DraftKings and FanDuel Daily Fantasy Basketball Picks (2/19/23): NBA DFS Lineups

Recommending lineup picks for tonight's All-Star Game is bordering on being an impossible task. What makes this so hard is that the teams haven't yet been picked, so we have to use sheer guesswork to figure out which players will get the most minutes and which might hog usage and fantasy production. Another oddity is that DraftKings decided to forego offering any contests for this game, so we get to analyze this game from a FanDuel-only perspective. FanDuel's single-game format includes an MVP slot (2x points), a STAR slot (1.5x points), a PRO slot (1.2x points), and two UTIL slots. Let's get to it.

Here is my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel and DraftKings on 2/19/23. Keep an eye on RotoBaller’s NBA injury news and also our full NBA injury report today to stay up to date before lineups are locked.

2022 All-Star Game

*via Basketball-Reference

FanDuel MVP/STAR - NBA DFS Lineup Picks

Giannis Antetokounmpo (FD: $14,500)

There is only one thing we know for certain about the All-Star Game teams: LeBron and Giannis are the captains of their respective squads. That means those two players won't be on the same team, which is suitable for both stars. As you can see in the box score above, Giannis went OFF for 30/12/6/3/1 in last year's All-Star Game, amassing his huge line in just over 26 minutes while shooting over 70% from the field. He's the type of player who isn't going to back down or "take it easy" in this game as some of the veterans might, and his unique skill set means that we don't need to rely on him hitting mid-range or deep shots to crush value. Unlike last year, he won't be teamed up with LeBron and his 2-for-11 3PT shooting this time. Take advantage and get Giannis into your MVP or STAR slots tonight.

Damian Lillard (FD: $11,500)

One thing we know about the way All-Star games are played is that there's always at least one player who takes a million three-pointers, and that can be very valuable in a format like this, as defense is optional until the Elo Ending is enforced. Lillard is one of the only true "chuckers" in the game this year, as Stephen Curry won't play, Trae Young didn't make the team, and the rest of the guards (Morant, Kyrie, Jaylen Brown, Donovan Mitchell, Paul George, SGA, Fox, Jrue Holiday) aren't on the same level as Lillard as a three-point specialist. "Dame" is shooting 37.2% on 11.2 attempts per game from deep this year, and while those aren't outstanding numbers, this is the type of format where he can go nuclear. Notably, he's coming off his first-ever win in the three-point contest last night, so there could certainly be some carryover tonight as he looks to be the weekend's big story.

Also consider: Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic

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FanDuel PRO/UTIL - NBA DFS Lineup Picks

Joel Embiid (FD: $12,500)

We see a handful of bench players receiving close to starter-level minutes every year, and I don't think that changes in this year's contest. There's also a degree of "someone has to get the rebounds for all of these uncontested deep attempts" to this game, which means players like Jarrett Allen, Towns, and Gobert benefit from the laissez-faire nature of the game (RE: 2022 All-Star Game). This year, the lineup of "big men off the bench" includes Embiid, Randle, Adebayo, Siakam, Jackson Jr., Markkanen, and Sabonis. You can roll the dice on any of these players, but my lean is toward the ones who project to play the most minutes. I'm no betting man (oh wait...yes, I am), but if I had to wager on one player in that group getting the most playing time, it would be Embiid, as he's the best player in that group. He has been battling a foot issue for what seems like forever now, but he appeared in 11 consecutive games heading into the All-Star break and averaged 31.8 points, 11.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.5 steals in that span. Randle, Adebayo, and the other bigs are worth sprinkling in, but Embiid has the best chance to emerge with a ceiling game from this group.

Anthony Edwards (FD: $7,000)

"Ant" squeaked into the All-Star Game field this year after Curry and Williamson were ruled out due to injury. He fully deserved it, though, with the incredible season he is enjoying as a breakout star for the Timberwolves. He's averaging 21.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 2.0 "stocks" (steals + blocks) per game this season, and some of the advanced stats love him (3.5 WS, 17.8 PER, 57% TS%). He's playing in just his third season after being drafted first overall in 2020, and he's the type of player who will bring his full energy and enthusiasm onto the court for his first taste of the All-Star Game. I expect him to take full advantage of his opportunities with the ball, and I wouldn't be surprised if he's "that guy" defensively pestering players that want a free-flowing, carefree game. He said he's "gunning for MVP" and plans to "get in the game and shoot all the shots." If he can be in the group of bench players that sees at least 20 minutes of action, he will be someone we want on our DFS rosters tonight.

Also consider: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Bam Adebayo, Donovan Mitchell, Julius Randle, Pascal Siakam

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