Daily Fantasy Basketball 2015: DraftKings Optimum Lineup Predictions for Feb. 4
Health is half the battle for any team. Whereas some NBA stars are returning to full strength, others are benefiting from the absence of a prominent presence.
A successful daily fantasy player must toss aside emotion and adopt a next-man-up mentality to identifying value. Nobody wants to see Brandon Jennings and Dwight Howard sitting on the bench, but their inaction has given others a golden opportunity to step up instead.
Wednesday night fills the NBA schedule with 11 games, so let's tailor down all the choices into one lineup.
| PG | Stephen Curry, GS | vs. DAL | $10,300 |
| SG | Jimmy Butler, CHI | @ HOU | $7,500 |
| SF | Chandler Parsons, DAL | @ GS | $5,700 |
| PF | Donatas Motiejunas, HOU | vs. CHI | $5,600 |
| C | Brook Lopez, BKN | @ TOR | $6,300 |
| G | D.J. Augustin, DET | @ IND | $6,200 |
| F | John Henson, MIL | vs. LAL | $5,000 |
| UTIL | Wesley Johnson, LAL | @ MIL | $3,400 |
PG D.J. Augustin, Detroit Pistons ($6,200)
Excluding one off day, D.J. Augustin has shredded ever since filling in for Jennings. In five games as the Detroit Pistons' starting point guard, he's averaging 21.8 points, 9.2 assists and 1.4 steals steals during 35.8 minutes.
Although he failed to convert a single field goal against the Philadelphia 76ers, he earned at least 40 DraftKings points in all four other affairs. Kevin McHale offered high praise after Augustin decimated his Houston Rockets for 28 points and 12 assists on Saturday.
“D.J. Augustin looked like Tiny Archibald out there," McHale told the Houston Chronicle's Jenny Dial Creech. "He did whatever he wanted with the ball."
Before expecting the 27-year-old to plummet back to earth, consider his stats when given regular playing time last year, per ESPN's Jim McCormick.
Bouncing back from the Philadelphia dud with two straight 20-10 efforts, Augustin is once again primed for a major raise in price. Enjoy him at $6,200 while you can.
SG Jimmy Butler, Chicago Bulls ($7,500)
Jimmy Butler's 37.6 fantasy points per game places No. 11 among Wednesday night's participants, yet 25 players cost more than the breakout shooting guard.
Usually a slump is to blame for a drastic price decline, yet he has averaged 35.4 DraftKings points since Jan. 14, costing $8,800 before that stretch. His workload sure hasn't faded, as head coach Tom Thibodeau continues to give him more playing time than anyone else in the NBA. The 25-year-old has logged over 40 minutes during each of the last three games.
While James Harden has amplified his defensive effort this season, Houston still ranks No. 24 in DraftKings points allowed to shooting guards. Let's hold off on calling this guy a Defensive Player of the Year candidate.
Odds Shark anticipates plenty of scoring with a 202 over-under line, so splurge on a generously priced star in a position with few stellar standouts.
SF Chandler Parsons, Dallas Mavericks ($5,700)
Chandler Parsons showed no rust after missing two games with the flu, returning to yield 36 DraftKings points against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday. The small forward has now scored 19.3 points during his last three bouts while draining 10 three-pointers.
The Dallas Mavericks' clash with the Golden State Warriors boasts the night's highest line at 217.5, via Odds Shark. Even with its league-best defensive rating, Golden State portends opposing fantasy success by also playing at the NBA's fastest pace, per NBA.com. That style will force Dallas to keep up in a track meet.
Parsons can do more than just score against the Warriors, who rank second to last in total rebounds surrendered. Gamers can at least expect a solid output, as he has offered over 25 DraftKings points in eight of his last 10 games.
PF Donatas Motiejunas, Houston Rockets ($5,600)
The Houston Rockets have no viable center to replace Howard, so seven-foot power forward Donatas Motiejunas has poached the stud's spotlight. Since a knee injury sidelined Howard, the 24-year-old Lithuanian has shot 62.3 percent and produced 31.13 DraftKings points per contest.
| 1/31 | DET | 29 | 21 | 10-13 | 4 | 3 | 30.5 |
| 1/30 | BOS | 31 | 26 | 11-16 | 12 | 1 | 43.5 |
| 1/28 | DAL | 34 | 16 | 6-16 | 5 | 1 | 26.25 |
| 1/25 | LAL | 32 | 8 | 3-8 | 9 | 2 | 24.25 |
The Chicago Bulls struggle against big men, placing No. 24 against power forwards and No. 29 against centers under DraftKings scoring. Their biggest weakness, however, comes against mid-range shooting, an area the analytically savvy Rockets avoid.
Yet his time without Howard has proved bountiful with copious minutes and touches, and he has even stretched the floor with six three-pointers over the last three tilts. An enhanced role in one of the league's quickest high-volume offenses makes him worth the $5,600 investment.
C Brook Lopez, Brooklyn Nets ($6,300)
The Brooklyn Nets finally remembered that Brook Lopez is an incredible offensive center. Averaging just 27.2 minutes this season, he has finally returned to the limelight over the past week, receiving meaningful playing time over the past three games.
| 2/02 | LAC | 24 | 12-20 | 7 | 0 | 34.75 |
| 1/30 | TOR | 35 | 15-28 | 12 | 3 | 63 |
| 1/28 | ATL | 18 | 6-11 | 7 | 2 | 31.75 |
He forced head coach Lionel Hollins' hand by decimating the Toronto Raptors for 35 points, 12 boards and three blocks before ultimately missing a potential game-winner. ESPN's Marc Stein has reported trade rumors sending Lopez to the Denver Nuggets, but the 26-year-old is making the decision difficult.
He now gets Toronto again, this time at Air Canada Centre. Before writing it off as a one-hit wonder, 82games.com tabs the Raptors allowing a 54.0 effective field-goal percentage to opposing centers with 15.4 rebounds per game.
An injury always lurks around the corner, but that's a problem for standard fantasy players to worry about. Use the talented graceful big man on Wednesday while he's healthy and hot.
