FanDuel Daily Fantasy Basketball Helper: Sunday 2/21/21

If you're new to daily fantasy basketball -- maybe you started your DFS journey during the MLB or NFL seasons, or maybe basketball is your sport and this will be your first year giving it a shot -- you're in for a treat. The NBA scene changes on a week-to-week, day-to-day, and -- depending on injury news -- even a minute-to-minute basis, making every slate a unique one that requires an ever-changing approach.

With so much changing so quickly, we're here with plenty of tools to help you out. We have daily projections, a matchup heat map, a lineup optimizer, and a bunch of other great resources to help give you an edge.

Daily fantasy NBA is very reliant on opportunity, so you'll need to make sure that you're up-to-date with key injuries. Our projections update up until tip-off to reflect current news, we have player news updates, and the FanDuel Scout app will send push notifications for pressing updates regarding your players.

We'll also be coming at you with this primer every day, breaking down a few of the day's top plays at each position.

Let's break down today's main slate on FanDuel:

The Slate

Of the injuries still in doubt, Kyle Lowry potentially missing a third straight for the Toronto Raptors with his thumb injury is the most notable. The Sacramento Kings will be a focal point again, as on the second half of their back-to-back, there is potential for the team to be without Richaun Holmes (knee) and Harrison Barnes (foot).

Paul Millsap will be missing from the Denver Nuggets' frontcourt with a knee injury, and the team will also be without JaMychal Green due to a shoulder injury, which should leave plenty of minutes, usage, and rebounds for the remaining forwards. The Detroit Pistons have the only other significant injury among usual starters on the slate, as Delon Wright is unlikely to play Sunday due to a groin injury.

Point Guard

Trae Young ($9,200): Do not look now, but Trae Young is starting to regain control of the Atlanta Hawks' offense. Over the past two weeks, Young leads Atlanta with a whopping 30.5% usage, and he has been much closer to his 2019-20 form at 1.35 FanDuel points per minute in that span. That has finally translated to fantasy points the last two games, as he has scored at least 50 FanDuel points in both. The Nuggets are a slower-paced matchup, but Young's ceiling is still too high at this salary given his recent role in the offense.

Darius Garland ($5,900): The Cleveland Cavaliers are certainly not a good basketball team, but their hierarchy of offensive options is now clearly defined,. Garland is one of only three Cavs who regularly see more than 30 minutes as a starter. His role is still comfortable in their recent sample with Andre Drummond now benched, as he is second behind Collin Sexton in both usage (23.6%) and FanDuel points per minute (0.85) in that span. Value at point guard is difficult to find, but Garland is a decent option as the Cavs get someone on their level with the Oklahoma City Thunder in just a 2.0-point spread.

Other Notable Plays: Kyrie Irving ($8,800), Derrick Rose ($4,800), Dennis Smith ($4,600; if Wright sits)

Shooting Guard

James Harden ($10,800): With Kevin Durant still sidelined, Harden is the Brooklyn Nets' most productive player. Despite a lower usage rate (27.8%) than Kyrie Irving (30.4%), Harden's 1.73 FanDuel points per minute would be the best in the NBA if it held over a qualifying sample. Harden and the Nets take on the Los Angeles Clippers. The Clips -- even with Paul George back -- haven't been great defensively versus shooting guards, giving up the fourth-most FanDuel points per game to two guards.

Terrence Ross ($6,000): Ross had been a nice change of pace off the bench for the Orlando Magic, but he has taken over with Cole Anthony on the shelf. Even with Evan Fournier back for two games in this span, Ross still leads the Magic in usage at 30.4% over the past two weeks, and Ross has gone for at least 30 FanDuel points (which would be good for value at this salary) in six straight contests. Orlando is deprived of talent without Markelle Fultz, Aaron Gordon, Cole Anthony, and others, so the return of Fournier should actually increase the Magic's offensive efficiency instead of eating into Ross' role too much.

Other Notable Plays: Fred VanVleet ($8,000), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($7,800), Tyrese Haliburton ($5,400)

Small Forward

Khris Middleton ($7,200): With Jrue Holiday still on the shelf due to COVID-19 protocols, the Milwaukee Bucks have struggled, losing five of their last six games, and Middleton takes a lot of accountability for that by failing to score 20 points four times during that stretch. Still, Middleton has seen a 2.0-percentage-point usage increase without Holiday but has failed to cash in thanks to ice-cold 38.7% shooting in the last two contests. This salary decrease makes now a great time to buy in, as Middleton has posted at least 40 FanDuel points 10 times this season.

Saddiq Bey ($5,300): The Pistons have been short on reliable DFS options this season, but as they have benched Blake Griffin until a potential trade, Saddiq Bey has become one of their few. Bey is averaging 32 minutes per game in his last four contests, and his role inside the Detroit offense has been good. Bey has averaged 10.5 shots per game and 0.85 FanDuel points per minute. Detroit sees a huge pace increase against the Bucks, which makes the rookie sharpshooter an interesting tournament pick at what is easily the best position on the slate.

Other Notable Plays: Malik Beasley ($6,500), Michael Porter Jr. ($5,700), OG Anunoby ($5,600)

Power Forward

Julius Randle ($8,800): The formula is getting pretty simple with the New York Knicks -- if they are on the slate, play Julius Randle. His iron-clad floor appears -- on the surface -- to have been lowered, as he has failed to go for 40 FanDuel points in three of the past five games, but those same three contests were blowouts. Randle has surpassed 22 points and 7 rebounds in all but one game in February, and his 3.26 assists per 36 minutes this month is actually low and would indicate some positive regression considering Randle's 30.1% usage rate. Especially if Nerlens Noel finds foul trouble guarding Karl-Anthony Towns, Randle could be in for another massive contest.

Serge Ibaka ($5,200): At the most difficult position on the slate, Ibaka appears to be the most interesting tournament option because of his ceiling. Ibaka -- at what figures to be minimal popularity with no major role shift -- has finished with at least 30 FanDuel points seven times this year, and there is not a better matchup in DFS right now than Brooklyn due to their combination of their sixth-worst defensive rating (114.2) and elite offense that forces opponents keep pace. In theory, the Nets usually play smaller, and that could mean a larger role for the more athletic Ibaka than normal starter Ivica Zubac.

Other Notable Plays: Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,300), John Collins ($6,800), Jeff Green ($4,700)

Center

Nikola Jokic ($10,600): Jokic's first All-Star selection this week is well deserved, as he has been on a consistent tear in February, which has seen him eclipse 55 FanDuel points in 8 of his past 10 games, ceiling beyond that has been insane considering he has broken 60 FanDuel points three times in that same stretch. Much of Denver's frontcourt activity will flow through "The Joker" on Sunday with Paul Millsap and JaMychal Green set to miss the game. A key stat to keep in mind entering this matchup is that the Hawks have given up the sixth-most offensive boards in the NBA, which could be a path to yet another monstrous game from the Serbian big man.

Other Notable Plays: Jarrett Allen ($7,400), Brook Lopez ($5,000)

Austin Swaim is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Austin Swaim also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username ASwaim3. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his 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.