RADIO
Happy Thursday, RotoBallers! The league is giving DFS players four games to choose from tonight. The four games aren't close to the full slate on other evenings, but it is still a fantastic lineup of superstars to have in your lineups. A couple of injuries and absences will also open the door to some sneaky values plays as you fill out your DFS roster.
The Portland Trail Blazers and the Houston Rockets grace us with their presence in tonight's four-game slate. Portland and Houston rank inside the top-11 in the league in terms of pace. The over/under for this game is sitting at a slate-high 228.5 points, while the other three games can't top the 220 point mark for O/U. Therefore, make sure you have a couple of pieces of the matchup at the Toyota Center.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 1/28/21. 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 lineups lock.
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DraftKings DFS Guards
Delon Wright - PG/SG, DET vs. LAL ($6,700)
The Detroit Pistons may be floundering at 4-14, but Wright has been a bright spot for them at the quarter-mark of the campaign. He's been coming on strong recently with at least 25 DKFP in eight of his previous ten outings and each of the last five games. Over the previous ten days, the sixth-year guard is averaging 12.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 2.2 steals per contest while shooting 49.1 percent from the floor and 44.4 percent from behind the three-point line. The Lakers provide a tough matchup for anyone with their No. 1 defense, but Wright is on a hot streak right now, and DFS managers should be willing to ride it on a four-game slate.
Lou Williams - PG/SG, LAC at MIA ($5,800)
Williams was a big swing and a miss on Tuesday night against the Atlanta Hawks. The 34-year old recorded 11 points, three rebounds, three assists, and one made triple for a dud-like 18.75 DraftKings fantasy points. However, Sweet Lou took a season-high 14 shots and saw a 32.9 percent usage rate. Those are the types of encouraging signs we need to find as DFS managers.
Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and Patrick Beverly are all set to miss another game, and it will allow Williams to see this type of workload again. When the shots start hitting the bottom of the basket, the 16-year veteran will produce a massive evening of fantasy points.
Gary Trent Jr. - SG/SF, POR at HOU ($5,000)
Rodney Hood - SG/SF, POR at HOU ($4,300)
Anfernee Simons - PG/SG, POR at HOU ($4,200)
The Houston Rockets give up the second-most DKFP per game to the shooting guard position. Therefore, I'll be treating the Trail Blazers shooting guard pick like a defense in DFS for fantasy football: whatever I have leftover from my other selections is who I will choose in this spot.
Trent had 28.75 fantasy points on Monday against the Oklahoma City Thunder, and Simons produced 34.5 fantasy points in the same game. Rodney Hood sat out that contest but should return this evening. Bradley Beal just lit up the Rockets for 33 points, five rebounds, and four assists. Neither of these three will replicate that output, but if one can take on most of the workload, they will be a fantastic value on tonight's slate.
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DraftKings DFS Forwards
LeBron James - PG/SF, LAL at DET ($10,400)
One of the greatest to ever take the basketball court is still recording massive stat lines daily. In his last two games, James is averaging 40 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, a block, a steal, and 4.5 made threes for an enormous 62.5 DKFP. Tonight, the Lakers continue their seven-game road trip against the Detroit Pistons. Los Angeles is humming right now and come in as the sixth-best team in offensive efficiency, while the Pistons are the sixth-worst team in defensive efficiency.
This game is the second night of a back-to-back for LeBron and the Lakers, but I still trust him to come through for DFS players on Thursday. He is averaging 52.4 fantasy points per game on the road compared to 44.9 FPPG at the Staples Center. James' salary is steep on a four-game slate, but there are enough value plays across the four games to make it work for your roster.
Carmelo Anthony - PF, POR at HOU ($5,600)
Banana boat brothers unite! Anthony is the second member of the legendary quartet to make the recommendations tonight. Robert Covington (concussion) is out for the mid-week contest, and Melo should continue to fill in for the Blazer's starting five. The veteran recorded 22 points, six rebounds, two blocks, one steal, and one assist in 34.5 minutes. All that production added up to 37.5 DKFP. With another start in the plans for tonight's game, Anthony should see an uptick in his usage and averages across the board for the second game in a row.
Jae Crowder - SF/PF, PHO vs. GS ($5,500)
Devin Booker (hamstring) is highly questionable for tonight's game after sitting out the entire week. If the All-Star misses another contest, Jae Crowder is firmly in play as a value picks at either forward position. In the last two games that the veteran has subbed into the starting lineup, he is averaging 19 points, seven rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.5 steals, and five made threes. The Suns play at one of the slowest paces in the league, but their opponent tonight, Golden State, is one of the fastest-paced teams in the league. That should open up more possessions for the Suns and, in turn, more opportunities for Crowder to fill the box score. Check the injury report before the game to make sure Booker sits, but even then, Crowder could be a popular fade and a solid contrarian play in a small slate.
DraftKings DFS Centers
Christian Wood - C, HOU vs. POR ($8,700)
After missing three games through injury, Wood returns to the Rockets lineup with a fantastic opportunity to make up for the lost time. As previously mentioned, the Trail Blazers-Rockets contest has the highest O/U on the slate (228.5 points), and both teams play at a good pace for a high-scoring matchup. The off-season signing is averaging career-highs across the box score in his new high-usage role with Houston. It's resulted in the 25-year old averaging 44.8 FPPG this season, and DFS managers shouldn't be afraid to slot him back into their lineups in his return to the court.
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