FanDuel NBA Daily Fantasy Helper: 2021 All-Star Game
The 2021 NBA All-Star game is nearly here, and you can get your action in on NBA odds and build some rosters at FanDuel.
Which players stand out in the All-Star Game format, which requires five players to be rostered three special player spots (an MVP, whose fantasy points are multiplied by 2.0, a STAR, whose fantasy points are multiplied by 1.5, and a PRO, whose fantasy points are multiplied by 1.2)?
MVP, STAR, and PRO Picks
This year, one thing to keep in mind is that three of the top-four leaders in FanDuel points per game -- Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Luka Doncic -- are all on the same team, which can certainly complicate matters. That team is Team LeBron, which also happens to include LeBron James and Stephen Curry to round out the starting five. In total, 6 of fantasy's top-10 scorers (that will take part in this game) are on Team LeBron.
Another aspect we have to consider is that starters tend to see a lot more minutes than their bench peers. Since the league switched over to the captain format, starters have averaged a good 7.6 more minutes than those riding the pine at tipoff. However, that number shrunk last season, as that gap was only 2.9 minutes.
Joel Embiid ($13,000): If Team Durant is going to want to keep up with their foes, they're going to need as much production as they can get from the current MVP frontrunner, Joel Embiid. Aside from his real-life contributions, Embiid comes in as one of the hottest players in fantasy -- his 58.6 FanDuel points per game over the last four weeks trails only Giannis (61.4). Embiid has appeared in each of the last three All-Star games, and in those contests, he's finished tied for fifth, sixth, and third on his team in field goal attempts. Given his form and the fact that his team captain, Kevin Durant, won't play, it shouldn't come as a shock if he's one of the volume leaders for Team Durant.
Giannis Antetokounmpo ($14,000): Granted, Team LeBron might be as loaded a team as we've ever seen on a basketball court, but we have to stop and consider what Giannis has done in this competition. In his last two All-Star appearances, the MVP has posted 55.2 and 58.7 FanDuel points -- and that's without any multipliers. And let's not forget, this is the hottest player in the league that we're talking about. Over the last four weeks, Antetokounmpo is averaging a whopping 61.4 fantasy points per game, which is 2.8 more than any other player during that span.
Kawhi Leonard ($11,000): In last season's All-Star game, only the Greek Freak dropped more FanDuel points (55.2) than Kawhi's 49.4. Given that Leonard will be facing a team that features each of the top-five players in MVP odds, a repeat of that performance is not unrealistic. The Claw has been a steady force for the Los Angeles Clippers this season, as evidenced by him exceeding 46 fantasy points in 8 of his 13 games prior to the break.
James Harden ($13,500): Yep, another player from Team Durant, and this time it's one that isn't a starter. In his 12 games before the break, Harden had managed at least 59.6 FanDuel points 8 times. The three-time scoring champ hasn't eclipsed 35.4 FanDuel points in any of his last five All-Star appearances, but that could very well change this year.
Others to Consider: LeBron James ($14,500), Nikola Jokic ($12,000), Kyrie Irving ($11,500).
Utility Picks
Zach LaVine ($9,500): The correlation of actual real-life points to fantasy production is higher than any other stat, and over the last four weeks, only Stephen Curry (32.2) is averaging more real-life points than LaVine (31.9).
Chris Paul ($8,500): In nine career All-Star game appearances, Paul has averaged 42.8 FanDuel points per game. His lowest output came last season when he rode 23 real-life points to a total of 32.4 of the fantasy variety. CP3's recent form has been fantastic -- he's racked up at least 36.7 fantasy points in 14 of his last 21 games, including 11 outputs of 42.9-plus. Given his history at this event, it's hard to go wrong rostering him at a salary under $9,000.
Nikola Vucevic ($6,000): Vuce and Embiid are the only two true centers on Team Durant, so he could certainly get some decent minutes -- and he comes in with the lowest salary in this game. The 30-year-old is one of eight players averaging more than 50 FanDuel points per game over the last month, and the cheapest of the other seven -- Jokic -- is double his salary.
Others to Consider: Damian Lillard ($11,000), Zion Williamson ($10,000), Devin Booker ($8,500), Paul George ($7,500).
