 1st].
Point Guard
Jamal Murray was meh for much of the season, but he’s been in excellent form recently, going for over 50 FPTS in three of the last five games. Monday’s matchup is an excellent one as Utah is dead-last in defensive efficiency. These teams met at the end of November and Murray finished with 47 FPTS.
Shooting Guard
Since Luka Doncic went down with an injury, Kyrie Irving has garnered a usage rate of 39.2, 32.3 and 36.8 percent! That translated to 58, 34.5 and 51.75 FPTS. Doncic is out for at least a month, so Irving will continue to be the offensive alpha for Dallas.
Small Forward
Josh Hart has a wider range of outcomes than most because the usage rate is usually in the teens. But he contributes across the board and is one of the better-rebounding wings that can access a high ceiling. On the season, he’s gone over 40 FPTS 14 times with two over 50 FPTS. The matchup is a good one for him, as the Wizards are fourth in pace and 29th in defensive efficiency.
Power Forward
Evan Mobley is very enticing, but I’m going with Miles Bridges because both LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller are doubtful, so Bridges will likely have to carry a larger offensive load than normal. If one or both play, then pivot to Mobley. Over the last three games, Bridges has put up 47, 57 and 40.5 FPTS. Ball missed one of those games while Miller was out for two. Chicago is second in pace and 25th in defensive efficiency.
Center
There are many good options at center, but if Nikola Jokic is on the slate, then I’m usually going there. Why you ask? Because he is one of the greatest fantasy players of our generation with the highest floor/ceiling combo. Jokic has failed to hit 50 FPTS only three times while exceeding 70 FPTS 11 times with two over 90 FPTS!
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA Starting 5 $6K Zone [$2K to 1st]
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.
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All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook, lines and odds subject to change.
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 skill 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.
