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Kevin Luchansky's top daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for 10/20/17. Expert NBA DFS advice, sleepers & player recommendations for FanDuel and DraftKings.
NBA Friday's are once again bracing us with its presence. I think it may have something to do with the fact that, normally, Friday is a pretty weak day for sports until the NBA rolls around, but there's something special about a packed slate on a Friday night - especially when it leads into a major football weekend. Speaking of packed Friday nights, there are 10 games on the slate tonight, so there's much to discuss.
Before I dive into player selection and analysis, I like to point out a few Vegas spreads and point totals of interest. It's going to be hard to keep this section as brief as I like to normally make it, as there are a ton of juicy, attractive lines. Let's start with the games with the highest projected point totals, as that's a great place to start your research or just to hone in on plays. There are five games with over/under totals over 211 points, which is really amazing. They are Blazers at Pacers (222), Warriors at Pelicans (221), Magic at Nets (221), Lakers at Suns (220), and Celtics at 76ers (217). Games with high totals are attractive for obvious reasons, but I especially like to target those with high totals and tight point spreads, as it indicates the starters should be in this game for a ton of minutes if the score stays as tight as the spread. Three of the game listed above have point spreads under five, and if I'm going to deploy any game stacks, it's highly likely it will be in the Blazers - Pacers, Celtics - 76ers or Magic - Nets contests.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 10/20/17. The DFS lineup picks will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options and value plays on DraftKings.
DFS Guards to Consider
Kemba Walker - ATL @ CHA (DK - $7,800, FD - $8,000)
This is a price range for Walker that I am more than comfortable with as we often saw him close to five digit salary prices last season and I like the game context here. Nicolas Batum is out for a while, and as such, more of the offensive resonsibility falls on Walker's shoulders. He hasn't been an automatic plug-and-play with Batum (or any other high volume offensive counterpart) sidelined, but due to the fact that this is a pace-up game with a tight spread and an opponent that is soft defnesively against opposing point guards, I think Walker can shine here. His high minutes and Usage rate give him a very solid floor.
Darren Collison - POR @ IND (DK - $5,800, FD - $5,600)
Collison is my favorite middle-to-low tier (price wise) option on tonight's slate. Throughout pre-season and in the team's first game this week, Collison has been getting a ton of minutes with a Usage rate hovering around 20-22%. That's extremely attractive for a player in his price range, especially when you consider the game context (high projection and tight spread) and that the Pacers may be without Myles Turner, which could flip some of the offensive responsibility back to the backcourt in guys like Collison and Victor Oladipo.
Tournament Pivot: D'Angelo Russell - ORL @ BKN (DK - $7,300, FD - $8,000)
Avery Bradley - DET @ WAS (DK - $5,400, FD - $5,100)
Bradley is a great value when he have him priced as low as he is and set for an increased role on both sides of the ball for Detroit. He managed just 23 minutes in his first game, but that was due to foul trouble and, as such, he's a nice buy-low tonight and I certainly don't mind him as a punt in tournaments because he has upside as a 3-point shooter and as a defensive specialist who can snag a few steals here and there. This is also a pace-up game for the Pistons, meaning more possessions and opportunity, and the Wizards are on a back-to-back.
Devin Booker - LAL @ PHX (DK - $7,000, FD - $6,700)
I absolutely love this spot for Booker and he's my favorite piece of a game I'd like to have exposure to - especially in tournaments. The game has the third highest point total projection, the spread is under four points, and the Lakers are on the back end of a back-to-back. Booker should be called on for a ton of offensive usage, and the Lakers don't have anyone in their backcourt that can stick with Booker since Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is still sidelined. Booker should see somewhere in the range of 32-36 minutes, with a Usage rate hovering close to 30.
Also Consider: Andrew Wiggins - UTA @ MIN (DK - $6,300, FD - $6,800)
DFS Forwards to Consider
Taurean Prince - ATL @ CHA (DK - $5,000, FD - $4,800)
Prince, still priced a bit too low for the minutes he sees on the floor and his multi-category production, is one of my favorite value plays on the board. Prince should see in the range of 28-32 minutes tonight in a pretty fast paced game with good game context. In 28 minutes of action the other night, Prince produced a double-double with 10 points, 10 boards and a block. His ability to category stuff without taking shots creates a really stable floor, and if his shot is falling, he could be in line for a big night.
Also Consider: Jonathan Simmons - ORL @BKN (DK - $4,000, FD - $4,100)
Skal Labissiere - SAC @ DAL (DK - $4,900, FD - $4,100)
Skal has impressed me throughout pre-season but I was skeptical to see how that might translate - not in terms of performance, really, but his minutes and his role within the offense. One game is an incredibly small sample size, but it's not only the only thing we have to review/make decisions by for rookies, and 32 minutes is very encouraging. He's an incredibly cheap value option if he's going to priced as such and still see 30+ minutes. Dallas has a number of big bodies down low, but I think Skal's skill around the basket is going to put him into opportune situations for easy finishes tonight.
Tournament option: Dario Saric - BOS @ PHI (DK - $5,400, FD - $5,100)
DFS Centers to Consider
Kevin Love - CLE @ MIL (DK - $7,500, FD - $6,800)
We quickly find Love available at his "new" position as the five-man in this Cleveland offense. I really like his price here, especially on Fanduel, where there aren't many mid-range options with a ceiling quite as high as his. This game, which has just a 2.5 point spread, should be a tight contest throughout and with the way the defensive matchups look like they'll play out, I think Love has one of the most exploitable matchups on the court against Greg Monroe, who will be greatly out of place trying to stick with Love outside of the paint.
Tournament Pivot: Dwight Howard - ATL @ CHA (DK - $6,700, FD - $7,400)
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