RADIO
Dennis Clausen highlights the top FanDuel NBA DFS lineup picks for 2/5/20, and a couple of sleepers to consider while building daily rosters.
After a four-team trade on Tuesday night that involved Clint Capela and Robert Covington--among others--the DFS landscape will be a little trickier to navigate on Wednesday night. With nine games on the agenda, we will want to keep a closer eye on inactives throughout the day, especially with the trade deadline closing in. As of this writing, T.J. Warren, Ty Jerome, Tyler Johnson, Dario Saric, Derrick Rose, Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, Daniel Theis, Kyrie Irving, Jabari Parker, Cam Reddish, Deandre Bembry, Alex Len, Justise Winslow, and Tyler Herro have all already been ruled out. Meanwhile, Markieff Morris, Khem Birch, Gordon Hayward, Enes Kanter, Marcus Smart, Kemba Walker, Kevin Huerter, De'Andre Hunter, Trae Young, Bruno Fernando, Tristan Thompson, Jonas Valanciunas, J.J. Barea, Seth Curry, Jerami Grant, and Paul Millsap are on the fence regarding their availability.
According to Vegas, our highest-scoring game of the night is anticipated to be Atlanta at Minnesota (-5.5), with both teams expected to feature a combined overall score of 235 points. Coming in behind that, Memphis at Dallas (-3.5) at 229.5, Golden State at Brooklyn (-8) at 224, and Miami at Los Angeles Clippers (-6.5) at 223. On the other end of the spectrum, Orlando at Boston is projected to be the lowest-scoring game on the slate. Though players in this game would typically be avoided, many of the value options on the night may come from here, primarily since the Celtics are banged up at the moment. From a load management standpoint, Denver is the only team that will be playing their second game in as many days, while the Magic will play their first of consecutive outings.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel on 2/5/20. These DFS lineup picks can vary from higher-priced players and elite options to lower-priced players and value picks on FanDuel. You can also check out today's DraftKings lineup picks. Give me a follow on Twitter @DennisMClausen. Good luck.
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FanDuel DFS Guards
D'Angelo Russell - SG, @ BKN ($7,700)
Russell suffered a bruised quad over the weekend and wasn't able to play against the Wizards on Monday night. However, with a game off to rest, he is expected to be back in the lineup against his former squad on Wednesday night. The 23-year-old had his best campaign to date during his last--and final--season in Brooklyn in 2019, finishing the year by averaging 21.1 points, seven assists, and a career-high 43.4 field goal percentage. However, the Nets opted not to keep him and instead signed Kyrie Irving during the Summer in a move that has been met with mixed results. Nonetheless, after the long-rumored trade with the Timberwolves fell through, Russell should be in uniform and likely fired up in his return to the Barclays Center. That is unless he is shipped to that other team in New York at some point before the deadline.
Spencer Dinwiddie - SG, vs. GSW ($7,000)
Dinwiddie struggled against the Suns on Monday night and finished with only 14 points on a miserable 33.3 percent shooting from the field. He has been known to struggle with his shot on occasion, but without Kyrie Irving, who has already missed 29 games and is expected to be out until after the All-Star break as a result of a sprained knee, the 26-year-old has shined by averaging 24.3 points in 33 minutes. His poor performance against Phoenix caused a reduction in price. However, he has a good chance to get back on track against Golden State as he will likely be shadowed by D'Angelo Russell, who is allowing a horrendous 0.7 fantasy points per minute on the year.
Mike Conley - PG, vs. DEN ($4,300)
The point guard position is riddled with injuries and uncertainties on Wednesday night, so at the moment, we may have to take a chance, especially if we are looking to pay up elsewhere. Conley is someone who comes to mind and recently showed some signs of life. The veteran moved back into the starting lineup on Saturday against Portland and finished with 22 points throughout 30 minutes, with both of those totals being the highest since he returned from a hamstring injury that caused him to miss some time. Jamal Murray, who also recently returned after a sprained ankle forced him sit out 10 games, is allowing 0.6 fantasy points per minute this season, which could help Conley have a similar performance like the one we saw against the Trail Blazers.
FanDuel DFS Forwards
Kristaps Porzingis - PF, vs. MEM ($8,700)
Porzingis is the primary beneficiary as a result of the absence of Luka Doncic, who is expected back within the next few games after injuring his ankle in practice last week. The unicorn got a day off to rest his ailing knee on Sunday against Atlanta but made his presence known against the Pacers on Monday by finishing with 54.4 fantasy points. Look for him to potentially carry the load on the offensive end once again against Memphis on Wednesday night.
Paul George - SF, vs. MIA ($8,200)
George returned against the Kings last week after missing nine games with a hamstring issue and immediately was presented with a minutes restriction. He logged only 19 minutes in that one but logged 25 and 31 minutes throughout the next two games while managing to hit at least 40.4 fantasy points in each of them. He likely won't get his usual share of minutes on Wednesday night but it isn't out of the question that he gets around 30. There aren't a lot of reliable options at the small forward position, so feel free to roll the dice, especially at that price.
John Collins - PF, @ MIN ($8,100)
Between trades and injuries, the Hawks may potentially lack depth on Wednesday night, just like they did against the Celtics on Monday night. With a significant portion of the team missing against Boston, Collins logged 38 minutes and also received plenty of chances to produce, finishing with 22 points, 11 boards, two blocks, and a steal. He could be even more involved tonight if Trae Young isn't at 100 percent due to an ankle injury of his own, so keep an eye on Atlanta's inactives throughout the day.
FanDuel DFS Centers
Andre Drummond - C, vs. PHO ($9,900)
Drummond is another guy who has been rumored to be moved prior to the deadline, but for now, we will move on assuming that he will be with the Pistons--at least until the end of the season. Detroit is dealing with a handful of injuries at the moment, with the most notable absences being Luke Kennard, Derrick Rose, and Blake Griffin. While Kennard and Griffin have been out for quite some time, Rose was sidelined only a few games ago as a result of a groin and hip injuries. As a result, there were plenty of shots up for grabs against Memphis, which resulted in Drummond scoring 25 points on 22 attempts. As usual, he was also active on the glass and walked away from that one with 18 boards, so there is a strong chance that he could be in line for another high-end double-double on Wednesday night against the Suns. Pheonix is also dealing with the collective injuries of Aron Baynes, Frank Kaminsky, and Dario Saric, which could make things even worse defensively underneath the basket.
