DraftKings NBA picks February 2: Is Westbrook still the guy on a bigger slate?

Westbrook has been the short slate king for a while not. He is finally back in action on a nine game slate. Is he still the best option out there, or should we be targeting someone else? Let’s break this one down!

Point Guards:

Best Bets:

Russell Westbrook ($11,600): Russ is one of the few guys that you never have to worry about on the second night of back to backs. He’s going to be in there for his normal minutes load. Westbrook lit up the Pelicans for 70 DraftKings points in the first meeting. I wouldn’t bet against him doing it again. Even on a heavier night, Westbrook stands out. That is, as long as his fourth quarter against the Nuggets last night got his shooting back on track.

Damian Lillard ($8,500): This is a tough matchup against the Raptors, but Lillard put up 46 DraftKings points on them in the first meeting. He is coming off of his lowest total of the year, but that was due to the blowout over the Bulls and not his actual production. Right now, Kemba is going to be heavily owned because of his monster on Wednesday, but I don’t like his matchup. I don’t like Curry’s at the price either, so Lillard looks to be the next best thing if you aren’t paying for Westbrook.

Honorable Mention:

Kyle Lowry ($7,200): This also looks like a tougher matchup for Lowry, but he put up 42 on Lillard in the first meeting. These are two point dominated teams, so I don’t really have an issue playing them against each other. I like Lowry in this spot a lot more than Booker against Utah or Holiday against the Thunder. A.D. will pick up more usage with Holiday under wraps most of the night.

Spencer Dinwiddie ($6,700): I still think Dinwiddie is a touch overpriced, but the Nets have used him and Russell together a lot on the floor. Enough that I don’t think Dinwiddie loses a whole lot of production with Russell fully back. This is a great matchup with the Lakers at a position that is chock full of bad matchups.

Terry Rozier/D’Angelo Russell ($6,600/$6,500): Rozier put up a triple-double in his first career start. If Irving it out again, Rozier is a must play even though his ownership is going to be at least 50%. If Kyrie returns, I would move down to Russell. Russell put up 40.25 DraftKings points on his former team earlier this year. This is a game where the revenge narrative holds. Russell is a great play tonight!

Dark Horses:

Ricky Rubio ($6,200): Rubio hasn’t been on here much lately, and it’s mostly due to his inconsistencies this year. However, Rubio did put up 42 DraftKings points on the Suns in the first meeting. He also topped 40 in his last outing against the Warriors. Of course, Mitchell was a bench player in the first meeting, so don’t expect a miracle from Rubio. He still has a solid matchup though.

Matthew Dellavedova ($3,700): Dellevedova picked up the most minutes after Malcolm Brogdon left last night’s game. However, Sterling Brown outperformed him. There is going to be some significant value here in the Milwaukee backcourt in the short term. Dellavedova stands to benefit the most, but if Brown can run point, he could end up seeing more minutes. That makes all of them risky tonight, but the sheer volume make Dellevedova and Brown the ones worth gambling on.

Malcolm Delaney ($3,600): This is only for if Dennis Schroder ends up sitting, because this is a bad matchup against Boston regardless of who starts for the Celtics. However, if Delaney starts for Schroder at this price, he is a huge bargain waiting to happen. Keep an eye on this leading up to tipoff.

My pick: Westbrook(PG), Russell(G); Lowry(PG)

Shooting Guards:

Best Bets:

Donovan Mitchell ($7,800): Oladipo has not hit value at his price eight times in the last 11 games. One of those games was against tonight’s opponent. The only time that Mitchell faced the Suns this year, he played just 12 minutes off the bench. He is going to have a much larger role this time around against a team that still doesn’t defend well. This could be a really nice game for Mitchell. He may even outscore Oladipo!

C.J. McCollum ($7,500): McCollum torched the Bulls with a franchise record 28 first quarter points en route to 50 points in just 29 minutes. He’s not going to do that to the Raptors, though he will be owned like people expect that to happen. The likely high ownership and not great upside against Toronto will have me fading this, but never count out a good shooter on a hot streak.

Honorable Mention:

Klay Thompson ($6,700): The Kings actually defend the perimeter fairly well, but Thompson deserves a mention every time that he plays the Kings. He has had some monsters against the Kings in his career. Thompson hasn’t done that to the Kings this year, but he was still above 5x value. That leaves Thompson as a decent play due to him likely hitting value. You get the added boost of using him against a team that he has lit up over the course of his career.

Jordan Clarkson ($6,500): Clarkson has put up some really solid numbers in Lonzo Ball’s absence. He put up 34.5 on the Nets in the first meeting with Ball in the game. The Lakers have started limiting Clarkson’s run even with Ball out because they find him more effective. The stats don’t really support it, but Clarkson did that in 25 minutes to the Nets earlier this year. 5x value is likely while there is potential for quite a bit more.

