Fantasy Basketball: DFS lineup selections & tips for March 14

There is an exciting doubleheader on NBA TV tonight, starting with the Boston Celtics taking on the Miami Heat at 7:00 p.m. ET, followed by the Los Angeles Lakers facing off against the Denver Nuggets at 9:30 p.m. ET. Additionally, there are three more games scheduled to tip off at 9:30 p.m. or later for a night full of basketball action.

Here are our top NBA DFS lineup picks and advice for tonight’s slate.

NBA DFS Core Plays

James Harden (PG, SG – LAC)

DraftKings: $10,500FanDuel: $9,700

James Harden and the Clippers take on the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena. He has piled up 47 fantasy points per game, while the Hawks have an opponent rank of 27th. It’s a strong matchup, and he is the top DFS option available without any health issues.

The Beard has been on a scoring tear lately, going for 24+ points in five in a row. He has managed three straight double-doubles since Sunday. Harden is averaging 26 points, 13 assists, seven rebounds and 1.3 steals per game in that three-game span while hitting a total of 10 3-pointers. The last time he faced the Hawks on Jan. 4 in Houston, Harden went for just 10 points with 15 assists, 2 rebounds and 2 steals in 29 minutes.

Alperen Sengun (C – HOU)

DraftKings: $9,900FanDuel: $9,000

Alperen Sengun and the Rockets face the beleaguered Mavericks. He has managed 43.2 fantasy points per game, while the Mavericks are 23rd in opponent rank. Sengun should have his way against the Mavericks’ patchwork lineup.

Sengun managed 20 points with seven assists, four rebounds, a steal and a 3-pointer in 33 minutes against Phoenix on Wednesday. He was a perfect 7-for-7 from the field. Sengun is averaging 21.8 points, 8 rebounds, 6.2 assists and one steal per game in six March contests. He dropped 30 points with eight rebounds on 11-of-19 shooting in Dallas the last time he faced the Mavericks.

Miles Bridges (PF – CHA)

DraftKings: $9,100FanDuel: $9,100

Miles Bridges has been on a scoring tear lately, going for 31+ points in three of the past four outings, including a 46-point effort against the Cleveland Cavaliers last Friday. He is averaging 34.5 points, nine rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.8 blocks and 1.3 steals per game across the past four outings. He has buried 16 3-pointers in that four-game span.

The first time he faced the Spurs on Feb. 7, Bridges went 10-of-18 from the field to finish with 25 points, seven rebounds and three triples across 35 minutes in a 117-116 home win. He had to contend with

Victor Wembanyama

then. Wembanyama is done for the season due to deep-vein thrombosis in his shoulder, so Bridges should have his way on Friday.

NBA DFS Cash Game Targets

Mark Williams (C – CHA)

DraftKings: $7,600FanDuel: $7,900

Mark Williams has managed 35.5 fantasy points per game this season, while the Spurs have an opponent rank of 27th. It’s a very good matchup for Williams for DFS purposes.

Williams racked up 14 points with 14 rebounds on an efficient 6-of-9 from the field, while posting two assists, two blocked shots and a steal in 26 minutes in Atlanta. He has six double-doubles in the past seven games and is a good bet to get another on Friday.

Quentin Grimes (PG, SG – PHI)

DraftKings: $7,900FanDuel: $7,600

Quentin Grimes has been tearing it up, while Dallas fans continue to seethe. He was acquired from the Mavericks in early February and all of a sudden turned into a scoring machine. He has 25+ points in three in a row and four of the past five games.

Grimes also dropped 44 points on the Golden State Warriors on March 1. Grimes is averaging 26.1 points, five rebounds and 4.4 assists in seven March games, while averaging 2.1 steals and posting three triples per game in the span.

Fred VanVleet (PG – HOU)

DraftKings: $7,000FanDuel: $6,700

Fred VanVleet has exhibited a little bit of rust after a month-long absence. In two games back, he has managed just 13 total points with seven rebounds, nine assists and nine steals with three 3-pointers in 63 minutes.

He’s facing a banged-up Mavericks team, so if VanVleet is going to get going, Friday’s going to be the day.

NBA DFS GPP Targets

Stephon Castle (PG, SG – SAS)

DraftKings: $6,300FanDuel: $6,500

Stephon Castle is expected to be in the starting five on Friday — and for the foreseeable future — as the replacement for

De’Aaron Fox

, who is done for the season due to surgery to repair tendon damage in his left pinkie finger.

Castle is averaging 20 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists and one steal in seven games this month.

Jarrett Allen (C – CLE)

DraftKings: $6,400FanDuel: $7,200

With

Donovan Mitchell

sidelined due to a groin injury, everyone took more responsibilities on offense against the Nets last time out.

Jarrett Allen went for 23 points, 13 rebounds and three blocked shots on an efficient 7-of-12 shooting across 34 minutes. With Mitchell out again, look for Allen to have a solid game in Memphis.

Kelly Oubre Jr. (SG, SF – PHI)

DraftKings: $6,800FanDuel: $7,200

Kelly Oubre Jr. shoots up the charts, as far as being a scoring option, with

Joel Embiid

out for the season and

Paul George

and

Tyrese Maxey

continuing to sit out.

Oubre is averaging 18 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.4 3-pointers made in five March outings. He is hitting 47.9% from the field in that span.

NBA DFS Value Plays

Isaac Okoro (SG, SF – CLE)

DraftKings: $3,700FanDuel: $3,800

With Donovan Mitchell sidelined for a second straight game due to a groin injury, Isaac Okoro is expected to be in the starting lineup.

The 24-year-old had six points with five rebounds and two steals on 3-of-10 shooting in 33 minutes against Brooklyn on Tuesday. He misfired on his five 3-pointer attempts. He has to be much better than that on Friday. It’s almost statistically impossible not to.

Dorian Finney-Smith (PF, C – LAL)

DraftKings: $4,900FanDuel: $4,100

Dorian Finney-Smith was able to log 30 minutes in Milwaukee on Thursday, finishing with five points and a rebound while knocking down a 3-pointer. Big deal, right? He should be in the starting lineup again on Friday in Denver with

LeBron James

expected to sit out again.

Finney-Smith is averaging 18.2 fantasy points per game and faces a Nuggets team that has an opponent rank of 25th. Look for a bounce-back game despite no rest.

Dalton Knecht (SG, SF – LAL)

DraftKings: $4,800FanDuel: $4,800

Dalton Knecht came off the bench for 10 points in just 22 minutes in Milwaukee on Thursday, while chipping in with five rebounds, three assists and two 3-pointers. With LeBron James out again, there is room for a hot hand to step up. Perhaps it will be Knecht again.