Daily Fantasy Basketball 2015: NBA DFS Must-Starts for Each Position November 4
When discussing players from each position who are imperative to include in your lineup for Wednesday's NBA action in daily fantasy, it would be downright rude not to start with perhaps the most obvious must-start option in recent memory.
Stephen Curry is opening this campaign as a man on a mission for more rings and bling, as if his MVP and NBA title from 2014-15 weren't enough to satisfy him. Through four games, he's averaged 37 points per contest, hit on nearly half of his 21 three-point makes (an NBA record through this point) and—get this—is putting up 59.8 DraftKings points per game despite his usual fourth-quarter benchwarming duties.
A Wednesday night rivalry showcase against the Los Angeles Clippers at home should bring out the best in Curry again. Per Basketball-Reference.com, he's shot an absurd .504 from three-point range in his career against the Clips and has more threes against them than any other opponent.
Scared off by his seismic salary? Don't be, as you can easily make up for the lost cash elsewhere in your lineup by following along with our picks below.
Best NBA DraftKings Lineup for November 4
| PG | Stephen Curry (Warriors) | vs. LAC | 59.8 | $10,100 |
| SG | Brandon Knight (Suns) | vs. SAC | 36.5 | $6,700 |
| SF | Evan Fournier (Magic) | at HOU | 31.4 | $4,400 |
| PF | Tristan Thompson (Cavaliers) | vs. NY | 22.1 | $4,600 |
| C | Jonas Valanciunas (Raptors) | at OKC | 30.7 | $6,000 |
| G | Isaiah Thomas (Celtics) | at IND | 36.7 | $6,300 |
| F | DeMarre Carroll (Raptors) | at OKC | 24.9 | $5,800 |
SG: Brandon Knight, Phoenix Suns ($6,700)
It's awfully nice to see the Phoenix Suns' star-studded backcourt begin to flourish, at least fantasy-wise. While Eric Bledsoe is still the breadwinner back there, Brandon Knight is proving he can get his as well.
Knight's 18 points per game indicate he'll be in for consistent scoring, but perhaps the most encouraging sign came in his worst shooting performance thus far. Tuesday night's game against the Clippers saw Knight shoot just 4-of-20—but instead of fading into the background like he would in previous seasons, he snagged seven boards, dished out eight assists and got two steals for a 36.75-point DK performance.
He should get his shooting stroke back against the Sacramento Kings, who rank 24th against shooting guards. With Rajon Rondo hawking Bledsoe in the backcourt, Knight will be open for an explosive night.
SF: Evan Fournier, Orlando Magic ($4,400)
If you're going to follow our lead and plug Curry into your lineup, the budget will call for a few picks like this to balance it out. Only, snagging Evan Fournier is the furthest thing from settling.
The Orlando Magic swingman is proving an early breakout candidate this season, surpassing 28 DK points in his last three games. Fournier is fresh off a career outing Tuesday against New Orleans, putting up 30 points on 12-of-20 shooting and raking in an incredible 47.25 DK points.
With at least 20 shots in half of his games so far, Fournier is getting the usage necessary to break out for the second time in as many nights against a Houston Rockets squad struggling mightily on defense.
PF: Tristan Thompson, Cleveland Cavaliers ($4,600)
After holding out for a new contract up until just days before season tipoff, Tristan Thompson has shown no such signs of rust so far this campaign. The Cavaliers bruiser has topped 25 DK points in his last two outings, proving one of the most serviceable second-unit options in daily fantasy.
Thompson is seeing his usage rise (16 shots in the last two games) while still hounding the boards like he's known to do. He's averaged nine rebounds per game against teams stout on the glass. Thompson should easily reach double-digit boards against a New York Knicks team in the bottom half of the league in opponents' offensive rebounding.
C: Jonas Valanciunas, Toronto Raptors ($6,000)
Speaking of rebounding, Toronto Raptors center Jonas Valanciunas has been one of the most pleasant surprises in cleaning the glass during this young season. He's averaging a double-double with 10.3 rebounds per game, also showing his offensive potency with 15.5 points.
Valanciunas has topped double-digit shot attempts in three of his four games on nearly 60 percent shooting, so he's getting the necessary usage. Wednesday's opponent is the Oklahoma City Thunder, whose interior defense has been a mess in this early season.
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