Fantasy Basketball: DraftKings NBA Picks for November 8

Jan 24, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; General view of Draft Kings logo on an advertising LED screen during the Denver Broncos game against the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship football game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. The Broncos defeated the Patriots 20-18 to advance to the Super Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

DraftKings NBA Picks for November 8

About half the league is in action with seven games tonight, which gives us a nice sized player pool. There are a few high priced players to build around. Who should we take as the centerpiece of our DraftKings lineup?

More from DFS

DraftKings is making one very important change for the 2016-2017 season. For some strange reason, they gave up their only advantage over FanDuel for NBA games. DraftKings decided to lock ALL games when the contest starts just as FanDuel does.

The big difference now between FanDuel and DraftKings is the lineups. FanDuel has one more slot, but you are confined to two of every position except center, where you get one. On DraftKings, you get a starting five plus a G, F, and UTIL. This is still an advantage over FanDuel because we can play two centers even though the roster is smaller!

Sound like fun? If you would like to try DraftKings for the first time, use this link for the referral bonus! It is good for a free entry into the Fantasy Football Millionaire contest. We have plenty of advice on the site to help you turn that free entry into a solid bankroll!

Nov 6, 2016; Memphis, TN, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) and his teammates during the first half against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Portland Trail Blazers defeats Memphis Grizzlies 100-94. Mandatory Credit: Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports /

Best Bets:

Damian Lillard ($9,100): This should be a high scoring game with Phoenix, so despite the increased price, Lillard should still be able to reach 5x value. He fell just short in his first outing against the Suns on November 2nd, but he will undoubtedly be the top scoring PG of the night if you are willing to pay up.

Darren Collison ($6,200): Ty Lawson was a disaster leading the Kings in Collison’s absence, so expect him to jump right in after his suspension and take the lion’s share of the minutes. Collison only needs 31 DraftKings points to reach 5x value, and while the Pelicans have been solid on the perimeter, I think Collison tops that.

Honorable Mention:

Emmanuel Mudiay ($6,000): Mudiay is mostly a scorer despite playing the point, so his output can be volatile. That said, he is a good rebounder and solid defender. He lit up the Celtics on Sunday. Can he do the same to a Memphis team that has struggled on the outside?

J.J. Barea ($6,000): Barea was a force with Deron Williams out, and should continue to see big minutes while the Mavs tinker with the lineup trying to find the most efficient way to replace Dirk Nowitzki. The most promising has seen Barnes slide down to PF allowing Wesley Matthews to play SF and Barea at SG. As long as this happens, Barea is a lock for 5x value, and is approaching 6x.

Dark Horses:

Kris Dunn ($5,400): The Thunder forced Dunn into his worst night as a starter on Saturday, so he is far from a sure thing. Still, I like him against a Nets team missing Jeremy Lin. Dunn only needs 27 DraftKings points for 5x value. That seems like a sure thing.

Isaiah Whitehead ($3,900): Whitehead turned in 20 DraftKings points in his first start on Friday, but he still played just 23 minutes. With Lin and Greivis Vasquez out, Whitehead should continue to see plenty of minutes, making him a very low-risk option with decent upside.

My pick: Dunn(PG), Barea(SG)

Nov 4, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) against the New Orleans Pelicans during the second half of a game at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /

Best Bets:

C.J McCollum ($7,100): Lillard’s scoring has tempered McCollum’s some, but it was C.J. who was hitting the shots against Memphis, not Lillard. Trying to decide which nights this will happen in an effort in futility, so McCollum will always be a bit of a risk. That said, he turned in 37.5 DraftKings points in Phoenix last Wednesday. If he does it again, that is 5.3x value.

Devin Booker ($6,600): Booker has been hotter than the celestial body that his team is named after lately, going 26-51 from the floor and scoring 77 points in the last two games. He was solid against Portland last week, but I wouldn’t expect another 30+ point outburst. Expect him back in the 20’s, and his DraftKings points to be right around 5x value.

Honorable Mention:

Zach LaVine ($6,300): LaVine struggled like most of his teammates did on Saturday, but he should bounce back nicely against the Nets. He only needs 31.5 DraftKings points for 5x value, a mark that he has reached in three of the five games so far. It should be four of six after tonight.

Sean Kilpatrick ($5,400): Kilpatrick has scored in double digits in every game for a team that lacks a second scorer. He is averaging 5.2x value on the season, and has been even better than that lately. He is a solid play even against a pretty good Minnesota perimeter.

Dark Horses:

Jordan Clarkson ($4,700): Clarkson has fallen off of many radars with a move to the second unit, but he is still playing between 25-30 minutes a game. Needing only 23.5 DraftKings points for 5x value, Clarkson is a very low-risk proposition.

Randy Foye ($3,000): Foye was slated to make his season debut on Friday, but the Nets kept him out. He is now likely to play once again Tuesday, but check to make sure. The Nets are committed to keeping Kilpatrick at his natural SG slot, meaning Foye is likely going to play the point. If Whitehead struggles again, Foye could see a nice minutes load at a bargain basement price.

