DraftKings NBA Picks for February 8
By Mike Marteny
DraftKings NBA Picks for February 8
All but six NBA teams are in the main DraftKings tournaments tonight. That means we really have to hit the stats to see who has the best situation in front of them. There are bargains galore, but is this the night we need to build a balanced team? Let’s see what the stats say.
Don’t forget to follow @fantasycpr on Twitter for lineup updates as we get them leading to the tipoffs of the games! I am not always able to get back in here and fix my picks when someone sits for the night, but we will update it on Twitter. There was a flurry of inactives yesterday, and many lineup changes, so make sure you check in with our updates!
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Most of my picks end up being a little on the conservative side, so these lineups may be better suited for cash games, though I usually play both types.
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Point Guards
Best Bets:
John Wall ($10,700): Without Westbrook and Harden anywhere in sight, Wall may finally get some recognition playing the mess that is Brooklyn. Wall has 103.25 DraftKings points in two games against the Nets this year. That should put Wall right around 5x value tonight, but he certainly has the potential for more. However, Brooklyn is weak everywhere, so there will be others that chip in to help Wall with the blowout.
Isaiah Thomas ($10,100): Thomas has averaged 52.1 DraftKings points over the last ten games. that is a full seven points above his season average! His legend is growing because of what he has done late in games, but honestly, he does it all game long. The potential for a blowout against the beat up Kings worries me some, but there are few that can provide the consistency that Thomas has since the calendar hit 2017.
Stephen Curry ($10,000): Curry is one of the few that can match Thomas over the last ten games. Curry has averaged 52.4 DraftKings points per game over that span, but he has really caught fire in the last four. In those four games, Curry has averaged 63.3 DraftKings points per game. Perhaps more in impressive is the fact that he has played 30 minutes or less in two of those. If this is a blowout, Curry will be why.
Honorable Mention:
Kyle Lowry ($8,200): Lowry likely wont match the output of the top three, but he may come close. He put up 49 DraftKings points in his first game against Minnesota. Now that the Timberwolves are without Zach LaVine, that could help Lowry (and DeRozan) even more. Lowry has averaged 48.3 DraftKings points per game over the last eight games. That leaves him very close to the coveted 6x value.
Mike Conley ($7,500): Conley went berserk on the Suns in the first meeting this year on January 30. He racked up 65.5 DraftKings points in only 32 minutes! Of course, it is unfair to expect him to hit seven of 10 three point shots again, but he will likely flirt with 6x value or more in this up-tempo game. Ironically, that Phoenix game was the last time he hit 5x value, so there is risk involved.
Ricky Rubio ($6,700): Rubio struggled in the first game against Toronto, but he has really picked up his scoring without LaVine in the lineup. This expanded role will likely continue for Rubio, at least until newly signed Lance Stephenson gets up to speed. I would be willing to take a shot on Rubio here since he has topped 5x value in six of eight games since returning from injury.
Dark Horses:
Dennis Schroder ($6,000): Schroder almost always performs well against shoddy point guard defenses. He put up 43.5 DraftKings points against the Nuggets the first time around. He even managed to pick up 24.5 DraftKings points on Utah on Monday, and we all know how tough Utah is on the perimeter. Schroder looks like a safe way to save money.
Tyler Johnson ($5,300): There is a little more risk here than I would like. Of most concern is the fact that Johnson played only 22 minutes against Minnesota on Monday. If you take out the game he returned from injury, that is his lowest minutes total of the season. That could lead to Johnson being underused. He has also put up 60 DraftKings points in two games against the Bucks, which is almost what Goran Dragic has done and he is $2000 cheaper.
Michael Carter-Williams ($4,600): We may finally have some kind of leader for the point guard slot for the Bulls. Maybe. MCW has been a beast with Jimmy Butler out. He has racked up 85.75 DraftKings points in the last two games with Butler on the sidelines. Now, Carter-Williams has had serious issues with consistency in his career, but if Butler is out again, MCW is worth a flier with the way he has played lately.
My pick: Lowry(PG), Schroder(G); Rubio(PG)
Shooting Guards
Best Bets:
DeMar DeRozan ($8,100): DeRozan put up 44 DraftKings points in the Timberwolves earlier this year. This time around, he wont have to deal with Zach LaVine’s defense. Rush and Muhammad are solid, but they aren’t quite as strong on defense. That should leave DeRozan with plenty of open shots in this one.
Dwyane Wade ($7,800): Wade has upped his production with Butler out as well. Actually, Wade has been over 6x value in five of eight games since his return from injury. He is playing at a high level now, and may be worth using even if Butler plays. However, I would be more inclined to fade him if Butler plays in any capacity.
Bradley Beal ($7,100): Beal went nuts on Cleveland on Monday, racking up 62.25 DraftKings points in 45 minutes. His play has been on the rise in DFS circles with him topping 6x value in six of the last eight games. In the first game against Brooklyn this year, he picked up 36 DraftKings points. He looks like a lock for 5x value tonight.
