NBA DFS First Look & Optimal Lineup Picks Today

The Slate Starter is a daily first look at to get your daily fantasy basketball lineup-building process started before lock tonight. Each day, we will go through some of the best NBA DFS picks, top stacks and optimal lineup construction for DraftKings and FanDuel. Be sure to check Awesemo’s NBA Starting Lineups page, as it will be updated throughout the day as the NBA injury reports are released and breaking news surfaces. Let’s dive into some players who stand out as key options on Friday’s seven-game main slate.

Want to see how your lineup stacked up against yesterday’s winning NBA DFS lineups on DraftKings, FanDuel and Yahoo? Check out Awesemo’s Optimal Lineup Review, which uses Fantasy Cruncher Rewind to analyze the winning plays from the night before.

DraftKings & FanDuel NBA DFS Lineup Advice Today

LaMelo Ball, PG, Charlotte Hornets

The Hornets have been playing a very tight rotation recently. Their starters have been logging massive minutes, and that will likely be the case again on Friday. Gordon Hayward was shut down with a season-ending injury, and Cody Martin and Jalen McDaniels have both been ruled out vs. the Pistons.

Ball has been particularly busy of late, racking up at least 27.7 minutes in back-to-back games. He finished with 60.25 DraftKings points in his last outing, and he’s in another strong spot on Friday. The Pistons rank just 25th in defensive efficiency, so the Hornets have more offensive potential than usual. The Hornets have played at the fastest pace in the league, so they’ll have plenty of opportunities to exploit this poor defense.

Ball also remains priced down across the industry, so he should own strong value marks in our NBA Projections.

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Tyrese Haliburton, PG/SG, Indiana Pacers

The Kings sent shock waves through the NBA on Tuesday when they decided to trade Haliburton to the Pacers. He’s still just 21 years old and on a very affordable rookie contract, and he’s also been one of the most efficient scorers in the league. Haliburton ranks sixth among 93 players with at least 300 jump shots in terms of effective field goal percentage.

There’s a chance that Haliburton will step into a monster role in his first game with the Pacers. The team is still dealing with a bunch of injuries, and point guard Malcolm Brogdon is currently questionable. Haliburton thrived in Sacramento when he was forced to run the show, so he would be an excellent target if Brogdon is ruled out. That’s especially true on FanDuel at just $7,600.

It will be interesting to see what Haliburton’s projected ownership looks like in his first game with his new team. He’s clearly underpriced, but he also has a tough matchup vs. the Cavaliers. If Brogdon’s projected ownership is too low, he’ll own a strong leverage rating in the Boom/Bust Probability tool.

Coby White, PG/SG, Chicago Bulls

Friday’s matchup between the Bulls and Timberwolves stands out as a potential fantasy goldmine. The total on this game currently sits at a massive 240.5 points, and the Bulls are just four-point home favorites. That suggests a high-scoring, back-and-forth affair.

The Bulls also have a very important injury to monitor. Ayo Dosunmu is questionable after sitting out their last game. His absence allowed White to move into the starting lineup, and he ultimately finished with 26.1 FanDuel points over 38.1 minutes. White has averaged 0.77 FanDuel points per minute this season, and he’s priced at a massive discount at $4,400.

This game being so up-tempo could also make it a favorable over spot in the player prop market. Make sure to take advantage of the Awesemo Player Prop tool, which highlights the most exploitable player prop bets each day.

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