NBA DraftKings DFS Lineup Picks 3/11/21
Contents
Point Guard
LaMelo Ball ($9,000) vs Pistons- LaMelo Ball will continue to be placed in the starting lineup and he has earned it with his play of late. In the last 3 games prior to the all-star break Ball has averaged 24.3 PPG 8.3 APG 5.7 RPG and has shot the ball at over 55% to go along with 2 SPG. He just does so much other than score which makes him very valuable in a DFS setting. At $9,000 I still think he is underpriced, and against the Pistons he should be able to have his way. The Hornets should be at almost 100% after battling some injuries before the break, so roster Ball with confidence tonight.
Shooting Guard
Josh Richardson ($5,200) vs Thunder- Josh Richardson doesn’t have the best numbers this season but he continues to get plenty of opportunities in an improving Mavericks offense. He has played 32+ minutes in each of the last two games and in those games he is putting up 27.5 FPPG. He shoots most of his shots from behind the arc and is very capable on the defensive end so he could grab a few points there. The Thunder have left a lot to be desired this season and in Richardson’s last matchup vs them, he scored 32.5 FPTS. The price is very fair and even on the 2nd game of a back-to-back, he will be on my roster.
Small Forward
Buddy Hield ($6,600) vs Rockets- Hield’s FG% hasn’t been great this year but he finished the 1st of the season with a bang. In the final 3 games before the break, he was averaging 26.7 PPG 5.3 APG 4.7 RPG while shooting almost 60% from the field and 52.6% from behind the arc. He hasn’t shot the ball less than 14 times in the last 4 games and most of his shots come exclusively from behind the 3 point arc, which should add some value. The points are what we want here but given that Hield has produced in other areas is a big plus and is part of the reason I will have him in my lineup vs a Rockets team that may be one of the worst in the league.
Power Forward
Thaddeus Young ($5,700) vs 76ers- Thaddeus Young has really come on for the Bulls and has been filling up the stat sheet. Coming into tonight’s game he has scored 30+ FPTS in 8 of his last 9 games despite never scoring over 18 PTS. The 76ers will be without Joel Embiid & Ben Simmons, who are their best defenders, so that should make things even easier for Young. If you are looking for a middle-tier-priced big man who can give you a little bit of everything, Thad Young is your guy and he has proven it over his last 10 games.
Center
Dwight Howard ($5,300) vs Bulls- With Joel Embiid out tonight, Dwight Howard stands to get a lot of minutes at the center position. The last time he got over 20 minutes was vs the Jazz on 2/15 when he recorded 14 PTS and 12 REB which translated into 32 FPTS. He will be up against the Bulls tonight, who do not have a center like Rudy Gobert, so I think Dwight can go even bigger tonight. He won’t be featured in the offense but he has been so good this year on the glass I expect him to get a lot of easy buckets early and often.
Sleeper Play
Maxi Kleber ($4,200) vs Thunder- Maxi Kleber has had his season interrupted to COVID but he looks like he’s back at full strength. Last year Kleber was a very reliable and cheap option at PF/C and it looks like we have returned to that phase. In the last 3 games, he has put up 10.7 PPG 6.7 RPG, and 1.3 BPG with 52.4% shooting. Maxi shoots the 3 ball a lot for a big man and he is an above-average shot blocker, which is a great combination if you are looking for a cheap streamer. At only $4,200 he offers excellent value vs the Thunder on the road tonight.
