This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
We end the month of February with seven games on the DraftKings main slate. Half of the teams (Brooklyn, Atlanta, Miami, Cleveland, Memphis, Phoenix, Orlando) come in on a back-to-back, so you'll want to monitor the news, in case some players sit out for rest purposes. There are also some injuries to keep in mind that could open up some value as the day progresses. On a first look, two matchups clearly stand out when you factor in game total and pace of play. They could be the best place to start when building your lineups today.
Slate Overview
MIA (-7) vs BKN, O/U 220.5
ATL (-1.5) vs POR, O/U 237.5
The Trailblazers, in the slates highest total, head into Atlanta to take on the Hawks. This game should be up and down with very little defense as the Hawks play at the fourth fastest (105.9) pace in the league making the Trailblazers the more appealing side to target. CJ McCollum has been on fire, with Damian Lillard sidelined, posting 50 or more fantasy points in three of his last four games. Running it back with Trae Young, who is top five in the league (36%) in usage, makes a lot of sense if this game ends up shooting out like it's projected.
IND (-8) at CLE, O/U 215
LAL (-8) at MEM, O/U 226.5
BOS (-1.5) vs HOU, O/U 231.5
This game offers plenty from a DFS and real life basketball standpoint. It should be highly competitive from the start with both teams top 10 in the league in points. The Celtics have been good on defense most of the season, only allowing 106.5 points per game. It shouldn't matter much with the likes of James Harden and Russell Westbrook on the floor, as both went off when these two teams met three weeks ago posting 67 and 59.5 fantasy points, respectively. Boston also gets a nice pace bump here with Houston coming in at number two (106.2) in the league.
SAS (-3.5) vs ORL, O/U 220
PHX (-8.5) vs GSW, O/U 224
Injury Situations to Monitor
LeBron James (groin) sat out Thursday but has a chance to return against the Grizzlies. Anthony Davis was expected to capture most of the production with him out but the Lakers handled the Warriors with ease leaving no player to reach 30 minutes of court time.
Andre Drummond (calf) missed his second straight game and remains questionable ahead of Cleveland's matchup against the Pacers. Tristan Thompson would presumably get another start in his place if he's unable to play.
Jordan Poole (ankle) came away from the loss to the Lakers on Thursday with an injury. If he can't go, expect Juan Toscano-Anderson to see an expanded role in his absence.
Cameron Johnson (upper body) took a hard fall and remains questionable ahead of Saturday's tilt against the Warriors. Expect Dario Saric to see some extra run if he's ultimately deemed unavailable.
Eric Gordon (knee) is questionable to play against the Celtics. Outside of Harden and Westbrook it's difficult to project who stands to benefit with Austin Rivers being the most likely candidate. His status should be more clear after their morning shootaround.
Elite Players
Jayson Tatum ($9,400) has averaged over 50 fantasy points with Kemba Walker out the last four games. He should be the focal point of the offense facing the Rockets who are second in the league in pace. Houston is also in the bottom half of the league (48.9%) in rebounding efficiency and have been even worse since shipping out Clint Capela to the Hawks. Tatum has collected nine or more rebounds in five of his last seven games. Combining his elite scoring prowess with the extra usage and peripheral stats make him one of the top plays on the slate.
Hassan Whiteside ($9,300) faces a Hawks team allowing the most fantasy points (48.69) per game to centers. He's seen extra usage with Damian Lillard out and should have his way on the glass with Atlanta bottom three in the league (48.1%) in rebounding efficiency. The big man is averaging a double-double on the season and has scored almost 50 fantasy points over his last four games. Not to mention the Hawks are down to Bernardo Fernando at center with Clint Capela and Dwayne Dedmon out with injuries.
Expected Chalk and Other Targets
Robert Covington ($5,900) remains a solid option to get exposure to the Rockets when you can't find a way to pay up for Harden or Westbrook. He usually sees over 30 minutes per game and has taken 10 or more three point tries in six of his last seven. He played 38 minutes when he faced the Celtics previously and poured in 39.3 fantasy points. With the Rockets deploying a small ball lineup most nights it's also allowed him to accumulate some extra blocks covering multiple positions, chipping in three or more over the last five games.
Marquese Chriss ($5,400) after a 39 fantasy point explosion against a weak Sacramento frontcourt, the big man came back to earth in a blowout loss to the Lakers on Thursday. The result saw his price decrease by $500, but he gets an opportunity to bounce back against the Suns, a team he dropped 43.5 fantasy points against earlier in the month. Phoenix is also in the bottom half of the league (49%) in rebounding efficiency and are top 10 in the league (103.9) in pace. He should have a great chance at a double-double should this game stay close.
Key Values
Cam Reddish ($4,300) has seen over 30 minutes four of his last five games. While mostly scoring dependent he has the ability to add some steals increasing his overall ceiling. He makes for a nice choice to gain exposure to the slates highest game total if you can't find the salary for Trae Young. The Trailblazers also allow over 50 fantasy points per game to shooting guards.
Rajon Rondo ($4,200) is ultimately contingent on the availability of LeBron James as he is tasked with running the offense when James is off the court. The Grizzlies play at the sixth fastest pace (105.6) in the league which should give Rondo plenty of opportunities to operate. He has shown 40 fantasy point upside even in limited minutes but could see an uptick in playing time should James sit this one out. Keep an eye on his status as we get closer to lock.
