RADIO
From October 22nd, 2019, until March 11th, 2020, we were lucky enough to watch basketball for 141 days. Then we all endured another 141 days before it returned to our daily lives on July 30th. The last two weeks of basketball have been fantastic. The bubble has produced tantalizing storylines and unforgettable moments. It's all accumulating with this great idea of a play-in tournament. I hope they keep it going forward. There are some tweaks they can make, but it's an excellent concept.
Portland went 6-2 to pass Memphis and claim the 8th seed. They are one win away from facing the Los Angeles Lakers in Round One of the NBA Playoffs. Memphis was not impressive during their seeding games, but thanks to a 2-6 record, they are two wins away from reaching the playoffs. It's the only game we've got going on, so the lineups are a bit different tonight. Daily players will roster five players with tiered scoring, including an MVP slot that is worth double points for the entire game.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel on 8/15/20. You can also check out today's DraftKings lineup picks. Remember to monitor injury news as the slate can completely change before lineups lock. Lastly, feel free to follow me on Twitter @EuanOrYouOut. Good luck.
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FanDuel DFS Guards
Damian Lillard, PG - POR vs. MEM ($16,500)
Lillard is on a ridiculous hot streak inside the NBA bubble, but you know that unless you've been under a rock for two weeks. The point guard is averaging 37.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 9.6 assists, and 1.4 steals per game since the restart and is well on his way to winning MVP of the bubble. With the way FanDuel's contest is lined up tonight, it's hard not to put Dame in the MVP position. He has scored at least 65 fantasy points in four of his last five games and averaged 58.4 fantasy points in the eight seeding games. It's a chalk play, but he's the safest bet in daily fantasy right now. Lillard will not let his team lose and seems intent on doing some massive damage this postseason. Slide him into your lineup and try to diversify your roster in different ways on Saturday.
FanDuel DFS Forwards
Zach Collins, PF - MEM vs. POR ($8,000)
Prices are all over the place in a one-game contest, so you have to try and find value in some spots. Zach Collins is one of the cheaper players to roster and has a great matchup. The Memphis Grizzlies are last in the NBA against power forwards because they allow 48 FPPG to the position. Collins is log-jammed behind Jusuf Nurkic and Hassan Whiteside for opportunities in the frontcourt. However, when he played at least 24 minutes last year, he averaged 10.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks. Collins' best performance in the bubble was against these same Grizzles in the first game of the restart. The third-year forward played 28 minutes and produced seven points, nine rebounds, and three assists in 36 minutes. It's tough to imagine he gets that many minutes on Saturday, but a similar stat line would be more than enough for fantasy managers today.
FanDuel DFS Centers
Jonas Valanciunas, C - MEM vs. POR ($12,500)
Valanciunas and Ja Morant become the first pair of Grizzlies to record triple-doubles in the same game during their must-win matchup versus the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday. The 28-year-old was incredible with 26 points, 19 rebounds, 12 assists, and one block and provided 66.8 fantasy points as a result. Now, the big man has the opportunity to keep the Grizzlies 2020 season alive against the Portland Trail Blazers. Valanciunas is averaging 15.3 points on 57.3 percent shooting, 11.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and one block. The Trail Blazers' frontcourt defense is 15th versus centers this season, but Valanciunas has been getting his opportunities in the Grizzlies offense while Jaren Jackson Jr. is out. His usage and recent form at Disney World make him well worth the $1,500 in savings over his opponent (Nurkic) and will help you fit more talent into your FanDuel lineup.
