RADIO
We have a five-game slate on Thursday and we're a few games into garbage season for NBA DFS. Teams are resting starters willy nilly, capping minutes seemingly at random, and just trying to coast by in general - either to the playoffs or to their offseason. However, there are four teams that are still vying for a chance to get in the play-in game for the eighth seed in Portland, Memphis, Phoenix, and San Antonio, and they're sure to be running their top lineups for a full allotment of minutes.
The results on Thursday will determine everything as it's the last seeding game for each team. Keeping up on news will be huge on this slate as many teams are resting players, opening up tons of value across the board. The million-dollar question of the day: do you really want to bet against Damian Lillard in a spot like this?
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 8/13/20. You can also check out today's FanDuel lineup picks. Remember to monitor injury news as the slate can completely change before lock.
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DraftKings DFS Guards
Damian Lillard - PG, POR vs BKN ($11,200)
I'm not ready to fade Dame with the playoffs literally on the line coming down to one last game against the depleted Brooklyn Nets. His price jumped dramatically after being at or under $10,000 for the past four games, but it desperately needed a bump. Lillard has been absolutely scorching hot since the restart and he may be the front-runner for "Bubble MVP," which is a real thing. Dame has put up at least 60 DK points in four bubble games and at least 80 DK points (!!) in two of his last four contests. He's taking (23.5), and making (11.4), a ridiculous amount of shots since the restart, and he has been pouring in the peripheral stats at a high rate as well. Additionally, he's getting anywhere from 39-45 minutes per game. The Nets have nothing to play for and are running out guys like Dzanan Musa and Jeremiah Martin for huge minutes these days. At his usage rate, against this defense, with the season on the line? Sign me up for copious amounts of Damian Lillard on Thursday.
Note: Lillard receives an extra bump and becomes close to a must-play if C.J. McCollum (back) sits.
Devin Booker - PG/SG, PHO vs DAL ($9,800)
If you're looking for a pivot off of the extremely-chalky Lillard, look no further than the guy he's competing with for the coveted Bubble MVP award. Booker has eclipsed 49 DK points in 4-of-7 bubble games, which is the threshold he'll need to reach to pay off 5x value at his current tag. He has also scored at least 35 real-life points in three consecutive games as he has willed the Suns to a perfect 7-0 record in the bubble. He hasn't quite shown the ceiling that Lillard has during the restart, but you can be sure that he'll garner monster usage in this must-win game for the Suns. Dallas has their seed locked up and there's an above-average chance that they sit multiple starters in preparation for the playoffs. Booker is essentially in the same position as Lillard tonight - he could go absolutely nuclear in this spot and absolutely no one would be surprised.
Dillon Brooks - SG, MEM vs MIL ($5,500)
You're going to want to target players from the teams that are playing for a playoff spot, but most sharp DFS players will be doing the same exact thing and target the more appealing Suns and Blazers. Consider Brooks to try to get some leverage on the field. His minutes are secure as he has played at least 31 minutes in every bubble game except for one. He has taken an average of 18 shots per game since the restart and even though he hasn't put up a huge game, he has games of 37.5 DK points and 41.5 DK points in two of his last three played. The Bucks are a great defensive team, but they'll be without Giannis Antentokoumnpo (suspension) and could sit additional players as well. Brooks could be the under-the-radar option with Lillard and Booker in such amazing spots, and if his three-ball starts falling and he chips in some peripherals, he could spike for a monster game here.
Other Options: Ja Morant ($9,000), Ricky Rubio ($7,300), Nickeil Alexander-Walker ($3,700), Lonnie Walker IV ($4,500), Luka Doncic ($11,400)
DraftKings DFS Forwards
Carmelo Anthony - SF/PF, POR vs BKN ($6,300)
Bubble Melo is taking a bunch of shots and he's rebounding at a high enough clip that he enters the conversation at the forward positions on DraftKings. He has ramped up his production in each of his last three games played, going for 31.75, 35.25, and 44 DK points while also eclipsing 20 real-life points in each contest. Second-fiddle C.J. McCollum is now probable to play, but it's fair to question whether some usage continues to shift away from him as he's dealing with a painful back injury and is coming off a 2-for-14 shooting performance. My guess is that Melo continues his run of production on Thursday, where he should receive at least 35 minutes against a diminished Nets team in a must-win game for the Blazers. For what it's worth, the Nets rank 25th against versatile forwards this season and 27th against versatile bigs.
DeMar DeRozan - SF/PF, SA vs UTA ($8,100)
DeRozan is never the sexiest DFS play as his production is largely scoring-dependant and he's known for his efficiency and mid-range game. He has four games over 40 DK points in the bubble, but the Spurs may need their star to step his game up another level if they want to win this last game and give themselves a chance at a play-in game. The Jazz will be without Rudy Gobert (and Mike Conley), meaning we can basically throw their defensive stats out the window. DeRozan should have little trouble finding his shot and the Spurs are bound to have an easier time in the lane without the perennial DPOY clogging it up.
Mikal Bridges - SG/SF, PHO vs DAL ($5,300)
Bridges is a piece of the Suns that you may want to get to in order to save some salary while still playing a productive player on a team that needs to win. He's getting all the minutes he can handle and he's projected for 35 today. He has quietly put up 37.5 and 30 DK points in his last two games played as he shot 58% from the field and 62% from three. He averages 1.4 steals per game and 0.6 blocks per game, so he has the potential to contribute in those categories as well. This game should have plenty of pace to it, and the Mavs could be resting a few starters in what was already not a very good defense. The Mavs rank 27th against "three-and-D" wings on the season and 27th in DVA against the SF position. Bridges is worth the gamble here.
Other Options: Georges Niang ($3,200), Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot ($4,700), Brandon Clarke ($5,200)
DraftKings DFS Centers
Jusuf Nurkic - PF/C, POR vs DEN ($9,200)
One more Nurk Alert, why not? Nurkic is coming off of his worst bubble performance as he went for 22.25 DK points, but hopefully that just serves to keep his ownership at a reasonable spot. He has looked great in his return to action in the restart, posting at least 40 DK points in 5-of-7 games and at least 50 DK points in three of them. The appeal here is that the stakes are sky-high and that the Brooklyn Nets are always a premier team to target big men against. They rank 24th against post bigs and dead-last against versatile bigs this season. Jarrett Allen is a fine defender and rebounder, but there is no one else on the team that can really assist Allen in those categories, meaning Nurkic should eat all that he wants to in this one.
Jakob Poeltl - C, SA vs UTA ($5,700)
Poeltl has been impressive in his last three games, going for 41.5, 25.5, and 35.5 DK points. He also has two double-doubles in the bubble and had his best game on 8/7 against this Jazz squad, although they were without more starters than they will be today. Rudy Gobert won't play, which is what we care about when it comes to Poeltl's production. Tony Bradley is a solid defensive player in his own right, but Poeltl should be on the floor for most of the minutes Bradley is out there as the Spurs are lacking in size with LaMarcus Aldridge sidelined for the season. He should see at least 25 minutes of action and figures to be productive again in the Spurs' must-win affair.
Other Options: Jaxson Hayes ($3,600), Tony Bradley ($3,400)
Good luck to everyone in their NBA DraftKings contests!
