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The top daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on October 26, 2018. Daniel Benjamin's NBA DFS analysis and sleepers for building optimal DFS rosters.
While there are fewer games on the docket for the second Friday of the NBA season -- compared to last week -- there is plenty of intrigue. How will Stephen Curry and Giannis Antetokounmpo perform following their monster games on Wednesday? Are they worth their enormous price tags?
Injuries are starting to take its toll on some of the league's major stars. James Harden (hamstring) is the latest player added to the injury list as he is expected to miss a week. The Rockets, who face the Clippers tonight, will have Chris Paul back from suspension. Several other players are either out or listed as questionable for their team's games
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 10/26/18. These DFS lineup picks can vary from higher-priced players and elite options to lower-priced players and value picks on DraftKings. You can also check out tonight's FanDuel lineup picks and our Premium DFS Cheat Sheet as well as our brand new NBA DFS Matchup Ratings tool.
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DraftKings DFS Guards
Zach LaVine - PG/SG @ CHA ($7,900)
LaVine has been playing at an incredible level, ranking third in the league in efficiency among shooting guards. The 23-year-old is coming off a 32-point, four-rebound and five-assist effort against the Hornets -- the team that he faces tonight -- on Wednesday. With that performance, he joined Michael Jordan as the only player in team history to start a season with four straight 30-point games.
LaVine ranks third in the NBA in scoring with 32.3 points a game. He is averaging 1.67 points per shot while posting an effective shooting percentage 0f 63.6% and a true shooting percentage of 69.5%. A big reason that the 6-foot-5 combo guard has been so efficient has been his ability to finish at the rim. LaVine -- who also ranks fourth in the league in usage (32.3%) -- is attempting 9.0 free throws a game during the early going, making 86.1% of those shots. He set career highs by sinking 11 of 12 shots from the charity stripe on Wednesday.
LaVine has registered at 40 fantasy points in each of his first four games. The fifth-year pro has a good matchup against the Hornets and he is actually playing better on the road than at home.
Khris Middleton SG/SF @ Min ($7,000)
Middleton, like LaVine, is off to a hot start and he has really become a reliable sidekick to Giannis Antetokounmpo for the Bucks. The 27-year-old, who produced a career-high 20.1 points a game last year, is averaging 24.3 points along with 6.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists a game through the first four contests. He has scored 19 or more points in each of the games this season.
Middleton is currently shooting the ball as he has never before. He has knocked down 50.8% shots overall and 58.1% of his three-pointers for a nifty effective shooting percentage of 65.6%. The eighth-year pro -- No. 3 in efficiency among small forwards -- ranks third in the NBA with 4.5 triples a game as he has drained three or more shots from long range in each game.
Middleton is one of the most consistent players in fantasy as he contributes something in every category. He has a pretty enticing matchup against the Wolves, which could be more advantageous if Andrew Wiggins (quad) is unable to go.
Wesley Matthews SG/SF @TOR ($5,600)
Matthews looks rejuvenated this year. The 32-year-old vet is coming off back-to-back 20-point games for the first time since early January. He is averaging 19.3 points a game as he has scored at least 15 points in each of his first four games.
Matthews is a high-volume scorer who really doesn't provide much else besides three-point shooting. But that has worked for the Mavericks as they have been without Harrison Barnes (hamstring), who is listed as probable for tonight's game, and Dirk Nowitzki (ankle) thus far. He ranks in the top-five of the league in both three-pointers made (3.8) and three-point attempts (10.8).
While fantasy owners shouldn't expect Matthews usage to continue at the current rate of around 22% with Barnes coming back, he is a decent play against the Raptors tonight.
DraftKings DFS Forwards
Nikola Mirotic SF/PF vs BKN ($7,400)
This might be the year that the 27-year-old Yugoslavian native finally realizes his full potential. Mirotic recorded his second double-double of the season against the Clippers on Tuesday despite shooting just 7-for-18 from the field, which includes missing all six of his shots from long range. He finished the game with 18 points and 12 rebounds.
Mirotic seems to like playing alongside Anthony Davis. In 33 games with the Pelicans, the fifth-year pro has produced 10 double-doubles while averaging 15.8 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.3 triples a game. He currently ranks third among power forwards in efficiency.
Mirotic, who has scored 30 points twice this season, is producing 46.6 fantasy points a game. He has a really appealing matchup with the Nets on Friday.
Danny Green SG/SF vs DAL ($4,200)
The 31-year-old is a streaky shooter who is currently shooting (59.5%) and scoring (1.23 points per shot) at an efficiency level that he hasn't seen since the 2014-15 campaign. He is producing 13.5 points. 6.0 rebounds and 2.1 assists per 40 minutes while recording a 60% true shooting percentage.
Green, an excellent defender, has the ability to contribute points for fantasy owners in a variety of categories. He has made multiple three-pointers in four of his five games and he is averaging a career-best 2.8 triples a game. The 10-year vet also has three double figure scoring games, three games of five or more rebounds and has registered at least one block or steal in each contest.
Opposing backcourts have had a field day against the Mavericks guards. Dallas' backcourt ranks 27th in the league in efficiency difference as they are allowing the second most points, third most three-pointers, sixth most rebounds and fourth most assists. Their opponents are also shooting 48.5% from the field and 48.4% from beyond the arc.
Kevon Looney PF/C @NY ($3,600)
Looney is the ultimate value play here and he is finally getting a chance to contribute on a regular basis. The 22-year-old, who is serving as center Damian Jones'main backup, is currently averaging 6.2 points along with 5.0 caroms, 1.8 assists and 1.0 block. Which is good enough for 17.9 fantasy points a game.
Looney won't score a lot, but he is an excellent offensive rebounder. He ranks in the top-15 of the league in offensive rebound percentage (15.5%) and around the top-50 in rebound percentage overall (13.3). The fourth-year pro has one double-double, two double digit scoring games, three games of five or more rebounds, two games of two blocks and three games of multiple assists.
DraftKings DFS Center
Karl-Anthony Towns vs MIL ($8,000)
Towns is off to a slow start, particularly offensively. Last season's league leader in double-doubles only has one such game this year. After being limited to just eight points in the season opener, he has reached double digits in each of his other four games -- the fourth-year pro is averaging 20 points over his last three games.
Towns, who is shooting only 42.6% from the field, is producing career highs with 1.8 trifectas, 45.0% three-point shooting, 2.0 blocks and 95.5% free throw shooting. It figures his production and usage, which is at a career worst of 21.7%, will go up. Towns has attempted 45 of his 61 shots over the last three games. He also has played better at home than on the road this season.
Additionally, Towns has a good matchup versus Brook Lopez and John Henson. While the Bucks' frontcourt is among the league's best defensively, they have been by Joel Embiid and Enes Kanter this week. Those two combined to produce 44 points and 32 rebounds over the last two games.
Willie Cauley-Stein vs WAS ($5,900)
Cauley-Stein is off to the best start to a season in his career and it isn't even close. The 7-footer has thrived despite facing some of the top centers in the game. He has one double-double, although he has tallied double figures in each of his five games -- topping 2o points twice.
