3 NBA DraftKings Studs to Target on 2/12/21
While building a daily fantasy basketball lineup, it's important to make sure you find the right studs to anchor your team. As the most expensive players in your lineup, they need big-time production to match their high salaries.
You may find it hard to fit some of these guys in while staying under the salary cap, but you can check out our projections to find value players for your rosters. Let's take a look at the top high-salaried DraftKings plays of the day.
Nikola Jokic, C, Denver Nuggets
DraftKings Salary: $10,700
Tonight, Nikola Jokic's consistently high ceiling is unmatched. His 59.4 DraftKings points per game are 2.7 above the next-closest player on the slate, while he has 14 games of 60-plus fantasy points to his name this season.
As good as the Joker has been, he's been yet another level better on his home floor. Over a dozen home games, he has averaged 63.1 DraftKings points, compared to 55.7 on the road, all the while shooting 10% better from three with three more real-life points, one more assist, and one more rebound in his 36 minutes a night. And, according to NBA.com, his usage is an elite 29.4% as he operates as Denver's primary source of offensive flow.
Hosting Oklahoma City, the Nuggets should benefit from a matchup with the NBA's 17th-ranked defense, which has allowed an average of 115.4 points over their last 10 games. Jokic should eat and go for 60 DraftKings points so long as this one remains close.
Kawhi Leonard, SF, Los Angeles Clippers
DraftKings Salary: $9,500
The Los Angeles Clippers will be without Paul George for at least one more game, and that means at least one more night of peak Kawhi Leonard. Without his running mate on Wednesday, Leonard scored 36 points, took 25 shots, and used a massive 38.1% of his team's possessions while on the floor. Of course, he tacked on the peripherals to get him to 59.5 DraftKings points by night's end.
According to NBA Wowy, Leonard is now up to 1.39 DraftKings points per minute and a 33.2% usage in the absence of PG. That's great for his fantasy appeal, as is his matchup with the Chicago Bulls.
The Bulls are solid against small forwards yet allow the fourth-most points per game to opposing teams. According to NBA Finals odds, Leonard should reap the benefits of a 227.5 over/under and 117 implied total on the road this evening.
LaMelo Ball, PG, Charlotte Hornets
DraftKings Salary: $8,600
There are a number of guys to consider in this second/third-tier salary level, but if Devonte' Graham -- listed as questionable -- remains sidelined, we should get another 30 to 35 minutes of LaMelo Ball. And that could mean a big night for the rookie point guard.
Ball has been up and down in his three games without Graham, sandwiching a 50.75-point performance with games of 38.25 and 34.0 fantasy points. However, if you're counting the game Graham first got injured, he went for 59 DraftKings points in 39 minutes. In other words, over this four-game span, he has averaged a cool 1.41 DraftKings points per minute in 32.3 minutes. Even his minutes have been somewhat limited because all four games have been decided by at least 16 points.
Expect Ball to play around 35 minutes and pop off against the Timberwolves. According to FantasyPros, their defense ranks eighth-worst against point guards, allowing 49.9 DraftKings points a game to the position.
Brett Oswalt is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Brett Oswalt also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username BRO14THEKID. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his/her personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in his articles are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.