My pick: Clarkson(G)

Nov 6, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Sacramento Kings forward Rudy Gay (8) shoots against the Toronto Raptors at Air Canada Centre. The Kings beat the Raptors 96-91. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports /

Best Bets:

LeBron James ($9,900): The King hasn’t had under 47.25 DraftKings points yet this season. That means at worse he is still a 4.7x value, which is the kind of guarantee you want if paying top dollar for a top player. James isn’t the threat to flirt with 70 DraftKings points anymore, but he routinely scores in the high 50’s. He can still help you take home some cash.

T.J. Warren ($6,900): Warren is still underpriced, as he has scored 115.75 DraftKings points in three games this month. That leaves him over 5x value, and a nice play against Portland tonight.

Honorable Mention:

Rudy Gay ($6,800): He doesn’t have the upside that Warren does, but Gay is still about as consistent as they come. He also has a tasty matchup tonight with a Pelicans team that is giving up the second most fantasy points to SF’s this year.

Andrew Wiggins ($6,000): We can just throw out everyone’s “performance” from Saturday night against the Thunder. The Timberwolves aren’t as bad as the Thunder made them look. Wiggins should rebound in a big way against a Nets team that has allowed the fourth most fantasy points to small forwards. Wiggins is still mostly a scorer, so he lacks the high ceiling of others at the position, but the price is right for 5x value.

Dark Horse:

Maurice Harkless ($4,500): Harkless has played more than 32 minutes in three straight games, and his performance is well above his price range in that span. That said, if the minutes dry up because he goes cold, he has virtually no chance of getting you the 22.5 DraftKings points required for 5x value.

My pick: James(SF), Wiggins(F), Harkless(UTIL)

Oct 18, 2016; Columbus, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love (0) against the Washington Wizards at the Jerome Schottenstein Center. The Wizards won 96-91. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /

Best Bets:

Kevin Love ($7,300): Love only needs 36.5 DraftKings points for 5x value, a mark that he has topped in all but one game this season. If you are looking for bang for your power forward buck, Love is your man.

Julius Randle ($6,700): Randle has picked up 75.25 DraftKings points over his last two games, and tonight he gets a Mavs team that wasn’t great in the inside even with Dirk Nowitzki healthy. With Dirk out, Randle could have a big game in the middle for a very low price.

Honorable Mention:

Anthony Davis ($11,000): Here’s some food for thought: Davis scored 33 points last night and hauled in 13 rebounds, but still only got 54.75 points under the DraftKings scoring system. Despite his monster night, he didn’t reach 5x value. That tells you just how hard it is for him to get there with his price this high. That said, he will likely be the highest scorer at any position tonight.

Zach Randolph ($5,500): Randolph has been a mostly consistent force with the second unit, picking up at least 24 DraftKings points in all but one game this year. That makes him a consistent 4.7-5.5x value. You can do worse for a low dollar player.

Dark Horses:

Trevor Booker ($4,900): Booker has three double-doubles in six games despite coming off the bench for the Nets. Booker has a high ceiling, but he has had a few games where he has been lost in the shuffle for the Nets. Most of Booker’s success has come against smaller teams in the middle. Minnesota does not fit that bill, so there is significant risk here.

Al-Farouq Aminu ($4,800): There should be plenty of rebounds up for grabs tonight in what promises to be a fast paced game with the Suns. That plays into Aminu’s hands since that is his primary strength.

My pick: Booker($4,900)

Nov 3, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) celebrates during a timeout in the first half against the Denver Nuggets at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports /

Best Bets:

DeMarcus Cousins ($10,400): The Pelicans elected to go with Omer Asik at center again last night, moving Terrence Jones to the bench. If they do so again, Cousins may have a tougher time with Davis playing the power forward. However, if Davis moves to center, Cousins could have a game worthy of his price. Be sure to keep an eye on this.

Karl-Anthony Towns ($8,500): Towns dominated the interior against the Thunder on Saturday. He was the only Minnesota player to have any success. After a bit of a slow start, Towns has started to dominate the interior once again. He has 102.5 DraftKings points over his last two games. He should have no problem reaching that against a Nets team that has struggled on the interior.

Honorable Mention:

Dwight Howard ($7,800): Howard has been between 42 and 50 DraftKings points in all but one game this season. In the outlier, he played just 19 minutes in a blowout win. Howard is playing so well right now that he is virtually matchup proof, even against a Cavs team that has been solid up front.

Marc Gasol ($7,000): Denver has struggled defensively on the interior, and Gasol does so many things on the court that he has a high floor. There are far worse ways to spend $7,000 tonight.

Dark Horses:

Tristan Thompson ($5,100): Thompson only needs 25.5 DraftKings points for 5x value, a mark that he has not been close to only once (in the opener against the Knicks). Thompson is an afterthought on offense, but he has grabbed double digit rebounds in each of his last five games. That keeps him a lock for 5x value.

Tyson Chandler ($5,000): Chandler has been playing big minutes up front for the Suns, and that doesn’t look to be changing any time soon. Chandler has racked up 97 DraftKings points over his last three games, putting him at nearly 6.5x value. He should have a field day against a weaker Portland interior.

My pick: Towns(C)

Next: FanDuel NBA Picks November 8

Stay tuned for our FanDuel picks, our DFS NHL picks, and plenty of NFL advice heading into your weekend. We will also have the college football picks against the spread. You don’t want to miss any of this!