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The NBA returns from the All-Star break with a solid seven-game slate Thursday night. What always makes the first night of post-All-Star-break play intriguing is that teams come in with a degree of rest that isn't possible at any other point in time past Opening Night.
The injury report is unsurprisingly light overall on short-term injuries, considering players have had a chance to heal up some bumps and bruises. That leaves us with a rock-solid player pool to work with that offers plenty of options across the salary scale.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 2/24/22. Remember to monitor the NBA injury report as the slate can completely change before lineups lock. Good luck, RotoBallers.
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DraftKings and FanDuel Guards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Stephen Curry - PG, GSW at POR (10,200 DK; $9,300 FD)
Curry has averaged well north of 40 fantasy points in two prior games against the Trail Blazers this season, and Portland comes in extremely short-handed now that Jusuf Nurkic (foot) has joined Damian Lillard (abdominal) among the walking wounded. Portland has also allowed a co-NBA-high 37.9 percent success rate from three-point range on its home floor, which is naturally an extremely foreboding stat when facing Curry. Moreover, Portland is now allowing over 46 fantasy points per game to point guards on each site for the season, furthering Curry's already strong case.
De'Aaron Fox - PG, SAC vs. DEN ($8,300 DK; $8,600 FD)
Fox racked up 47.3 DK/46.9 FD points in his one prior game against the Nuggets this season, and he went into the break on a blistering streak. Fox averaged 28.0 points, 5.5 assists and 5.2 rebounds per game over the last six games, shooting 50.4 percent in that sample. Denver is also allowing the ninth-highest offensive efficiency to PGs (26.2 percent), along with 50.3 DK/49.5 FD points per game to the position on the season. It's also worth noting Domantas Sabonis' arrival in Sacramento hasn't caused a hit to Fox's usage by any stretch, as he's put up 20 or more shots in three of the first four games he's played with his new teammate.
Aaron Holiday, PHX at OKC ($3,700 DK; $3,500 FD)
It remains to be seen whether it will be Holiday or Elfrid Payton getting the start at point guard in place of Chris Paul (thumb) on Thursday, as Cameron Payne (wrist) will also miss the game. Holiday gets the call for me, as even if he doesn't start, he should see plenty of minutes and averages 39.7 DK/34.7 FD points per 36 minutes without his two teammates on the floor. Holiday logged 20 minutes against the Rockets in the final game before the break and contributed 23.3 DK/22.6 FD points in that game, and the Thunder also come in allowing over 49 fantasy points per game to ones on either site over the last seven games.
Also consider: Devin Booker - SG/PG, PHX at OKC ($8,800 DK; $8,800 FD)
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DraftKings and FanDuel Forwards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
DeMar DeRozan - PF/SF, CHI vs. ATL ($10,700 DK, $10,600 FD)
DeRozan headed into the All-Star break on an absolute heater that included averages of 37.6 points, 5.8 assists and 5.6 rebounds over an eight-game span, a stretch during which he also shot a stellar 58.3 percent. The All-Star forward has also shot 57.9 percent against the Hawks in two prior games this season, leading to averages of over 47 fantasy points on each site against Atlanta. The Hawks have struggled against power forwards all season and could once again be down John Collins (foot) on Thursday, and they already come in allowing the fifth-highest offensive efficiency (27.7 percent) to fours.
Anthony Edwards - SF, MIN vs. MEM ($7,500 DK; $8,100 FD)
Edwards had a couple of spike performances prior to the All-Star break, scoring over 50 fantasy points on three occasions. The second-year wing's ceiling makes him especially appealing at his salaries, especially against a Grizzlies team that he's already scored over 40 DK points against on two occasions this season. Memphis has given up over 40 fantasy points per game to threes as well for the season, as well as 35.3 percent three-point shooting on the road.
Desmond Bane - SF, MEM at MIN ($6,600 DK; $6,500 FD)
Bane makes for a very appealing option at his reasonable mid-level salaries in his own right on the other side of the Grizzlies-T-Wolves battle. The second-year pro has blossomed into an excellent all-around player this season and has flashed a ceiling north of 50 fantasy points. He put up over 25 fantasy points in all three games against the T-Wolves as well, and Minnesota checks in having given up the fourth-most DK (43.5) and and fifth-most FD (42.2) points per game to two-guards on the season.
Also consider: Justise Winslow, POR vs. GSW ($6,100 DK; $6,700 FD); Andrew Wiggins, GSW at POR ($6,000 DK; $5,900 FD)
DraftKings and FanDuel Centers - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Domantas Sabonis - SAC vs. DEN ($9,000 DK; $9,600 FD)
Sabonis has been an immediate fit in Sacramento, where he's averaged 17.3 points, 11.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.0 steal over his first four games. The versatile big man also scored over 50 fantasy points in his one game against the Nuggets this season while with the Pacers, and he should be a key cog once again in Thursday's matchup. Denver has been one of the tougher matchups for centers this season, but the Nuggets still allowed over 50 fantasy points per game in the last seven outings before the All-Star break and have been a bit more vulnerable defensively on the road.
Deandre Ayton - PHX at OKC ($6,900 DK; $7,000 FD)
Ayton seemed to be back to full strength by the All-Star break after missing seven games with an ankle injury in January. The big man scored over 30 fantasy points in each of his last four games before the break, averaging 19.8 points and 9.5 rebounds per outing during that span. Ayton scored over 41 fantasy points in his one prior game against the Thunder this season as well, and OKC comes in allowing the eighth-highest offensive efficiency to centers (32.8 percent) along with over 64 DK and over 56 FD points per game to fives in the last seven games before the layoff. Additionally, it's worth noting a combination of their very poor shooting and lack of size down low has led the Thunder to allowing an NBA-high 57.1 rebounds per game -- certainly another factor in Ayton's favor -- and that he's averaging 48.7 DK/48.9 FD points per 36 minutes without Paul on the floor.
Also consider: Nikola Jokic, DEN at SAC ($12,500 DK; $11,400 FD)
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