DraftKings NBA picks February 6: Who should we spend on?

TORONTO, ON – FEBRUARY 12: Rodney Hood #5 of the Utah Jazz and the United States team goes up for a dunk in the first half against the World team during the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge 2016 at Air Canada Centre on February 12, 2016 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Mark Blinch – Pool/Getty Images) /

DraftKings NBA picks February 6: Who should we spend on?

We are up to eight games on our Tuesday, and a lot of the star power is back. We have four players that are priced at $11,000 or more. Can we fit two into the same lineup? Should we even try? We know that the most expensive options aren’t always the best ones.

Point Guards:

Best Bets:

Russell Westbrook ($11,500): Westbrook dumped 67 DraftKings points on the Warriors in the first meeting. Things may be cool between KD and Russ how, but Westbrook still plays like it’s the end of the world against his former teammate. Westbrook is absolutely worth the price tonight. I would take him over any of the other high priced talents.

Eric Bledsoe ($7,000): Point behind Russ is littered with overpriced stars in tough matchups and injured players. I don’t like Either Irving or Rozier against the Raptors, considering Rozier is now above $7,000. I would pivot to Bledsoe, who has his worst game as a Buck against the Knicks on Friday. Wait…..aren’t we trying to win? Yes, so hear me out. Despite this being his worst (full) game in Milwaukee, Bledsoe fouled out in just 21 minutes. You can bet he is chomping at the bit to get back at them here.

Honorable Mention:

Elfrid Payton ($6,700): So far, the presence of Mack hasn’t hurt Payton’s production all that much. Payton has 76.25 DraftKings points in two games against the Cavs this season. It’s reasonable to expect him back in that area again tonight. At any rate, Payton is a sure 5x value with decent upside.

Jordan Clarkson ($6,400): I liked Clarkson better when he was starting, but he is still putting up good enough numbers to have him on your radar against the Suns. Clarkson has 67 DraftKigns points in 60 minutes against the Suns so far this year. So if he plays around 25 minutes in this one, 5x value is a reasonable expectation.

Isaiah Thomas ($6,200): Thomas hasn’t been on the court that much this year, but he has 60.5 DraftKings points in two games against the Magic already. This is about as easy as a matchup will get for Thomas, but he hasn’t shown near the upside that he had in Boston. Whether that comes at some point is anyone’s guess, but his current production would leave him at about 5x value. I would just be a little concerned about the lack of upside.

Dark Horses:

Tomas Satoransky ($5,200): I didn’t care for Satoransky’s matchup last night against the Pacers. He still didn’t do all that well with Collison and Oladipo both out. However, this is a much better matchup against Philadelphia. However, Satoransky is the backup for a reason. He has not been carrying anywhere near the load that Wall did, and considering that he needs 26 DraftKings points just to hit value here, there isn’t much of a ceiling above that. He is no longer a must play option.

Andrew Harrison ($5,000): Harrison continues to shine as the Grizzlies unquestioned starter at the point. He has at least 5x value in every game since the Grizzlies decided to hold out Tyreke Evans while shopping him on the trade block. I honestly like Harrison’s performance – and matchup – better than Satoransky. And we get the bonus of saving a couple hundred bucks.

Josh Hart ($4,700): If you aren’t paying up for Westbrook, or even if you are, there is a ton of value at the point tonight. The roster flexibility on DraftKings is going to be important here. Hart has dazzled in the last two games as the starting point guard, racking up 76.75 DraftKings points. Now he gets a Suns team that is without Booker tonight. This is a huge spot for Hart. The Suns had been much better both offensively and defensively with Booker running point. Now they go back to their old ways here.

My pick: Westbrook(PG), Harrison(G), Hart(UTIL); Hart(PG), Harrison(G)

WASHINGTON, DC – OCTOBER 18: Bradley Beal #3 of the Washington Wizards passes the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers at Capital One Arena on October 18, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

Shooting Guards:

Best Bets:

James Harden ($11,600): Harden put up a monster game against the Nets in the first meeting with 73 DraftKings points in that one. And before you go saying that he was just on fire because Paul was out, this was a game in which Chris Paul was on the court as well. Brooklyn simply has no one that can stop him. This is a better matchup for Harden than Westbrook has, so I completely understand subbing in Harden for Russ. If you’re really ambitious, you can try to use both. There is enough value, but only being able to play four guards and having two slots occupied by Russ and Harden limits the ways in which you can pull it off.

Bradley Beal ($8,900): Beal had an off night last night against a depleted Pacers team, so I would expect ownership to be down. That’s fine with me because the Sixers don’t have anyone that can really guard Beal now that Redick is back to playing 30+ minutes per game. Beal put up 38.75 DraftKings points in the first meeting with the Sixers with Wall on the court. I am expecting him to at least hit value tonight.

