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FanDuel NBA DFS Lineup Picks (8/1/20): Daily Fantasy Basketball Advice

Happy weekend, RotoBallers! I know we've all waited a long time to get basketball back in our lives, but I must say that having wall-to-wall action all day is a perfect way to make up for all the games we've missed over the last few months. With 22 teams participating, we don't have our usual defensively-weak teams to pick on, but there is always a way to find value.

In Saturday's five-game slate, we have New Orleans taking on the Los Angeles Clippers. The Pelicans rank in the bottom seven in fantasy points allowed to point guards, shooting guards, and small forwards. Combine that bad defense with the Pelicans' third-fastest pace in the league, and there should be a ton of opportunities for points in their game. They already dropped their first game to the Jazz. If they want to make the playoffs, they will have to take the training wheels off Zion Williamson and unleash him on opposing teams.

In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel on 8/1/20. You can also check out today's DraftKings lineup picks. Remember to monitor injury news as the slate can completely change before lineups lock. Good luck!

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FanDuel DFS Guards

Paul George - SG, LAC vs NO ($7,700)

Paul George looked excellent in his first game back on Thursday night against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers are the second-toughest defense against shooting guards, but that is not the case, today, against the New Orleans Pelicans. They rank 26th versus shooting guards while allowing 42.6 fantasy points per game to the position. George's salary is only the 11th-highest on the slate, but the matchup and his recent form give me a reason to believe that he could finish inside the top-five scorers today.

Before the season suspended in March, George was averaging his highest true shooting percentage and offensive rating of the season. That form didn't seem to drop off on Thursday, and if the 30-year old puts up another massive performance on Saturday, this will likely be the lowest salary you will see for George for the remainder of the season.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander - SG, OKC vs UTA ($7,300)

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was in the middle of a breakout season before the league stopped a few months ago. The second-year guard was averaging 19.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in 35.1 minutes. I don't believe that he will slow down after the restart. On the season, he averaged 34.5 fantasy points per game, and that means his price is appropriate heading into Saturday's game against the Utah Jazz. We want those players that can return four to five times their value in our lineups. SGA also offers more upside than his similarly priced colleagues on the slate. Utah ranks in the middle of the pack against shooting guards, but Gilgeous-Alexander is not a middle of the pack guard. If the previously mentioned Paul George is just a little too expensive for your lineup tonight, SGA is a great alternative.

Monte Morris - PG, DEN vs. MIA ($3,900)

Jamaal Murray, Will Barton, and Gary Harris are all banged up and may miss tonight's restart opener versus the Heat. That leaves a lot of ball-handling opportunities to Monte Morris. The young guard has shown what he can do in flashes. When he plays at least 20 minutes, the former-Iowa State guard has averaged 11 points, 4.2 assists, and shot 50.4 percent from the field. However, if you increase the minutes to at 30, he averages  13.6 points, 5.3 assists, and 53.1 percent from the field. Morris only has to hit 20 fantasy points to hit that excellent range of returns on his cost. I suspect that he eclipses 30 minutes tonight with the Nuggets slightly hobbled.

The Nuggets are a safe bet to finish as a top-four seed, but it remains to be seen what is the priority for Head Coach Michael Malone. If it's to make sure everyone is healthy for the playoffs, then Malone should err on the side of caution and sit his injured players. This would leave Morris as a great value play on Saturday against a Miami defense that allows 43.8 fantasy points per game to point guards.

 

FanDuel DFS Forwards

Kawhi Leonard - SF, LAC vs. NO ($9,500)

Kawhi Leonard has the third-highest salary on Saturday's slate of games, but I think he has the easiest matchup in the top-10. It's very similar to the case for Paul George. The Pelicans do not have a good defense against small forwards. They allow 42.4 fantasy points per game against the position, and Leonard averages 47.6 FPPG on the year.

There is always the danger that he sits out for rest, so keep an eye on the lineups heading into the contests. There should be some decent options to pivot towards if he did sit. However, if he does play, then I fully intend to have him in some of my lineups. The over/under for this game is the highest of the night at 227. Therefore, we should see a lot of scoring and rebounding opportunities for Leonard. The matchup, the player, and the value are too good to ignore tonight.

Kyle Kuzma - PF, LAL vs TOR ($4,700)

Kyle Kuzma seemed to have a rough season. He couldn't find a way to fit into the new-look Lakers starting lineup, but he was still averaging 20.7 fantasy points per game. Well, the break may have done him some good as Kuzma stormed back and kicked off the restart with quite a performance. In 22 minutes, he recorded eight points, 10 rebounds, two blocks, and one steal. That added up to 29.4 points for his fantasy managers.

It's probably unrealistic to expect that every night, but his price point has not changed enough for me to keep him out of some lineups tonight. Toronto ranks 11th versus power forwards this season, but they could still be shaking off some of the COVID-19 rust. Kuzma can take advantage of that and continue to play his way into more minutes as the Lakers cruise towards the playoffs and one of the best records in the league.

