NBA Daily Fantasy Picks & Playbook: February 9
Published: Feb 09, 2024
We have a six-game NBA DFS main slate on Friday, February 9th, on DraftKings and FanDuel and it's a fun one. We have a few teams likely short-handed including the Philadelphia 76ers, Toronto Raptors, and possibly the Milwaukee Bucks. We have plenty of stars with Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Tyrese Maxey taking the floor. We have three teams on back-to-backs and a LOT of players checking in on the injury report.
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
- Jayson Tatum – went through shootaround
- Damian Lillard – IN
- Dejounte Murray – OUT
- D'Angelo Russell – PROB
- Zion Williamson
- Jonas Valanciunas
- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
- Patrick Beverley – IN
- Kelly Olynyk – AVAILABLE, but unlikely to play
- Richaun Holmes – OUT
- Naji Marshall
- Tyrese Maxey – mid-day downgrade
- LeBron James
- Anthony Davis
- Max Christie – DOUBT
OUT
- Joel Embiid
- Khris Middleton
- LaMelo Ball
- Fred VanVleet
- Khris Middleton
- Clint Capela
- De'Anthony Melton
- Mark Williams
- Tari Eason
- Marvin Bagley III
- Patrick Baldwin Jr.
- Grant Williams
- Vasilije Micic
- Tre Mann
PROBABLE
- Cody Martin
- De'Andre Hunter
- Jamal Murray
- DeAndre Jordan
- Michael Porter Jr.
- Jae Crowder
- Giannis Antetokounmpo
NEWS & NOTES:
- Buddy Hield & Cameron Payne are AVAILABLE for the 76ers.
- Patrick Beverley is AVAILABLE for the Bucks.
- Kelly Olynyk and Ochai Agbaji are AVAILABLE for the Raptors. Unlikely to play per the latest update.
- If Tyrese Maxey sits, Cameron Payne and Buddy Hield will start and play big minutes per Nick Nurse.
Back-to-Backs
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
- Washington Wizards - 1st
- Atlanta Hawks - 3rd
- Milwaukee Bucks - 4th
- Los Angeles Lakers - 6th
- Sacramento Kings - 11th
- New Orleans Pelicans - 13th
- Philadelphia 76ers - 14th
- Toronto Raptors - 15th
- Houston Rockets - 17th
- Boston Celtics - 18th
- Charlotte Hornets - 20th
- Denver Nuggets - 29th
Defensive Ratings
- Charlotte Hornets - 30th
- Atlanta Hawks - 28th
- Washington Wizards - 27th
- Toronto Raptors - 23rd
- Milwaukee Bucks - 20th
- Sacramento Kings - 18th
- Los Angeles Lakers - 14th
- Philadelphia 76ers - 11th
- Denver Nuggets - 10th
- New Orleans Pelicans - 8th
- Houston Rockets - 7th
- Boston Celtics - 3rd
NBA Game Totals
- Atlanta Hawks @ Philadelphia 76ers - 243.5 (ATL -2.5)
- Washington Wizards @ Boston Celtics - 236.5 (BOS -17)
- New Orleans Pelicans @ Los Angeles Lakers - 234.5 (NO -1.5)
- Houston Rockets @ Toronto Raptors - 233.5 (TOR -1.5)
- Denver Nuggets @ Sacramento Kings - 233.5 (SAC -1.5)
- Charlotte Hornets @ Milwaukee Bucks - 231.5 (MIL -13.5)
Top Tier Core Plays
As good as Domantas Sabonis is, he’s subpar defensively. Jokic has incredible all year and nothing’s changed recently as he’s averaged nearly 68 DKP/game over his last four. He also gave the Kings a 36-point triple-double in the one game he played against them this year.
Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers
Davis is coming off back-to-back monster outings and has now put up 53+ DKP in four of five games. On the year, Davis is averaging 1.5 FP/min and a 26.8% USG rate, which is first and second on the team respectively.
Mid-Tier Core Plays
Murray has been on an absolute heater lately notching 45+ DKP in four of his last five games including three straight double-doubles. This is an elite spot against Sacramento as the Kings are 11th in pace and 18th in DRtg and that’s a big-time pace up environment for Denver.
