RADIO
Happy Thursday, Rotoballers! As is the case with most Thursdays, the slate is a little smaller than usual. Three games tip-off tonight, and five of the six teams are currently in the playoffs. Surprisingly, it's the New Orleans Pelicans and not the New York Knicks sitting on the outside looking in, but that could all change in a flash because the season is still so young.
There are a ton of superstars to choose from on tonight's slate. Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Julius Randle (did I just type that?) are all viable options to anchor your lineups. You don't need my advice to tell you those guys are fantastic plays on any given night in DFS. So today, I'll be scrolling a little further down the DraftKings board to find some lower-costing players to differentiate your lineup from the rest of the pack.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 1/21/21. You can also check out today's FanDuel lineup picks. With COVID-19 a significant factor, remember to monitor injury news as the slate can completely change before line-up lock.
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DraftKings DFS Guards
RJ Barrett - SG/SF, NY at GS ($6,900)
The 2019 draft pick has scored at least 19 points in four consecutive games and averaged 37 DKFP in that same stretch. The sophomore guard is showing signs of growth this year. He's improved his averages in points, rebounds, and assists while taking three more shots per game. New York's backcourt has been a constant rotation all year, but Barrett is a mainstay, having played and started all 15 games for the Knicks.
He'll face off against the Warriors tonight, and it could be a sneaky good matchup for the 20-year old. Golden State comes into the contest as a league-average defense versus scoring wings like Barrett, and they are also playing their third game in four nights. Tired legs could lead to a bit of a shootout in the Bay Area, and Barrett has an excellent opportunity to add another 20-point outing to his impressive sophomore campaign.
Jrue Holiday - PG, MIL vs. LAL ($6,600)
Holiday enters Thursday's game on a decent run of form. He's scored at least 20 points in two of his last three games and topped 32 DraftKings fantasy points in each of his previous three contests. Overall, the offseason acquisition from New Orleans is averaging 15.7 points, 5.1 assists, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.0 steals per game with his new team. There are many options at point guard this evening (Curry, Lebron, Donovan Mitchell), but Holiday is the best of the rest. His $6,600 salary offers some flexibility for the rest of your roster tonight, and with the more prominent names at the position, he could be a low-rostered gem for tournaments.
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DraftKings DFS Forwards
Kelly Oubre Jr. - SF/PF, GS vs. NY ($5,700)
After a rocky start to his career as a Golden State Warrior, Oubre is turning things around. Some might say he's been pretty darn good for our DFS lineups recently. Over his last five outings, the 25-year old scored at least 26 DKFP in every game and returned five times his value each time he's taken the court. His averages over that span stand at 16.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.2 blocks, and 1.0 steals, with 2.2 made threes per game. Oubre has been a bit of a polarizing figure because he was so bad earlier this season, and DFS managers tend to become anchored to their early-season impressions for a while. His $5,700 cost remains a value and allows us to spend big at other spots in our lineups.
Bojan Bogdanovic - SF/PF, UTA vs. NO ($5,000)
Bogdanovic has seemingly found his sea legs for the 2020-21 season after a shaky start this year. Over his last four games, the 31-year old is averaging 16.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 3.7 triples per contest. For DFS purposes, he's 25 DKFP in four of his last six games, and that's a reasonable return for where his salary currently sits. Tonight is a rematch of Tuesday's contest with the Pelicans. On Tuesday, the big man from Bosnia and Herzegovina produced 11 points, seven boards, three assists, a steal, and three triples in 29 minutes. DFS managers should expect a similar, if not greater, output in tonight's rematch from Bogdanov with his season back on track.
DraftKings DFS Centers
Anthony Davis - PF/C, LAL at MIL ($9,400)
Fine, you caught me. I said I wasn't going to talk about any of the superstars, and here I am recommending Anthony freaking Davis. He's coming off an incredible 17 points, 17 rebounds, and seven assists versus the Warriors on Monday and now gets to face off against Giannis and the Milwaukee Bucks in a primetime matchup. The Brow has been somewhat volatile this season with three sub 40 DKFP performances and three outings north of 55 DKFP. Milwaukee is the second-worst defense in the league right now, allowing 120.4 points per game. It'll be an exciting matchup with the Bucks, but I think Davis will bring his A-game to the court on Thursday and show just what he can do against the best competition in the league.
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