RADIO
Wow!!! Just 10 teams in action on the 16th Friday of the NBA season, marking a season-low five games on the docket for the weekend's opening night. Unfortunately, there is only one real interesting matchup, although there is always something mystical when the Celtics and the Knicks clash in MSG.
The most intriguing matchup is the Rockets facing the Nuggets in Denver. Denver is one of the best teams at home in the league while Houston has struggled on the road. The Rockets (29-21) enter the contest reeling as they are coming off a 121-116 loss to the undermanned Pelicans on Tuesday in a game that saw New Orleans overcome a 15-point deficit. The Pelicans' defense was able to frustrate James Harden enough that he was only able to convert 11 of 32 shots from the floor, including six of 18 from beyond the arc, however, Harden was able to run his 30-point streak to 24 straight games. Still, Houston has won three of four and is in the thick of the playoff hunt.
Meanwhile, the Nuggets (35-15) are keeping the pressure on the Warriors for the top spot in the Western Conference as they have won four straight and seven of 10. While Gary Harris and Will Barton are back at full tilt, Jamal Murray has missed three straight games with an ankle injury. For the rest of the article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 02/01/19. You can also check out today's FanDuel lineup picks. As always, don't set your lineups too early and check player statuses before the opening tip.
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DraftKings DFS Guards
Monte Morris: PG Vs. HOU ($5,100)
There are a lot of wonderful options at point guard tonight including Harden, Russell Westbrook, Kyrie Irving, Donovan Mitchell, Kemba Walker, Mike Conley, Trae Young, Chris Paul, and Justise Winslow. I like everyone a lot with the exception of Winslow and Young, although if you want to spend a little less money I don't believe they will be busts.
Morris is a value play here as Murray will miss his fourth straight game. There is a very good chance that the 23-year-old will make his second straight start and third of the season versus the Rockets. Morris has been solid as Murray's backup all season and is coming off one of his best performances of the year. The second-year pro compiled 20 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists along with two steals over 40 minutes in Wednesday's win over the Pelicans. He was 8-for-12 from the field and 3-for-4 from the free throw line.
Houston has been one of the best teams at defending opposing point guards this year. But, Morris has been really good against the Rockets in his two games this year, averaging 20 points, 5.5 assists, and 2.5 rebounds while making 16 of 24 shots (66.7 percent) from the floor and 4-for-9 (44.4 percent) from beyond the arc. Denver has put up 99 and 113 points against Houston this year. The Rockets, which ranks in the middle of the league in scoring defense (110.9) this year, has been more generous over the last 10 games with opponents averaging 117.1 points and shooting 48.2 percent from the field as well as 34.5 percent (10.6 three-pointers a game) from beyond the arc.
Jaylen Brown: SG/SF @ NY ($4,900)
Another value play. Brown has been really good lately and, in all honesty, he has been playing better overall since Dec. 1 following a slow start. However, consistency is still an issue. The 22-year-old turned in his best performance of the season in Wednesday's victory over the Hornets as he posted his first double-double of the campaign with 24 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and one steal in 30 minutes. He was 10-for-18 from the field, 2-for-8 from the three-point line and 2-for-2 from the free throw line. It was his third 20-point and six-rebound performance in the last four outings. Brown is averaging 16.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.8 three-pointers while shooting 52.4 percent from the field as well as 42.9 percent from beyond the arc over his last five games. The third-year pro has totaled at 30 DK fantasy points in three of those five games.
New York will enter the game depleted following the trade of Tim Hardaway Jr., and Courtney Lee along with injured Kristaps Porzingis to the Mavericks. Plus, the Knicks have been one of the worst defensive teams in the league. The Celtics lead the season series against the Knicks 2-1 with the teams combining for over 225 points in each of the last two meetings.
Allonzo Trier, Joe Ingles, Eric Gordon, Dwyane Wade, and Kent Bazemore are other inexpensive options.
DraftKings DFS Forwards
Jayson Tatum: SF/PF @ NY ($5,800)
I don't really like to feature two players on the same team, but Tatum is one of the best plays tonight. Obviously, Paul George ($9,900) is the top play here.
The 20-year-old has been a pretty consistent scorer this year, although his shooting and rebounding has fluctuated a considerable amount. He has scored in double-figures in 11 of his last 14 games, tallying at least 19 points in five of his past seven outings. The second-year pro also has collected five or more rebounds in five of the past seven games after doing so just twice in the first seven contests this month.
Tatum has played better on the road than at home this season. He has also torched the Knicks in the three meetings this year, averaging 18.7 points along with nine rebounds, two three-pointers and 1.3 steals while making 50 percent (19-for-38) of his shots as well as 66.7 percent (6-for-9) of the attempts from beyond the arc.
Nicolas Batum, Jae Crowder, Kyle Anderson, and Kevin Huerter are also inexpensive options. I like Batum and Huerter the most.
Jerami Grant: PF @ MIA ($5,800)
This was a tough call as I really like four players here. Grant won out over John Collins, Noah Vonleh and Kenneth Faried due to the matchup against the Heat. Miami has been the worst team at defending opposing power forwards over the last 10 games, allowing 26.8 points along with 11.2 rebounds and 4.5 assists. Opposing four-men are also shooting 50.5 percent from the field and 38.1 percent from beyond the arc during this stretch. Lauri Markkanen, Blake Griffin, Tobias Harris, and Cedi Osman are among the power forwards who have feasted on the Heat lately.
Grant, who is having a career year, has improved his production in each of the four months of the season. He has scored in double-figures in 10 straight games, producing 15.7 points along with 5.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 2.1 blocks, and 1.1 steals while shooting 49.6 percent from the floor. The 24-year-old has posted at least one steal or block in 13 consecutive games. Grant has totaled 30 or more DK fantasy points in each of his last two games and six of the last 10 contests.
DraftKings DFS Centers
Hassan Whiteside: C Vs. OKC ($6,700)
Nikola Jokic, Rudy Gobert, and Marc Gasol are must plays. Meanwhile, Whiteside has an extremely enticing matchup against the Thunder. OKC is the worst team in the league at defending opposing centers over the last 10 games, allowing 31.4 points on an incredible 60.9 shooting percentage along with 13.7 rebounds. Over the last seven contests, Nikola Vucevic, Ivica Zubac, and Jusuf Nurkic have registered double-doubles while Joel Embiid, Brook Lopez and Jahlil Okafor have also had big games against the Pelicans. Additionally, Steven Adams (ankle) is questionable for the game which may also benefit Whiteside.
Whiteside, who was limited to 15 minutes on Wednesday against the Bulls as he was plagued by foul trouble against the Bulls on Wednesday, has produced a double-double in three of his last four outings. While the 7-footer has been inconsistent on the offensive end lately, he shot a season-high 61.7 percent from the floor in January and has recorded a blocked shot in eight straight games.
If Adams is unable to go, I also like Nerlens Noel as an inexpensive option.