Honorable Mention:
Klay Thompson ($6,600): The Warriors believe that Thompson will be there for the game tonight after the death of his grandfather. If he is, this will go one of two ways. Either he will channel the grief into a huge game, or the grief will take away from his game. I doubt there is any in between.
Devin Booker ($6,500): Booker was held under 20 points for the first time in 17 games on Monday, but he still ended up with 27 DraftKings points. What that means is Booker is becoming a better all around player, so his floor is gradually rising. The Grizzlies ceded 33 DraftKings points Booker in the first matchup on January 30th. I don’t see any reason for him not to do it again.
Dark Horses:
Lou Williams ($5,500): Detroit is tough on the perimeter, but Williams didn’t care. He still racked up 37.75 DraftKings points on them on January 15th. The return of Russell hasn’t had an adverse affect on Williams so far. He picks apart most teams on the outside despite mostly coming off the bench. He has only been under 5x value twice in the last 12 games. He has been above 6x value eight times in that span!
Shabazz Muhammad ($4,300): Brandon Rush is starting with LaVine out, but it has been Muhammad that has had the largest impact in DFS circles. He has only hit 5x value half of the time with LaVine out so far, but given the struggles of Rush, Muhammad should see plenty of run, and could even see some starts. He is an intriguing option against the Raptors, as is Rush if you can’t afford Muhammad.
My pick: DeRozan(SG); Booker(SG), Rush(G)
Small Forwards
Best Bets:
LeBron James ($10,600): You don’t earn the title of “King” if you aren’t matchup-proof. King James is averaging 58.8 DraftKings points over his last ten games. He is performing at a very high level right now, and could be worth a look even against an Indiana team that has defended forwards pretty well this year. James has three straight games with double digit assists. He is doing what haters have said he never does. LeBron is making the players around him better.
Kawhi Leonard ($8,300): This is a very low price for Leonard, but you will have to be ready to overhaul your lineup at a moment’s notice. He is officially listed as questionable, but is likely going to be a game time decision. The good news is that the Spurs are in Philadelphia (a team that Kawhi had 42.5 DraftKings points against earlier this year), meaning they are one of the first games to tip. If Leonard plays, he could be a huge bargain.
Paul George ($7,800): George racked up 49.75 DraftKings points against the King in the first meeting. He has been mostly inconsistent in his production, but he has proven that he can hang with LeBron and still score some points on him. If you trust that the first outing wasn’t a fluke, George could be a great bargain tonight.
Honorable Mention:
Gordon Hayward ($7,600): The Pelicans have been taken advantage of by small forwards, and Hayward is riding a three game streak of more than 45 DraftKings points. He is hot right now, and the Pelicans consistently get taken advantage of by small forwards. Hayward looks like a very safe play.
Wilson Chandler ($6,600): Chandler has been starting with Danilo Gallinari out. San Antonio shut him down, but he has 86 DraftKings points in the other two games with Gallinari out. The price is right for Chandler, and he did put up 39.75 DraftKings points in just 27 minutes against the Hawks earlier this year.
Marcus Morris ($6,000): Morris isn’t a model of consistency, but he has racked up 122 DraftKings points in the last three games. He put up 39.25 in the first meeting against the Lakers, so it looks really safe to use Morris right now in a balanced lineup.
Dark Horses:
Matt Barnes ($5,800): Barnes has been a boon for the beleaguered Kings at the position. He has put up 30 DraftKings points per game since Garrett Temple went down, and is actually getting stronger lately. On top of that, Barnes went nuts on Boston in the first meeting this year. He picked up 46.5 DraftKings points in that one. I wouldn’t expect a repeat, but I will be disappointed if he doesn’t get me at least 6x value.
Brandon Ingram ($4,400): Ingram will likely still have some growing pains going forward, but he shouldn’t have to worry about his job security anymore. The Lakers announced that he will start for the remainder of the season on Monday. He responded with 28.25 DraftKings points. His price is low enough that he could get you some serious value.
Glenn Robinson III ($3,200): He is still fighting for minutes with the struggling Monta Ellis and the inconsistent C.J. Miles. Big Dog III went a long ways towards earning more minutes with 21.5 DraftKings points against a solid Thunder wing squad on Monday. Robinson has reached at least 5x value in each of the last five games in which he has played 20 minutes. I like him as a low priced option tonight.
My Pick: Chandler(SF), Barnes(F); Morris(SF), Barnes(F)
Power Forwards
Best Bets:
Blake Griffin ($9,300): Griffin destroyed Toronto to the tune of 62.75 DraftKings points on Monday. Griffin now has at least 50 DraftKings points in three of the last four games. The only team to hold him was Boston, who has been pretty solid up front. With Chris Paul still out, Griffin is driving this team lately. Stick him in there against the porous Knicks and hang on!
Kevin Love ($8,500): Love missed two games with illness, but it’s safe to say that he is back to full strength. He has 114.5 DraftKings points over the last two games. He punished the Pacers for 51 DraftKings points in the first meeting earlier this year. He looks like an intriguing play tonight if you are afraid of Griffin’s probability of high ownership.
