3 NBA DraftKings Studs to Target on 2/1/19

Nikola Jokic, C, Denver Nuggets

DraftKings Price: $10,800

Nikola Jokic has been a fantasy beast all year but especially of late. Averaging 49.4 DraftKings points per game, the Denver Nuggets' point center has put up at least 58.25 DK points in four of his last five, averaging 62.1 per game and 1.82 per minute in that span.

Denver has been without point guard Jamal Murray (ankle) for the last three games, and he won't take the floor against this evening. The Joker has averaged 1.72 DK points a minute in those three, bringing his season-long average to 1.44 per minute in 383 minutes with Murray off (according to NBA Wowy). His usage is up to 26.9% for the year, including a 30.8% rate in January and 32.5%(!) in eight home games this month.

That spells trouble for the visiting Houston Rockets, against whom Jokic tallied 50.25 DK points a few weeks back. Actually, in his last five matchups against the Rockets, the big man has no fewer than 34 DK points with an average of 1.56 per minute in 28.0 minutes a game.

Denver's 115.5 implied total is second on the slate and right around their season average of 115.7 points per game.

Due to the fantasy-friendly matchup, Jokic possesses the third-highest projected output (49.9) of the night, only trailing the two players priced above him on Friday's slate.