Dion Waiters - SF, LAL vs. TOR ($3,900)

"Hello? Yes, I would like to book a trip to Waiters Island." If you've been an NBA fan long enough, you've at least visited Waiters Island. Maybe you were even tricked into purchasing a timeshare property there during the second half of the 2017 season. Well, that was a lousy investment long term, but maybe you can make some of your money back tonight.

Waiters scored 11 points in his Lakers debut on Thursday to go along with three rebounds, three assists, and one block in 21 minutes. No offense to Frank Vogel, but if LeBron James liked what he saw out of Waiters, then he is going to get more playing time. They need someone to take the offensive load off James and Anthony Davis, and Waiters showed he wasn't afraid to take on that challenge with his 10 field goal attempts on Thursday night.

 

FanDuel DFS Centers

Derrick Favors - C, NO vs. LAC ($5,100)

The Los Angeles Clippers do not have a lot of weak spots on the defensive end. They rank in the top-15 against points guards, shooting guards, small forwards, and power forwards. The center position is a different story and is an area to attack them now with Montrezl Harrell out for today's contest.

Derrick Favors has been a stabilizing veteran for a New Orleans team that has found itself in the thick of a playoff race. Their loss to the Utah Jazz on Thursday was a blow, but a bounce-back win against the Clippers would be huge. Favors is only averaging 9.1 points and 9.8 rebounds on the season, but, without Harrell, he has an opportunity to return substantial value against a weakened Clippers interior defense. The 29-year old may not be the most exciting option, but he is capable of putting up some monster games. In three of his last seven appearances, he has scored at least 34 points.

NBA DFS News and Injury Alerts

More DFS Lineup Picks and Analysis




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REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

TreVeyon Henderson

Signs Rookie Contract
Christian Watson

Goes on PUP List
Austin Riley

Hopes to be Activated Next Week
Ketel Marte

Lands on Restricted List After Burglary
Ricky Pearsall

Heads to PUP List
Brandon Aiyuk

Placed on PUP List
Luther Burden III

Signs Rookie Deal
Washington Nationals

Eli Willits Expected to Sign Contract on Saturday
Grayson Rodriguez

Being Shut Down Again - Will We See Him Again This Year?
Ezequiel Tovar

Activated and Back in Lineup on Friday
Max Fried

"Hopeful" to Pitch Next Week - Looks Like He'll Avoid IL Stint
Steven Kwan

Receives Injection in Wrist, Considered Day-to-Day
CJ Abrams

Back to Start Second Half
Alec Bohm

Back From Rib Injury on Friday
Trey Hendrickson

Holdout to Spill into Regular Season?
Jalen McMillan

Bucs Offensive Coordinator Not Forgetting About Jalen McMillan
Levi Onwuzurike

to Miss at Least Four Games
Nick Emmanwori

Seahawks, Nick Emmanwori Reach Agreement on Rookie Deal
Max Holloway

Set For Main Event
Brandon Lowe

Back From 10-Day Injured List
Dustin Poirier

Set For His Final UFC Fight
Roman Kopylov

Set For Co-Main Event
Paulo Costa

Returns At UFC 318
Luis L. Ortiz

to Remain on Leave for Another Month - Will he Pitch Again?
Daniel Rodriguez

Looks For Third Win In A Row
Kevin Holland

Set For His Fourth Fight This Year
Dan Ige

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
MMA

Patricio Freire Set For His Second UFC Fight
Daniel Zellhuber

Set To Open Up UFC 318 Main Card
Michael Johnson

Looks For Third Consecutive Win
Elijah Arroyo

Signs Rookie Deal
Jaydon Blue

Described as "Borderline Lazy"
T.J. Sanders

Bills Sign T.J. Sanders to Rookie Deal
Christian Wilkins

Raiders Put Christian Wilkins on PUP List
Jabari Small

Lions Add Jabari Small to Backfield
Quinshon Judkins

Remains Unsigned, Won't Report With Rest of Rookies
Mason Taylor

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Jets
Hendon Hooker

Leading Lions QB2 Battle Entering Training Camp
Ozzy Trapilo

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Bears
Tate Ratledge

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Lions
Jack Bech

Signs Rookie Contract with Raiders
Yegor Chinakhov

Requests Trade
Dakota Joshua

Maple Leafs Acquire Dakota Joshua
Lukas Dostal

Signs Five-Year Extension with Ducks
Shemar Stewart

Not Practicing With College Team
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Expected Back Friday
Damian Lillard

Returning to Portland
Paul Skenes

Pirates Could Preserve Paul Skenes in Second Half
Brooks Barnhizer

Grabs 19 Points, Nine Boards in Summer League Win
Jeremiah Fears

Scores 22 Points in Summer League Loss to Thunder
Isaiah Collier

Collects 17 Points In Summer League Win
Caleb Houstan

Joins Hawks
AJ Johnson

Erupts for 25 Points in Summer League Loss
Washington Wizards

Leaky Black Logs Double-Double in Loss to Jazz
Connor Norby

Undergoes Surgery, Expected to Miss 6-8 Weeks
Trey Alexander

Tallies 25 Points in Losing Effort
Johni Broome

Records Second Consecutive Double-Double
Jahmir Young

Has Historic Summer League Outing
Rob Dillingham

Plays Big Role in Wednesday's Win
Tyrese Proctor

Erupts for 35 Points Against Kings
Cody Williams

Leads Jazz to Victory Against Wizards
LeBron James

Mavs Not Interested in "Gutting its Roster" For LeBron James
Josh Hart

Undergoes a Procedure on Right Finger
Jake Burger

Goes on 10-Day Injured List With Quad Strain
Sal Frelick

Dealing With Grade 1 Hamstring Strain, TBD for Start of Second Half
Chris Sale

Plays Catch
Los Angeles Clippers

Bradley Beal Heading to Los Angeles to Join Clippers After Contract Buyout
Rayan Rupert

