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Free expert daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for today's slate on DraftKings and FanDuel. Use Mike Barner's NBA DFS expert picks to building winning DFS lineups on February 5, 2024.
Monday brings a six-game DFS slate. In terms of noteworthy injuries, Luka Doncic (ankle), Anthony Davis (Achilles/hip), and Zion Williamson (foot) are all listed as questionable.
The key to being successful in NBA DFS comes down to making adjustments during the day as injury information becomes available. But it's always really important to have a game plan and the best players and spots circled first before making those adjustments. To keep up with all the latest developments and get access to updated projections, grab an NBA season pass and also gain access to our RotoBaller Premium Discord where @chiefjustice6 is talking about the slate up until lineups lock!
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 2/5/24. Remember to monitor NBA injury news and our awesome NBA injuries report tool, as the slate can completely change before lineups lock at 7:00 p.m. EST on FanDuel and DraftKings.
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Today's NBA DFS Core Plays
Let's first take a look at our premium projections to see who we want to target for our top spend-ups tonight.
While there are only six games Monday, it’s a star-heavy slate. Among the teams that will take the floor are the Lakers, Warriors, and Clippers. The Lakers are a bit concerning for DFS purposes, though. They are dealing with injuries to Davis and LeBron James (ankle). They will play the Hornets, who have been one of the worst teams in the league. If Davis and James do play, they could spend added time on the bench in the second half if the Lakers have raced out to a big early lead.
In terms of players with one of our top projections, Stephen Curry stands out. He is coming off one of his best performances of the season, scoring 60 points over 41 minutes against the Hawks. He attempted 38 shots in that matchup and is averaging 24.0 shot attempts over his last eight games.
The Clippers will be playing the second game of a back-to-back set, so be sure to monitor their injury report for potential rest days. As long as he plays, Kawhi Leonard is a great option against a Hawks team that has played at the fourth-fastest pace in the league. Across his last 13 games, Leonard has averaged 25.0 points, 7.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.3 blocks.
Facing Curry and the Warriors will be the Nets, who are thin at center right now behind Nicolas Claxton. He is already in the midst of the best season of his career, providing 12.4 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game. The Warriors have had problems slowing down opposing centers, which included them allowing 19 points, 12 rebounds, and four blocks to Claxton in a matchup earlier this season.
Top Core Plays:
- Stephen Curry, GS at BKN – PG ($9,400 DK; $9,500 FD)
- Kawhi Leonard, LAC at ATL – SF/PF ($8,900 DK; $9,300 FD)
- Nicolas Claxton, BKN vs. GS - C ($6,900 DK; $7,700 FD)
Today's NBA DFS Value Plays
Using the same premium NBA projections, let's sort them by fantasy points per dollar to see what players are popping as the best values tonight.
The 76ers could be without Joel Embiid (knee) for the remainder of the regular season. That leaves a lot of shot attempts up for grabs. Expect some of them to go to Kelly Oubre Jr., who has stepped up with the team dealing with injuries by averaging 19.4 points and 5.0 rebounds over the last five games.
Andrew Wiggins (ankle) is listed as doubtful for the Warriors, dealing yet another blow to their underwhelming depth chart. Brandin Podziemski has already been one of their more versatile contributors, averaging 12.0 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists over the last eight games. Expect him to remain in a prominent role.
One of the best potential value plays for the entire slate is Onyeka Okongwu. Clint Capela (thigh) has been ruled out for at least a week, leaving Okongwu to step in as the Hawks’ starting center. The last time that Capela missed a game, Okongwu provided 19 points, 11 rebounds, and two blocks over 36 minutes against the 76ers.
Norman Powell continues to provide a scoring punch off the bench for the Clippers. He logged a modest 28 minutes against the Heat on Sunday, so this being the second game of a back-to-back set shouldn’t be a major concern for him. Given the fast pace at which the Hawks play, Powell has the potential to score in bunches off the bench.
Top Value Plays:
- Kelly Oubre Jr., PHO vs. DAL – SG/SF ($6,500 DK; $6,700 FD)
- Brandin Podziemski, GS at BKN – PG/SG ($5,700 DK; $5,700 FD)
- Onyeka Okongwu, ATL vs. LAC – PF/C ($5,100 DK; $6,000 FD)
- Norman Powell, LAC at ATL – SG/SF ($5,000 DK; $5,200 FD)
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Today's NBA DFS Lineup Picks: Point Guard
Curry should be a popular option at point guard, and rightfully so. Wiggins should be out and Klay Thompson is struggling, so if Curry isn’t scoring, the Warriors have little chance of winning. His usage rate should continue to be through the roof.
Another star to consider for this slate is James Harden. Not only does he have a terrific matchup against the Hawks, but he comes into it having averaged 17.4 points, 6.5 rebounds, 9.0 assists, and 1.1 steals over his last eight games.
