RADIO
Before any discussion can be had concerning Monday’s six-game slate, it’s worth taking a moment of reflection to remember the life of Kobe Bryant, his daughter, Gianna, and that of the other families who were impacted by Sunday’s plane crash in California. For all who love basketball, for over two decades, Bryant was a preternatural talent that transcended sports.
As for the action on the hardwood, it’s hard to imagine that many players aren’t at least keeping Bryant in their thoughts while on the floor. With the absence of Russell Westbrook (rest) and the likely absence of James Harden (thigh), the slate suddenly opens wide for analysis.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 1/27/20. You can also check out today's FanDuel lineup picks. Remember to monitor injury news as the slate can completely change before line-up lock.
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DraftKings DFS Guards
De'Aaron Fox - PG, SAC @ MIN ($8,100)
It’s a near toss-up between Sacramento/Minnesota and Dallas/Oklahoma City to see who will have a higher total bestowed upon them by Vegas, but of all those potential matchups, Fox facing off with a lax Minnesota defensive unit that is still in flux sounds by far the most enticing. The Fox arrival has come, and come quickly. Across 11 January contests, he has rocketed his averages up to 22.2 points, 7.7 assists and 4.9 rebounds on a nightly basis. As the team attempts to find the right recipe both on the wings and in the frontcourt, Fox has been the one constant, one who has led the team in scoring in seven of its last 11 games and will have the ball in his hands with control of the pace Monday.
Austin Rivers - PG/SG, HOU @ UTA ($3,600)
DraftKings did an excellent job of altering prices ahead of Monday’s game, as Eric Gordon and Ben McLemore have skyrocketed to a number that may make many shy away, even without Harden or Westbrook in the mix. Which leaves Rivers, who appears to have ducked the new pricing somewhat, as he can still be had at a severe discount, especially when considered his outing Sunday which saw him collect 13 points, six rebounds and four assists with Westbrook on the floor; with both of Houston’s high-powered scorers unavailable, it should be open season offensively for Rivers.
(On the theme of Houston’s decimated backcourt, Donovan Mitchell also makes for a stellar cash play, as well as an option in GPP contests. Similarly, Bojan Bogdanovic should also benefit from facing a Rockets unit that yields 35.5 three-point attempts on a nightly basis, the fourth-highest total in the league.)
DraftKings DFS Forwards
Kevin Love - PF, CLE @ DET ($7,900)
When Love has been cleared to take the floor during January, he has been the most consistent version of himself on the offensive end all season. The 19.8 points that he is averaging over 11 contests is his highest for any month this year, with the capstone thus far having been a 30-point effort against Detroit back on Jan. 7. With the Trade Deadline looming, the fervor around Love and his long-term status aren’t going to die down, but so long as he has a clean bill of health, he brings a stretch of four consecutive outings with at least triples made to the floor. Owners in cash contests can understandably be hesitant with Love, whose minutes have fluctuated on a whim this year, but GPP owners aiming for upside can target Love on this slate.
Aaron Gordon - SF/PF, ORL @ MIA ($5,900)
Gordon has sustained a recent crisis of role with the Magic over the past week and a half. Despite averaging 35 minutes per contest, he has dropped an averaged of 10.6 points on 11 shot attempts. But I’ll be banking on a performance of upward mobility after he reeled off a double-double against the Clippers in his most recent contest, whom like Miami, has an excellent defensive unit. In an attempt to be both contrarian in lineups and to find a buy-low option, Gordon checks both boxes, as he is more than capable of hitting value for the evening and then some, with his only previous meeting against the Heat this year having resulted in a 16-point, eight-rebound showing.
DraftKings DFS Centers
Karl-Anthony Towns - C, MIN vs. SAC ($10,300)
Towns will have the advantage Monday of facing a Sacramento frontcourt decimated by injuries. It took the two-time All-Star a few appearances to get rolling again upon his return, but Towns has now gone for at least 30 points in three straight contests averaging better than a point scored per minute played (35.7 points across 31.4 minutes). Factor in that both Richaun Holmes and Marvin Bagley are sidelined for the Kings, and it appears that some combination of Dewayne Dedmon and Harry Giles will be tasked with slowing Towns.
Conversely, for owners who want to spend up elsewhere, either Dedmon or Giles could be enticing low-priced options at the center spot. Dedmon seemingly has the higher ceiling, but Giles played 22 minutes in the team’s most recent outing and features a near bottom of the barrel price that would allow for significant spending elsewhere.
