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The top daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on March 23, 2021. Euan Leith provides NBA DFS analysis and sleeper picks for building optimal DFS rosters.
Happy Tuesday, RotoBallers! Depending on the time you read this, we are either over or under two days until the NBA trade deadline. Although the ramifications of those deals will mostly be felt after the trade goes down, they still have the potential to create chaos in lineups over the next couple of days. Players involved in dealings may sit at the last moment without any warning. Do your best to keep your ear to the ground, and turn on those twitter notifications!
The Brooklyn-Portland game is the game that will have a lot of daily fantasy implications. The Nets are missing some stars, and this game has the highest over/under on the slate at 236.5 points. Two other games to look at will be the Los Angeles Lakers taking on New Orleans and Philadelphia challenging Golden State. The Lakers, Warriors, and 76ers will also be missing some star players, and there will be plenty of discounts to fill up our DFS lineups this evening.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 3/23/21. You can also check out today's FanDuel lineup picks. With COVID-19 a significant factor, remember to monitor injury news as the slate can completely change before lineups lock.
DraftKings DFS Guards
James Harden - PG, BKN at GS ($11,000)
Harden gets the nod as the most expensive player on the slate, and with good reason. Kyrie Irving (personal) and Kevin Durant (hamstring) will stay off the court tonight, and it will boost Harden to Houston-level usage rates. From Mar. 1-Mar. 17, the 2018 MVP averaged 27.7 points, 12.8 assists, 11.3 rebounds, 1.7 steals, and 1.2 blocks. Add those stats up, and it comes out to a ridiculous 69.25 fantasy points per game.
The Trail Blazers won't be a problem for a player of Harden's talent. Portland is allowing the third-most fantasy points to point guards over their last seven games. One thing to look out for is Harden's questionable injury designation. He is dealing with a sore neck, but I would expect him to lace them up on Tuesday with both superstar teammates unavailable.
Jordan Poole - PG/SG, GS vs. PHI ($5,600)
Poole has been incredible since Stephen Curry (tailbone) went down last week. The 21-year old guard is averaging 24.7 points, three assists, 1.3 steals, and four triples in his previous three games. Curry is out for tonight's game against the 76ers and it leaves Poole in line for another big game. The only word of caution would be that the 76ers have the second-best defense versus point guards over their last seven games, but it's still hard to knock Poole out of lineups with that $5,600 price tag.
Shake Milton - PG/SG, PHI at GS ($5,500)
On the other side of the court from Poole will be Shake Milton. Seth Curry (ankle) will sit again on Tuesday, and Milton will get an extra run on the court as a result. While the 76ers backcourt can become crowded at times, Milton has the hot hand for fantasy purposes. He's scored at least 20 points in two-straight games and is averaging 15.6 field-goal attempts per game over his last three contests.
This matchup is one of the three best games on the slate for DFS options, and grabbing a couple of pieces will keep your team in contention late into the night. Milton is an inexpensive piece that can provide positive returns on his $5,500 price tag versus a Warriors team playing at the second-fastest pace in the NBA this season.
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DraftKings DFS Forwards
Julius Randle - PF/C, NY vs. WAS ($9,900)
Recommending high-salary players isn't my favorite thing to accomplish in this article, but I'll make another exception for Randle. The Wizards are the second-worst defense versus power forwards and the fourth-worst defense versus centers over their last seven games. His usage rate hasn't fallen below 25 percent since the Knicks resumed their season, and he is providing sky-high fantasy totals.
In his last five games, the 26-year old is producing 24 points, 11.2 rebounds, 9.2 assists, 2.2 steals, and 2.4 threes. Those numbers equal a whopping 58.1 FPPG. When you add-in how fast the Wizards play (106.6 possessions per game) with Randle's recent production, it's a recipe for massive fantasy success.
Will Barton - SF, DEN at ORL ($5,800)
Overall, I am not a fan of this contest between the Nuggets and Magic, but there is always value if you look close enough. Barton stands out in this matchup with Monte Morris (quad) and Gary Harris (groin) sitting out another game. The 30-year old has been balling while the Nuggets deal with a depleted bench. Since the All-Star break, Barton is averaging 19.8 points, four rebounds, four assists, 1.2 steals, and 3.3 threes over six games.
A big reason for his recent rise is the shot attempts. Before the break, the 2012 draft pick was only taking 10.21 shots per game. However, since the second half of the season tipped off, Barton is up to 16 shots daily. He's only $5,800 and facing the fourth-worst defense versus small forwards over the last seven games.
Talen Horton-Tucker - SF, LAL at NO ($5,500)
Horton-Tucker has a chance to become a reliable fantasy asset with LeBron James (ankle) out for the next few weeks. It's anyone's guess with how the Lakers will adapt to life without LeBron. Will they increase the tempo? Slow it down even more? With that uncertainty, I want to limit my risk-taking and find a cheaper option from the purple and gold roster.
The first players in line for a boost with be Kyle Kuzma and Dennis Schroder, but if we look a little further down the depth chart, we see THT. The 20-year old has been playing better recently, and it should translate to a solid return on Tuesday. In his last eight games, he has scored at least 16 points on four occasions and is averaging 3.8 rebounds and 3.56 assists. A 20-5-5 performance isn't out of the question for the sophomore wing, and, at $5,500, I'll take my chance that he is the primary beneficiary of James' absence.
DraftKings DFS Centers
Dwight Howard - C, PHI at GS ($6,000)
It hasn't been instant fantasy-success for Howard since Joel Embiid (knee) went down just after the All-Star break, but he has a fantastic matchup this evening. While Howard is averaging 29.75 FPPG, his rebounding ability is providing a solid floor with the chance at a 40-point evening in games. The three-time Defensive Player of the Year has snatched double-digit rebounds in six of his last seven games and is averaging 13.25 rebounds in his previous four contests.
The Warriors own the worst-defense versus centers since the All-Star break, giving up 68.22 points per night to big men. Howard will share some frontcourt duties with his teammates, but he is still my favorite play for the 76ers this evening. Both teams are in the top-three fastest-paced lineups on tonight's slate for the season and over their last 10 games. A high-scoring, up-and-down game should increase Howard's chances of hitting a six or seven-times return on his $6,000 cost.
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