Nicolas Batum ($6,400): Batum put up one of the most quiet triple-doubles of the year on Wednesday since Harden had a monster night and Rozier had a triple double in his first career start. That’s fine with me. Batum put up 32.5 on the Pacers in the game before he erupted on the Hawks. DraftKings noticed and accordingly raised his price, but there is still solid potential here.

Dark Horses:

Jaylen Brown ($5,900): Batum put a triple-double on the Hawks on Wednesday. Now, Brown isn’t quite the passer that Batum is, so don’t expect a miracle. However, Batum’s stat line emphasizes just how weak Atlanta’s D really is. There is potential for Brown here, but he has not been living up to it lately.

J.J. Redick ($5,200): Two weeks off didn’t faze Redick. He still hit three of four triples and nine of ten from the foul line in his return against the Nets. Redick’s consistency all season has made him a cash game staple, but his price may be low enough for some GPP upside tonight as well.

Ian Clark ($3,600): Clark has picked up a lot more minutes with Boogie out, and he has made the most of it. Over the last two games, Clark has 47.75 DraftKings points in 50 minutes. Enjoy this bargain while it lasts because as soon as Mirotic shows up, it’s gone.

My pick: Clark(SG); Mitchell(SG), Clark(G), Batum(F)

Small Forwards:

Best Bets:

Kevin Durant ($10,400): The Jazz and Celtics held Durant way under value. He will be itching to get to an opponent that he should be able to handle easily. I almost feel sorry for the Kings because Durant could really do a lot of damage against this team. Enough to make this price tag actually look low. I don’t see who on the Kings can stop Durant, especially with their frontcourt still a little thin.

Paul George ($7,400): This matchup says stay away on paper, but George rocked the Pelicans for 50.25 DraftKings points in the first meeting. Yes, that was the same one in which Westbrook went for 70. These two can and do coexist together for DFS purposes. A Thunder stack could do fairly well tonight if you use the right pieces. It should be a high scoring game.

Honorable Mention:

Brandon Ingram ($6,800): Ingram roughed up the Nets for 41 DraftKings points in the first meeting, but that was earlier in the season when this team revolved around Ingram. I’m not sure it does anymore. The Lakers have looked mostly discombobulated as the team hasn’t really figured out how to run together again after all the injuries. However, Ingram is starting to take his place as the offensive leader of this team once again. He is a solid play at this price.

DeMarre Carroll ($5,800): Carroll is another guy that I usually target in cash games because of his consistency. However, there is enough upside here against the Lakers that Carroll puts himself in consideration for a GPP slot. I kind of view this as a weak position tonight, especially if you are spending big elsewhere. Carroll hasn’t had that many more chances even with Hollis-Jefferson out, but even his normal usage should net around 6x value tonight.

Thaddeus Young ($5,700): Young put up 30.5 DraftKings points on the Hornets just four days ago, so you would think that not much has changed. You would be wrong. Marvin Williams is out, but Kaminsky is doing well enough to play. Still, I like Young if he ends up matching up with Kaminsky instead of Williams.

Dark Horses:

Josh Jackson ($5,200): This is not a good matchup for Jackson, but I would still use him here since his price is too low. The Suns are finally starting to give Jackson more run, and he has responded with more than 30 DraftKings points in three of the last four games. That also marks 6x value or more in four out of the last five games. Jackson is still a bargain, even against this Utah defense.

Justise Winslow ($3,700): Winslow is finally producing to the point where it’s not so risky to use him. He has more than 8x value in two of the last three games. With James Johnson struggling, it has been Winslow that has picked up the slack off the bench. This could evaporate if Johnson gets back on track, but he has been slumping for a while. Winslow looks pretty safe in the short term.

My pick: Young(SF), Jackson(F); George(SF),

Power Forwards:

Best Bets:

Anthony Davis ($11,400): Davis has gone over 60 DraftKings points every game so far with Boogie out. Reinforcements are on the way, but it will still be a different looking team. Brow will man the middle, but he wont have a partner in there since Mirotic operates mostly on the perimeter. Davis has shown that he can handle this before, and I don’t think he has forgotten how. Davis put up 61.25 DraftKings points on the Thunder the first time around. I expect him in this range again.

Giannis Antetokounmpo ($10,800): The Bucks struggled without a distributor on the court last night, so some adjustments may have to be made in the short term. Don’t be shocked if Giannis is asked to bring the ball up the court at times. After all, he did run point for this team at times over the last three years. If this happens, his value is much higher because the Knicks can’t guard him out there. Check out the starting lineups beforehand if you can, but the Bucks are so shorthanded that Giannis may be a strong play anyway.