Honorable Mention:

Klay Thompson ($6,300): I usually don’t use Klay, especially on slates with this many teams in action. Tonight may be worth making an exception. Sure, he only had 20 DraftKings points in the first game against the Thunder, but he had Andre Roberson on him the entire game. With Roberson out, the Thunder have had serious issues defending the wing. Tonight wont be any different. There is more potential than usual for Klay tonight.

Kent Bazemore ($6,100): Bazemore has cooled off some, but he is still producing solid numbers. Now he gets a Grizzlies team that he rung up for almost 40 DraftKings points in the first meeting. With the rash of injuries that Memphis has had, they look like a G-League team that signed Marc Gasol right now. They defend like one too. This is a pretty good place for Bazemore tonight.

Gerald Green ($5,300): Green has been getting good run lately with Trevor Ariza out and Eric Gordon hobbled. Ariza is already out for tonight and the near future while Gordon is still on a night to night basis. At any rate, the minutes are there for Green, and he can still produce some solid numbers, though is upside is low because at any given time he is no better than the third option on the floor on offense. Sometimes he is the fifth!

Dark Horses:

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope ($5,000): KCP has been cold pretty much since his return from injury nearly a month ago, but things are maybe starting to trend upward. First off, his price makes him much more likely to hit value on any given night. Second, he shredded Memphis for 45.75 DraftKings points once already in January when he was already in this slump. The potential is there tonight if you are willing to take the chance.

Mario Hezonja ($4,500): Tonight is one night where it is really unfortunate that DraftKings hasn’t updated Hezonja to be eligible at SF, where he is most nights in place of Gordon. Gordon is out again tonight, which means Hezonja will be a hot commodity in DFS circles taking on a Love-less Cleveland front that wasn’t very good defensively in the first place. But can we really play him over Hart and Harrison?

Shelvin Mack ($3,500): This is another really good matchup for Mack. He is stealing quite a few minutes from both Simmonds and Payton, and will continue to do so until he cools off. The ownership on Mack may drop off a bit after a somewhat disappointing night last night, but he still almost hit 5x value at this price. Mack is still a great value pick if you really need to make your dollar go farther.

My pick: Hezonja(SG); Harden(SG), Hezonja(UTIL)

DETROIT, MI – JANUARY 30: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives to the basket while playing the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena on January 30, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. Detroit won the game 125-114. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

Small Forwards:

Best Bets:

LeBron James ($11,400): It’s tough to bank on LeBron tonight. First off, he has only averaged 46.4 DraftKings points in three games against the Magic this season, including just 30.25 on January 18th. Second, James hasn’t carried the team on his back with Love out. However, just the fact that Love is out is enough to take a chance on him in GPP formats. Just be aware that James has only averaged 42.3 DraftKings points per game with Love out.

Ben Simmons ($8,200): Durant had an awful game in the first meeting with the Thunder this year, but he has been on a roll lately. It’s not enough for me. Simmons torched the Wizards for 111 DraftKings points in the two games against the Wizards this year. Simmons could still be valuable at this price. He is trending back upward lately, and the fact that he has dominated the Wizards twice already means the ceiling is everything we want for GPP usage.

Honorable Mention:

Paul George ($7,900): George abused Durant in the first meeting, going for 50.25 DraftKings points in that one. We have seen George have some pretty big games in his tenure in Oklahoma City so far. One of those was against the Warriors. It’s worth checking to see if George can do it again since his price is this reasonable.

Brandon Ingram ($6,900): Ingram has done pretty well as the part-time distributor with Ball out. The scoring and rebounding are still there. Ingram is a solid all around producer, which usually gives him a pretty good floor. Phoenix is a great matchup on paper, but Ingram has still only averaged 27.6 DraftKings points per game over the first three games against Phoenix.

T.J. Warren ($6,700): Warren didn’t pick up a lot of the scoring slack the first time Booker went down this year, but he may not have a choice tonight. The Suns are still kind of thin up front, and Ulis is the only “experienced” point guard on the roster. Warren has averaged 37.9 DraftKings points in three games against the Lakers so far this season. There is even more potential for a big game here.

Dark Horses:

Josh Jackson ($5,900): Jackson has been outstanding lately, averaging 34.6 DraftKings points over the last four games. The minutes are there, and now with Booker out, Jackson will be leaned on more for the scorer that he is. I’m a big fan of Jackson tonight!

Robert Covington ($5,700): As Covington showed on Saturday, he can still put up pretty big numbers in the right matchup. This definitely looks like the right matchup since Covington has 74.75 DraftKings points in two games against Washington this season. It’s hard to trust Covington now, but his trademark efficiency was there on Saturday. Does is carry over?

Jerami Grant ($4,500): Grant has been doing pretty well with his increased run with Roberson out. However, any upside he has is capped with Grant still not playing more than 25 minutes per game. He should see pretty good run against the Warriors because of his athleticism. Whether that translates to increased production is anyone’s guess.

