We’re going to have to pay extra attention to injury news because it’s been tough to navigate through the storm of random injuries and inactives to get to roster-lock and we’re already seeing a few teams have multiple questionable players heading into the 10-game DFS NBA slate. The only sports-book over/under in the 230’s is the Kings/Hawks game at 230.5. Grizzlies/Spurs is behind them at 228.5. Domantas Sabonis, Kyrie Irving, Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert are a few players who will sit tonight. Here’s the latest DFS NBA Starting-5.
PG: James Harden (10200FD, 11500DK, 49Y!): There are quite a few impactful point guards with incredible matchups, but how do we deny ourselves of a player expected to get 35.4 percent of the usage tonight in Harden. With Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving out of the way and the Nuggets ranking 19th in the league at defending point guards, Harden is once again in a great spot and it doesn’t matter that he played last night. He’s produced two triple-doubles in his last three games and dishes over 10 dimes per outing. Harden has taken 21 shots or more in three of his last four games and he rips down 8.1 rebounds per game. After scoring 33 or more points in two of his last three games, expect him to take plenty of shots again. He even swipes 1.3 balls per outing.
SG: Caris LeVert (7800FD, 8600DK, 30Y!): The Pacers are missing multiple starters and LeVert will be the prioritized scorer tonight. This is a major pace up spot for Indiana and when LeVert battled them a month ago he scored 27 points and grabbed seven boards and dished six dimes against Charlotte. The Hornets are a bottom-six team at guarding shooting guards and LeVert has scored 20 or more points and grabbed six or more boards in three of his last four games. He steals a ball per game and dishes 4.2 dimes per outing. He’s taken no fewer than 16 shots in four straight games and he’s shot at least 50 percent from the floor in four of his last six contests.
SF: Jimmy Butler (8700FD, 8500DK, 43Y!): The pace will be a bit on the slow side, but with Kyle Lowry still out, Tyler Herro will help run the point a bit more and Butler should get set up more in the post. You can crush the Knicks inside the arc. Butler is coming off of a triple double and he’s actually recorded two in his last four games and we’ll see how much he brings up the ball with Herro back in action. Butler has grabbed eight or more boards in three of his last four games. He also grabs nearly two steals per game. He should take 12-15 shots tonight and he’s shot nearly 48 percent from the season. He’ll be in attack mode tonight and he should go to the free-throw line a few times. Julius Randle is an awful defender and he’ll get beat when he switches on him.
PF: DeMar DeRozan (9000FD, 8200DK, 39Y!): DeRozan has scored 30 or more points in three straight games and he’s taken 18 or more shots in five straight games. The Raptors are 21st in the league at stopping power forwards and with Lonzo Ball out of the picture, DeRozan should have even more time with the ball. He grabs five boards and dishes nearly five dimes per game. He dropped 26 points on Toronto earlier this season. DeRozan has been shooting an impressive 49.5 percent from the floor for the season. He’ll get screened at the arc a good amount and Pascal Siakam is easy to attack inside if he ends up trying to go after him in the lane. DeRozan’s game is exclusively inside the arc.
C: Nikola Jokic (11800FD, 12400DK, 57Y!): With a lot of uncertainty regarding the health of certain frontcourts, let’s be safe and go with the always reliable Jokic in what should be an easy frontcourt to beat in the Nets. He’s scored over his 26.2 average in three of his last four contests and he grabs nearly 14 rebounds per game. He’s a helpful play-maker too and he’s posted double digit assists in four of his last six games. He’s even blocked shots in three of his last four and grabbed multiple swipes in four of his last five battles. The Pace works very much in Denver’s favor as well and he’s taken 18 or more shots in four of his last five contests. He does a little bit of everything and the Nets don’t have the size and strength to stop him on the drive.