DraftKings NBA Lineup Advice: Saturday (2/8)

Saturday night’s schedule features a nine-game slate, eight of which are scheduled for the main tip-off at 7:00 p.m. EST and one of which tips off at 5:00 p.m. EST on the all-day slate. Ensure you’re paying attention to the injury report as we advance towards tip-off. The Toronto Raptors, Indiana Pacers, Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons, Phoenix Suns, and Sacramento Kings are operating on a back-to-back.

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Guards

Fred VanVleet (PG – TOR): $6,900 vs. BKN
The Raptors are currently riding a 13-game winning streak, though they’ll need to continue without PG Kyle Lowry as a shoulder injury sustained in last night’s game is likely to keep him sidelined for tonight’s contest against the Brooklyn Nets. If that’s the case, no player receives more of a boost than VanVleet as he now elevates to the main ball-handling role with a lot of the playmaking onus landing on his shoulders. Expect Steady Freddy to step up as usual, with his one game against the Nets previously this year ending with 56 DraftKings points.

Terence Davis (SG – TOR): $3,800 vs. BKN
With Lowry and Norman Powell sidelined, Davis is most likely to get the call up into the starting lineup, elevating from a 6^th/7^th rotation spot from the bench to a solid number of minutes with the starting unit. Davis has performed admirably in recent times, topping 37+ DraftKings points twice in his past three games, and reaching value nearly three times. Expect Davis to receive plenty of work and opportunities to score points tonight.

De’Aaron Fox (PG – SAC): $8,000 vs. SA
Not only is Fox a young and budding star, but he handles a great workload, routinely registering 34-36 minutes of playing time. Fox is coming off an okay performance against the Miami Heat last night, totaling 34.5 DraftKings points, though the opponent eases up considerably tonight with the San Antonio Spurs next on the docket. The Spurs are ranked 23^rd in defensive rating and 14^th in pace, providing a major pace-up spot for one of the fastest players in the league.

Caris LeVert (SG – BKN): $6,300 @ TOR
With Kyrie Irving sidelined, LeVert has begun to take his game to the next level, scoring 39.5 and 45.75 DraftKings points in his last two games. The addition in the starting lineup may have done even more for LeVert than Irving’s injury, but either way, he’s a major DFS asset moving forward. The Raptors are a tough defense, but somebody needs to make plays for the Nets, and LeVert is one of the main beneficiaries.

Forwards

Kristaps Porzingis (PF – DAL): $8,700 @ CHA
A broken nose limited Porzingis (first game since suffering injury) to only 21 minutes and 30.75 DraftKings points, though the injury sidelining Luka Doncic has turned Porzingis into an absolute DFS superstar. In his past four games, Porzingis has totaled 56+ points three times, with the only disappointing performance coming in last night’s game. Ensure Kristaps is ready for a full workload tonight because if he is, the matchup against the 27^th-ranked defense in the Charlotte Hornets is one he could absolutely crush.

Julius Randle (PF – NYK): $8,500 @ DET
Becoming a pillar of consistency, Randle has topped 40+ DraftKings points in five of his last seven games, with one more performance landing at 37 points. Not only is Randle seeing a significant workload in terms of usage and his minutes, but tonight’s matchup against the Pistons is a good one as the Pistons rank 21^st in defensive rating. This game won’t operate at a great pace, so limit your exposure accordingly.

Christian Wood (PF – DET): $6,700 vs. NY
The Pistons really don’t have much talent in the building left since the departure of Andre Drummond, though the subtraction of the big man opens up a ton of opportunities for Wood moving forward. Wood responded with a massive 52-point performance last night, though his salary is slowly beginning to rise accordingly. Expect Wood to continue to draw starts and receive a ton of usage, especially against the 22^nd-ranked defense in the New York Knicks.

Centers

Serge Ibaka (C – TOR): $6,900 vs. BKN
Returning to the Raptors’ well of riches, Ibaka has performed admirably since Marc Gasol’s injury sidelined the big Spaniard. Ibaka is starting at the five spot and has had no troubles stepping into the starting unit, scoring points and chipping in on the board as well as a rim-protector. The Nets are a decent defense, but they’ve been awful at defending big men this season. With Lowry sidelined and a major positive in terms of the matchup, expect Ibaka to put together a strong performance.

Thon Maker (C – DET): $3,300 vs. NY
If Wood is benefitting from the trade of Drummond, then so is Maker. Maker started at center last night and put together a strong 33.25-point performance. Expect some regression in the scoring department moving forward, but Maker did foul out of that game yet still registered 34 minutes of playing time. With so much available playing time on the table – and a lack of actual playmakers – Maker will be tasked with taking a step forward and developing on the fly – or, well, court – for the Pistons. That could be a great thing for his DFS value.

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Sosa Kremenjas is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Sosa, check out his archive and follow him @QBsMVP.