Daily Fantasy Basketball 2015: DraftKings NBA Lineup Advice, Strategy, Nov. 10
A quartet of NBA superstars will take the floor Tuesday night—Anthony Davis, LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. DraftKings daily fantasy players should grab one of these big names to anchor their lineups, but who is the best bet of the bunch?
With seven games on the schedule, there are variety of options to choose from across the board. Here are five picks at a wide range of price levels for November 10.
SF Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder ($9,700) at Washington Wizards
Kevin Durant scored fewer than 40 fantasy points in three of his first four games this year. However, the Thunder forward exceeded 50 in each of his last three outings, and he's the only one of the four elite players mentioned to do so.
Durant's numbers over that stretch are outstanding:
| 36.7 | .530 | .438 | 8.0 | 4.3 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 30.7 | 54.4 |
This contest also marks Durant's lone visit of the season to his hometown, Washington, D.C. Considering the nonstop buzz surrounding his possible return as a free agent in 2016, Durant will be eager to put on a show and is sure to receive a warm welcome from the crowd.
Durant's career scoring average of 30.5 points per game versus the Wizards is his second-highest against any team.
PF Greg Monroe, Milwaukee Bucks ($8,400) vs. Boston Celtics
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Greg Monroe has more points (127) and rebounds (61) in his first seven games with the Bucks than any player since Lew Alcindor in 1969.
Monroe's 38.7 fantasy points per game isn't great production for what he costs, but his opponent Tuesday is a favorable one. The former Detroit Pistons forward averaged 24.0 points in three meetings with the Celtics last year, his best scoring number against any team.
Boston is also a poor rebounding squad that has pulled down only 47.6 percent of available boards this season, a stat that bodes well for opposing big men. In addition, the Celtics are playing at the highest pace in the NBA so far, which should create more fantasy scoring chances for Monroe than usual.
PG Isaiah Thomas, Boston Celtics ($7,000) at Milwaukee Bucks
Marcus Smart is sidelined with a toe injury, putting Isaiah Thomas on track to start his third straight game at point guard. During his first appearance as a starter, Thomas posted 42.25 fantasy points in a season-high 36 minutes of action.
On Friday, Thomas was limited to 26 minutes as the Celtics built an early 20-point lead over the Washington Wizards and never looked back. The nifty layup in the above video was part of a 40-point explosion in the first quarter.
Per Odds Shark, Milwaukee is favored by just one point over Boston. A close game should mean lots of court time for Thomas as the Celtics' primary ball-handler and No. 1 scoring option. Thomas is fifth in the league in usage rate when he's on the floor, behind only Westbrook, James Harden, DeMarcus Cousins and Reggie Jackson.
SG Eric Gordon, New Orleans Pelicans ($5,800) vs. Dallas Mavericks
Tyreke Evans and Norris Cole remain out for the Pelicans, and Jrue Holiday is still on a minutes restriction. Eric Gordon is the primary beneficiary of the injuries to the New Orleans backcourt.
On Saturday in Dallas, Gordon posted 21 points, five rebounds and four assists in 41 minutes. There's no reason why he can't put up a similar stat line in Tuesday's home rematch with the Mavericks. The shooting guard has scored over 20 points and played at least 38 minutes in each of the Pelicans' last three games. Gordon has also drained 12 three-pointers in that time.
New Orleans is favored by two points and the over/under is 211. A close, high-scoring affair will maximize Gordon's fantasy potential.
SF Justice Winslow, Miami Heat ($3,700) vs. Los Angeles Lakers
Mark Jones of ESPN pointed out the surprising early impact Justice Winslow is having for the Heat:
The rookie has logged over 30 minutes in each of Miami's last three games. In that time, he's averaging 19.8 fantasy points per contest. It's not much, but neither is Winslow's $3,700 salary.
Los Angeles has the second-worst defensive rating in the league to this point. The Lakers are also a 12.5-point underdog to the Heat. This matchup could quickly become a blowout, allowing the 19-year-old Winslow plenty of opportunity to shine off the bench.
All prices courtesy of DraftKings. Statistics via NBA.com unless otherwise noted. Mark Vandeusen is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @LucidSportsFan.
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