Tobias Harris, Philadelphia 76ers
Harris has been super steady for Philadelphia this year. Philadelphia is missing a lot of players here and without all of them, Harris has a 24.5% USG and 1.09 FP/min. Tyrse Maxey was also downgraded to Q, so this might be the Tobias Harris show and everyone else.
Johnson’s flashed a really high ceiling he just needs to be a BIT more consistent. He’s put up 35+ DKP in six of seven games and 38+ in five of seven. On the year, without Clint Capela, Johnson’s averaged 1.06 FP/min. Philly is very short-handed and Johnson could have another ceiling game here.
Without Fred VanVleet this year, Green has a 33.4% USG (+5.9%) and 1.13 FP/min. Toronto, since January 1st, ranks 29th in DRtg, which is right after the OG Anunoby trade.
The RJ Barrett train has not slown down at all as he’s put up 33+ DKP in eight straight games and in 11 of 12 overall and 38+ in six of eight. The Rockets have been a far worse defensive team on the road this year ranking 18th in the league. Barrett has a 26.5% USG and averages 1.07 FP/min.
CJ McCollum, New Orleans Pelicans
The Lakers three-point defense has been amongst the leagues worst and McCollum has been LETHAL from beyond the arc. He’s shooting 44% from three this year and his price continues to fall for really no reason. This is a good pace-up spot and the Pelicans who are catching the Lakers on a b2b.
Okongwu has been fantastic of late without Clint Capela as he’s topped 34+ minutes, 18+ points and 26+ DKP in three straight. Twice he’s put up 40+ DKP in the two three and he’s averaging .95 FP/min without Caplea this year.
Michael Porter Jr., Denver Nuggets
This is a back-to-back, but Porter looked great on the front end of the back-to-back scoring 27 points and was two rebounds shy of a double-double. The Kings allow the 5th most three-point shots per game this year, putting Porter back in sniper mode.
Value Tier Core Plays
We saw Reed limited when he was sick and was extended up to 31 minutes last game as he moved past the illness. Reed’s been a very productive fantasy asset without Joel Embiid this year and now that Marcus Morris is gone, they are down to just Reed and Bamba. He’s been a FP/min producer and has an elite spot against ATL.
Monk is in the midst of one of those stretches he goes on every so often. He’s scored 18+ points in four straight games and has 40+ DKP in three of four as well. The minutes being back where they are is as important as anything.
Jabari Smith Jr., Houston Rockets
Smith gets a solid usage bump without VanVleet and has good numbers without him this year. 20.5% USG and .92 FP/min without FVV and the price for Smith is simply too cheap, especially if he’s going to approach 40 minutes again.
Amen Thompson, Houston Rockets
Without VanVleet the Rockets started Amen Thompson at PG and Thompson had a monster game, putting up 13 points, 13 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 blocks to go along with 44.25 DKP. No reason to think that doesn’t change here considering FVV is out. He’s at 1.16 FP/min without FVV.
Corey Kispert, Washington Wizards
Kispert has been great lately putting up 36+ DKP in two of three games and 24+ DKP in three straight. He’s been at 25+ minutes in four straight as the team shifted to a new coach. They’re a little short-handed here, so Kispert’s minutes shouldn’t go anywhere.
Eugene Omoruyi, Washington Wizards
26% USG and 1.54 FP/min. That’s what Omoruyi averages with all the guys are out this year. The Wizards are also without Patrick Baldwin, so there aren’t many options for Washington. Richaun Holmes is also out, so it’s Omoyuri and Anthony Gill in the Wiz front-court.
Late-News Core Play Section
*Section for players we are considering “core plays” based on late-breaking news & research
- Buddy Hield, Philadelphia 76ers
- Cameron Payne, Philadelphia 76ers
- Jakob Poeltl, Toronto Raptors
- Bogdan Bogdanovic, Atlanta Hawks
- Bilal Coulibaly, Washington Wizards
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Player Pool
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