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The top daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on October 20, 2022. Mike Marteny provides NBA DFS analysis and sleeper picks for building optimal DFS rosters.
Happy Thursday, RotoBallers! The NBA season is finally here. Last night was a big night, but tonight only has a pair of games on tap. Don't worry, they're a couple of doozys. We have the Bucks in Philly and the battle of L.A. with the Clippers and the Lakers at Staples Center.
With both FanDuel and DraftKings having multi-position eligibility players, and we'll have to attack slates accordingly to make our lineups as optimal as possible. That's where I come in! I'll look to find my personal top plays and values for tonight's slate. Things can change during the day as well, so I'll do my best to update as news comes out!
Here are my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel and DraftKings on 10/20/22. Keep an eye on RotoBaller’s NBA injury news and also our full NBA injury report today to stay up to date before lineups are locked.
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DraftKings and FanDuel Guards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
James Harden - vs MIL (FD: $9,700, DK: $9,000)
Harden dazzled in the opener on Tuesday, dropping in 35 points in 37 minutes. On top of that, he dished out seven assists. Don't expect a repeat against the Bucks' outstanding perimeter defense, but Harden can score with the best of them. The Sixers looked good in the loss to Boston. If Harden can score on Boston, I'm not too worried about him getting some good numbers against the Bucks.
Paul George - vs LAL (FD: $9,200, DK: $8,900)
I'm on the fence about whether to anchor with George or Harden. George hasn't played a meaningful game in over six months. However, he looked really good in the preseason in limited action. The Clippers haven't said anything about limiting George, so as long as they aren't capping his minutes. I love him against the Lakers. They were a disaster (as expected) on Tuesday. George could be in for a nice game here.
Tyrese Maxey - vs MIL (FD: $6,600, DK: $5,200)
Maxey had a really nice game against Boston in the opener, but what I really liked was how Philly used him. While Harden played most of the first and third quarters, Maxey played all of the second and fourth quarters. The Sixers staggered Maxey and Harden so both weren't on the court much together. That allowed the youngster to pour in 21 points of his own. Maxey is an absolute steal on DraftKings (again)!
Also consider: Russell Westbrook (FD: $7,200, DK: $7,000), John Wall (FD: $6,000, DK: $4,900)
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DraftKings and FanDuel Forwards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Giannis Antetokounmpo - at PHI (FD: $11,300, DK: $10,700)
Giannis lit up the Sixers in the three games he played against them last season. He averaged 34.3 points, 6.3 assists, 2 blocks, 1.3 steals, and 13.7 rebounds against Philly in the 2021-22 season. That was good for nearly 70 fantasy points per game! I liked what I saw from Harden in the opener, but no one has the ceiling of Giannis. He's worth the price.
Jordan Nwora - at PHI (FD: $4,300, DK: $5,100)
I really like Nwora's price on FanDuel because we seriously need value over there. The Bucks brought Nwora off the bench in the final preseason game, indicating that he should have a large role to begin the season with Khris Middleton and Pat Connaughton out. Even if Nwora isn't in the starting five, he'll get plenty of meaningful minutes on the second unit and should be able to put up a strong stat line.
Marcus Morris - vs LAL (FD: $4,600, DK: $4,500)
Morris is going to start at PF for the Clips alongside both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. That's going to cap his scoring upside, but the rebounds should be strong. I would be shocked if the Clippers didn't limit Kawhi returning from a blown ACL that cost him the entire 2021-22 season. That should mean more minutes for Morris without Leonard on the court. That should help his overall output in this game.
Also consider: LeBron James (FD: $10,800, DK: $9,300), Wesley Matthews (FD: $3,800, DK: $3,600)
DraftKings and FanDuel Centers - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Joel Embiid - vs MIL (FD: $10,200, DK: $10,300)
Embiid only played two games against the Bucks last season, but he dominated them both times. Embiid scored 71 points, snatched 28 rebounds, notched two steals, and even sprinkled in 12 assists for good measure. The Bucks don't have a center that can handle Embiid. He had a strong opener against Boston and should put up some big numbers again tonight.
Also consider: Bobby Portis (FD: $5,800, DK: $5,400)
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