NBA DFS Daily Dive: Daily Fantasy Basketball Picks For DraftKings (Friday, Feb 7)

Post-trade deadline fallout in the NBA can be a snore, as we’ve learned in recent years while withering away staring at a Woj Twitter timeline. Alas, this one was to be much different, as we now look at several big names in new places.

Robert Covington made his Houston Rockets debut last night in a somewhat surprising road victory over the Los Angeles Lakers; a move that made the Rockets smaller across the board, which resulted in some public scoffing at the size mismatch until the game tipped off. Posting a near double-double (14 PTS, 8 REB), Covington and the Rockets made the public sound stupid and, at the same time, shined a new light on preemptive condemnation when it comes to Daily Fantasy roster considerations.

While several players featured in new homes today may not be cleared to make their debuts quite yet, the thought process is in place to feel out how these pieces may fit but, when it comes to Guaranteed Prize Pool tournaments, don’t limit yourself in roster construction simply because a player has yet to be showcased in a new team system. Covington was considered a “spend-up” option on Thursday at $6,100 on DraftKings and nearly scored 40 fantasy points.

Enough out of me. You get the point, so enjoy your DFS weekend and don’t be scared to take the plastic wrapping off of the new toys over the next few days (unless we’re talking Dion Waiters).

Guard

Kendrick Nunn, MIA ($4,800)

He’s recently been dealing with Achilles’ soreness so his minutes in three of his most recent games have been down from his typical workload. But his latest 35-minute, 30 DraftKings Fantasy Point performance against the Los Angeles Clippers was indication that Kendrick Nunn is close to being back to full health.

Just prior to his string of injury-nagging outings, Nunn was averaging 36.15 DKFP per game in the five games leading up to the ailment limitations that he appears to be on the up-and-up from.

He’s averaging a 23.1 usage percentage on the season and faces a Sacramento Kings team ranking in the bottom four teams against point guards in the past 30 days played. With Jimmy Butler listed as Questionable on the injury report while being projected to miss the game, Kendrick Nunn is priced down with excellent opportunity in both Cash Games and GPP’s.

Chris Paul, OKC ($7,100)

It’s been a surprisingly pleasant season for the Oklahoma City Thunder, and one can’t help but thank the congruent newfound success of Chris Paul’s performance all year.

Chris Paul is averaging over 40 DKFP per game in his past ten games played, along with 30.7 minutes per game and a 25.32% usage rate over that time span. Paul and the Thunder take on a defunct Detroit Pistons team ranking 21st in Defensive Rating (111.7) and the ninth-most fantasy points per game to the point guard position.

I will be getting to plenty of the trio of Thunder guards (Paul, Gilgeous-Alexander, Schroder) on today’s eight-game slate in a stellar matchup with Detroit, but Chris Paul is likely to be my highest-owned of the three.

Other Guards:

James Harden, HOU ($12,100)
Trae Young, ATL ($10,200)
Bradley Beal, WAS ($10,100)
Damian Lillard, POR ($9,900)
Russell Westbrook, HOU ($9,800)
Ben Simmons, PHI ($8,000)
Devin Booker, PHX ($7,900)
De’Aaron Fox, SAC ($7,800)
*Kemba Walker, BOS ($7,600)
Kyle Lowry, TOR ($7,300)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC ($7,200)
Donovan Mitchell, UTA ($6,900)
Dennis Schroder, OKC ($6,800)
*Jaylen Brown, BOS ($6,800)
Fred VanVleet, TOR ($6,500)
Malcom Brogdon, IND ($6,400)
Reggie Jackson, DET ($6,100)
*Marcus Smart, BOS ($5,800)
Jalen Brunson, DAL ($5,600)
Goran Dragic, MIA ($5,300)
Tim Hardaway Jr, DAL ($5,200)
Bruce Brown, DET ($4,900)
Duncan Robinson, MIA ($4,300)
Langston Galloway, DET ($3,900)

**Monitor Injury Status Leading Up To Lock*

Forward

Jayson Tatum, BOS ($8,100)

The Boston Celtics are riddled with injuries as of late, with a carousel of their star players recovering and re-amassing a variety of ailments, but Jayson Tatum has looked fantastic in his return.

Over his past four games played, Tatum has averaged 45.37 DKFP per game in tandem with a 32.05% usage rating and gradually having escalated his minutes back to a full workload, registering 39 against Orlando. The Celtics are potentially to be without Jaylen Brown, Gordon Hayward, and Kemba Walker, which further adds to any incentive of considerations.

Hosting an Atlanta Hawks team ranking dead last against power forwards in the past 30 days and who won’t be debuting their latest acquisition in center Clint Capela for post-protection, Jayson Tatum is in a fantastic spot to smash value despite the slightly higher price tag than usual.

Kelly Oubre Jr, PHO ($6,700)

Among the players thought to be traded away from their current establishments yet wound up staying put, Kelly Oubre Jr. is playing some outstanding basketball and somehow finds himself cheaper than over his past two outings where he was priced over $7K.

Oubre has been jamming out to the tune of 37.75 DKFP per game over his past seven games in stride with a near-25 percent usage rating and 36.85 minutes per game over that most recent sample period. He’s facing an up-tempo Houston Rockets team who ranks second in the league in Pace (104.14), and surrenders the second-most fantasy points per game to small forwards (49.72 DKFP/G).

He’s likely going to be a chalkier play with all things considered, but Kelly Oubre Jr. is a no-brainer play in both Cash Games and GPPs, with everything pointing in his favor on this slate.

Other Forwards:

John Collins, ATL ($8,400)
Pascal Siakam, IND ($7,500)
*Gordon Hayward, BOS ($7,400)
Tobias Harris, PHI ($6,200)
Danilo Gallinari, OKC ($6,100)
Bojan Bogdanovic, UTA ($5,900)
Robert Covington, HOU ($5,700)
Al Horford, PHI ($5,500)
P.J. Tucker, HOU ($5,500)
Davis Bertans, WAS ($5,400)
Carmelo Anthony, POR ($5,100)
Bogdan Bogdanovic, SAC ($5,000)
Maxi Kleber, DAL ($4,400)
Grant Williams, BOS ($3,800)
Sekou Doumbouya, DET ($3,500)

**Monitor Injury Status Leading Up To Lock*

Center

Serge Ibaka, TOR ($6,300)

As I alluded to in yesterday’s Daily Dive, DFS player success all begins with volume of opportunity. Simply put, with the more chances a player is given or put in a position to gain time in action, obviously the odds of fantasy production increase by nature of probability alone. In the case of Serge Ibaka, not only is he extremely talented, but he’s been given a temporary longer leash in terms of registered minutes since the hamstring injury to Marc Gasol, and he’s been dominant thus far.

Seeing a spike in usage and minutes in his most recent outing against the Indiana Pacers, he put up 30 PTS, 7 REB, 3 AST, 1 STL and 3 TO in his 34 minutes of playing time (up from his 26.6 minute season average) en route to 44.75 DKFP and a Raptors one-point victory.

Ibaka and the Raptors venture to Indiana in a rematch from Wednesday’s comeback Toronto victory and has no reason to not excel with Gasol still sidelined, averaging just under 30 minutes per game since Gasol’s injury was suffered.

Facing a Pacers team who ranks in the bottom eight teams in the league against the center position, Serge Ibaka is priced a bit too cheap for how much he looks to be utilized in this position advantage.