RADIO
The top daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on November 9, 2018. Daniel Benjamin provides NBA DFS analysis and sleeper picks for building optimal DFS rosters.
Week 4 of the NBA season is upon us. While there is not a marquee matchup among the seven games on Friday's docket, there is plenty of intriguing storylines. Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward returning to Salt Lake City as an opponent for the first time since leaving as a free agent is among the top stories. Hayward has really struggled shooting, so it will be interesting to see if a visit to familiar grounds gets him going? Perhaps, the best game on the schedule is the 76ers versus the Hornets where two of the league's top scorers and most efficient backcourts go against each other once again.
The two teams met two weeks ago with the 76ers coming out on top with a 105-103 victory in Philadelphia as Joel Embiid racked up 27 points and 15 rebounds. In the meantime, Kemba Walker poured in a game-high 37 points on 31 shots. Walker was only 3-for-15 from beyond the arc, although he went 12-for-14 from the charity stripe. He added six rebounds along with six assists. Walker is second in the league with 28.1 points a game and Embiid is fourth at 27.7. Two games on the slate have an over/under of 225. But the Kings-Timberwolves could be the most exciting as both teams are allowing over 117 points a contest. Plus, Derrick Rose has scored 101 points in the last three games that he has seen at least 10 minutes on the floor.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 11/9/18. These DFS lineup picks can vary from higher-priced players and elite options to lower-priced players and value picks on DraftKings. You can also check out today's FanDuel lineup picks.
DraftKings DFS Guards
Victor Oladipo - PG/SG @MIA ($9,000)
While it was extremely tempting to go with either Rose or Walker, my pick is Oladipo. The 26-year-old combo guard is coming off his highest-scoring and best overall performance of the season in his last game. He exploded for 36 points on 14-for-30 shooting from the field, although he was just 4-for-14 from long distance against the 76ers on Wednesday. Oladipo added seven assists, six rebounds, three blocks along with two steals while committing just one turnover. It was the third time in the past five games that he has filled every category on the stat sheet.
Oladipo, who has scored at least 20 points in each of his last 11 contests, is averaging 27.4 points on 47.2 percent shooting from the field and 30.2 percent from beyond the arc in his last five games. He has contributed 8.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.0 blocks and 1.8 steals during this stretch. Both of his double-doubles have come in November.
The sixth-year pro is 15th in the NBA in scoring and tied-for-15th with a career-best 2.7 triples a game. A big reason for his production is that his usage is currently at 31.1 percent -- third highest in the league. Moreover, he has taken nearly four more shots and about five more three-pointers a game in November than he did in October.
The Heat -- surrendering 110.1 points a game -- are giving up the sixth most points in the league and the most assists per game to opposing backcourts. Last year, Oladipo compiled 23.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 3.0 steals in four games versus Miami.
Kent Bazemore - SG/SF vs DET ($5,800)
Bazemore has the potential to put up big numbers across the board. He has scored in double-figures in eight of 11 games, which includes topping the 20-point plateau twice. His biggest issue is consistency.
The seventh-year pro has scored in double-figures in each of the past four games. He is averaging 14.0 points along with 1.3 three-pointers, 3.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists in the month of November. The 29-year-old wing is on pace to set career highs in every major category with the exception of assists per 40 minutes. Perhaps the most encouraging sign from a fantasy perspective is that Bazemore has attempted 12 or more shots three times this month.
Detroit is among the worst in the league in guarding opposing wings.
Josh Richardson - SG/SF vs IND ($7,400)
Richardson is off to a fabulous start as he is leading the Heat in minutes (35.5), scoring (20.7) and three-pointers (3.0) a game. He is coming off his worst shooting performance in seven games as he was just six of 22 from the field against the Spurs on Wednesday. However, he did also contribute five rebounds along with five assists and two steals. Additionally, Richardson knocked down two three-pointers to extend his streak of at least one triple to 10 straight games.
The 6-foot-6 wing, who tallied 14 points against the Spurs, has scored in double-figures in seven straight games and nine of 10. He is producing 24.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.0 blocks and 1.3 steals over three November games. Richardson is shooting 44.3 percent (9.0 of 20.3) from the field as well as 52.4 percent from beyond the arc (3.7 of 7.0) this month.
DraftKings DFS Forwards
Justise Winslow - SF/PF vs IND ($5,600)
Is this the year that Winslow finally breaks out? Winslow, who missed the first four games of the season with hamstring tightness, has played better the past three games. The fourth-year combo forward has seen 30 or more minutes of playing time in each of his last four contests.
Winslow, who has attempted 10 or more shots in each of the past three games, should once again see plenty of court time with Dwyane Wade and Derrick Jones having already been ruled out for the game against the Pacers. Indiana has done a decent job defending opposing forwards, still with his athleticism and renewed confidence, Winslow could have a heyday.
Marvin Bagley III - PF vs MIN ($4,500)
Bagley is a value play here. The rookie power forward has been impressive on the offensive end as well as a rim-protector. He is coming off a 13-point, three-rebound and one-block effort against the Raptors on Wednesday. It was his fourth straight game of scoring in double-figures and second consecutive contest with at least one three-pointer.
Bagley, who has seen at least 24 minutes of action just twice in his last seven appearances, is averaging 12.8 points along with 6.5 rebounds (2.6 offensive) and 1.1 blocks in 23.3 minutes this season. He has a good matchup against the Timberwolves who are one of the worst teams in defending the paint. Minnesota is allowing the second most points in the paint (48.3) in the league and the eighth-highest field goal percentage (51.3) among shots taken in the paint.
Bojan Bogdanovic - SG/SF @ MIA ($4,400)
Bogdanovic is another value play, although he is possibly more of a sure thing than Bagley. The 29-year-old is stroking the ball the best of his career, as a result, his scoring efficiency rate is the highest it has ever been (1.42 points per shot).
Bogdanovic has scored in double-figures in three straight games and six of his last seven. The fifth-year vet, who is averaging a career-best 2.0 trifectas a contest, has eight games with multiple three-pointers. Bogdanovic played well versus the Heat last season, producing 16.0 points on 55.8 percent shooting.
Caris Levert-- SF@DEN ($7,000)
Like Richardson, the Nets' youngster is on pace for a career season. The 24-year-old small forward leads the team in scoring (20.5) and steals (1.45) while shooting a very impressive 49.1 percent from the field. He is also averaging a solid 1.3 points per shot.
LeVert pumped in 26 points on 10 of 16 shooting, including three of six from the three-point line, in his last outing versus the Suns on Tuesday. It was his third straight game of topping the 20-point plateau and seventh overall. LeVert, who has hauled in at least five rebounds in three of his last four contests, is averaging 25.0 points along with 4.7 caroms and 2.7 steals in three November games. He is shooting 52.8 percent from the field and 53.3 percent from beyond the arc during this stretch.
DraftKings DFS Center
Dwight Howard - C @ ORL ($6,000)
Howard hasn't been that effective on the offensive end in his three games since returning from injury. But he has posted double-figure rebounds in each of his last two games. While he still has some cobwebs to work through, expect the 32-year-old to put up a workman-like performance against his former team. In four games against the Magic last season, he averaged 18.0 points along with 12.0 rebounds and 1.8 blocks.
