RADIO
With the NFL tying a knot around its season Sunday night and MLB still weeks away from kicking off Spring Training play, the NBA enters its blissful period as king of the pro sports world.
In addition to stars reuniting against their former teams -- Kawhi Leonard vs. San Antonio, Jimmy Butler vs. Philadelphia -- Monday’s slate figures to feature offense, and lots of it. Minnesota and Sacramento combined for 262 points when they played into overtime last Monday; Golden State and Washington are both yielding an abundance of points on a nightly basis; Atlanta is in action, having allowed an average of 128.6 points over its last five games. All of this together means that there are gems to be gleaned somewhere, so let’s dive right in.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 2/3/20. You can also check out today's FanDuel lineup picks. Remember to monitor injury news as the slate can completely change before line-up lock.
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DraftKings DFS Guards
Spencer Dinwiddie - PG/SG, BKN v. PHO ($8,000)
Monday’s contest against the Suns will open Phase 2 of the Dinwiddie Era for Brooklyn, who will be without Kyrie Irving (knee) for at least the next week. The first extended absence from Irving earlier this year led to a breakout campaign from Dinwiddie, who averaged 27 points per game across 13 December contests. While he has taken a slight step back in the scoring column with Irving’s return, Dinwiddie should benefit from both the up-tempo nature of Monday’s contest and also the fact that Phoenix could be thin in the backcourt with Ricky Rubio (ankle) questionable to suit up.
Kevin Huerter - SG, ATL v. BOS ($5,400)
With injuries running rampant for Atlanta entering their showdown with Boston, Huerter presents at the very least a safe floor for owners to work with at his price tag. With Cam Reddish already ruled out on the wing and both Trae Young and Deandre Bembry carrying questionable designations, Huerter’s offensive role is likely to increase. His last matchup against the Celtics on Jan. 3 saw him fire up nine three-pointers as he collected 17 points. Over his last four games, he has averaged 37.3 minutes per contest and shot 45.2 percent from long range, giving him considerable upside.
Alec Burks - PG/SG, GS @ WAS ($5,300)
Getting hands to as many players in Monday’s Warriors-Wizards clash is going to be paramount for owners in any DFS format. With a projected total of 236 points, two of the league’s laxer defensive units will each face an opposing offense that enjoys playing at an increased pace, which should mean shot attempts and lots of them. At his price point, Burks is among the more appealing of options involved, especially with D'Angelo Russell questionable to take the floor. Even if he does, Burks, who has scored in double figures in 13 of his last 14 contests, figures to key the second unit and see ample offensive opportunities.
DraftKings DFS Forwards
Jayson Tatum - SF/PF, BOS @ ATL ($7,500)
The absence of Kemba Walker has created an opening for Boston’s three other primary scorers (Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Gordon Hayward) to take a step forward in his absence. While head coach Brad Stevens has been cautious with Tatum over his last two outings as he works his way back from a three-game absence, delivering value hasn’t been an obstacle for the first-time All-Star. The Hawks have been eviscerated by opposing forwards this season, yielding the most DK points per game to opposing small forwards and the second-most DK PPG to power forwards. No matter how you classify Tatum, he is going to have the opportunity to accrue points in bunches, irrespective of how many minutes he sees.
Davis Bertans - PF, WAS v. GS ($5,600)
Boomeranging back around to the Golden State-Washington showdown, Bertans is a name worth exploring due to his three-point prowess. While he has steadily been entrenched with the second unit since his return, that hasn’t prevented him from being aggressive from long range, getting up an average of 7.9 threes (with 3.1 makes) over his last 11 games. In addition to what is likely to be a frenetic pace, the Warriors also yield the second-highest three-point percentage (38.1 percent) to opponents across the league. At 13.4 made triples by the opposition (only the Bucks allow more), Golden State is likely to face a downtown deluge from the Wizards, which could make Bertans a GPP option with the hope of him finding his stroke from long range.
Justin Holiday - SF, IND v. DAL ($3,700)
With T.J. Warren (concussion) already ruled out, Indiana is going to increase usage on the wing for its healthy bodies. With so many star players dotting the slate, finding a safe floor in someone like Holiday is invaluable. Whether or not he enters the starting five, Holiday will play a crucial role on both ends of the floor for the Pacers, with his opportunity for steals greatly increasing his upside. He has logged at least 22.5 DK points in five of his last seven outings, which would, at minimum, give him a return on value at his current price tag.
DraftKings DFS Centers
Kristaps Porzingis - PF/C, DAL @ IND ($7,000)
Facing the Indiana frontcourt is nearly always a tricky proposition for higher-priced stars, but Porzingis’ case is unique Monday. Without Luka Doncic (ankle) in the mix, Porzingis is far and away the team’s No. 1 scoring option; that much was proven Friday when he dropped a season-high 35 points against Houston. Despite that outing, his price tag essentially stagnated, as he sat out the second leg of the team’s back-to-back. Asking him to log another season-best in scoring might be a tall task, but with an unquestioned role and dazzling skill set, owners could do far worse than rostering Porzingis.
