RADIO
On Friday evening, we were treated to some spectacular performances. Nikola Jokic led the slate by producing a 28-point, 15-rebound effort against the Memphis Grizzlies. Jimmy Butler delivered another strong showing, finishing with nearly 57 fantasy points against the Chicago Bulls, while Donovan Mitchell had 50.4 against the short-handed Rockets in a game that ran much closer than it should have. Other standouts from the night include Domantas Sabonis, Kevin Porter Jr., Zach LaVine, and Rudy Gobert.
After a lackluster All-Star game, the league is now beyond the unofficial midway point of the year. Seven games are scheduled on Saturday, complete with some contests that may get out of hand quickly (Detroit/Brooklyn, Milwaukee/Washington). For that reason, some of the association's most reliable fantasy names may not be the best option, primarily since they may sit early if a blowout takes place.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel on 3/13/21. These DFS lineup picks can vary from higher-priced players and elite options to lower-priced players and value picks on FanDuel. You can also check out DraftKings lineup picks and injury news before lineups lock. Good luck, RotoBallers. Feel free to follow me on Twitter @DennisMClausen and say hello.
FanDuel DFS Guards
Luka Doncic, PG - @ DEN ($10,400)
Doncic was held out of Thursday's meeting against Oklahoma City due to an ankle ailment. Luckily, he wasn't included on Friday evening's 8:30 pm official NBA injury report, which is a promising indication that things are looking good regarding his availability on Saturday.
Although the 2018 third overall pick has regressed a bit from what we saw during his sophomore campaign, he should still be in the MVP conversation. He has played well historically against the Nuggets during his tenure in the league, averaging nearly a triple-double throughout seven lifetime meetings. Out of all of the elite names suiting up on Saturday night, Doncic may have the highest ceiling out of all of them. Get him in your lineup.
Anthony Edwards, SG - vs. POR ($6,500)
Edwards had flashes of efficiency during the first few months in the league but began to really turn up the volume in the weeks heading into the All-Star Break. Although LaMelo Ball is still the favorite to take home the Rookie of the Year award, Edwards is beginning to make his presence felt now more than ever.
The 19-year-old averaged 16.1 points, 5.1 boards, and 3.3 assists in February. No, his shoddy shooting numbers aren’t doing him any favors, but the absences of D’Angelo Russell and Malik Beasley should continue to open the door for an increase in minutes for the foreseeable future.
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FanDuel DFS Forwards
Chris Boucher, PF - @ CHA ($6,700)
The Raptors are hurting at the moment as the team has been without the services of Fred VanVleet, Pascal Siakam, and OG Anunoby due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols. While those three are moving closer toward returning, they will not be available when Toronto heads to Charlotte to meet with the Hornets.
Luckily, the team can continue to rely on Boucher, a player who is making a case to take home this season’s Most Improved Player of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year awards. Though he has some stiff competition, his consideration in both categories speaks volumes about how valuable he has been. Boucher will likely come in from off the bench on Saturday; however, he should see a big enough workload where it won’t matter. He logged 30 minutes on Thursday night and accumulated a stellar 52.3 fantasy points. His rostering cost is a joke (too low), so take advantage while you can.
Danilo Gallinari, SF - vs. CHA ($4,700)
Gallinari may be one of the most frustrating fantasy options of all time. While consistent ailments are bad enough, he is one of those guys who seemingly only goes off when he is in someone else’s lineup, whether it be in season-long or DFS formats. However, we are going to get it right on Saturday as he will have a favorable matchup against the Kings.
With injuries plaguing the Hawks at the moment, the team has been running its starting unit into the ground while saving the leftover minutes for a select few. Although Bogdan Bogdanovic is working his way back to a full-strength after missing some time, Gallinari should continue to be the one who plays the most out of the second unit. He has scored at least 20 points in each of his last two games, so make sure you keep him on the radar, primarily if you are running low on cap space.
FanDuel DFS Centers
Nikola Jokic, C - vs. DAL ($11,700)
Priced at nearly $12,000, Jokic will be tasked with producing a ton of fantasy points to come close to hitting his value. Is he up to the task? More than likely.
While he played a bunch against Memphis on Friday night, the former second-round pick actually plays his best without rest, averaging nearly a triple-double during the second game of back-to-back outings this season. Jokic has also historically played well against the Mavericks throughout his career, so these are good enough reasons to, at the very least, keep him on the radar in both cash and GPP formats.
Aron Baynes, C - @ CHA ($3,900)
We already established that the Raptors are having issues keeping guys on the floor. Chris Boucher, who will continue to get his share of playing time off the bench, has been reliable. However, Toronto has opted to continue to roll with Baynes in the middle.
He has seen nearly 30 minutes of action in each of his last two games. He also came close to a double-double against his former team, the Boston Celtics, in the final game before the break but accomplished that feat against the Hawks on Thursday to finish with 34 fantasy points. Although he may be a popular option, the upside is too high to ignore.
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