Daily Fantasy Basketball 2015: DraftKings NBA Optimal Lineup for November 2
Monday's tough daily fantasy basketball decisions start right at the top.
Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant are rolling, but the Oklahoma City Thunder will travel to Houston after hosting the Denver Nuggets on Sunday night. DraftKings contestants can instead turn to a scorching Stephen Curry, but the Memphis Grizzlies present a tougher matchup for the reigning MVP.
Should contestants instead build around Blake Griffin? LeBron James? James Harden? None of the above? Let's take a stab at assembling a successful DraftKings lineup for Monday's slate.
| PG | Russell Westbrook, OKC | @ HOU | $10,300 |
| SG | Langston Galloway, NYK | vs. SA | $4,400 |
| SF | Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL | @ BKN | $6,400 |
| PF | Kevin Love, CLE | @ PHI | $7,500 |
| C | Brook Lopez, BKN | vs. MIL | $7,000 |
| G | Jarrett Jack, BKN | vs. MIL | $6,000 |
| F | Al-Farouq Aminu, POR | @ MIN | $4,800 |
| UTIL | Boris Diaw, SA | @ NYK | $3,500 |
Russell Westbrook, PG, Oklahoma City Thunder ($10,300)
Prefer Curry for $10,200? Understandable. The sweet-shooting point guard is in full NBA Jam mode, averaging 64.1 DraftKings points per game this season. Yet anyone using him right after a 53-point outburst will have company, and the Grizzlies will give him a more exhausting fight than the New Orleans Pelicans.
Westbrook, on the other hand, gets a high-paced shootout with Houston, who escorted Curry to 46.25 DraftKings points through 27 minutes. In their three 20-point losses, the Rockets have relinquished 108.7 points per game. Ty Lawson, who holds a ghastly 110 career defensive rating, per Basketball-Reference.com, hasn't helped shield the perimeter.
The Thunder point guard hasn't taken a back seat to the returning Kevin Durant, averaging 32.0 points, 24.0 shot attempts and 8.7 assists per bout. He has leaped into James territory of flirting with triple-doubles during disappointing games for his standards, as evidenced by Sunday night's 15 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.
Westbrook's game is built for DFS dominance, so ride the superstar into a high-scoring tilt.
Langston Galloway, SG, New York Knicks ($4,400)
Jose Calderon has started the season in abysmal fashion, shooting 5-of-19 with five assists through three games. Langston Galloway, meanwhile, keeps opening eyes off the bench.
The 23-year-old guard has registered averages of 12.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists. More surprising than his stellar line from the second unit, he has drained eight three-pointers in a dozen attempts. The law of averages will take care of that, but he's still the New York Knicks' top guard.
On Saturday night, he led all Knicks guards with 28 minutes against the Washington Wizards. His workload should only rise as a gassed Calderon shows no pulse. This is also a team starting Sasha Vujacic, so a good guard should get every opportunity to shine.
Even against the San Antonio Spurs, give Galloway a gander for only $4,400.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, SF, Milwaukee Bucks ($6,400)
Early in the season, Giannis Antetokounmpo is showcasing the skills of a top-tier star, but he remains reasonably priced at $6,400. Already maturing into the Milwaukee Bucks' star at age 20, the Greek Freak is a bargain on Monday night.
In two games, he has recorded 49 points and 18 boards. A year after attempting 9.6 shots per game—up significantly from the previous year's 5.4—he again looks poised to assume a larger responsibility. He has already attempted 27 field goals while earning 13 free throws.
As highlighted by Rotoworld's Michael Gallagher, most of those looks have come near the basket, giving him an efficient shot chart:
The Brooklyn Nets have a 109.7 defensive rating this season, per NBA.com, and they're even worse without rookie Rondae Hollis-Jefferson on the court. Look for the Greek Freak to carve up a starting lineup featuring Joe Johnson at small forward.
Kevin Love, PF, Cleveland Cavaliers ($7,500)
It's only three games, but the Cleveland Cavaliers are showing an enhanced commitment to Kevin Love. Following a frustrating inaugural season with the club, the big man is averaging 19.7 points and 11.7 rebounds per contest.
The 27-year-old All-Star is attempting 15.7 field goals per game, up from last year's middling 12.7 average. He also continues to space the floor, shooting seven three-pointers every game this season.
Following Wednesday's 30-point win over the Memphis Grizzlies, LeBron James stressed the importance of keeping Love involved to Cleveland.com's Joe Vardon.
"We'll use Kevin however he wants to be used," James said. "I told you Kevin is going to be our main focus. He's going to have a hell of a season. He's going to get back to that All-Star status. He's the focal point of us offensively."
Monday night presents the perfect matchup to test those claims. The Philadelphia 76ers didn't draft Jahlil Okafor for defense, and Nerlens Noel won't follow Love to the perimeter. Philadelphia also relinquished an NBA-high 46.3 boards per game last year, putting Love in prime position for his third straight double-double.
Brook Lopez, C, Brooklyn Nets ($7,000)
If the first week is any indicator, DFS players should circle the Milwaukee Bucks when researching the day's matchups. Through three games, all against Eastern Conference opposition, they've allowed 346 points.
On Sunday night, they started Johnny O'Bryant alongside new addition Greg Monroe with John Henson inactive. They couldn't stop Jonas Valanciunas, who registered 19 points and eight rebounds through 28 minutes.
Per the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Charles F. Gardner, Henson will also miss Monday night's foray against Brooklyn:
Great news for Brook Lopez, who has stayed healthy through three games. The center has also accumulated a 25.2 usage percentage, attempting 13 shots per bout as the Nets' go-to scorer. After enduring two brutal matchups with the Spurs and Grizzlies, he should feast on the Bucks.
Milwaukee's atrocious defensive start also makes Jarrett Jack ($6,000) worth a look. The unlikely starting point guard has exceeded 30 DraftKings points in each of his two games with a 26.2 usage percentage.
Note: Advanced stats courtesy of NBA.com unless otherwise noted.
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