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After an entertaining two-game Opening Night slate featuring some of the NBA's biggest stars, the Association presents its first big extravaganza of the 2023-24 campaign with a 12-game slate Wednesday.
There won't be any shortage of noteworthy storylines, including the first look at the Celtics' new-look lineup as they face off against the Knicks, Zion Williamson's return to action in a matchup against a Grizzlies team that will open the season without Ja Morant (suspension) and the highly-anticipated debut of Victor Wembanyama in an intrastate battle with the Mavericks.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 10/25/23. Remember to monitor the NBA injury report as the slate can completely change before the lineup locks at 7:00 pm EST. Good luck, RotoBallers!
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DraftKings and FanDuel Guards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Kyrie Irving, DAL at SAS - PG/SG ($10,200 DK; $10,000 FD)
Irving has some stability after signing a three-year deal in Dallas after proving he could co-exist very effectively with fellow star Luka Doncic in the Mavs backcourt down the stretch last season. Irving wrapped up the campaign averaging 26.2 points (on 50.9 percent shooting), 5.2 assists, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.3 steals across his last nine games. Wednesday he could open the new season without Doncic next to him since the latter is questionable with a calf strain.
Irving posted a 29.8 percent usage rate without Doncic on the floor last season, and the Spurs should make for very good targets for Kyrie under any circumstance. San Antonio finished last season allowing an NBA-high 56.3 offensive efficiency rating to backcourt players, and San Antonio also gave up the second-most assists per game (26.8) and an NBA-high 50.7 percent shooting a season ago.
Kyrie Irving ➡️ Dereck Lively II.
Watch Mavericks/Pistons LIVE on the NBA App: https://t.co/WfH3FJ6tZs pic.twitter.com/1FCR24XOyL
— NBA (@NBA) October 21, 2023
Jordan Poole, WAS at IND - PG/SG ($8,100 DK; $7,700 FD)
Poole is poised to finally carry a team on his shoulders or at least shoulder a heavier load than he has in the past in the nation's capital, and that should start right from the jump on Opening Night. Poole certainly demonstrated the upside befitting of an even higher salary at times during his Warriors tenure, and his 41-point breakout in the preseason against the Knicks offered a glimpse of what might be to come in his new digs.
Poole will play an integral part in a game that has a projected total of at least 235 points, and the Pacers finished last season surrendering the third-highest offensive efficiency rating to shooting guards (25.6) and tied for the seventh-highest three-point shooting percentage (38.8) to the position as well. Moreover, Indiana yielded the second-most DK (45.8) and third-most FD (44.8) points per game to twos, making this an all-around premium matchup for Poole at very reasonable salaries.
Jeremy Sochan, SAS vs. DAL - PG/SF/PF ($4,700 DK; $5,500 FD)
Sochan is a particularly interesting fantasy wild card to open the campaign, considering head coach Gregg Popovich has decided to let his 6-foot-8 second-year pro open the season at point guard. Sochan performed well at the position during the preseason, and if he can carry the momentum over to the regular campaign, he'll be carrying much higher salaries before too much longer.
Sochan enjoyed a solid rookie season at forward, posting 11.5 points, 5.3 assists, and 2.5 rebounds across 26 minutes over 56 games. Sochan shot an acceptable 45.6 percent in the process, and he should have the ball in his hands a lot more in his new position. The Mavs finished last season ranked No. 22 in offensive efficiency rating allowed to point guards (27.6), and Sochan could therefore have a solid chance to hit the ground running in his new role.
ALSO CONSIDER: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC at CHI - PG/SG ($10,500 DK; $10,600 FD); Russell Westbrook, LAC vs. POR - PG ($6,500 DK; $7,800 FD)
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DraftKings and FanDuel Forwards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Zion Williamson, NOP at MEM - PF/C ($9,700 DK; $8,700 FD)
Williamson is reportedly finally healthy after missing significant time with foot and hamstring injuries over the last two seasons, and it seemed like that was the case during an impressive preseason. The big man has demonstrated upper-tier upside when healthy. His salaries, particularly his FanDuel one, are eye-catching if he's indeed hitting on all cylinders.
Well, Zion Williamson looks really good ⬇️
10 points and 4 steals in 9 minutes already pic.twitter.com/mxmBnGVNRr
— AB (@aburnshoops) October 17, 2023
Williamson will face a Grizzlies squad that allowed over 47 DK points and over 45 FD points per game to power forwards while also tying for the fourth-most rebounds per contest surrendered (53.7). Zion is a force on the boards and should be in for a normal workload. After vowing to become "unguardable" this season, Williamson should come out of the gate with no shortage of motivation after such much time away from the floor.
