RADIO
We've got a seven-game slate for Friday. CHI, HOU, MIA, NOP, ORL, and PHI are playing the second leg of a back-to-back.
There are three games at 8:00 PM ET (PHI @ WAS, CLE @ NO, and DEN @ MEM), two games at 9:00 PM (MIA @ CHI and ORL @ SA), one game at 10:00 PM (HOU @ UTA), and the late-night hammer at 10:30 PM is IND @ LAL.
Here are my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel on 3/12/21. You can also check out today's DraftKings lineup picks. Keep an eye on Rotoballer’s injury news to stay up to date before lineups are locked.
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FanDuel DFS Guards
Dejounte Murray, PG - vs. ORL ($8,200)
Murray hasn't been great lately, as he's gone for 24.5 and 33.3 FD points in the last two games. This may be the matchup he gets right, though, as the Magic boost the fantasy points per minute to point guards by 11.65% above league average, second-most generous in the league. Murray is averaging 1.14 FD points per minute and has two 50-burgers and one 60-point FD explosion on the resume this season. It also helps that DeMar DeRozan or LaMarcus Aldridge won't be playing in this one.
Michael Carter-Williams, PG - @ SA ($4,900)
Battle of the point guards? It very well could be. MCW is coming off a two-game stretch in which he's gone for 44.7 and 37.6 FD points. He's played 34 and 29 minutes while contributing plenty of points, rebound, and assists. He's attempted 12 and 13 shots. Now, he's been on a heater converting close to 60% of his shot attempts, so don't expect that on the regular but the matchup is the best for point guards. The Spurs boost the fantasy points per minute by 22.83% above league average.
Donovan Mitchell, SG -vs. HOU ($8,200)
Over the last eight games, Mitchell has scored fewer than 40 FD points just twice, and he's gone over 50 three times. He's been garnering a usage rate over 35 and attempting over 22 shots per game. He now gets a matchup against a Rockets team that plays at the fourth-fastest pace and, while they are 10th in defensive efficiency, they are giving to the shooting guard position, boosting the fantasy points per minute by 8.73% above league average.
Jordan Clarkson, SG - vs. HOU ($5,500)
If you forgot what you just read 10 seconds ago, then may God have mercy on your soul. The Rockets play fast but are generous to the shooting guard position. Clarkson doesn't start, but he plays around 27 minutes per game regardless. He also garners a 29 usage rate. You could play both Mitchell and Clarkson together, hoping for overtime and locking in most of the usage, but it's probably better to choose one to maximize upside.
Also consider: Shake Milton ($5,800), Goran Dragic ($5,300), Seth Curry ($5,000)
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FanDuel DFS Forwards
Jimmy Butler, SF - @ CHI ($9,600)
Butler has played 34 minutes in each of the last three games and garnered a usage rate of 30.9, 36.5, and 30.5. I am writing this on Thursday night so the stats from Thursday's game aren't included. Bam Adebayo is out and some of that usage should flow Butler's way. He's gone for 52.1, 57, and 61.6 FD points in the last three games. He now gets a pace-up spot, as the Bulls play at the sixth-fastest rate and boost the fantasy points per minute to small forwards by 7.76% above league average. Oh, I almost forgot the most important detail: REVENGE GAME!!! Ha, I kid, I'm not into narratives.
Will Barton, SF - @ MEM ($5,600)
I hate writing up Barton because he's inconsistent. He can easily contribute 12 FD points or 30. With that said, he's been a nice little streak lately, producing 23.7, 35.1, 25.2, and 31.7 FD points over the last four games. He's been shooting over 50% from the field so that is going to regress, but could the heater last one more game? It's possible as the Grizzlies boost the fantasy points per minute to small forwards by 19.37% above league, the most generous in the league. So prepare for the inevitable injury or eight FD game. Sorry for being such a Debbie Downer, but you know it's true!
Tobias Harris, PF - @ WAS ($7,800)
Ben Simmons is out for this game. With him off the court, Harris sees a usage bump of 4.4% to 27.7. The environment is a good one as well because the Wizards play at the fastest pace in the league and are 27th in defensive efficiency. Now, he put up a snowflake last night against the Bulls but that was due to the blowout, hence the 25 minutes of run. Harris is averaging 1.09 FD points per minute.
Markieff Morris, PF - vs. ATL ($4,100)
Morris has started the last five games for Anthony Davis and produced 21.5, 26.2, 28.6, 12.3, and 23.3 FD points. After playing in the mid-20s, Morris has received 34 and 30 minutes of run in the two most recent games. The usage rate is sub-20 but he still manages to hoist up eight to ten shots per game and will grab his share of rebounds. A ceiling game is rarely in the cards for Morris, but somewhere in the 20 FD range should be attainable.
Also consider: LeBron James ($10,900), Danny Green ($4,700), Domantas Sabonis ($8,900), and Rudy Gay ($5,000)
FanDuel DFS Centers
Joel Embiid, C - @ WAS ($10,700)
Embiid missed Thursday's game due to health and safety protocols but could be cleared for Friday's contest if he continues to test negative. He is averaging a whopping 1.63 FD points per minute and gets a creme de la creme matchup for centers as the Wizards boost the fantasy points per minute by 21.61% above league average. Also, Simmons has been ruled out already and, with him off the court, Embiid sees a 6.5% usage rate bump to a ridiculous 41.9. Uh, yeah. Play him. Obviously, if the ownership percentage gets too crazy then pivoting to Nikola Jokic could be a viable alternative.
Meyers Leonard, C - @ CHI ($3,500)
Haha.
Kelly Olynyk, C - @ CHI ($4,500)
Olynyk averages 0.87 FD points per minute. Over the last two games, he's played 34 and 36 minutes as Bam Adebayo has been nursing a knee injury and will miss Friday's game as well. Olynyk should once again get over 30 minutes of run. In the last two games, he's produced 38.4 and 40.5 FD points. This is not a slam dunk by any means, as Olynyk has been known to turn smiles upside down. With that said, all we can ask for is the opportunity and a good environment.
Also consider: Rudy Gobert ($8,000)
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