DraftKings NBA Picks February 13: Is LeBron a safe play?

LOS ANGELES, CA – JANUARY 11: Pau Gasol #16 of the San Antonio Spurs argues for a call in front of Larry Nance Jr. #7 of the Los Angeles Lakers during a 93-81 Laker win at Staples Center on January 11, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

DraftKings NBA Picks February 13: Is LeBron a safe play on the new look Cavs?

We have a six game slate on Tuesday as well. This evened it out with Monday. There is a lot of talent in this slate, especially if Westbrook returns. We also have some pretty strong values out there. Where should we build this from? Let’s take a look!

Point Guards:

Best Bets:

Russell Westbrook ($11,400): It would seem as though Russ will play tonight. He was able to practice yesterday, and it’s Cleveland. Everyone wants their shot at the Cavs. Westbrook put up 67.75 DraftKings points in the first meeting with Cleveland. The Cavs have shored up their guard defense since then, but if Westbrook is mostly healthy, I still see him hitting 5x value.

Chris Paul ($9,100): Paul did well when Dallas held down Harden once again. There is a chance that Minnesota could do the same considering they held Beard to 30.5 DraftKings points in the first meeting. Paul had 47 in that game. Dallas did limit Harden to 48.5 in that game, but Paul still outscored him for around $2,000 less. I think we see that same scenario unfold tonight. Take whatever you were going to invest in Harden and spend on CP3 instead.

Honorable Mention:

Dennis Schroder ($7,000): Normally I would also say that Bledsoe is in play here tonight, but the Bucks have so much other talent that has far better matchups than Bledsoe does. Schroder picked up 41 DraftKings points in the first game against the Bucks. He has also played well lately, picking up more than 28 DraftKings points in eight straight games. Schroder has a nice floor and solid upside if you aren’t spending big at the point.

De’Aaron Fox ($6,300): Fox has been performing at a consistently solid level for the Kings since Hill was moved. Fox has at least 25 DraftKings points in every game since he took over the starting job in which he didn’t have to exit early. He has a solid mathcup against a Dallas team that he hit 30.5 against in the first meeting. That is a solid return on Fox tonight, though the limited upside leaves him more enticing in cash games.

Dark Horses:

Raymond Felton ($4,800): Felton’s price has increased to the point that I would only use him if Westbrook is held out again. Fortunately, this game tips early enough that we should have confirmation on who is starting at the point for the Thunder before the lineups lock. If Westbrook is in, Felton is out. He wont see enough minutes to justify this price otherwise.

Devin Harris ($3,400): Harris played 22 minutes in his Nuggets debut and put up a solid 16.5 DraftKings points. There is a slight chance that he could see more minutes given Jamal Murray’s recent struggles, but there is still a decent amount of risk and very little upside here.

My pick: Paul(PG), Felton(UTIL, if Westbrook out, switch to Grant); Fox(PG)

LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 25: Jimmy Butler #23 of the Minnesota Timberwolves handles the ball during the first half of the game against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center on December 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Josh Lefkowitz/Getty Images) /

Shooting Guards:

Best Bets:

Jimmy Butler ($9,300): Butler didn’t hit value in the first meeting against Houston, but that game was before he was the focal point of the offense. Capela figures to keep Towns occupied of front, so Butler should be free to take on the larger role in the offense. The Kings couldn’t stop Towns, so Butler took the backseat for a night. He should be back on track here tonight.

DeMar DeRozan ($8,100): You are taking a risk here if you play DeRozan. It takes 40.5 DraftKings points for him to hit value. He has missed that mark in three of the last four and six of the last ten games. Miami is a solid matchup for DeRozan. He hit 39 DraftKings points in the first meeting, so DeRozan should get you right around 5x value. However, we have not seen a big game from him in a while.

Honorable Mention:

Khris Middleton ($7,400): Middleton picked up 53.75 DraftKings in the first meeting with the Hawks, and that was with a healthy Giannis in the lineup. The Hawks are the worst team in the league against shooting guards. This is a safe place for Middleton. This is a lineup that is still dominated by Giannis, but there should be plenty of opportunity for Middleton alongside him tonight.

