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The top daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on February 9th, 2019. Jake Finnen provides NBA DFS analysis and sleeper picks for building optimal DFS rosters.
A hefty eight game slate for us this Saturday and one game sticks out more than any other. The Rockets - Thunder game should be the most competitive and that means the upside is there. Rostering both James Harden and Russell Westbrook seems nearly impossible, and Paul George actively talking about defending Harden makes the latter's upside seem capped. The narratives are alive and well leading into tonight, but I just don't see Harden scoring below 30 this game of all games. Well...the more I think about it, the comes across as one of those games that Harden will NEED to score, so maybe this is where he finally scores below 30. I think regardless of who you want, Westbrook or Harden, you have to go with George tonight. For the sake of indulging in the craziness that is this time of the season, going with Anthony Davis his first game back in the lineup could work out.
Not saying he will explode, but I wouldn't be surprised if raw emotion fuels a dominating performance over one of the worst teams in the league. The Pelicans shouldn't need a group effort to beat the Grizzlies and I can't imagine the Pelicans roster holds any on-court hostility towards him for asking out. The team revolved around two superstars who have been carrying a serious amount of weight for near four years without any changes. Tonight will be an interesting bout between a team that just traded a foundational piece and a team nearing a rebuild, with Davis basically holding the door open for anyone else that might want to leave. Since we will have to target some top-tier players, I will fill this article with the cheapest options at each position that I can find. Good luck tonight.
Below I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 2/9/19. You can also check out today's FanDuel lineup picks. As always, don't set your lineups too early. Be sure to check all the NBA starting lineups and player statuses and availability prior to opening tip. Find me in the NBA Chat Room or @HalfCourtJester on Twitter.
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DraftKings DFS Guards
Dennis Schroder - PG/SG at HOU ($4,800)
I don't think Avery Bradley is ready to play for the Grizzlies just yet, so while his price stuck out more than any other, Dennis Schroder is who I would suggest. He's not the cheapest option, but he's the safest of the risky options that were given. His price isn't terribly low but it does open up some space for some of those expensive options tonight. Schroder has been on a fantastic five-game tear recently and while the Rockets are not the greatest team to target since they do rank fairly well against opposing point guards, the talent of the Thunder should influence that to help Schroder's case. Westbrook and George will offer perfect spacing against the Rocket defense, so do look for Schroder to be the one taking a majority of the shots with the starters.
David Nwaba - SG/SF at IND ($3,700)
This is easily my favorite pick of the night. There won't be many cheaper options out there and especially with the upside David Nwaba has shown. Before the Cavaliers, he was a defense-first player that scored in bunches and now that he is getting the start after not really playing, that side of him is starting to emerge once again. I hate to make assumptions about players, but Nwaba seems to be much more productive when starting, even if he get's less minutes. The trust he gets from his coach and team seems to literally make him a better player. There is risk, and there always will be risk, because Nwaba is going to defer to a better shooter when it comes to offense, but right now he is scoring on his own although hitting three's isn't normal for him, I do expect that momentum to carry into the Pacers game.
DraftKings DFS Forwards
Marvin Williams - SF/PF at ATL ($4,600)
I'm really trying to find some hardcore value here but the risk is just too high for me in a lot of these cases. Kent Bazemore seems like a good play as well, but he's not yet getting the regular rotation minutes. De'Andre Bembry should be a good play, but he's too busy playing a role and letting the better shooters shoot, ridiculous right? So here we are, Marvin Williams versus the 29th ranked team against opposing power forwards. His most previous outing wasn't very promising, although if there is any one specific thing about playing Williams in DFS contests, it's that you won't roster his because of his game log. He has random performances that keep his price at the mid-level, but his risk is minimized tonight because of who he is playing. He will get his shots off and Kemba Walker should once again dominate this contest, so roster Williams with confidence and make sure to squeeze every extra dollar out of your remaining salary.
D.J. Wilson - PF/C vs. ORL ($3,500)
If you don't know who D.J. Wilson is, then let me introduce you to the reason why Thon Maker is no longer a Buck. As the backup center, he is already getting overshadowed by almost every other center with a starting job. His price reflects that. But what his price doesn't show is his incredible upside. If you haven't watched him play much this season then you really should take the time. He does so many little things well, that you can tell he will be a force in the league in the near future. He still needs to work on making the box score look a little nicer, but that will come with time and usage. It hurts that Giannis Antetokounmpo can and will play the five if necessary, but Wilson will gladly stick to rebounding, defending the rim, and spacing the offense if that is what is needed from him. Normally against some of the better teams, Wilson is able to understand his role, shoot only when he should and will anchor the defense accordingly. Tonight versus the Magic, I expect them to allow him to extend his range and actually see what he can do with the ball in his hands.
DraftKings DFS Centers
DeAndre Jordan - PF/C vs. TOR ($5,500)
DeAndre Jordan is still a Knick, right? Jordan is still playing close to 30 minutes a night, right? Then play him. If Marc Gasol does play, good for him, I'm extremely happy he will finally get the chance to play with other superstars on a winning squad, but that's also so irrelevant it's silly. Jordan will get his stats versus any non-athletic defender. Yes, it will be funky watching it happen because anyone who has watched Jordan play knows how to defend him, but it's nearly impossible to keep a body like that from scoring off pick and roll and second chance opportunities. The Raptors might have gotten significantly better, but they aren't impervious to what Jordan can produce with a point guard who knows how to find him.