Top PG Options:
- Stephen Curry, GS at BKN, ($9,400 DK; $9,500 FD)
- James Harden, LAC at ATL, ($8,700 DK; $8,500 FD)
- Austin Reaves, LAL at CHA, ($6,800 DK; $7,600 FD)
- Brandin Podziemski, GS at BKN, ($5,700 DK; $5,700 FD)
Today's NBA DFS Lineup Picks: Shooting Guard
Don’t sleep on Cam Thomas. When he is locked in, he can score with the best of them. He’s on a heater right now, averaging 27.4 points and shooting 55.3 percent from the field over his last eight games. The Warriors have the ninth-worst defensive rating in the league, so they’ll be facing an uphill battle trying to slow him down.
Two of our top value options are eligible at the shooting guard spot. Oubre has a significantly higher salary than Powell, but his matchup is also appealing. The Mavericks have played at the eighth-fastest pace and they have the sixth-worst defensive rating in the league.
Top SG Options:
- Mikal Bridges, BKN vs. GS, ($7,200 DK; $7,800 FD)
- Cam Thomas, BKN vs. GS, ($6,600 DK; $7,200 FD)
- Kelly Oubre Jr., PHI vs. DAL, ($6,500 DK; $6,700 FD)
- Norman Powell, LAC at ATL, ($5,000 DK; $5,200 FD)
Today's NBA DFS Lineup Picks: Small Forward
The Hornets are likely to be without LaMelo Ball (ankle) for the sixth straight game. That should continue to lead to added scoring opportunities for Brandon Miller. Since Ball went down, Miller has averaged 25.0 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.8 assists.
Another value play to consider is Lonnie Walker IV. He has seen an increase in playing time, logging at least 27 minutes in each of the last three games for the Nets. During that span, he averaged 19.3 points, 4.7 assists, and 1.7 steals.
Top SF Options:
- Kawhi Leonard, LAC at ATL, ($8,900 DK; $9,300 FD)
- Scottie Barnes, TOR at NO, ($8,800 DK; $9,100 FD)
- Brandon Miller, CHA vs. LAL, ($6,800 DK; $7,300 FD)
- Lonnie Walker IV, BKN vs. GS, ($4,000 DK; $5,600 FD)
Today's NBA DFS Lineup Picks: Power Forward
The Hawks might be sellers as the trade deadline approaches, but one player who isn’t going anywhere is Jalen Johnson. He is in the midst of a breakout campaign and has been extremely productive lately, putting up 18.3 points, 8.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.3 steals over the last nine games. The Clippers aren’t an ideal matchup, but Johnson has a large enough role to still be worth considering.
The Warriors need scoring from Jonathan Kuminga. He has obliged, averaging 24.6 points and shooting 62.1 percent from the field over the last nine games. With Wiggins out, expect him to receive plenty of shot attempts again.
Top PF Options:
- Jalen Johnson, ATL vs. LAC, ($7,300 DK; $8,400 FD)
- Jonathan Kuminga, GS at BKN, ($7,000 DK; $7,500 FD)
- P.J. Washington, CHA vs. LAL, ($6,000 DK; $6,100 FD)
- Josh Green, DAL at PHI, ($4,900 DK; $5,300 FD)
Today's NBA DFS Lineup Picks: Center
There only being six games doesn’t leave us with a ton of options. However, the two that stand out the most at center are Claxton and Okongwu. For those looking for a player with a higher floor, take Claxton. Over his last 14 games, he has averaged 13.7 points, 12.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.7 blocks.
For those looking to save some of their budget at the center spot, Okongwu is the way to go. He is the future at the center spot for the Hawks, but Capela and his hefty contract have been blocking his path. With Capela out, Okongwu could provide stellar value.
Top C Options:
- Nicolas Claxton, BKN vs. GS, ($6,900 DK; $7,700 FD)
- Jonas Valanciunas, NOP vs. TOR, ($6,500 DK; $7,300 FD)
- Nick Richards, CHA vs. LAL, ($5,700 DK; $7,000 FD)
- Onyeka Okongwu, ATL vs. LAC, ($5,100 DK; $6,200 FD)
Today's Top NBA DFS Game Stacks
- Mavericks at 76ers (243 total)
- Clippers at Hawks (242.5 total)
- Warriors at Nets (237.5 total)
Today's Top NBA DFS Avoids
- Stay away from Darius Garland, who will likely remain on a minutes restriction for the Cavaliers.
- Even if they play, the Lakers potentially blowing out the Hornets makes James and Davis too risky.
- Raptors stars could be risky. They are big underdogs against the Pelicans and they will be playing the second game of a back-to-back set. If they fall into a big hole early, they might not play much in the fourth quarter.
My Favorite NBA DFS Lineup Picks for Today
Here is where I leave you with some of my favorites.
- My favorite overall play on the slate: Stephen Curry
- My favorite CASH play on the slate: Nicolas Claxton
- My favorite GPP play on the slate: Cam Thomas
- My favorite value play: Onyeka Okongwu
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