NBA DFS Picks for February 6
There are eight games in the NBA on Tuesday, with both James Harden and LeBron James in action. If you want to roster one of those guys—and you do—you’ll need to find value at a few other positions. Use these picks below to get you started, and then lock a few into the Lineup Lab Optimizer to bring it home. Also, check out our Player Lab tool to make the tough, final decisions for your lineup.
Point Guard
Tyler Ulis, vs. Lakers (FD: $3,700, DK: $4,200)
Projected Points: FD: 22.82, DK: 23.05
There's so much value at the point guard position this Tuesday night that you should be able to fit two studs into your lineup without any problem. Ulis will start in place of Devin Booker, who is sitting out with hip and rib injuries. This game should be played at breakneck speed, with the Lakers are and Suns in ranked first and third, respectively in pace of play. Like his last start against the Lakers in November where he scored 31 DraftKings points and 29 FanDuel points in only 29 minutes, Ulis should have no problem against a defense that has allowed an abysmal 48.45 fantasy points per game to the point guard position.
Andrew Harrison, vs. Hawks (FD: $5,400, DK: $5,000)
Projected Points: FD: 26.67, DK: 26.1
With his latest big-minute, big-scoring performances, Harrison is a no-brainer going against the Hawks. Mike Conley (Achilles) is finished for the year, and Tyreke Evans will be sitting until Thursday's trade deadline, leaving the point guard position almost entirely in Harrison’s hands. In his last five games, he has scored four more points and played 3.5 more minutes than his season averages.
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Shooting Guard
James Harden, vs. Nets (FD: $11,200, DK: $11,600)
Projected Points: FD: 53.61, DK: 55.76
Harden tweaked his ankle in the third quarter of the Rockets win over the Cavaliers on Saturday night, but it doesn’t appear that’s going to be a mitigating factor on Tuesday. The only real concern is a Rockets blowout, but, even if it comes to that, Harden will have a huge hand in getting it there. He scored 73 73 DraftKings points and 69 FanDuel points the last time the Rockets played the Nets this season. Plugging him into your lineup should be an easy decision.
Mario Hezonja, vs. Cavaliers (FD: $5,000, DK: $4,500)
Projected Points: FD: 25.89, DK: 26.37
Hezonja has found his stride of late, picking up the slack for the injured Aaron Gordon and Nikola Vucevic. He put up 20 points (four three-pointers), five rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block on Monday, turning a significant profit on his scant price tag. He started against the Cavs in a game in early January, and posted 34 DraftKings points and 30 FanDuel points, giving us good reason to believe this is a plus-matchup for him. This could be the value play of the night, especially with the appealing price on DraftKings.
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Small Forward
LeBron James, vs. Magic (FD: $11,500, DK: $11,400)
Projected Points: FD: 56.32, DK: 57.34
It's understandable why you might shy away from James at this price, given the Cavs’ recent struggles, but there are good reasons to buy in. First, Orlando is without Vucevic and Gordon. Second, the Magic are giving up 29.7 fantasy points and five rebounds per game to small forward starters. Third, the Magic are on the second night of a back-to-back. And, of course, this is LeBron James. He should break the cold spell on Tuesday night.
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Josh Jackson, vs. Lakers (FD: $5,900, DK: $5,900)
Projected Points: FD: 29.34, DK: 29.49
Jackson has now scored at least 20 or more points in four consecutive games, a feat which only three other rookies in Suns history have accomplished. The Kansas product scored a career-high 23 points on Sunday against the Hornets, hitting three triples while grabbing five rebounds in 26 minutes. Over the last 20 games, we have seen his real points per game increase by 6.2, while his fantasy points per game have risen by a stunning 7.95.
Power Forward
Ben Simmons, vs. Wizards (FD: $8,500, DK: $8,200)
Projected Points: FD: 41.25, DK: 40.69
We know that the Ben Simmons who started the season has cooled off quite a bit, but that makes this stretch of games a perfect buy-low opportunity. With everyone looking the other way his minutes per game are still there (35.4), his points per game are certainly fine (18.4), his rebounds per game are nothing to be scoffed at (5.8), and his assists per game are stellar for his position (6.1). Most noteworthy, there's also the little fact that last time he played the Wizards, he scored 66 points on both DraftKings and FanDuel.
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JaMychal Green, vs. Hawks (FD: $4,900, DK: $4,900)
Projected Points: FD: 24.26, DK: 24.74
With Chandler Parsons out indefinitely Green has provided the Grizzlies frontcourt with stability, The Hawks are giving up 48.21 fantasy points per game to the power forward position, and while that number might be a bit ambitious for Green, it still bodes well for him turning a profit on his modest salary.. The last three times he has played the Hawks he has scored at least 35 DraftKings and FanDuel points, all while averaging around 28 minutes per game. Green can be one of the key players of the night if you’re looking to play two studs, such as Harden and James.
Center
Clint Capela, vs. Nets (FD: $7,800, DK: $7,500)
Projected Points: FD: 42.73, DK: 43.18
With all the attention understandably showered on Chris Paul and James Harden, it's easy to overlook Capela, who leads the league in effective field goal percentage (65.6%). The Nets have allowed 61.47 fantasy points per game to centers over the last four weeks, the most in the league. Consequently, Capela could be my favorite mid-tier weapon on Tuesday night’s slate.
Steven Adams, vs. Warriors (FD: $7,000, DK: $6,800)
Projected Points: FD: 34.05, DK: 34.86
Adams is as steady as any player on a per-dollar basis. His minutes are always there—he’s averaging 35.6 per game—and he’s putting up a double-double per game over his last five contests, with averages of 16.2 points and 10 rebounds. The Warriors defense isn’t exactly kryptonite for centers, leaving Adams with a great matchup. This game should also have plenty of pace, giving everyone on the floor more than their fair share of opportunity.
