NBA Daily Fantasy Picks & Playbook: February 29
Published: Feb 29, 2024
We have a six-game NBA DFS main slate on Thursday, February 29th, on DraftKings and FanDuel and it's a fun one. We have plenty of stars with Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Victor Wembanyama taking the floor. Things are getting interesting around the league as the playoff push continues for plenty of teams. We only have two teams on the main slate on back-to-backs and they're both on the front end.
NBA DFS Tools to dominate tonight's NBA DFS slate!
Make sure to check out today's NBA DFS projections and NBA DFS ownership projections before finalizing your lineups today. We also have the NBA Consistency Report to help identify players that have exceeded value based on their current price tag this season and of course our NBA DFS Lineup Generator!
Here's the NBA DFS Podcast for today's slate. Like the video and subscribe to our channel!
Notable NBA Injury Updates
QUESTIONABLE
- Jalen Brunson – IN
- Paolo Banchero – game-time decision per HC Mosley (went through shootaround) – IN
- Bradley Beal
- Walker Kessler – OUT
- Eric Gordon
- Ben Simmons – OUT
- Jalen Green – mid-day downgrade w/ illness
OUT
- LaMelo Ball
- Julius Randle
- OG Anunoby
- Cam Thomas
- Khris Middleton
- Onyeka Okongwu
- Andrew Wiggins
- Jonathan Isaac
PROBABLE
Back-to-Backs
- Milwaukee Bucks (front end)
- Golden State Warriors (front end)
Pace
Pace definition: Pace is the total number of possessions a team uses in a game.
*key* Green is elite pace of play, Blue is decent pace of play, & Red is slow pace of play.
Green = Fast Paced team
Blue = Neutral Paced team
Red = Slow Paced team
- Wizards - 1st (103.7)
- Hawks - 3rd (102.4)
- Spurs - 4th (102.3)
- Bucks - 5th (101.7)
- Jazz - 7th (101)
- Thunder - 10th (100.9)
- Warriors - 12th (100.3)
- Rockets - 14th (99.4)
- Suns - 15th (99.3)
- Hornets - 19th (98.8)
- Nets - 23rd (98.4)
- Magic - 26th (97.9)
- Knicks - 30th (96.8)
Defensive Ratings
- Washington Wizards - 30th
- Charlotte Hornets - 28th
- Atlanta Hawks - 27th
- Utah Jazz - 25th
- San Antonio Spurs - 24th
- Brooklyn Nets - 19th
- Golden State Warriors - 18th
- Milwaukee Bucks - 17th
- Phoenix Suns - 14th
- New York Knicks - 11th
- Houston Rockets - 8th
- Orlando Magic - 5th
- Oklahoma City Thunder - 4th
NBA Game Totals
- Oklahoma City Thunder @ San Antonio Spurs - 236.5 (OKC -11)
- Houston Rockets @ Phoenix Suns - 234 (PHO -8.5)
- Utah Jazz @ Orlando Magic - 224.5 (ORL -6.5)
Today's Fantasy Alarm Pick Em contest on Bettor Edge: Fantasyalarm.com/pickem
Early Top Tier Core Plays
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
I like SGA in this spot. The Spurs are 4th in pace and 24th in DRtg and SGA has averaged nearly 60 DKP/game against them in just 28.5 minutes/game. SGA has a 33% USG and averages 1.57 FP/min this year.
Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
On a night he went 5-for-13 from the floor, Wemby had 52.75 DKP. He played 34 (!!!!!!) minutes last time out, which is the firs time since November 24th he hit that number. This game is VERY interesting if it can stay at all competitive.
Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks
Elite play if he suits up after missing the last game. We just need to know if he's going to play or not.
Devin Booker has had his issues against the Rockets and Dillon Brooks while Kevin Durant has a triple and double-double against them and is averaging north of 60 DKP. Have to think if Bradley Beal plays he'll face some type of minutes limit too.
Dejounte Murray, Atlanta Hawks
Without Trae Young and Onyeka Okongwu this year, Murray has a team-leading 27.8% USG and averages 1.24 FP/min. He missed all his shots last time out and still double-doubled with 45 DKP.
Early Mid-Tier Core Plays
Paolo Banchero & Franz Wagner, Orlando Magic
Banchero is seemingly trending towards playing but he went through shootaround the other day and then didn't play, so we'll see. This spot is as elite as it gets as Utah is the worst-rated defense during February. Banchero has a 30% USG and averages 1.2 FP/min and Wagner sits at a 26.5% USG and averages 1.1 FP/min. Wagner gets a massive boost if Banchero is out, too.
Johnson's been incredible lately putting up 42+ DKP in three straight games and has back-to-back 20-point double-doubles. Without Trae Young and Onyeka Okongwu this year, he has a 21.8% USG and averages 1.14 FP/min.
Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder
My lone knock on Holmgren earlier this year was the minutes. High 20's, sometimes low 30's for most of the first half. Well, since the break, he's been at 33+ in every competitive game and that's lead to 41+ DKP with a 59 DKP ceiling. He's averaged 1.27 FP/min and has a 21.7% USG this year.
The minutes are just insane and that's really what it comes down to. He's going to play 40 minutes and grab double-digit rebounds and lately, the scoring has come with the other two as well. If Brunson sits, Hart will initiate more offense, too. He's had 5+ assists in 3-of-5 games without Brunson/Randle.
Early Value Tier Core Plays
De'Andre Hunter & Clint Capela, Atlanta Hawks
One of these two is getting ownership and one is going completely unowned. Capela sits at 20% and I 100% understand that. His minutes continue to trend upward as he went from 17 to 25 last game and paired that with nearly 33 DKP. De'Andre Hunter, however, is checking in at 1% projected and that's interesting. Over his last five games, he's topped 28.75 DKP and 18+ points in all of them and has 5+ rebounds in four of five. If he ever breaks the 30-minute plateau, he could break a slate if he continues to score this way.
Dennis Schroder, Brooklyn Nets
I liked Schroder's role in the blowout last time out playing 25 minutes and not playing the final 10 minutes of the game. Pacing for 30 is solid. I wish he closed the first half but he played the first eight minutes of the quarter, so I can't complain. He's put up 25+ DKP in back-to-back games and this is a great pace-up environment for Brooklyn.
Keldon Johnson, San Antonio Spurs
I'm taking a stand on a 4.9K Keldon Johnson today. I understand his role today is different than earlier in the year, but before 1/22 he hadn't been cheaper than 6K on DK. He was benched the other day and responded with 34 minutes, 17 shots and 36.5 DKP. He's played 29 minutes in 3-of-4 since the ASB and averes 1.02 FP/min this year. He also has a 24% USG off the bench, 3% higher than it was as a starter.
The minutes have been super steady as a stater for Hendricks playing 26+ in three straight. In two of them, he's neared double-doubles and has put up 24+ DKP in those two. It would benefit Hendricks if Walker Kessler misses this game (QUEST).
Late-News Core Play & News Section
*Section for players we are considering “core plays” based on late-breaking news & research
- Tre Jones, San Antonio Spurs - hasn't played in either OKC game. Best game total. Solid price/floor.
- Cameron Johnson & Dorian Finney-Smith, Brooklyn Nets - Johnson's the chalk play, Finney-Smith is the GPP pivot, however
- Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder - love this game. Love JDub.
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Player Pool
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