The final game of the night yesterday finished after most of us had gone to sleep — a classic East Coast-West Coast showdown with some overtime heroics and 50+ combined points, rebounds, and assists for Luka Dončić, LeBron James, and Jalen Brunson. At the end, it was the West Coast that emerged victorious, as the Lakers won, 113-109, in overtime.
The capstone of tonight’s eight-game slate will also feature New York, this time facing the other side of LA — the Clippers. Brunson ($9,100) probably won’t play, but with 16 teams in action, there are plenty of must-start players for tonight’s games. Here are my top three:
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $300K Fadeaway [$100K to 1st]
For up-to-the-minute news, analysis and lineups, download the DK Network app. You also can follow DK Network on Twitter @dknetwork.
C Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets vs. Phoenix Suns, $12,300
Jokić is technically listed as questionable for this contest after experiencing some inflammation in his ankle, but he hasn’t missed a game since January 15, so I’d be surprised if he doesn’t suit up for this one. He was listed as questionable on Wednesday too before dropping 22 points, 15 rebounds, and six assists (49.75 FPTS) in a 116-110 win over the Sacramento Kings. If he plays, he’s sure production; the last time he recorded fewer than 40 FPTS in any contest came on January 25, so he’s a virtual guarantee for big numbers. His scoring has been a bit down in his last five games, but 23.0 points, 13.8 rebounds, and 11.8 assists (62.9 FPTS) per game is certainly nothing to complain about.
Technically, on a season-long basis, Phoenix has only allowed the 10th-most fantasy points to opposing centers. But the Suns have been awful on defense for the last month. Since February 7, they’ve conceded 120.5 points per 100 possessions, the second-worst mark in the league. Across that span, Phoenix has given up the fourth-most points, eighth-most rebounds, and seventh-most assists. Food. The only way Jokić doesn’t actively carve the Suns up is if it’s a blowout and he sits early, but Phoenix’s 11th-ranked offense is too good not to put up a fight. Expect 60 FPTS, minimum, from the three-time MVP tonight.
C Karl-Anthony Towns, New York Knicks at LA Clippers, $9,900
Towns was awful last night, making only three of his 13 shots and recording his third straight game under 20 points. Overall, his 12-point, 14-rebound (34.0-FPT) performance was his eighth-worst game of the season. It’s hard to blame him — he’s playing with a heavy heart after losing a family friend to breast cancer — and I back him to bounce back tonight against the Clippers, assuming that Brunson will sit. The southpaw has been incredibly durable this season, missing only one game, but in that game, it’s not a coincidence that Towns had one of his best outings of the season, thrashing the Utah Jazz to the tune of 31 points, 21 rebounds, and four assists (69.25 FPTS). In that game, he posted his 11th-highest usage rate of the season.
LA won’t make that easy; thanks to the tremendous improvement of Ivica Zubac ($7,700), the Clippers have allowed the fifth-fewest fantasy points to opposing centers, and for the season, they have the league’s fourth-best defensive rating. But LA has struggled mightily since the All-Star break, posting just a 2-6 record and recording the sixth-worst defensive rating in basketball. The defensive regression can’t be due to the loss of Norman Powell ($7,000), who’s far from an elite defender, but for whatever it’s worth, the Clippers are a much less daunting opponent than they were before the intermission. They’ve still been stout on the boards — having the 17th-best offensive rebounder of all time helps — but a high-usage Towns can definitely out-duel Zubac.
PG/SG Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers at Charlotte Hornets, $8,600
It’s somewhat surprising that the 28-year-old Mitchell has only received MVP votes in one season, although he’s likely to better his career-best sixth-place finish this campaign, especially if Cleveland becomes the third team in NBA history to win 70 regular-season games. His usage rate this season is the third-lowest of his career, which is why his counting stats aren’t quite as gaudy as normal, but make no mistake about it — the Cavaliers are Mitchell’s team, and the 2024-25 campaign has been the best of his career. He’s proven why since the All-Star break, averaging 27.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 4.7 assists (42.4 FPTS) per game on efficient shooting splits.
Meanwhile, the Hornets have proven since the All-Star break why they currently have the longest active playoff drought in the league. Since the intermission, they’re just 1-8, giving up the seventh-most points, second-most rebounds, and third-most assists per game, so even though they’ve been fairly stout on a season-long basis, allowing the 12th-fewest fantasy points to opposing shooting guards, Mitchell should still get his, and then some. Plus, Kenny Atkinson has rested both Mitchell and Evan Mobley ($8,100) in recent weeks, so I wouldn’t be shocked if Darius Garland ($7,300), who hasn’t had a prescribed rest day since January 29, or Jarrett Allen ($6,100) is a late scratch against a team Cleveland should beat easily.
