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The top daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on February 22, 2020. Jake Finnen provides NBA DFS analysis and sleeper picks for building optimal DFS rosters.
With seven total games this Saturday, there are only six on the main slate. Nearly every game today is lined up to be a competitive contest, with the Heat-Cavaliers as the only game looking like it will be a blowout, based simply on numbers. James Harden versus the Jazz has the ability to go both ways because of Rudy Gobert's impact, but Harden is back to his shooting form and this new offensive dynamic Russell Westbrook and he have created, makes the offense run through two people. Perfect for building DFS lineups.
Trae Young is also coming off his highest scoring game of the season, so rather than looking for him to cool off. Look for the Mavericks to gameplan around slowing down Young, forcing him to create more offense for his teammates. He might not score 50, or even 40, but he should contribute in multiple categories to make this pick viable if you cannot spend the extra $300 for Harden.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 2/22/20. You can also check out today's FanDuel lineup picks. Remember to monitor injury news as the slate can completely change before line-up lock.
DraftKings DFS Guards
Jeff Teague - PG/SG, ATL vs. DAL ($3,800)
Jeff Teague at this price seems like a mistake, but unfortunately the minutes have been all over the place for him. This might have been expected when he was traded back to the Hawks, a non-contending team, but it's not like he is failing to produce. He is playing well against solid defenses and his composure has been surprisingly more evident now that he is with the Hawks compared to the Timberwolves. It's unclear whether the variance in minutes will be consistent, but with the Hawks facing a good defensive backcourt, Teague is going to be forced into production.
Joe Ingles - SG/SF, UTA v. HOU ($4,800)
His ceiling isn't nearly as high as you would think playing against the Rockets, and Joe Ingles really hasn't played well versus Houston this season. He has yet to score more than ten points, and last time these two faced, Ingles only took two shots despite playing over 30 minutes. He contributed, but not to the tune of what his price currently is. Since this double-digit scoring drought has become a bit of a trend, the consistent minutes still give Ingles plenty of upside against the worst defense when facing opposing small forwards. Ingles might morph into the Jazz' second Defensive Player of the Year candidate when playing the Rockets, but he needs to be considered for such a cheap price, especially playing against a team that plays exactly into his hand so perfectly. A big, regular season game from Ingles versus the Rockets is looming.
Coby White- PG/SG, CHI v. PHO ($4,700)
It's very hard not to target the Suns every time they play, so I won't fight it. First things first, Coby White over the past week has seen a fairly significant bump in minutes. Over the last two weeks, he saw 30 minutes rarely, playing closer to 20-25 minutes a night, but over the previous two games, White has played over 30 minutes and scored 26 points on 25 shots. The scoring inefficiency is expected, he's been doing that all season, but when it comes to playing a defense like this, his upside is multiplied. He is a talented scorer, but for him to be useful in DFS, he needs to be assisting as well. Since the Suns lack that defensive firepower to really contain all the talent in the Bulls backcourt, this matchup should allow White to get to his spots, without forcing too much usage on him that might risk his upside.
DraftKings DFS Forwards
Robert Covington - SF/PF, HOU @ UTA ($5,900)
Even though the slow pace of Utah might seem like the crux that works against Robert Covington, he has been able to consistently produce against the Jazz, and that was before he was on a contending team. He didn't have stand out performances in terms of being the highest scorer or rebounding at a high-rate, but he stuffs the stat sheet and makes sure to add in enough points make him exceed his value. With some of the options available, not many people should be looking at Covington when it comes to this matchup.
Al Horford - PF/C, PHI @ MIL ($4,600)
It's been anything but a good week for Al Horford, but the 76ers have won four straight so maybe it hasn't been too terrible for him. Statistically, yeah it's been pretty horrendous. A night where you fail to score while playing 30 minutes, followed up by two more low-scoring contests, is going to get you the price Horford is at now. Realistically, Horford has no reason to be slumping, but at the same time, a role player that doesn't focus on stats, in a slump, is the perfect pivot on a night with fewer games. DFS players are going to fade him since he is playing the Bucks and the upside looks like it's simply missing, but Milwaukee ranks 20th against centers and Horford should be actively trying to break out of this funk he is in.
DraftKings DFS Centers
Kelly Olynyk - PF/C, MIA v. CLE ($3,400)
Earlier this season, when Kelly Olynyk played less than 20 minutes in the first game versus the Cavaliers, the Heat won by 11. When Olynyk played closer to 25 minutes, he tripled his scoring output and doubled his rebounds. The Heat won in a blowout by 25 points. For his price being this low, the minutes are going to be there, not to mention that the Cavaliers play a style that works for someone like Olynyk. If they want to shoot, he is going to be on the perimeter nearly every possession waiting. If the Cavaliers look to take away that spacing, any combination of Heat frontcourt players still allows for Olynyk to get to his spots with ease. The Heat don't see him as a first option, but as a secondary scorer, he has the recent usage to back up why the Heat find a way to play Olynyk consistently.
Aron Baynes - C, PHO @ CHI ($3,000)
After dealing with a hip injury for the past month, Aron Baynes has been cleared to play and even received a quick ten minutes in his return versus Toronto. The Suns should look to get him back into the rotation as quickly as possible, so with this price, there is no way it is going to last. In those 10 minutes he played Friday night, he was producing in a similar fashion to how he has been playing all season. Unexpected consistency. Despite not doing much overall, he offered relief to the frontcourt and still managed to bring a defensive presence to the bench rotations paint. Those factors are priceless to the Suns and that alone keeps Baynes solidly in the rotation, even at this stage in the season, where playing him serves no other benefit than winning.
