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Get ready for a busy Friday with nine games set to be played across the NBA. The main slates for both DraftKings and FanDuel will consist of just the first seven games of the evening.
The key to being successful in NBA DFS comes down to making adjustments during the day as injury information becomes available. But it's always really important to have a game plan, and the best players and spots circled first before making those adjustments. To keep up with all the latest developments and get access to updated projections, grab an NBA season pass and also gain access to our RotoBaller Premium Discord, where @chiefjustice6 is talking about the slate up until lineups lock!
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 3/1/24. Remember to monitor NBA injury news and our awesome NBA injuries report tool, as the slate can completely change before lineups lock at 7:00 p.m. EST on FanDuel and DraftKings. Good luck, RotoBallers!
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Today's NBA DFS Core Picks
Let's first take a look at our matchup ratings to see who we want to target for our top spend-ups tonight.
The Mavericks tend to be a fantasy-friendly opponent. They have played at the eighth-fastest pace in the league, and they have the 10th-worst defensive rating. When the Celtics faced them in January, Jayson Tatum recorded 39 points, 11 rebounds, five assists, three steals, and two blocks over 41 minutes. Expect him to have an extremely high ceiling in their rematch.
The Pacers are an even better matchup than the Mavericks. They have played at the second-fastest pace and have the fifth-worst defensive rating. They will once again face the Pelicans, who they just took the floor against Wednesday. In that contest, Brandon Ingram produced 30 PTs, six REBs, and four ASTs. With his ability to contribute in multiple categories, Ingram should also thrive on Friday.
It might be better to list who will be available for the Grizzlies when they take on the Trail Blazers rather than list all of the players who should be out. The biggest name who will sit out is Jaren Jackson Jr. (quadriceps). There’s a very real possibility that they will only have eight or nine available players. Vince Williams Jr. has already been one of their most productive options, so with the expectation that he receives an even heavier workload, he will be difficult to pass up in DFS.
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- Jayson Tatum, BOS vs. DAL – SF/PF ($9,800 DK; $9,900 FD)
- Brandon Ingram, NO vs. IND – SG/SF/PF ($8,000 DK; $8,100 FD)
- Vince Williams Jr., MEM vs. POR – SG/SF ($6,100 DK; $6,800 FD)
Today's NBA DFS Value Picks
A lot of the value for Friday’s slate will come from the Grizzlies simply because of their lack of available players. It’s also a favorable matchup, with the Trail Blazers having the ninth-worst defensive rating. Santi Aldama, who has averaged 10.3 PTs and 5.5 REBs over just 25 minutes per game, could easily surpass 30 minutes.
The Grizzlies will be hit the hardest at the guard spot. They are basically down to Williams Jr., Jordan Goodwin, and Ziaire Williams to play both point guard and shooting guard. Ziaire Williams has averaged 14.7 PTs, 7.0 REBs, and 2.2 AST over the six games in which he has logged at least 30 minutes this season. Goodwin has averaged 8.7 PTs, 6.0 REBs, 4.7 AST, and 1.7 STLs over his last three games.
Top Value Plays:
- Santi Aldama, MEM vs. POR – PF/C ($4,900 DK; $5,500 FD)
- Jordan Goodwin, MEM vs. POR – PG ($4,700 DK; $5,300 FD)
- Ziaire Williams, MEM vs. POR – SG/SF ($4,600 DK; $4,900 FD)
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Today's NBA DFS Picks: Point Guard
Goodwin is the most appealing of the cheap point guard options. Among the top-tier choices, Stephen Curry stands out. He exploded against the Knicks on Thursday, hitting eight three-pointers on his way to scoring 31 PTs. He will face a Raptors team that has allowed the 11th-highest three-point shooting percentage and has the eighth-worst defensive rating in the league.
31 PTS | 11 REB | 8 3PM
Stephen Curry went to WORK 📽️ pic.twitter.com/iUrqC5rMoS
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) March 1, 2024
In terms of mid-tier point guards, don’t sleep on CJ McCollum. In his return from a two-game absence because of an ankle injury, he posted 23 PTs, six REBs, and three AST versus the Pacers on Wednesday. Given their defensive issues, he could provide similar results in their rematch.
