DraftKings Daily Fantasy Basketball Picks (10/31/21): NBA DFS Lineups

October 31, 2021

The top daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on October 31, 2021. Mike Marteny provides NBA DFS analysis and sleeper picks for building optimal DFS rosters.

We have an appropriately terrifying four-game NBA slate on Halloween night. We start off in Charlotte with the Hornets hosting Portland. Milwaukee hosts the Jazz in the earlier window as well. Brooklyn welcomes Detroit, who may be without their phenom again with the Pistons on a back-to-back. We finish off with the Rockets in L.A. to take on the Lakers.

Kyrie and John Wall are out. That's the easy part. The Lakers are still doing us no favors with both LeBron and Anthony Davis listed as questionable again. Davis will likely play here regardless of LeBron's status. Both Jrue Holiday and Brook Lopez look like they're going to miss tonight's game. Mike Conley should be in for the Jazz. As always, pay attention to the injury news just before lock. That's where slates are won.

This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 10/31/21. You can also check out today's FanDuel lineup picks. Remember to monitor injury news as the slate can completely change before lineups lock.

DraftKings Guards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks

LaMelo Ball - PG, CHA vs. POR (7,800)

I was a rough week for Ball, who has only made five of his last 28 shots from the field. The good news is that the peripheral numbers were still as strong as they were to open the season. Things get a little easier against Portland and with no elite options that look worth paying up for, I'm liking the upside of Ball more and more.

Eric Gordon - SG/SF, HOU at LAL ($4,800)

With rookie Jalen Green struggling from the floor, it should open up some more looks for Gordon. Gordon is one of the more risky plays out there since he is almost totally scoring dependent. However, if Gordon gets hot, he can easily hit 8x value at this price. The Rockets clearly value their youth movement and are playing the youngsters more at the expense of Gordon. Still, Gordon is in there to shoot. There is solid potential here.

Cade Cunningham - PG/SG, DET at BKN ($3,600)

The Pistons only used Cunningham 19 minutes in his professional debut so he should still be good to go tonight on a similar minutes limit. He looked a little tentative and rusty last night, but having so little down time between his first and second career game can only help him. Cunningham was a playmaker in college. If he gets a little more assertive, he can do a lot of damage in 20 minutes.

Others to consider: Donovan Mitchell ($9,000), CJ McCollum ($7,700), Jordan Clarkson ($6,300), Patty Mills ($4,200)

Want more NBA DFS tools and content? Our NBA Premium package includes our daily DFS Cheat Sheets, Research Station, Optimizer, and access to our Premium Slack Chatrooms where members can chat with our NBA analysts. Check out this big win from RotoBaller premium member Bsuperak on FanDuel using our Premium tools - join in on the winning!

DraftKings Forwards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks

Giannis Antetokounmpo - PF/C, MIL vs. UTAH ($11,000)

We don't need to overthink this on a four-game slate. Giannis is the best option in any game format. If the Nets win easily, which they should, they'll take the opportunity to rest KD and Harden down the stretch. In a game that will be much closer, the Bucks will run Giannis around 35 minutes. He routinely puts up nearly two fantasy points per minute. If he does that tonight, it will be hard to cash without him.

Miles Bridges - SF/PF, CHA vs. POR ($7,400)

Bridges has been nearly unstoppable in the early going, averaging 25.5 points per game with eight rebounds. The return of Terry Rozier will affect Kelly Oubre much more than Bridges. He and LaMelo seem to play well together. There's very little risk with Bridges here. Indiana and Miami are the only teams to hold him under 40 DraftKings points and they couldn't keep him under 35. Bridges is a sure thing at a very reasonable price.

Pat Connaughton - SF,MIL vs. UTAH($4,400)

Connaughton is playing around 30 minutes per game filling in for Donte DiVincenzo. He's the fourth or fifth offensive option, but he's active on the boards and a good defender. The Bucks will need Connaughton's outside shooting in this one, so I expect a nice stat line for his price. He wont break a slate, but shouldn't lose it for us either. Don't underestimate that on a slate that is light on good value plays.

Others to consider: Kevin Durant ($10,500), Khris Middleton ($7,500), Jerami Grant ($6,700), Bojan Bogdanovic ($5,200), Norman Powell ($5,000), Trey Lyles ($3,500)

DraftKings Centers - NBA DFS Lineup Picks

Jusuf Nurkic - C, POR at CHA ($7,300)

Portland is still taking it easy with Nurkic. He has only played more than 25 minutes once in five games. However, he has topped 40 DraftKings points twice and 30 two other times. This is a nice matchup for Nurkic He should be able to dominate the boards here while scoring his customary 15 points which gives us a nice total for the price.

Kelly Olynyk - PF/C, DET at BKN($5,400)

Centers against Brooklyn isn't quite the smash spot that it once was with LaMarcus Aldridge in town (who is also a nice punt, by the way), but this is still a strong matchup. Olynyk is producing at a high level even though Isaiah Stewart is still starting over him. Olynyk has assured minutes off the bench and does a whole lot with them. Olynyk has 111.25 DraftKings points over the last three games. Expect another strong showing here.

Others to consider: Rudy Gobert ($8,400), Christian Wood ($8,100), Alperen Sengun ($4,200)

NBA DFS News and Injury Alerts

More DFS Lineup Picks and Analysis