Scores 24 Points in Summer League Win
Derik Queen

Collects Third Consecutive Double-Double in Summer League Loss
GG Jackson II

Records 13 Points in Summer League Action on Tuesday
Johni Broome

Logs Double-Double Against Wizards
DaRon Holmes II

Records Double-Double in Summer League Loss to Raptors
Kyle Schwarber

Named All-Star Game MVP
Harris English

Takes Stellar 2025 Performance to The Open Championship
Aldrich Potgieter

Seeks Better Result in Northern Ireland
Cameron Young

Likely to Hang Around at The Open Championship
Cameron Smith

Just Trying to Make the Cut at Royal Portrush
Jordan Spieth

Is Jordan Spieth Still a Natural for Links Style Golf?
Patrick Reed

a Viable Option at The Open Championship
PGA

Sungjae Im Wants to Rebound from Last Experience at Royal Portrush
Xander Schauffele

Looks to Defend His Claret Jug at Royal Portrush
Tony Finau

Trying to Turn Tide at Royal Portrush
Daniel Brown

Seeks a Rebound at The Open Championship
Rory McIlroy

Will be the Most Watched Player This Week at Royal Portrush
Daniel Berger

Trending Poorly as The Open Championship Looms
Clayton Kershaw

Retires Both Batters In ASG Appearance
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Hit In Pinky In All-Star Game, X-Rays Negative
MLB

NL All-Stars Win On Tie-Breaker Home Run Swing-Off
Robert MacIntyre

Hoping to Bounce Back at Open Championship
Shane Lowry

Hopes to Repeat at Royal Portrush
Brian Harman

Hopes to Rekindle Some Magic at the 153rd Open
UTA

Michael Carcone Returns to Utah on One-Year Contract
Bowen Byram

Signs Two-Year Deal with Sabres
Morgan Barron

Jets Re-Sign Morgan Barron for Two Years
PGA

Chris Gotterup Punches Ticket to Royal Portrush With Win at Scottish Open
Bryson DeChambeau

Hopes to Reverse Links Golf Struggle at the 153rd Open
Keegan Bradley

Needs to Find The Weekend at Royal Portrush for Ryder Cup Hopes
Justin Thomas

Finishes Tied For 22nd at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Genesis Scottish Open
Jon Rahm

Finishes in Second at LIV Andalucia
Tallison Teixeira

Suffers First-Round TKO
Derrick Lewis

Scores First-Round TKO
Stephen Thompson

Loses Controversial Split Decision
Gabriel Bonfim

Wins Controversial Split Decision
Calvin Kattar

Gets Outclassed At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Extends His Win Streak
Nate Landwehr

Gets Knocked Out
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere Scores Third-Round Knockout
Austen Lane

Suffers Submission Loss
Vitor Petrino

Scores First-Round Submission In Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Earns His First UFC Win
Chase Elliott

Charges to A Finish of Third At Sonoma
Chase Briscoe

Finishes Second With his First Career Road-Course Top-Five at Sonoma
Christopher Bell

Rollercoaster Day Ends With Top-5 Finish at Sonoma
William Byron

Maintains the Regular-Season Points Lead
Kyle Busch

Earns A Hard-Fought Top-10 Finish At Sonoma
Alex Ovechkin

Not Thinking About Retirement
PIT

Penguins Acquire Arturs Silovs
NHL

Nikolai Kovalenko Returns to Russia
Tyler Reddick

Evades Near Upset to Remain Alive in In-Season Challenge
Ty Gibbs

One of Three Tylers to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinals
Kyle Larson

Curiously Mediocre at Sonoma Before Late-Race Crash
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek Edges Out Teammate to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Alex Bowman

Ty Dillon Bumps Alex Bowman to Advance to In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Shane Van Gisbergen

Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen at Sonoma?
Tyler Reddick

Better at Sonoma Than Record Shows
Chase Elliott

a Prime DFS Option at Sonoma
Michael McDowell

Struggling a Bit at Sonoma
NASCAR

Christopher Bell Has Never Finished Better Than Ninth at Sonoma
Ryan Blaney

Has Top-10 Upside at Sonoma
NASCAR

Sunday at Sonoma Will Likely Be a Long Race for Bubba Wallace
Kyle Larson

Is A Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Ryan Preece

Points Position Could Affect Race at Sonoma
Todd Gilliland

Struggling to Find Speed at Sonoma
Ty Gibbs

May be an Underrated Favorite to Compete for the Win at Sonoma
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