RADIO
There are only three games total today so while I would love to dive into each game specifically...this slate simply doesn't need a full deep dive. Pacers and Hornets will be a battle between backccourts, with the Indiana frontcourt offering plenty of support to help the Pacers get a fairly easy win at home. Until Kemba Walker seems to play better the closer his back is to the wall, so in games like these, where his price isn't terribly high, you have to find a way to make Walker your second best player. I will help you find the value to make this happen, but right now there are few players with the upside that Walker has.
From what I've gathered watching the Timberwolves these past few years, is that when they play bad teams, they use it as a chance to finally be the big dog in a fight. You are going to see Karl-Anthony Towns yelling "and-one" after every basket and you can expect a few stare downs on players you have never even heard of. All in all, Towns is in for a monstrous game. The last game of the night between the Clippers and Spurs is much more difficult to track. While the Spurs defense tends to focus in on the main sources of production, I can't imagine Tobias Harris underachieving, especially with Danilo Gallinari missing time. Montrezl Harrell is also in for a big night, but I expect that to be overshadowed by yet another unstoppable night from LaMarcus Aldridge.
I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 01/20/19. These DFS lineup picks can vary from higher-priced players and elite options to lower-priced players and value picks on DraftKings. You can also check out today's FanDuel lineup picks. As always, don't set your lineups to early and check player statuses before the opening tip. Find me in the NBA Chat Room or @HalfCourtJester on Twitter.
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DraftKings DFS Guards
Cory Joseph - PG vs. CHA ($3,700)
First off, you already know that the Hornets backcourt won't cause any problems with their defense. Second, there are few backup point guards that seem as content with their role as Cory Joseph is. He has been filling in when needed for some time, but this recent string of games proves that even in limited minutes he will be a consistent source for offense. Even though five points and five assists isn't some notable achievement, doing just that with a few extra boards and steals tossed in is just what we need from him tonight. His price is extremely low given his floor, but tonight I expect him prove to be a solid DFS pick with low ownership, playable in all aspects.
Patrick Beverley - PG/SG @ SA ($3,900)
Now this value pick I have considerably less faith in. While Joseph proves he can score every night he plays, Patrick Beverley does the opposite. Every time you watch him play, you remember that he is defense-first and that's his go-to. He doesn't miss all the open shots he takes, but his decision making and shot selection is debatable. He isn't guaranteed to take more than three or four shots a game, but versus the Spurs I expect that to take a dramatic spike. Patrick Beverley is by no means, and has NEVER been a high-quality, consistent pick, but tonight he does have upside. The Spurs backcourt continues to be their weak spot on defense and I expect Beverley to take advantage of that. Seeing how he plays mostly off emotion, I wouldn't be surprised to see Beverley pulling up for three with a hand in his face just to show off. Granted, he not in the position to show off his range, but I bet he does it anyway.
DraftKings DFS Forwards
Mikal Bridges - SG/SF @ MIN ($4,000)
The one salvageable aspect about taking Mikal Bridges is that he stuffs that stat sheet. Stuff might be over the top, but he definitely touches each category every night and his attention to defense is great for his real-life upside. It does help in some cases for DFS, but seeing how little he does in general, those two points don't make that much of a difference unless he is scoring and grabbing rebounds. It's great to see his minutes have grown incredibly consistent, and on the court he is clearly one of the best players on the Suns, even as a rookie. I was thinking that Andrew Wiggins and Josh Okogie could be quality plays, but I think they will have a high ownership rate and underperform. Yes, underperforming versus the Suns seems impossible, but for their price I'm going with Bridges having the biggest impact. He will be able to stretch the offense against a bad defense, and he will fill the passing lanes on a team that only makes predictable passes.
Rudy Gay - SF/PF vs. LAC ($5,500)
It's unfortunate that Rudy Gay has missed time due to injuries, especially seeing how quickly he bounced back. This type of production will continue moving forward because his role is easy to assume in the Spurs offense, so look for him to thrive versus a team that struggles to contain players that can create their own offense. With his price way below what it should be, it's going to be easy for other players to see Gay and immediately roster him. There are plenty of options around the 4K-5K price range, but few have the ceiling that Gay has on a nightly basis.
DraftKings DFS Centers
Karl-Anthony Towns - PF/C vs. PHO ($10,600)
Realistically, you only have three options for center tonight. Either you go with Montrezl Harrell and assume he double-doubles the nonsense out of the Spurs frontcourt, out-rebounding Aldridge all game with his athleticism. DeAndre Ayton, hoping that he can use his size to push Towns around, which is totally possible seeing how he posted 18-12 last game versus Minnesota, but...
I don't think you can afford to pass on Karl-Anthony Towns tonight. If you know anything about me, you won't actually make me go-on and shower Towns with compliments. I refuse to do it, so just play him and don't talk to me about him.
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