Honorable Mention:
Paul Millsap ($7,400): Denver is statistically strong up front, but he put up 39 DraftKings points on Denver in the first meeting. Millsap has not hit 5x value since going nuts on the Knicks ten days ago, but a lot of that has to do with the matchup. Utah, Orlando, Houston, and Miami are all in the top ten against power forwards. Millsap could bounce back in a big way tonight.
LaMarcus Aldridge ($7,100): Aldridge has averaged 35 DraftKings points per game with Pau Gasol out, which leaves him right at 5x value. His value gets a huge boost if Leonard is out again. If Leonard plays, Aldridge is a good cash game foundation, but has little upside.
Trevor Booker ($5,400): Booker’s minutes are getting closer to where they were earlier in the year. That makes him a nice pick against Washington tonight. In two games against Washington so far, Booker has 67 DraftKings points. That is almost 7x value!
Dark Horses:
Ersan Ilyasova ($5,500): The Spurs present a tough matchup, but Ilyasova torched the Spurs for 51 DraftKings points last week with Gasol and Joel Embiid both out. If Embiid sits again, look for Ilyasova to have another strong game. He was awful against Detroit on Monday, which will really temper his ownership. That was the exception. I trust him if Embiid sits.
JaMychal Green ($4,200): Did Green finally turn a corner? His starting job is safe since Zach Randolph has played well off the bench, but consistency has been fleeting for Green so far this year. However, he has 62.25 over the last two games against two solid teams up front in Minnesota and San Antonio. He has a very favorable matchup with Phoenix, but he was held to 21.5 DraftKings points against them on January 30th. Do you trust his recent surge?
Marquese Chriss ($4,000): On paper, this is a tough matchup for Chriss. He has not been anywhere near consistent this year, but he has at least 6x value three times in the last five games. One of those was against the Grizzlies. Can he do it again?
My pick: Booker(PF); Griffin(PF), Love(UTIL)
Center
Best Bets:
Karl-Anthony Towns ($9,800): Towns wasn’t much of a factor in the first meeting with the Raptors. He posted 34.75 DraftKings points, which is not a bad total, but if you get that total for 1/5 of your salary, you are sunk. Now on to the good news: Toronto is in the bottom five of defense against centers, and Towns has hit 5x value in eight of the last ten games, even going over 6x in three of those games.
Andre Drummond ($8,600): I felt more comfortable with Drummond for under 8k, but you can’t argue with his output lately. He has at least 5x value in four of the last six games. He put up 48.25 DraftKings points against the Lakers in the first meeting. That has him flirting with 6x value if he can pull it off again.
Hassan Whiteside ($7,900): Whiteside has averaged 50.2 DraftKings points over the last three games. Milwaukee is different in the middle now that they have Roy Hibbert and Spencer Hawes on the roster, but can they control him better than Miles Plumlee did? Whiteside put up 124.25 DraftKings points in three games against the Bucks earlier this year. He looks like a solid play again tonight.
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Honorable Mention:
Nikola Jokic ($8,700): Jokic has stumbled in the last two games against San Antonio and Dallas, playing only 39 combined minutes in the two games. However, that can be attributed to both games being blowouts. If the game stays close, Jokic will play over 30 minutes. When he does, he has consistently assaulted 5x value.
Al Horford ($7,200): A lot of people are going to be on Horford tonight with DeMarcus Cousins serving a one game suspension for his excessive technical fouls. That softens up the Kings considerably in the middle, but it also exponentially increases the chances for a blowout.
Rudy Gobert ($6,900): Gobert has the most potential of anyone at the position, and has a great matchup with the Pelicans. That said, just because he has potential doesn’t mean that he consistently lives up to it. Gobert does have at least 5x value in eight of the last ten games. He is a great bet to do so again.
Dark Horses:
Marcin Gortat ($6,300): Gortat is not a flashy name, nor does he provide flashy stats. What he does do is provide solid value in favorable matchups. He has 73.75 DraftKings points in two games against Brooklyn this year. He also has a six game streak of 6x value or more. Gortat will help you more than most at this price and is a great cash game anchor.
Willy Hernangomez ($5,900): He seems to have pushed aside Joakim Noah for now, and is playing as many minutes as starter Kyle O’Quinn. The difference is that Hernangomez has averaged 37.4 DraftKings points over the last four games. Keep an eye on the status of Noah, but it stands to reason that the Knicks would keep using him.
Willie Cauley-Stein ($3,500): Cauley-Stein’s production has been far from consistent, even during his recent games of playing more. The pattern is clear though: If he plays more than 15 minutes, he is a lock for 6x value. Tonight he should play well over that with Cousins serving a suspension. Enjoy this value!
My pick: Gortat(C), Cauley-Stein(UTIL); Cauley-Stein(UTIL)
Stay tuned for our FanDuel picks, and our picks for NHL and the PGA tour! We even have some EPL picks coming your way! Once again, make sure to follow our Twitter feed leading up to tipoff!