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The top daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on February 4, 2020. Dale Johnson provides NBA DFS analysis and sleeper picks for building optimal DFS rosters.
After what seemed like an eternity, we are finally in the month of February which brings the NBA trade deadline. Around this time of year, teams become buyers and sellers which leads to players being kept out in order to not hurt their trade value due to injury. Although most of these aren't linked to trades just yet, we see an increased number of injuries reported around this time so keep an eye out for injury updates on any players who are iffy to play.
Tuesday has a small slate with only four games, but they feature quite a few powerhouses. Of the eight teams on display Tuesday, six of them rank in the top-10 in total points scored with the Milwaukee Bucks (1), Houston Rockets (2), New Orleans Pelicans (6), Los Angeles Lakers (7), San Antonio Spurs and Portland Trail Blazers (9). With so many high-powered offenses going at it, there are bound to be more fantasy opportunities across the board. Of the teams in this slate, the Charlotte Hornets are the only team on the second leg of a back-to-back. Due to the nature of these, teams are more likely to give up more points which makes Houston an attractive team to target.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 2/4/20. 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
Terry Rozier - PG/SG, CHA @ HOU ($6,400)
The Houston Rockets as a team are one of the most fantasy-friendly opponents this year due to their blistering pace and lackluster defense. The Rockets are among the worst in the league against guards especially, ranking 24th in defensive rating, 29th in opponent points in the paint and 30th in opponent fast break points. They will also be without Clint Capela (heel) and possibly Russell Westbrook (thumb) who is listed as doubtful. This forces the Rockets to run a small-ball lineup which has hurt their defense even more. Since Capela went down with the injury, the Rockets are ranked 27th in defensive rating against guards. Because of this, Rozier is a solid guard, but you could also go with Devonte' Graham here. Rozier seems like the more valuable pick as he is much cheaper and Graham is in the midst of a pretty brutal shooting slump over his past few games.
Eric Gordon - SG/SF, HOU v. CHA ($5,300)
The last time Gordon played without Russell Westbrook (thumb), he dropped 50 points on 63.6 percent shooting from the field. Now, keep in mind James Harden (thigh) was also out, but this was against a top-10 defense in the Utah Jazz and Westbrook is doubtful to play on Tuesday. The matchup gets much easier for Gordon as the Hornets are the 27th ranked defense in the league this season. Couple with the Rockets being one of the league leaders in pace, this is looking like a high-scoring affair. As easy it is for Gordon to go off, it is just as likely for him to put up a dud due to his streaky shooting. Value Gordon as a high-risk, high-reward guard with a high ceiling.
Donte Divincenzo - PG/SG, MIL @ NO ($4,200)
DiVincenzo is currently on a hot streak and has scored in double digits in seven out of his past 11 games and. With George Hill (hamstring) ruled out for the next few games, DiVincenzo has been the first guard off the bench and carved out a 20-25 minute role in reserve. Despite the somewhat limited minutes, he has posted at least 20.0 DraftKings fantasy points in nine of his past 10 appearances. His consistent production has had very little affect on his price tag as well, sitting at just $4,200 in what is projected to be the highest scoring game on the night, an over/under of 245 total points. DiVincenzo is a value play who could easily put up five times value on Tuesday and allows you to also go after a higher priced superstar like his teammate, Giannis Antentokounmpo.
DraftKings DFS Forwards
Anthony Davis - PF/C, LAL v. SA ($9,300)
Outside of the fantasy juggernauts, there really aren't too many strong options at the forward position due to only four games on this slate. Of the top performers, Davis catches my eye as his price tag has actually dropped due to him coming back from injury. Despite some strong games lately, his price tag remains at $9,300 and has not topped $10,000 in over two weeks. This is even more surprising against the San Antonio Spurs who have been weak against power forwards this season. The Spurs give up the fourth-most DraftKings fantasy points and third-most rebounds to opposing power forwards on the season. In two games against the Spurs this year, Davis averaged 22.0 points, 11.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists with 30.8 percent usage.
Khris Middleton - SF/PF, MIL @ NO ($7,300)
After absolutely torching the Washington Wizards for 51 points last Tuesday, DraftKings immediately jacked up Middleton's price tag. This has lowered considerably with Giannis Antetokounmpo back in the mix, but Middleton's production has not faltered. Middleton produced 40.5 and 46.5 DraftKings fantasy points in his past two games, respectively. Middleton's recent tear has also helped him to 50/40/90 shooting splits on the season. This projected to be the highest point total on the night and the Pelicans give up the most DraftKings fantasy points to opposing small forwards this season. All signs point to yet another solid outing from Middleton.
Danuel House Jr. - SF/PF, HOU v. CHA ($5,100)
With Clint Capela (heel) ruled out already and missing the past few contests, the Rockets have been utilizing House as a small-ball power forward with P.J. Tucker shifting to center. House just grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds in his past game and has been more active on the boards in this role. In the three games as the starting power forward, House averaged 15.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.7 three-pointers and 2.7 steals in 37.3 minutes per game. As mentioned earlier, Russell Westbrook (thumb) is also expected to miss Tuesday's contest which would lead to more usage for House as well.
DraftKings DFS Centers
Jerami Grant - PF/C, DEN @ POR ($5,700)
The Denver frontcourt is incredibly injured right now with Paul Millsap (knee), Mason Plumlee (foot) and now Michael Porter Jr. (ankle) out for the time being. This has allowed Grant to solidify a role as the starting four and he has taken the job in stride. Grant has been known for his athleticism and shot-blocking ability which he has shown over the past few weeks. Grant has recorded a block in six of his past seven games, including a seven-block game against the Milwaukee Bucks who are a top-three offensive team in the NBA. Grant also plays slightly better on the road. The Nuggets visit the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday who give up the most DraftKings fantasy points to opposing power forwards this season. Grant has an easy path to heavy minutes and production in this slate.
