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The top daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel on August 17, 2020. Kyle Ringstad provides NBA DFS analysis and sleeper picks for building optimal DFS rosters.
The NBA Playoffs tip-off on Monday with a four-game slate beginning at 1:30 pm ET. We're back to rotations and minute projections that we can generally count on, which makes the studs easier to project but it also keeps value plays at a premium. The DAL/LAC matchup looks especially intriguing as four mega-stars in Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Luka Doncic, and Kristaps Porzingis square off in the night-cap.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel on 8/17/20. 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 @kringstad19. Good luck.
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FanDuel DFS Guards
Kemba Walker, PG - BOS vs PHI ($6,000)
Walker is priced at his minute-restriction projection, but all indications are that the reigns will be lifted and that Walker is ready to take on a full workload. He's facing a Sixers team that ranks at the top in terms of defense against PG's, but they take a significant dive without Ben Simmons on the floor. Kemba has a 27.6% usage rate and should be able to easily exceed 5x value if given 30 minutes.
Donovan Mitchell, SG - UTA vs DEN ($7,300)
Mitchell is underpriced on FanDuel as he gets significant a usage bump to a whopping 30.9% with Mike Conley (personal) sitting this one out. He's likely to see around 40 minutes of action and figures to get more run as the primary facilitator of the offense, which should result in a boost to his assist totals. He holds a nice ceiling in this spot and he's extremely affordable, making him a great way to differentiate from the likely uber-chalky Jordan Clarkson.
Other Options: Luka Doncic (DAL) $10,200, Jordan Clarkson (UTA) $4,400, Garrett Temple (BKN) $3,800, Alec Burks (PHI) $3,900
FanDuel DFS Forwards
Kawhi Leonard, SF - LAC vs DAL ($9,300)
Leonard also feels underpriced as his minutes will rise since the playoffs have begun. Leonard has been very consistent since the restart and he holds a 1.39 fpts/min rate on the season. He has torched Dallas this year for averages of 31 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.6 steals, and 0.6 blocks over three games. They just don't have the bodies to guard him, though to be fair, not many teams do. He should be able to fill the stat-sheet with little defense standing in his way in this high-total game.
Kristaps Porzingis, PF - DAL vs LAC ($8,600)
We'll keep it going with the underpriced studs who figure to see their minutes rise now that the games are elevated in importance. Porzingis holds an impressive 26.9% usage rate and though his 1.05 fpts/min on the season isn't too inspiring, he has averaged 30.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.5 blocks per game in the bubble. Those are certainly numbers that will play at this price tag, and he should have no issues navigating the likes of Ivica Zubac, Marcus Morris, and Montrezl Harrell with his versatile, outside-in game. Load up on the Unicorn at the razor-thin PF position.
Other Options: Joe Ingles (UTA) $5,000, OG Anunoby (TOR) $4,300, Pascal Siakam (TOR) $7,400, Joe Harris (BKN) $4,800
FanDuel DFS Centers
Nikola Jokic, C - DEN vs UTA ($8,600)
This price is laughable for Jokic, who is as well-rounded at the center position as anyone in the NBA. He has legitimate triple-double potential every time he steps on the floor, and he has a sky-high 1.49 fpts/min rate on the season. He also holds a 25.5% usage rate when both Will Barton and Gary Harris are off the floor. The matchup against Rudy Gobert isn't ideal, but Jokic plays a lot of point-center, which Gobert can struggle with as he's not the quickest or most agile defender. Jokic already had a few big games against them this season, including a monster 30/21/10 game that included two steals. Joel Embiid is a very intriguing play at an increased usage rate with Ben Simmons out, but Jokic gets the narrow edge thanks to his higher ceiling and floor.
Other Options: Joel Embiid (PHI) $8,500, Marc Gasol (TOR) $4,900, Jarrett Allen (BKN) $7,200
