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The top daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on March 9, 2019. Jake Finnen provides NBA DFS analysis and sleeper picks for building optimal DFS rosters.
We have a bad slate of games. I won't deny it. None of these games look like they will be fun to watch. Luckily, that's one of the reasons I love and watch basketball on a daily basis. There's always the possibility that the Timberwolves and Wizards have one of the best games of the season. There is a chance that the Lakers can, in a sense, right the ship by beating a rejuvenated Celtics squad. None of these are guarantees, but if I was forced to make one prediction, it's that the best game of the night will be Nets-Hawks. Two teams that thrive on good shooting and need that efficiency to win games.
Right now, Kemba Walker and C.J. McCollum are my must-plays. Both have prices that aren't high enough to warrant fading, plus they have upside in their respective matchups. Other than McCollum, if you stopped trusting him, finding a way to pair up both Walker and Eric Bledsoe tonight will set you up for some serious usage. The chances the Hornets win this game relies on Walker as it is, so make sure you are getting the most out of both players. Even if the game isn't close, it will be an intense matchup between both guards.
For the rest of the article, I have provided my daily fantasy basketball lineup for DraftKings on 3/9/19. Make sure to check your lineups before opening tip and find me in the NBA Chat Room or @HalfCourtJester on Twitter.
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DraftKings DFS Guards
Derrick Rose - PG/SG vs. WAS ($4,900)
Through not fault of his own has Derrick Rose been bad this year. They lost a few players and most importantly, loss direction of their team, allowing Rose to see high-usage, high-production games. This will continue through the end of the season and there really isn't anything wrong with taking Rose on a consistent basis. He continues to score against quality defenses and more times than not, he is restricted by either poor shooting or just the Timberwolves not keeping many games competitive recently.
The latter might not change, but Rose will continue to post similar stat lines here on out, especially tonight when he faces Tomas Satoransky.
Allen Crabbe - SG/SF @ ATL ($3,400)
There isn't a player on the Nets roster that needs to have a good game more than Allan Crabbe. Since returning, he has been horrible. Crabbe only really carries value when he is hitting three's and since he has been struggling to do that, he's borderline useless in DFS formats. Eventually he'll get back to form and post more consistent numbers, but as of right now, he is a risky pick.
The Hawks don't have the tools to combat everything the Nets have to offer, so even if Crabbe has been playing poorly lately, this will be his first (third game against bottom 10-defenses, first game versus the bottom-1 defense) chance to really get back into his groove against one of the worst defenses in the league.
DraftKings DFS Forwards
Nikola Mirotic - SF/PF vs. CHA ($4,700)
If you asked me who on the Hornets was going to guard Nikola Mirotic, I couldn't tell you the answer. I'd like to think Marvin Williams will be given that task since he is an athletic defender, but the Hornets can't afford to waste that defensive presence on someone other than Giannis Antetokounmpo or Brook Lopez. Mirotic is a lethal shooter and they can't give him open shots, but I doubt Charlotte game plans and wastes one of their best players just so Mirotic can shoot over him anyway.
Marcus Morris - SF/PF @ LAL ($4,400)
For his role and somewhat inconsistent minutes, Marcus Morris has made the most of his +20% usage. Morris absolutely tends to play up in games that matter and although the Lakers are less than a threat to the Boston Celtics, I think every player on the Celtic roster is looking to this game as a reason to stomp out a random team. The Lakers have made themselves the laughing stock of the league and it's hard to say they didn't ask for it. While many people thought making the playoffs would be no problem, everyone also realized how quickly the age bug can get you.
There is not one player over the past two seasons that has played better defense on LeBron James, and tonight that won't even matter. James clearly isn't at full speed and that is going to keep the Lakers from winning games easily. Morris will be doing his normal, catch-and-shoot routine througout the game, and I'm hoping they allow him to shoot freely while they roast the Lakers.
DraftKings DFS Centers
Bobby Portis - PF/C @ MIN ($5,700)
Last game, Bobby Portis posted fantastic numbers, but the Wizards still lost and he was clearly eaten up by not getting the calls he wanted. I'll skip the commentary about the referees and simply say Portis is going to be annoyed this game. I usually like players who play angry because most of the time, they stay composed. Given Portis' history, chances are he learned to control his emotions and even though he will be given a fine, it's doubtful that he lets his emotion leak onto the court more than it should.
The Timberwolves frontcourt isn't the strongest when it comes to deferring post-heavy players like Portis, but since this is the first time Minnesota will be lining up alongside from him, I expect him to throw them for a loop and post a near 20-10 statline.
