NBA Opening Night 2020: Lineup Advice for FanDuel, DraftKings Daily Fantasy

Some of the NBA's biggest superstars will be on the court for the first night of the 2020-21 season on Tuesday. And that includes LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the rest of the defending-champion Los Angeles Lakers.

In addition to them, Los Angeles Clippers stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, Brooklyn Nets leaders Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, and Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry will be among the top players in action. It should be an exciting opening night, with the Nets hosting the Warriors and the Lakers and Clippers going head-to-head.

The return of the NBA also marks the return of daily fantasy basketball. And even though there are only two games on Tuesday night, there will still be an opportunity to set lineups and try to win some cash.

You won't be able to get all these stars in your lineup, so you'll need to make the right decisions. Here's some DFS advice for opening night.

Pay the High Price to Get Durant in Your Lineup

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It'll take a decent price to roster Kevin Durant on Tuesday ($9,800 on DraftKings; $8,500 on FanDuel), but it's also the first time he's going to be available to play in quite a while. This will be Durant's first real (non-preseason) action since he tore his right Achilles tendon during the 2019 NBA Finals.

Don't have any concerns about Durant's health, though. He quelled those with his showing in the brief preseason. He had 15 points in 24 minutes against the Washington Wizards on Dec. 13, then netted 25 points in 27 minutes against the Boston Celtics on Dec. 18.

Durant should only continue to get better as he gets more time on the court this season. But he could also be poised for a big game against his former team, especially because the Warriors continue to be shorthanded—Klay Thompson is out for the season with a torn right Achilles tendon, and Draymond Green will miss the opener due to a right foot injury.

While some players had a short offseason, Durant did not. He's had time to recover and prepare—expect him to have a strong showing in his regular-season debut for Brooklyn.

Consider Playing Harrell in Lakers Debut

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It wouldn't be surprising if James, Davis and some of the Lakers' other top returning players start the 2020-21 season a bit slowly. They had a short offseason, so head coach Frank Vogel may not play them a ton of minutes right away. That could be an opportunity for some of Los Angeles' new additions to shine.

Forward Montrezl Harrell is likely going to provide a big boost to the Lakers' bench this season, and it should begin with this matchup against the Clippers, his former team. Last season, Harrell won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award, averaging 18.6 points and 7.1 rebounds (both career highs) in 63 games.

Harrell is available at an affordable price in DFS ($5,300 in DraftKings; $5,100 in FanDuel), and he should play solid minutes on Tuesday night, especially if James and Davis take it easy a little to start the season. Even if they end up playing more, Harrell's impact off the bench should immediately be felt, as he's a reliable scorer and rebounder in that role.

This season, Harrell is likely to fit in well in the Lakers' rotation, and this will be our first opportunity to see just how it might work. (Expect it to work well, and put him in your DFS lineup.)

Capitalize on Green's Absence with Oubre

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With Green out, the Warriors could give more minutes to forward Kelly Oubre Jr. on Tuesday night. The 25-year-old will be playing his first regular-season game for Golden State after he was traded twice this past offseason (from the Phoenix Suns to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Nov. 16, then from the Thunder to the Warriors on Nov. 22).

Oubre impressed in Golden State's final preseason game, as he had 22 points on 8-of-12 shooting in 23 minutes against the Sacramento Kings last Thursday. He's also coming off the best season of his five-year NBA career, during which he averaged 18.7 points and 6.4 rebounds (both career highs) in 56 games for the Suns.

If Oubre builds off that performance and gets an opportunity to be a key player for Golden State, he could be a strong fantasy option. He's available at $6,700 in DraftKings and $6,400 in FanDuel, and he should provide great value for those prices.

Oubre should play a good bit on Tuesday night, and he has the potential to make an impact right away. Not only for the Warriors, but also in daily fantasy lineups.