Top PG Options:
- Stephen Curry at TOR, ($9,100 DK; 8,900 FD)
- CJ McCollum vs. IND, ($7,000 DK; $7,500 FD)
- Jordan Goodwin vs. POR, ($4,700 DK; $5,300 FD)
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Shooting Guard
In addition to the two shooting guards that we already discussed from the Grizzlies, Jaylen Brown is an option to consider with a heftier salary. He has scored at least 30 PTs in back-to-back games, and he produced 34 PTs, three REBs, four AST, and two BLKs the last time he took on the Mavericks.
Top SG Options:
- Jaylen Brown vs. DAL, ($7,600 DK; $8,100 FD)
- Vince Williams Jr. vs. POR, ($6,100 DK; $6,800 FD)
- Zaire Williams vs. POR, ($4,600 DK; $4,900 FD)
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Small Forward
Working further down the salary scale from Ingram brings us to RJ Barrett. He has taken on a more prominent role since joining the Raptors, which has enabled him to average 20.5 PTs, 6.5 REBs, and 3.9 AST over 22 games. Not only has his assists contributions increased significantly, but he is shooting 55.0 percent from the field.
Continuing to attack the Pacers, Trey Murphy III is a great option at a cheap salary. His playing time is on the rise with him averaging 32 minutes over the last eight games. During that span, he put up 13.8 PTs, 5.4 REBs, 2.6 AST, and 1.5 STLs per game.
Top SF Options:
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- Brandon Ingram vs. IND, ($8,000 DK; $8,100 FD)
- RJ Barrett vs. GS, ($7,000 DK; $7,300 FD)
- Trey Murphy III vs. IND, ($5,600 DK; $5,800 FD)
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Power Forward
Tatum is a stellar option for those who want to allocate a significant portion of their budget for the power-forward position, while Aldama is appealing to those who want to take a more cost-effective route.
Another member of the Grizzlies with an even cheaper salary to consider is Lamar Stevens. Across the four games in which he has logged at least 20 minutes this season, he has averaged 13.5 PTs, 6.5 REBs, and 1.3 BLKs.
Top PF Options:
- Jayson Tatum vs. DAL, ($9,800 DK; $9,900 FD)
- Santi Aldama vs. POR, ($4,900 DK; $5,500 FD)
- Lamar Stevens vs. POR, ($4,100 DK; $4,600 FD)
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Center
The Kings are a terrific matchup for Karl-Anthony Towns. They have allowed the highest three-point shooting percentage in the league, and he has converted 43.5 percent of his attempts from behind the arc this season. The last time he faced them, he drilled four three-pointers on his way to posting 27 PTs, 11 REBs, and four ASTs.
KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS PUT NIC CLAXTON ON A POSTER 😱
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 25, 2024
Not exactly known for his rebounding prowess, Myles Turner has three double-doubles over his last four games. He has also provided an uptick in scoring, averaging 19.6 PTs across his last eight games. The Pelicans have a lot of size up front, so expect the Pacers to lean heavily on Turner to combat that.
Nick Richards is coming off back-to-back difficult matchups against the Bucks. Even with some reduced numbers in those two games, he is averaging 12.1 PTs, 9.1 REBs, and 1.1 BLKs since the trade deadline. A much easier matchup awaits him in the 76ers, who continue to play compromised upfront with Joel Embiid (knee) sidelined.
Top C Options:
- Karl-Anthony Towns vs. SAC, ($8,200 DK; $8,400 FD)
- Myles Turner at NO, ($6,700 DK; $7,200 FD)
- Nick Richards at PHI, ($5,500 DK; $6,200 FD)
Today's Top NBA DFS Game Stacks
- Pacers at Pelicans (238.5 total)
- Warriors at Raptors (238 total)
- Mavericks at Celtics (236.5 total)
Today's Top NBA DFS Avoids
- Stay away from Jaden Ivey, who is shooting 31.3 percent from the field over his last six games. He will take on a Cavaliers team that has the third-best defensive rating.
- The fast pace at which the Pacers play makes them a tough matchup for Jonas Valanciunas. He only logged seven minutes against them on Wednesday.
- I’m not taking a chance on Tobias Harris, who is averaging 12.6 points and shooting 35.1 percent from the field over his last seven games.
My Favorite NBA DFS Picks for Today
Here is where I leave you with some of my favorites.
- My favorite overall play on the slate: Vince Williams Jr.
- My favorite CASH play on the slate: Jayson Tatum
- My favorite GPP play on the slate: Jordan Goodwin
- My favorite value play: Ziaire Williams
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