There may only be six games on Friday's NBA schedule, but many of the most popular options in the NBA DFS player pool take the court tonight. With players such as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, LeBron James and Trae Young as possible NBA DFS picks on Friday, how should you from an NBA DFS strategy to include some of the elite options in the NBA DFS player pool while having money left over when filling NBA DFS lineups on sites like FanDuel and DraftKings?
The Lakers, Nuggets and Bucks are all playing in the second half of a back-to-back on Friday. Could there be fatigue with these rosters built around veteran players, leaving the opportunity for some opposing players to outperform their NBA DFS price tags? The Hornets play the Bucks, and Charlotte traded two of its top five scorers (Gordon Hayward and PJ Washington) at yesterday's trade deadline. So, could someone like Nick Smith Jr. or Bryce McGowens add value to NBA DFS lineups? Before making your NBA DFS picks, be sure to check out the NBA DFS advice, player rankings, stacks, and top daily Fantasy basketball picks from SportsLine's Jimmie Kaylor.
Kaylor is a DFS and betting expert for SportsLine, who won a DraftKings Millionaire Maker contest in 2022. He uses a combination of his background as a former college and professional athlete and his keen eye for statistical trends when making his picks and locking in his DFS lineups. Kaylor enters the 2024 calendar year with multiple five-figure tournament cashes on his DFS resume.
Kaylor's approach allows him to find the best NBA DFS values and create optimal lineups that he only shares on SportsLine. They're a must-see for any NBA DFS player.
Last Friday (when Kaylor last published picks), Kaylor highlighted Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard as one of his top picks in his NBA DFS player pool on both sites. The result: Leonard had 33 points, four rebounds and three assists, returning 47.5 points on DraftKings and 45.3 points on FanDuel. Anybody who included him in their lineups was well on the way to a profitable day.
Kaylor has turned his attention to NBA action on Friday and locked in his top daily Fantasy basketball picks. You can only see them by heading to SportsLine.
Top NBA DFS picks for Friday, February 9
For Friday, one of Kaylor's top NBA DFS picks is Celtics guard/forward Jaylen Brown ($8,300 on DraftKings and $8,500 on FanDuel). Brown is averaging 22.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists this season and has embraced more of a facilitating and rebounding role over the past few contests. The 27-year-old is averaging 7.8 rebounds and 5.5 assists over his last four games to go along with 17.5 ppg. Jayson Tatum (illness) is questionable for Friday and if he can't play, Brown is sure to amass a huge role for Boston.
The Celtics play the Wizards, who are allowing the second-most points (123.8 ppg) in the NBA this season. The Wizards are allowing 127 ppg over their last two contests, including Suns guard Bradley Beal going off for 43 points against them on Sunday. Brown scored 36 points against Washington in their first meeting of the season, and he's scored 36 points in two of his last three contests against the Wizards. He's scored at least 32 points in four of his last seven games against Washington, and Kaylor expects another huge performance on Friday.
Another part of Kaylor's optimal NBA DFS strategy includes 76ers point guard Tyrese Maxey ($9,200 on DraftKings and $9,600 on FanDuel). Maxey is averaging 25.3 points and four assists over his last four games, needing to take on a larger role with Joel Embiid (knee) out for an extended period. Maxey has struggled percentage-wise over his last three games, but that hasn't seemed to hurt the 23-year-old's confidence. Maxey is averaging 17.7 field goal attempts over those three contests, and the 76ers need him to remain aggressive offensively.
Friday's matchup could be exactly what Maxey needs to break out of his shooting slump. The 76ers play the Hawks, who are allowing the most points per game (124.0) this season, and Maxey is averaging 32.5 points, five rebounds and eight assists in two games against Atlanta this year. He is averaging 27.5 points and 8.3 assists over his last four games against the Hawks. See Kaylor's other NBA DFS picks right here.
How to set your NBA DFS lineups for Friday, February 9
Kaylor is also targeting a player who could go off for massive numbers on Friday because of a dream matchup. This pick could be the difference between winning your tournaments and cash games or going home with nothing. You can only see who it is here.
Who is DFS pro Jimmie Kaylor putting in his optimal NBA DFS lineups for Friday? Visit SportsLine now to see optimal NBA DFS picks, rankings, advice, and stacks, all from a professional DFS player who a DraftKings Millionaire Maker contest, and find out.
