Welcome back, RotoBallers! It's been too long, but we finally get to talk NBA DFS again. College basketball is heating up, Spring Training is starting, PGA Majors are on the way, and the NBA season is entering the final stretch. It's a beautiful time to be a sports fan, and it's an even better time to make some money watching sports.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 2/22/18. I will break down my favorite plays based on projected production versus price at each position. I'll also mention a few high-upside plays to consider in tournament lineups as well.
As always, hit me up on Twitter @BellRoto with any questions or comments. I always look forward to conversation on the Twitter-sphere. Good luck!
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DraftKings DFS Guards
Zach LaVine - PG/SG, CHI vs. PHI (DK - $7,000)
Zach LaVine was just starting to get unleashed prior to the All-Star Break, registering minute loads of 30+ for four games in a row. After more than a week's rest, there's no holding back now. We saw glimpses of the Bulls running their entire offense through LaVine, and he looked fantastic in that role. There is a bit of uncertainty with Kris Dunn fully healthy as well, but This price tag is simply too low for 35+ minutes of high-energy play from this type of player. LaVine has a safe floor and loads of upside in this matchup.
D'Angelo Russell - PG/SG, BKN @ CHA (DK - $5,600)
If LaVine was unleashed just before the ASB, then D'Angelo Russell was one step below that. He crawled his way up to 29 minutes in the last game before the layoff, so I'd expect his magic number to be up over 30 minutes in this one. A pace-up matchup would be nice, but at this sub-6k price tag I can't be too greedy. Russell IS the entire Nets offense when he's on the floor, so there's every reason to fire up DAR in this spot before DK can adjust his price accordingly going forward.
Other Guards to Consider: Tim Hardaway Jr., Nicolas Batum,
DraftKings DFS Forwards
Enes Kanter - PF/C, NY @ ORL (DK - $7,600)
This play would've been even nicer if I could consider Michael Beasley possibly sitting, but a full practice on Wednesday bodes well for his status. Regardless, Enes Kanter is one of the few scorers for this Knicks team with Kristaps Porzingis on the shelf. And while I don't feel comfortable rostering Nikola Vucevic coming back from injury quite yet, I do like that we can start attacking his defense again. Kanter should gobble up all the rebounds he wants in this spot, and there's a strong possibility his points and peripherals carry him to a 50-DK point night. Fire him up.
Danilo Gallinari - SF/PF, LAC @ GS (DK - $6,100)
I wasn't sure how Danilo Gallinari's minutes and usage would shake out among this strange collection of Clippers players after he returned from injury, but the 40, 35, and 40 minute totals the past three games have been encouraging. I'd like to see him taking more shots, but in an uptempo game that should allow Gallinari to hit some transition three pointers and fall into a few extra rebounds I'll gladly have some shares.
Other Forwards to Consider: LeBron James, Draymond Green, Jarrett Allen
DraftKings DFS Centers
Joel Embiid - C, PHI @ CHI (DK - $9,700)
The infamous Joel Embiid was playing like a 10k player and then some before the All Star Break, so I'm surprised at this price tag in a good matchup against the fast-paced Bulls. Embiid did bust in this spot a few weeks back, but I'm going right back here. Chicago loves to drive, creating tons of block and steal upside for The Process. He'll also be covered by Robin Lopez, and that needs no further explanation. Embiid is my favorite player to pay up for on this slate.
Other Centers to Consider: Steven Adams, Willie Cauley-Stein,