Kent Bazemore ($5,400): Bazemore picked up 29 DraftKings points in the first meeting with the Bucks. They aren’t particularly strong on the perimeter either, and Bazemore is one of the few threats on the Hawks offense. That said, he is prone to poor shooting nights that cause him to disappear from the offense at times. Why else would he be this cheap? The inconsistency is just something you have to deal with from time to time.

Dark Horses:

Jordan Clarkson ($5,100): Clarkson’s debut with Cleveland went about as planned. He played 23 minutes and put up 27.75 DraftKings points against a solid Boston team. This looked like a different Cleveland team in no small part because they have a legitimate scorer on the second unit now. Clarkson should continue to put up some good numbers for the Cavs, but he doesn’t have a ton of upside.

Alex Abrines ($3,800): His production may go down once Westbrook returns, but right now, Abrines is looking pretty comfortable in this offense, and putting up decent defensive numbers as well. Even with Westbrook back, it looks as though the Thunder have settled on Abrines with solid results. Abrines is a pretty good value play right now.

My pick: Clarkson(SG), Abrines(G); Middleton(SG), DeRozan(G)

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – NOVEMBER 22: Paul George #13 of the Oklahoma City Thunder shoots over Nick Young #6 of the Golden State Warriors and Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors during the second half of a NBA game at the Chesapeake Energy Arena on November 22, 2017 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Photo by J Pat Carter/Getty Images) /

Small Forwards:

Best Bets:

LeBron James ($11,500): The Cavs did something interesting against Boston on Sunday. I don’t know if it was just because it was Boston, but James slid down to the four, and Cleveland played three guards out front. The results were really good, so I imagine that will carry over at least one more game. This is important because the Thunder are weak at the four with Melo attempting to play defense. There is a chance that they could put George on LeBron anyway, but then who guards Melo? This could put James in a position to have a really strong game tonight. Keep an eye on those starting lineups!

Paul George ($9,900): George is once again automatic if Westbrook is out. However, if Westbrook plays, then we have a decision to make with George’s price this high. He did put up 49.75 DraftKings points in the first meeting with Cleveland, a game in which Westbrook played. That would mean that George should still be hanging around 5x value regardless. He could be even better if he isn’t guarded by LeBron in this one. There is still enough upside to use George tonight.

Honorable Mention:

Andrew Wiggins ($6,200): Wiggins has carved out a role in the offense again lately. He knows that he is getting a finite number of shots with Butler and Towns around, so his selection has gotten better, which has led to more scoring. That gives Wiggins a better floor, though that is mainly an advantage for cash games since at best he is the third option in this offense. The upside isn’t what it used to be.

Kyle Anderson ($5,800): There are minutes open for Anderson again now that the Spurs have moved Bertans into the starting lineup in place of Pau Gasol. This is likely just to keep Pau fresh down the stretch, but we have seen Anderson put up some good point totals when the minutes are there. Aldridge will be out through the All Star Break, so that would put Anderson in a 30 minutes per game role, which makes him worth playing in DFS.

Dark Horses:

Jerami Grant ($4,900): I don’t think the return of Melo will alter the course of Grant’s fantasy trajectory. Patrick Patterson was starting with Melo out anyway. The Thunder have kept Grant between 25 and 28 minutes the entire time. That leaves him with little upside, but Grant’s numbers are worthy of a value pick in this range.

J.R. Smith ($4,600): Cedi Osman picked up the start over both Hood and Smith, but they latter two outplayed him. That said, I think Cleveland likes have all of that firepower on the second unit, so I don’t know that Osman loses many minutes. That also serves to cap the upside of both Smith and Hood, but both are good shooters in good situations and are priced to buy. There is value here.

My pick: James(SF); N/A

NEW ORLEANS, LA – DECEMBER 13: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks dunks the ball over DeMarcus Cousins #0 of the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center on December 13, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana.(Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) /

Power Forwards:

Best Bets:

Giannis Antetokounmpo ($10,700): Giannis put up 57.25 DraftKings points in the first game against the Hawks, and that was before he moved down to PF. The Hawks may be even weaker there! There is a lot of potential for Giannis tonight. If you are going to spend in the five figures, this is likely the place to do it. Although I will admit that LeBron on the new-look Cavs is tempting as well.

