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Happy Sunday, everyone. As the weekend comes to a close, the NBA has some fantastic games spread out throughout the day beginning at 1 pm (eastern), starting with the Boston Celtics hosting the New York Knicks, a contest that will feature the return of Kemba Walker.
With COVID-19 making things difficult for many clubs, especially as of late, there will be plenty of value opportunities for those looking to afford the hefty DFS asking prices of Luka Doncic and Kawhi Leonard.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel on 1/17/21. These DFS lineup picks can vary from higher-priced players and elite options to lower-priced players and value picks on FanDuel. You can also check out DraftKings lineup picks and injury news before lineups lock. Good luck, RotoBallers.
FanDuel DFS Guards
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, SG - vs. PHI ($8,200)
Gilgeous-Alexander is now the man in Oklahoma City and is expected to serve as the team’s anchor for many years to come, or at least fans hope he will be. In his third year in the league, the 22-year-old is averaging a career-high 21.6 points, 6.2 assists, and shooting 50 percent from the field.
He is coming off an impressive outing during the overtime win over the Chicago Bulls on Friday night, a game where he finished with a 33-point, 10-assist double-double. His DFS asking price should be much higher than it is, primarily after hitting a minimum of 47 fantasy points during a three-game stretch a week ago.
Eric Bledsoe, SG - @ SAC ($4,900)
Lonzo Ball has been dealing with a knee injury and will not play against the youthful Kings on Sunday. Bledsoe, who didn’t play during the January 13 encounter against the Clippers due to an eye issue, managed to suit up against the Lakers, albeit he came off the bench.
With a game under the veteran’s belt, he has a strong chance at returning to the starting lineup against Sacramento, which would ultimately send Nickeil Alexander-Walker back to the bench in addition to potentially decreasing Josh Hart’s minutes. Although Bledsoe is a risky option, the upside is there.
Also consider: Luka Doncic ($11,200), Ben Simmons ($8,300), De’Aaron Fox ($7,300), George Hill ($4,500), Patrick Beverley ($4,300), Jordan Clarkson ($5,200), Buddy Hield ($5,400)
FanDuel DFS Forwards
Tobias Harris, SF - @ OKC ($7,500)
Joel Embiid didn’t play on Saturday night due to knee pain and won’t be available on Sunday as well. With Philadelphia down its top scoring option, the door will be open for others to pick things up against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Harris is a guy who will benefit from Embiid’s aforementioned absence, gaining a hardy usage increase of 6.3%. He had a solid showing against the Memphis Grizzlies in the first game of the Sixers’ back-to-back by racking up nearly 32 fantasy points. Danny Green is also a candidate for a potential rise in production as he has been filling the gap caused by Seth Curry’s COVID-19 diagnosis. Look for him also to see an uptick in both usage as well as +/- differential.
James Johnson, PF - vs. CHI ($4,200)
With the Mavericks down the duo of Maximilian Kleber and Dwight Powell, the team has a sizable void underneath the rim. While Willy Cauley-Stein is available to handle some of the duties in the middle, it has been Johnson who has benefited the most from a production standpoint.
The veteran has logged at least 25 minutes in each of his last three games while also recording at least 28.3 fantasy points during that same timeframe. Kristaps Porzingis is back in the equation; however, Johnson has the potential to smash his value while serving as an adequate salary relief option on Sunday.
Also consider: Brandon Ingram ($8,500), Harrison Barnes ($5,800), Julius Randle ($8,900), Zion Williamson ($8,100), Tristan Thompson ($4,400), Bojan Bogdanovic ($4,300), Isaiah Roby ($4,200)
FanDuel DFS Centers
Richaun Holmes, C - vs. NO ($6,800)
Hassan Whiteside is questionable to play on Sunday as he works his way back from a hip injury. If he cannot find the floor, Holmes should continue to serve as the top option at the center position.
He has logged at least 30 minutes in each of his last three games and racked up over 50 fantasy points against the Indiana Pacers on Monday. His stock will rise even higher if Marvin Bagley III, who hasn’t been happy with his role with the club as of late, isn’t available as well. Look for this game between two young teams to run fast and feature plenty of opportunities for everyone involved to accumulate a generous amount of fantasy points.
Also consider: Nikola Jokic ($11,500), Steven Adams ($5,800), Dwight Howard ($4,400)
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