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FanDuel NBA Daily: Fantasy basketball lineup for February 23

By Brendan Galella

(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Top 4 Small Forwards

  1. Giannis Antetokounmpo ($10,800) vs. Toronto Raptors
  2. Jimmy Butler ($9,200) vs. Houston Rockets
  3. Danilo Gallinari ($6,300) vs. Phoenix Suns
  4. Jayson Tatum ($5,200) vs. Detroit Pistons

Rationale:

  • Few players are capable of making an impact in each statistical category for FanDuel NBA leagues, but Giannis Antetokounmpo justifies his lofty salary in tournament play with his vast contributions. In the 11 games before the All-Star break, Antetokounmpo played at an MVP level, averaging 26.4 points, 11.5 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 1.6 blocks and just under a steal per game. Antetokounmpo is one of three players averaging at least 25 points, 10 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks per game this season.
  • If the Boston Celtics needed any more reason to be impressed with the output of rookie forward Jayson Tatum, his ability to collect rebounds and connect from 3-point range places him in elite company. The only first-year player in franchise history has averaged over 5.0 rebounds and shot over 40 percent from beyond the arc is Hall-of-Fame forward Larry Bird. Through 59 games, the former Duke standout is posting 13.5 points, 5.1 rebounds and is knocking down 42.7 percent of his attempts from 3-point range, the second-highest percentage among all players in his draft class.