For Friday night, there are nine NBA games on the schedule and below are some names I will be targeting at each position on DraftKings.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $300K Shootaround [$100K to 1st]
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Point Guard
Worth Paying Up For: Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors vs. Washington Wizards, $9,900
As of late, Curry has been lighting it up, scoring 53.3 DKFP per game in his past four. His usage rate has been at an elite level of 36% in these starts, which is a 3.8% increase from his average for 2020-21. This tremendous run is absolutely going to continue on Friday with the defensively inept Wizards in town. They rank 26th in defensive efficiency and opponents are hitting three pointers against them at the fifth highest rate in the NBA season. Furthermore, Washington and Golden State are the top two teams in pace this season, and DraftKings Sportsbook has this matchup’s O/U game total set at an absurd 240.5 points.
This is obviously the high mark of this slate, and when Curry has found himself in a total of at least 235 points this season, the future Hall of Famer has produced 52.1 DKFP per game.
Best Bang For Your Buck: Terance Mann, Los Angeles Clippers vs. Houston Rockets, $4,600
The Clippers played last night and both Paul George and Kawhi Leonard suited up. There is a strong chance that at least one of these two All-Stars sits tonight, especially with the 14-37 Rockets in town. In the last three contests Los Angeles has played without either Leonard or George, Mann has thrived with an expanded role, supplying 30.25 DKFP thanks to 31.9 minutes per game off the bench.
The Rockets are a mess on the defensive end, ranking 23rd in defensive rating over their last ten, and Mann should smash value at his soft price if the likely situation unfolds that Leonard or George get the night off.
Shooting Guard
Worth Paying Up For: Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics vs. Minnesota Timberwolves, $8,000
With Kemba Walker (rest) and Evan Fournier (health and safety protocols) missing Wednesday, Brown was brilliant in the win over the Knicks, leading the Celtics with 58 DKFP in 36 minutes. Walker will return tonight, but Fournier is still in quarantine, which should keep Brown in the 30-35 minute range for this prime matchup vs. the Wolves.
Currently, Minnesota ranks 27th in defensive efficiency and the O/U game total for this tilt is at 228.5 points via DraftKings Sportsbook. Brown is amassing 41.1 DKFP per game in totals above 225 points this year, and shouldn’t come with much ownership for this full slate.
Best Bang For Your Buck: Terrence Ross, Orlando Magic vs. Indiana Pacers, $6,300
With the Magic deploying a G-League like roster since the trade deadline, Ross has taken on a large offensive workload, posting a team-high 28% usage rate. Ross has flourished in his last two, generating 35.4 DKFP with 30.4 minutes per game. Now, Friday delivers a home matchup with a beat up Pacers team that ranks 20th in defensive rating in their last ten.
The Magic should be able to keep this game close enough that Ross sees roughly 30 minutes Friday night, and while his floor isn’t safe enough for cash games, the shooting guard’s ceiling is worth chasing in GPPs, where he is guaranteed to be under owned.
Small Forward
Worth Paying Up For: Michael Porter Jr., Denver Nuggets vs. San Antonio Spurs, $7,200
Very quietly, Porter has been a very consistent fantasy option. The 22-year-old has scored a minimum of 30 DKFP in 19 of his last 20 starts. For more a recent sample, Porter is collecting 38.4 DKFP per game during this current seven-game winning streak for the Nuggets. Clearly, Aaron Gordon’s presence isn't affecting Porter’s role, and this is a friendly spot vs. this Spurs defense that has plummeted to 24th in defensive rating over their last ten.
Reaching five-times value shouldn’t be difficult for Porter tonight, and as usual, he shouldn’t be a common name in large tournaments.
Best Bang For Your Buck: Miles Bridges, Charlotte Hornets vs. Milwaukee Bucks, $5,500
With Gordon Hayward (foot), Malik Monk (ankle) and LaMelo Ball (wrist) sidelined, Bridges is guaranteed 30+ minutes as the Hornets’ starting small forward. His usage rate jumps 3.4 percentage points without these three, and in the 11 contests Bridges has topped 30 minutes this year, the forward is contributing 29.9 DKFP per game.
This would be a 5.4 times value return at Bridges’ salary for Friday night, and this matchup with the Bucks makes him one of the top forward values of the night. When we compare the entire NBA’s last ten games, no defense is allowing more DKFP to small forwards than Milwaukee.
Power Forward
Worth Paying Up For: Domantas Sabonis, Indiana Pacers vs. Orlando Magic, $8,700
The Pacers’ injury report has Sabonis (ankle) listed as questionable and Myles Turner (ankle) as out. Given that they didn’t go ahead and also rule out Sabonis is a clear indicator that the All-Star has a real chance to make his return Friday. If he is able to play and isn’t under a serious minutes limit, Sabonis will be a steal at this salary.
When Turner, T.J. Warren (foot) and Victor Oladipo (now in Miami) have been off the floor this season, Sabonis has received a 1.4 percentage point usage bump, and the last time he faced Orlando, the big man went off for 55.8 DKFP. After making wholesale changes at the trade deadline, the Magic’s defense is even weaker now, ranking as the third worst unit in the league over their last five, and thankfully, we should know Sabonis’ status early, with this being the first game of the night to tip off.
Best Bang For Your Buck: Kelly Olynyk, Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Clippers, $6,000
Danuel House has missed the past two with an ankle injury and will remain inactive Friday night. Olynyk has replaced him as the Rockets’ starting power forward, and has fully seized the opportunity, providing 38.25 DKFP per game. His minutes have been at a healthy 31.5 per game, and Olynyk was a huge factor in Houston’s 102-93 win over the Mavs on Wednesday night. This snapped a five-game losing streak for the Rockets, and Olynyk should get near the 30-minute mark tonight vs. the Clippers.
The stretch four has been extremely effective with 1.23 DKFP per minute since being traded to Houston, and Olynyk should be able to exceed 30 DKFP even in this tough matchup with the Clippers (10th in defensive efficiency).
Center
Worth Paying Up For: Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Boston Celtics, $10,900
KAT is back to being one of the most consistent studs in fantasy basketball. For his last ten, the center is averaging 57.1 DKFP, surpassing 50 DKFP in all but one of these contests. Boston has really turned it around defensively, rating as the fourth best group in the NBA since the trade deadline, but the total of his tilt is still high (228.5 on DraftKings Sportsbook), and quite honestly, Towns is matchup proof right now.
His price tag has been creeping up, but KAT is still rating as a great high-end value at $10,900.
Best Bang For Your Buck: Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors vs. Washington Wizards, $6,700
Green was a letdown in the huge win over the Bucks on Tuesday (25.25 DKFP), but this matchup vs. the Wizards is a perfect bounce back spot for the defensive specialist. The high speed of this matchup is perfect for Green’s skillset, and Washington has yielded the fourth most rebounds per game this season. Also, before the dud against Milwaukee, Green had amassed 42.5 DKFP per game in his previous three, all of which were tilts that he was playing alongside Curry.
This season, Green is scoring 1.0 DKFP per minute with Curry on the floor, compared to only 0.7 without the guard. With the two of them in the lineup together tonight, Green has triple-double upside in this tremendous environment.
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $300K Shootaround [$100K to 1st]
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