My pick: Jackson(SF), Ingram(F), Grant(PF); Grant(SF)

WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 6: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks celebrates in front of Kelly Oubre Jr. #12 of the Washington Wizards after hitting a three pointer late in the fourth quarter of the Bucks 110-103 win at Capital One Arena on January 6, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

Power Forwards:

Best Bets:

Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,000): Giannis rolled his ankle on Sunday, but he is expected to play tonight. If he does, look out. Giannis racked up 56.75 DraftKings points in the first game against the Knicks. So long as he is at 100%, this is a good spot to deploy him if you are worried about higher ownership on Russ or Harden. Those two have a higher ceiling, but Giannis may have a more even floor.

Al Horford ($8,000): Horford has been very good with Irving out because he operates with the ball more. I mentioned earlier that I don’t trust Rozier against the Toronto defense, but Horford is a different story. Toronto isn’t particularly strong up front. Now they will have to deal with a guy that handles the ball like an oversized point guard. Good luck with that.

Honorable Mention:

Julius Randle ($6,800): Randle has been an animal lately. So much so that the Lakers have increased his minutes some. They still seem to be wary of wearing him out, but Randle and Ingram are the only two constants in the Lakers rotation right now. Randle has the far higher upside, but they are both worth looks.

Carmelo Anthony ($6,300): To me, Melo is more of a cash game play than a GPP staple, and in most instances, he is too risky for either. That said, Melo is mostly an afterthought against the Warriors. I can tell you why that’s a good thing. Draymond will try to handle George. Curry draws Westbrook. Do they try Klay on George (not likely) or try Iggy on Melo? I would think that Draymond is going to be locked on George. That makes a mismatch for whoever is on Melo. That also means that Anthony could have some decent upside here.

Dark Horses:

JaMychal Green ($4,900): Green doesn’t get significant run, but he gets enough to do some damage. Especially when the opponent is Atlanta. You can probably find better value than Green, but this is based on upside. Memphis needs offense in the worst way. Green is someone that could provide it.

Dragan Bender ($4,000): It seems as though Chriss will be back tonight, but you never can tell with Phoenix. Bender was outstanding with Chriss out, and with him only playing 14 minutes on Friday. The Suns front line is very much in flux, but with the way Bender played, he could see another start. He could see 15 minutes. We just don’t know, but there is upside if you are willing to take this (huge) risk.

My pick: Randle(C); Green(PF)

PHILADELPHIA, PA -JANUARY 20: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers dribbles the ball against the Milwaukee Bucks in the first half at Wells Fargo Center on January 20, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

Center:

Best Bets:

Joel Embiid ($9,500): Embiid has a less than stellar matchup on paper, but he has taken it to Washington this year. In two games, Embiid has 98.75 DraftKings points. If you are fading the upper tier entirely, Embiid could perform like one of the upper tier guys. The potential is certainly there.

Clint Capela ($7,500): Capela is one of those guys that has scores all over the board. On the court with both Paul and Harden, that is to be expected. That gives him a ton of potential, especially against teams that are weaker in the middle. Just look at what some centers have done to the Nets lately. Capela has a lot of potential tonight, but you never know what’s going to happen with Houston.

Honorable Mention:

Enes Kanter ($7,300): Kanter bullied the Bucks for 41 DraftKings points in the first meeting between these teams on Thursday. Kanter has been outstanding lately, turning in at least 39 DraftKings points in four of the last five games. Facing the Bucks again, he is likely to do the same thing.

Jarrett Allen ($5,300): If you are wondering why the Nets are getting ravaged up front, look no further than Allen. However, he has been good on the offensive end for a team that needs offense. Therefore, the Nets have no plans to move Allen out of the starting five. That also makes him a decent option on the other end since the lack of defense doesn’t count against him.

Dark Horses:

Brook Lopez ($5,100): Lopez destroyed the Lakers in all three of the previous meetings. On top of that, he is coming off of his finest game of the new year against a solid team in the Thunder. The Lakers actually looked good with Lopez and Randle out there. Expect the Lakers to experiment with this for a bit, which means Lopez should get good run against a team that he has averaged 38.9 DraftKings points against in the prior three meetings.

Marcin Gortat ($4,900): Gortat has quietly put together four straight games of more than 20 DraftKings points. In two prior meetings against Philly, Gortat has a combined 57.75 DraftKings points. He is a solid value play, but his ceiling is low.

Aron Baynes ($4,000): The center situation in Boston has become more convoluted with the signing of Greg Monroe. I fully expect Monroe to have a solid role, but I still think that Baynes is the starter, at least for now. I’m also curious to see where Daniel Theis fits in all of this. If you are rolling the dice on any of the three because the matchup is right, I like Baynes as the starter, Theis for the upside, and I wouldn’t risk Monroe until we know where he fits in all this.

My pick: N/A; Capela(C), Kanter(F)

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