Honorable Mention:

Julius Randle ($6,700): The Nets are still being eaten alive on the inside, and it’s even worse with RHJ out. Randle still isn’t playing 30 minutes a game, but he is making the most of his minutes on the court. Randle is a constant double-double threat, even in just 25 minutes. This could be a huge game for Randle unless someone from Brooklyn learned how to protect the interior over the last 48 hours.

Zach Randolph ($6,200): In case you’re wondering, I didn’t ignore the middle tier. There is just nothing there that you can’t get here. I love Draymond, but he is overpriced. As is Horford. He has been below average in the two prior games against the Hawks. Meanwhile, Sacramento’s youth movement has to take a backseat in the short term with Skal Labissiere out. That leaves Randolph to dominate the interior like he did to the Pelicans on Tuesday. That isn’t going to happen here, but Randolph will still get significant run against the Warriors.

Domantas Sabonis ($6,100): Sabonis saw his production, and playing time, slip against Memphis. I tend to think of that as an aberration. He should be up to his old tricks tonight. Like when he put up 33 DraftKings points on the Hornets four days ago. There is still enough potential for GPP usage against a beat up Charlotte frontcourt.

Dark Horses:

Jayson Tatum ($5,900): It’s really hard to rely on Tatum because of his rookie inconsistency, but there is a lot of potential here against Atlanta. There is even more if Marcus Morris is forced to sit because of his sore hip. Tatum has cracked the 30 DraftKings points barrier twice in the last five games. He has also been under 12 DraftKings points twice in that span. There is significant risk here, but it could be a nice reward.

Nikola Mirotic ($5,200): There is about a 50/50 chance that Mirotic will suit up for the Pelicans tonight. Since this deal has been agreed upon, broken, then agreed upon again within the last three days, Mirotic has already likely undergone most of the trade stuff needed before he can make his debut with the new team. Keep an eye on this situation, but if Mirotic starts, he is a huge bargain at this price.

Jarrett Allen ($4,600): Allen did very well in his start against Embiid and the Sixers on Wednesday. That should at least earn him the job in the short term. That makes Allen a huge bargain at this price against a horrid Lakers interior. There’s no sense rolling the dice on Okafor with Allen playing like this.

My pick: Allen(PF); Randolph(PF), Randle(C), Allen(UTIL)

Center:

Best Bets:

Joel Embiid ($9,600): Whiteside is a rim protector, but he isn’t much for stopping those from getting there. Embiid is a freakish athlete who has given problems to even all star centers. His matchup against Miami doesn’t scare me all that much. Embiid is a constant threat to hit value, no matter who the opponent.

Dwight Howard ($9,200): Howard was a touch under value against Indiana four days ago. There is a chance that Howard is finally slowing down after a scorching January, but I’m not ready to declare that yet. We will have to see how he does here. This is still a very good matchup for Howard. Though if you’re spending this much anyway, it may just make sense to spend up for Embiid.

Honorable Mention:

Rudy Gobert ($8,000): Rudy put up 44.5 DraftKings points in the first meeting with the Suns. Even though the Suns are going through their youngsters, Chandler is still starting in the middle. He still can’t handle Gobert, who seems to be back to normal now. I don’t expect a huge night from Rudy, but he should be over 40 DraftKings points.

Enes Kanter ($6,900): Kanter has actually outscored Porzingis for most of the last two weeks. Kanter has been phenomenal lately, posting over 6x value in each of the last three games. He has been over 5x value in all but one of the last ten games. Kanter is almost a must play right now, especially against a smaller Bucks front.

Steven Adams ($6,600): Adams has been so consistent lately that I have been using him in cash games. Adams has at least 30 DraftKings points in all but three January games. There is no reason that he can’t keep it going in February.

Dark Horses:

Jonas Valanciunas ($5,800): I saw the games Jonas had against the Timberwolves and Jazz, now I’m a believer. I don’t know how long this will last, but right now, Valanciunas is a bargain waiting to happen. He has averaged 43 DraftKings points per game over the last four. With news that Nurkic may be out, Valanciunas may be even better tonight!

Derrick Favors ($5,600): Favors is still likely better suited for cash games since he lacks any real upside with Gobert around. However, this is a good matchup against the revolving door that is the Suns frontcourt. Favors has a real shot at as high as 7x value at this price.

Ed Davis ($4,900): Davis had been a great value play until I recommended him. He could be again tonight if Nurkic is out. Even so, Davis has carved out a pretty good role on this team. However, I think his output could continue to be sporadic. At least this game is early enough that we should know the status of Nurkic before the lineups lock.

My pick: Kanter(C), Valanciunas(UTIL); N/A

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