Scottie Barnes, TOR vs. MIN - SF/PF/PG ($6,700 DK; $7,600 FD)
Barnes carries a particularly appealing salary on DK, and his FD figure is certainly reasonable enough. The third-year forward showed impressive improvement as a facilitator last season while maintaining strong scoring and rebounding numbers, and he could be set for another big leap forward in the coming campaign with Fred VanVleet now in Houston.
Barnes averaged well over 30 fantasy points on both sites in two games against the Timberwolves last season while putting up 19.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.0 steals per contest while shooting a crisp 56.0 percent. Minnesota also tied for the sixth-highest offensive efficiency rating allowed to small forwards a season ago (23.7), furthering Barnes' case.
Josh Hart, NYK vs. BOS - SF/PF ($5,100 DK; $5,600 FD)
Hart is highly capable of overdelivering on his Wednesday salaries, given his solid second-unit role and ability to contribute across the stat sheet. The veteran wing shot a career-best 52.9 percent, including 37.2 percent from three-point range last season, while upping the percentages to 58.6/52 during his time in New York. Hart will once again back up both forward spots to start the campaign, and he should see plenty of minutes in what should be a highly competitive matchup against the Celtics.
It's also worth noting Hart had plenty of success against Boston last season despite the tough matchup the Celtics typically present. Hart shot an elite 61.5 percent, including 60.0 percent from three-point range, while averaging 11.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.0 steals across 33.2 minutes over two games versus Joe Mazzulla's club.
ALSO CONSIDER: Paul George, LAC vs. POR - SF/SG ($9,500 DK; $8,400 FD); Kyle Kuzma, WAS at IND - SF/PF ($7,000 DK; $7,800 FD)
DraftKings and FanDuel Centers - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Domantas Sabonis, SAC at UTA - C/PF ($10,300 DK; $9,800 FD)
Sabonis enjoyed plenty of success against the Jazz last season, averaging 19.0 points, 13.0 rebounds, and 8.0 assists while shooting 62.0 percent, including 75.0 percent from three-point range across 38 minutes per game over four contests. The big man took his game to another level overall during the 2022-23 campaign, including dishing out a career-high 7.3 assists per game and shooting a career-high 61.5 percent.
Domantas Sabonis knocking down three-pointers would add a whole new dimension to this Kings offense.
In last year's playoffs, the Warriors left him wide open to shoot a jump shot at the elbow.
pic.twitter.com/umfjh6o68y— Jon Metler (@JonMetler) October 18, 2023
The Jazz finished the 2022-23 campaign allowing 56.2 DK points/55.5 FD points per game to centers, placing them in the bottom half of the league against the position. Utah also allowed 51.9 rebounds per contest and the sixth-most points in the paint per game as well (53.0), two figures that certainly further support the notion of a strong night for Sabonis.
Bam Adebayo, MIA vs. DET - PF/C ($7,900 DK; $8,100 FD)
Adebayo will once again be an integral component of the defending champions' aspirations this coming season, and he'll be doing so while coming off having averaged a career-best 20.4 points per game a year ago. Adebayo rarely ever passed up the opportunity to capitalize on favorable matchups, as he did against a Pistons team he averaged 20.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.3 blocks per contest against in three games last season.
The Pistons allowed over 55 fantasy points per game on either site to centers a season ago while also tying for the fifth-most rebounds surrendered on the road (54.0). Detroit also gave up an Eastern Conference-high 55.3 points in the paint when traveling, and all of those metrics certainly help make the case for a potential double-double night for Adebayo, especially since the Pistons are essentially utilizing the same frontcourt personnel responsible for those numbers.
Clint Capela, ATL at CHA - C ($6,000 DK; $6,000 FD)
Targeting the Hornets with centers has been a surefire recipe in DFS for multiple seasons now, and we'll continue doing so until it's proven to no longer be a viable strategy. Capela, particularly at his salaries, is certainly a prudent player to utilize against Charlotte's typically porous frontcourt, and he averaged an impressive 16.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.3 steals over just 25.2 minutes across three games versus the Hornets a year ago.
Charlotte gave up an NBA-high 59.9 DK/59.2 FD points per game to centers last season while also tying for most rebounds surrendered per home game (54.4). Then, the Hornets also allowed the fifth-most points in the paint per game (54.0), an area of the floor where Capela scored 89.6 percent of his points a season ago.
ALSO CONSIDER: Victor Wembanyama, SAS vs. DAL - C/PF ($8,500 DK; $7,700 FD); Xavier Tillman Sr., MEM vs NOP - C/PF ($5,000 DK; $5,900 FD)
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