Carmelo Anthony ($6,000): It wouldn’t be all that surprising if the Thunder decided to hold out Anthony again with the Break looming. If Anthony is in there, he could be a good play tonight. He racked up 51 DraftKings points on the Cavs in the first meeting. I don’t think he would hit that line against even at full strength since he will be the one tangling with LeBron tonight. There is still potential here so long as there are no minutes limits for Melo at this price.

Honorable Mention:

Dwight Powell ($5,500): Powell has been strong in the starting role for Dallas. Over the last five games, Powell has hit 30 DraftKings points four times. The time he missed, it was only by two points. He is crushing value right now, and he even pulled it off against Houston on Sunday. Powell has a high floor with decent upside, which makes him my favorite at a weak position if you are moving off of Giannis.

Dewayne Dedmon ($5,300): The Hawks inserted Dedmon into the starting lineup on Sunday, and he took it to the Pistons for 46.75 DraftKings points. I have been scratching my head as to why Atlanta wasn’t starting him sooner. If he starts tonight against Milwaukee, who is without John Henson, Dedmon could be in for an even bigger night!

Dark Horses:

Bam Adebayo ($5,000): Anyone else remember what Bam did to the Raptors in the first meeting. Let me refresh your memory. Bam put up 50.75 DraftKings points by dominating the glass against the small Raptors squad. Now, Whiteside was out that game so the rebounds are bound to go down tonight, but the principle is the same. The Raptors can’t handle Bam. If the minutes are there, he is in a great position.

Davis Bertans ($4,800): Bertans will remain a hot commodity over the next couple of days with Aldridge already been sat down through the break. Bertans has at least 5x value in each of the last three games. He isn’t going to put up huge numbers, but 7x value for this price is not out of the question.

My pick: Bertans(PF), Powell(F), Dedmon(C); Bertans(SF), Powell(PF), Adebayo(F), Dedmon(UTIL)

ATLANTA, GA – NOVEMBER 03: Clint Capela #15 of the Houston Rockets dunks against the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena on November 3, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia.(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

Center:

Best Bets:

Karl-Anthony Towns ($9,200): Towns ate Capela alive in the first meeting, putting up 62.5 DraftKings points in that one. Towns has taken on a larger role in the offense lately. Whether that continues remains to be seen. This is a different team, especially offensively, than they were earlier in the year. That said, I could still see Towns hitting 50 tonight.

Nikola Jokic ($8,900): The Spurs are without Kawhi and Aldridge, so there is a chance that Jokic is facing former teammate Joffrey Louvergne at times in this game. There’s a reason he is a “former” teammate. Jokic was pretty good against Gasol earlier this season, but there is some upside here with the Spurs weakened up front.

Honorable Mention:

Hassan Whiteside ($7,600): Whiteside put up 37.75 DraftKings points in the first game against Toronto. The Heat have limited Whiteside’s minutes a lot of the time lately, which hampers his upside. However, his price is adjusted, so Whiteside is still hitting 5x value with regularity. The days of Whiteside hitting 50 or more DraftKings points are over for the foreseeable future, but he is still a solid play in the middle range.

Clint Capela ($7,500): Capela has put up some big numbers lately, all while playing 32 minutes or less. He was solid in the first matchup against Towns. I expect more than solid tonight. Capela has at least 5x value in five of the last seven games.

Steven Adams ($6,800): Adams punished Cleveland with 42 DraftKings points in just 29 minutes earlier this season. The front line defense may actually be a little better without Love up there. That said, a little better isn’t going to cut it. The Cavs don’t really have anyone that can stop Adams right now.

Dark Horses:

Willie Cauley-Stein ($5,900): Cauley-Stein has 59.25 DraftKings points in two games against Dallas this season. Dirk Nowitzki is questionable, which could weaken that front line for Dallas even more. WCS is still very inconsistent, but this is a favorable matchup, which at least makes him worth a look in GPP formats.

Tristan Thompson ($4,500): Thompson has been a solid value source with Love out for the most part. He is a really good rebounder, and has taken on a little more of a role in the offense. He is never going to put up big numbers, but he put up 23.75 DraftKings points on the Thunder early in the season. He should at least be able to do that again.

Thon Maker ($3,700): Plumlee and Zeller keep stealing minutes, but Maker is still starting, and is starting to make good on that promise that he has. I doubt that Maker is going to put up a big night anytime soon, but he is a solid value pick with a clear path to minutes.

My pick: N/A; Capela(C)

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