RADIO
We are back down to four games on our Thursday NBA slate. We're going to have a ton of Phoenix value against the Hawks and maybe some Lakers value after the deadline deal that dealt Russ yesterday. That's even before the nightly load management news that comes out seconds before lock.
With both FanDuel and DraftKings having multi-position eligibility players, 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 2/9/23. 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.
DraftKings and FanDuel Guards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Cam Thomas - vs. CHI (FD: $7,300, DK: $7,800)
Yes, I understand that Spencer Dinwiddie making his Nets debut is going to take away from the value of Thomas. So does everyone else, so the ownership will plummet. However, KD is still out, and Dinwiddie, although a former Net, is going to need time to get acclimated to the new system. Given the choice between Dinwiddie and Thomas, I'm going with the currently established Thomas for a bit cheaper. Thomas isn't going to be busting 50s like he did after Kyrie was traded, but I still think he can flirt with 40. That's still good enough for the price, especially on a small slate and at lower ownership numbers.
Chris Paul - at ATL (FD: $8,100, DK: $7,300)
Hey, center is loaded tonight and we have to save somewhere. If Jamal Murray is in, I will likely use him so long as he's not on a minutes limit with a bum knee. Since we don't really know what's going on with Murray, I'm going to snag the low-hanging fruit with Paul. Devin Booker is out due to injury management. Cameron Payne, Cameron Johnson, Landry Shamet, and Mikal Bridges join him among the ranks of the injured. Paul's usage is going to be higher than Snoop Dogg tonight. Make sure you capitalize on that.
Ayo Dosunmu - at BKN (FD: $5,200, DK: $4,200)
Do you really trust Alex Caruso's bum knee to cut into Dosunmu's production? it has at times this year, but Ayo has still cleared 20 fantasy points in every game this month regardless of the status of any of the other Bulls. He feels safe right now even if the ceiling isn't quite as high as we would like. The floor is great for a value play.
Also consider: Dejounte Murray (FD: $8,800, DK $8,700); Jrue Holiday (FD: $7,800, DK $7,700); Markelle Fultz (FD: $6,500, DK: $5,700)
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DraftKings and FanDuel Forwards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Giannis Antetokounmpo - at LAL (FD: $12,500, DK: $12,300)
Giannis's knee is still bugging him. And he is still putting up massive stat lines. Portland was the only team to hold Giannis under 5x value since January 25. I use that term loosely because Giannis played just 23 minutes due to foul trouble and the lopsided win. He's going to bury the Lakers like turds in a litterbox before he departs this one.
Aaron Gordon - at ORL (FD: $7,400, DK: $6,800)
This is a revenge game for Gordon if there is such a thing in sports anymore. Most splits are amicable. Gordon has at least 28 DraftKings points in five straight and seven of the last eight. He put up big numbers with Murray out earlier this week. I like this a lot more if Murray is out again, but this is still a good matchup for Gordon even if Murray plays.
Dario Saric - at ATL (FD: $4,200, DK: $3,500)
Torrey Craig isn't much of a per-minute guy, but Saric sure is. With the Suns thin everywhere but center tonight, I would expect to see them run Saric at the four and Ayton/Jock/Biyombo on the inside. You might get a wild hair for Jock if you think he's going to back up Saric and throw him in a GPP, but Saric should be owned across all formats if he starts. You may have to think about it a little if he doesn't, but it's still an easy decision on DK.
Also consider: LeBron James (FD: $10,500, DK: $10,800), Paolo Banchero (FD: $7,700, DK: $7,500), Pat Connaughton (FD: $4,400, DK $4,700)
DraftKings and FanDuel Centers - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Nikola Jokic - at ORL (FD: $11,700, DK: $11,000)
Jokic is my favorite pay-up tonight and will be even if Murray plays. This is a great matchup and he's significantly cheaper than Giannis. There is enough value that we might be able to cram both into a lineup tonight, but a balanced build won't be all that popular. Choose your star, eat a bit of Phoenix chalk, and get creative. Most will try and put two studs in tonight.
Deandre Ayton - at ATL (FD: $8,600, DK: $7,900)
I don't trust Nikola Vucevic. I can't count the number of times he has screwed me in a smash spot. Instead, I will let Ayton screw me in a smash spot. This isn't a great matchup, but it's a decent one and Ayton's usage should be greatly elevated as well. This is a great spot. Will Ayton be great in this one? It's usually a crapshoot.
Also consider: Nicolas Claxton (FD: $8,400, DK: $7,600); Clint Capela (FD: $6,800, DK: $5,900)
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