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In one fell swoop, the NBA gets both the Spurs and Pacers back Wednesday night. Even on a crowded nine-game slate, those two teams standout as being the most important, albeit for different reasons.
San Antonio’s depth chart has been flipped upside down by the league’s health and safety protocols. With at least five key contributors already confirmed to be out, those Spurs who are cleared will have massive DFS appeal. As for Indiana, they’ll suit up for the first time in a week during a national TV affair versus the Warriors that boasts the highest projected total on the slate (230.5).
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 2/24/21. You can also check out today's FanDuel lineup picks. With COVID-19 a significant factor globally, remember to monitor injury news as the slate can completely change before line-up lock.
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DraftKings DFS Guards
Devin Booker - SG, PHO vs. CHA ($8,300)
It’s not often that off-the-court motivation is a direct correlation for a player making his way onto our DraftKings picks list, but in the case of Booker, who was snubbed from the All-Star Game less than 24 hours ago, this becomes a no-brainer. Could he eventually find his way onto the roster with Anthony Davis (Achilles) likely to miss the contest? Sure. But after voting from coaches and fans, Booker is on the outside looking in of the game’s elite.
Since the calendar hit February, Booker has been elite. Averaging 26.8 PPG across 12 contests while shooting 53.1 percent overall, he has hit the 20-point plateau in 11 of those outings. The Hornets are lacking in a wing defender that could realistically slow Booker’s production for a prolonged period; the unit as a whole is yielding the second-most made three-pointers (15.3) per game to the opposition, further elevating Booker’s upside.
Malik Beasley - SG, MIN @ CHI ($6,500)
For those fantasy managers captivated by shot attempts, look no further than Beasley when it comes to upside plays Wednesday. Having fired up at least nine three-point looks in 10 of his last 11 appearances, Beasley has shot 45.1 percent from behind the arc in that span, reeling off seven 20-point outings.
Even with Karl-Anthony Towns returning, Beasley has kept his enormous offensive role due to D'Angelo Russell (leg) going down. Beasley’s price point sits at its lowest on DK since Feb. 5, as managers can snag a player that was nearly $1K more expensive at this time last week.
Patty Mills - PG/SG, SA @ OKC ($4,300)
As previously mentioned, nearly any healthy Spur is a strong DK play Wednesday. But with Derrick White and Devin Vassell unavailable, Mills’ role as the team’s bench ace will only increase in importance. Having scored between 8-13 points in each of his last eight appearances, Mills has an argument to be a staple of cash lineups, but his propensity for long-range shooting makes him a viable option in any format.
With the Thunder yielding the second-most field goal attempts (92) of any team in the league on a nightly basis, the already increased upside of many Spurs reaches a fever pitch.
Saben Lee - PG, DET @ NO ($3,800)
Opportunity abounds for young members of the Pistons’ roster over the final few months of the season. After not scoring more than four points in first eight NBA appearances, Lee has cracked the rotation due to the team’s tremendously thin backcourt; on Tuesday, he went for a career-high 21 points off the bench in just 29 minutes of action.
Dennis Smith Jr. is also an appealing DFS asset since taking over the starting PG reins, but Lee has drawn the top minutes allotment out of the backcourt over the last two contests. Combining for nine assists, seven rebounds, and five steals in those performances, Lee has showcased multi-category contributions that will elevate his intrigue, particularly as his price tag remains below the $4K mark.
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DraftKings DFS Forwards
Danilo Gallinari - SF/PF, ATL vs. BOS ($4,700)
With John Collins (concussion) having departed Tuesday’s contest early, Gallinari is a candidate to enter the starting five for the second leg of the team’s back-to-back Wednesday. Irrespective of whether or not he draws the start, an absence from Collins, in addition to another from Cam Reddish (Achilles) would open ample shot opportunities for Gallinari, who got up 13 and 14 attempts, respectively, in his last two outings against Boston last week.
Gallinari’s varying production during February lends to him being more of a GPP option Wednesday. He has delivered four games in the last three-plus weeks with six points or fewer, but also three contests with 16 or more; potential absences should pave the way for Atlanta to have a greater reliance on his marksmanship.
Lonnie Walker IV - SG/SF, SA @ OKC ($3,700)
We come to another Spur, albeit one with an even cheaper price tag. With San Antonio’s full allotment of offensive talent, the wing’s are often too crowded for Walker to stand out; but as has been mentioned, they’ll be without DeMar DeRozan, Keldon Johnson, and Rudy Gay under the health and safety protocols, decimating their wing depth.
Walker had shifted back to the bench for the past two games, dropping 11 points in just 19 minutes each outing. After averaging 27.9 minutes per contest during January, he has seen his role sliced since the calendar flipped, but whether head coach Gregg Popovich wants to or not, he’ll likely feature a heavy dose of Walker, particularly since he’ll be needed to match-up length-wise with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of Oklahoma City.
DraftKings DFS Centers
Jarrett Allen - C, CLE vs. HOU ($7,700)
Much in the same manner that Wendell Carter Jr. feasted on a dismantled Rockets interior Monday, Allen should benefit from the absence of Christian Wood (ankle) and the release of DeMarcus Cousins.
The holding pattern that Andre Drummond finds himself in has done wonders for Allen’s fantasy stock, as he has reeled off five straight double-doubles. Further increasing his DFS appeal in that stretch is his shot blocking ability, having racked up 10 blocks in his last four contests combined. With Cleveland keeping its rotation tight at nine players, Allen stands to benefit from the team’s condensed frontcourt group.
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