RADIO
What a week it has been around the league. After several games were postponed due to COVID-19 safety protocols, the NBA has six games on the agenda to kick off the weekend, beginning at 5 pm (eastern).
With the blockbuster trade of James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets, a deal that caused a whirlwind of corresponding moves throughout the Association, several familiar faces could suit up for the first time with their new teams. With so many questions regarding availability of many, fantasy managers will want to keep a close eye on things throughout the day.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel on 1/16/21. 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.
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FanDuel DFS Guards
Trae Young, PG - @ POR ($8,800)
Young has struggled in 2021 thus far and has taken a beating from the media as a result. After averaging 33 points per game in December, he has only averaged 17.1 points per game in January. He had one of the worst performances of his career on Friday night against the Utah Jazz, a game where he scored only four points and went 1-for-11 from the field.
However, we have all seen what the 22-year-old is capable of, and his recent dip in production shouldn’t last too long, nonetheless. In the second game of back-to-back sets against the Trail Blazers on Saturday, Young has a fantastic chance at crushing his value as it is not often his DFS asking price falls below the $9,000 mark. With the contest with Portland projected to be the highest-scoring contest on the slate, the former Sooner should have a place in fantasy lineups.
LaMelo Ball, PG - @ TOR ($8,000)
Ball, who currently holds the No. 1 spot in the Kia Rookie Ladder, has been having himself a fantastic season. He became the youngest player in NBA history to record a triple-double, recording that feat against the Atlanta Hawks a week ago, and continues to help his team remain relevant in the Eastern Conference.
Despite routinely playing less than 30 minutes per game, the youngest of the Ball brothers has been getting it done. On Thursday, he has a fantastic showing against the Toronto Raptors, the Hornet’s opponent once again on Saturday, finishing with a double-double. His scoring numbers aren’t the best, but he makes up for it in other areas of the floor.
FanDuel DFS Forwards
Kevin Durant, SF - vs. ORL ($10,100)
Kyrie Irving, while possibly close to rejoining the team, will not play once again on Saturday, which will open the door for Durant to potentially see a spike in production against the Orlando Magic.
The former MVP has been logging a decent amount of minutes since returning from a league-imposed absence due to COVID-19 safety protocols and has recorded over 54.2 fantasy points in two of his last three games. Though James Harden may play his first game as a Net, Durant should still be considered a lock as he is arguably the team’s only reliable option on the offensive end.
Christian Wood, PF - @ SA ($9,000)
After spending several years bouncing around different teams, Wood has found a home in Houston. The 25-year-old is a candidate for Most Improved Player and is leading the way for a Rockets team that is in rebuilding mode after dealing James Harden to Brooklyn.
With Houston down a plethora of options against the Spurs, including DeMarcus Cousins and John Wall, Wood shouldn’t continue to see an increase in +/- differential. In the first games of the series with San Antonio a few nights ago, the journeyman finished with an impressive 27 points, 15 rebounds, and three blocks. He should continue to log heavy minutes once against for the short-handed Rockets, which will give him plenty of opportunities to make some noise for fantasy managers.
FanDuel DFS Centers
Enes Kanter, C - vs. ATL ($5,200)
The Trail Blazers will be left with a massive void with the news that the team’s star center, Jusuf Nurkic, will miss a couple of months—at least—after undergoing surgery on his injured wrist.
With his absence, Kanter should see a noticeable bump in minutes in the middle for Portland. While Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum are most than capable of making up most of the difference on the scoring end, the veteran should also enjoy a small increase in that area while also being a double-digit threat on the class. It isn’t unreasonable for him to walk away with a poor man’s double-double against a Hawks team that has given up plenty of fantasy points underneath the basket this season.
DeAndre Jordan, C - vs. ORL ($4,600)
After starting off the season splitting time with Jarrett Allen, Jordan began to concede minutes over the last few weeks. However, things should begin to turn around in his favor now that Allen is a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Jordan may benefit tremendously for a Brooklyn team that is now sorely lacking size up front. He played 28 minutes against the Knicks the other night, finishing with 12 rebounds, nine points, and two blocks for a total of 32.4 fantasy points. He may receive a similar amount of time on the floor against Orlando, so keep him in mind if you are running low on cap space.
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