RADIO
There are six games being played today and although the Knicks and Wizards are playing in London at 3PM EST, we still have a nice five-game slate to keep us warm through the night. Right off the bat, I can tell you two areas that I will be happily targeting with my lineups. The first is Joel Embiid versus Myles Turner. Embiid has the advantage and while there are few better players in the league to defend Embiid, the spacing Embiid offers is going to ruin the Pacers defensive schemes. Indiana will come out looking to close this game out before Embiid can get going, but I think that just adds fuel to the fire. We have yet to really see Embiid bring his team back from a significant deficit and I'm hoping tonight Embiid sets a precedent tonight.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel on 1/17/19. 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 today's DraftKings lineup picks.
Make sure you don't set your lineups too early and also be sure to check player statuses and availability prior to opening tip. Find me in the NBA Chat Room or @HalfCourtJester on Twitter.
FanDuel DFS Guards
Buddy Hield - SG, SAC @ CHA (FD - $6,400)
This is an easy pick that I'm hoping people will just gloss over without really thinking about. His price is a little high given that Buddy Hield can have a poor shooting night and tank his value, but I really can't see that against Charlotte. It's possible for the Hornets to keep this game close through Kemba Walker and Jeremy Lamb shouldering the weight, but when it gets down to the late game, there will be noone to stay with Hield. In multiple games he's shown that it doesn't matter whose guarding him, if he is hitting his shot, he will hit in the face of every defender you put in front of him. In his previous 10 games he has scored double-digits in nine, scoring over 20 in five of those nine games. The highest scoring game out of those five you ask? 32 against the Warriors on January 5th.
Fred Van Vleet - PG, PHO @ TOR (FD - $5,000)
I was really hoping that Fred Van Vleet's price as going to be cheaper seeing how it's nearly guaranteed he produces at home tonight, but even then I like his upside versus the Suns. Since the Suns are rebuilding and that means there defense is three levels above sketchy-at-best. Seeing how it is becoming more and more likely than Kyle Lowry doesn't play, that opens up the door for Van Vleet to see extended minutes and cruise through his projected score. The Suns will need to rely directly on Devin Booker to keep them in this game and Toronto being on the second night of a back-to-back just means Van Vleet will see more shots and more usage.
FanDuel DFS Forwards
Jabari Parker - SF, CHI @ DEN (FD - $4,900)
Despite what you think of Jabari Parker and his situation, it's evident that he is one of the few Bulls players that can confidently score on his own. The Nuggets got whooped by the Warriors in their last game, so they will need to make some type of statement tonight, just to get things back on track. While that will be the case for Denver, it doesn't change Parker's outlook much at all. He will score against Denver's defense, but how much he produces and how close this game will be are entirely up in the air. Zach Lavine, Lauri Markkanen, and Parker will all get their fair share of attempts, but I do fear this game could be over quickly. While that might kill Markkanen and Lavine's upside, Parker should still play even through a blowout. It's unclear whether the Bulls are actively looking to trade Parker and whether this is their example of showing off the goods, but either way Parker should be seeing a ton of minutes this game. Bobby Portis is another player who is able to get his stats, regardless of minutes or matchup.
Serge Ibaka - PF, TOR vs. PHO (FD - 6,400)
This is a highly favorable matchup for Serge Ibaka especially when you look at the frontcourt he will be facing. Richaun Holmes can rebound, but he doesn't have the strength or size to really compete in the paint with someone like Ibaka. Luckily, for DFS players, Ibaka treats every game like it could be his last and he takes advantage of every matchup whenever he can. Ibaka wants to produce and he wants the ball in his hands. Although he doesn't have the range to be a three-point threat, he continues to space out defenses as best he can without sacrificing his chances to get offensive and defensive rebounds. The Raptors will have to change directions with Kawhi Leonard and Kyle Lowry not playing, but that just means Ibaka is more than likely their first option going in.
FanDuel DFS Centers
Deandre Ayton - C, PHO @ TOR (FD - $7,200)
I don't love this pick but at the same time, the upside is there. He will need Devin Booker to create offense, but I'm fairly confident Deandre Ayton will be able to rebound and score against the Raptors frontcourt. Like stated earlier, Serge Ibaka is a different story. Ayton will want to stay away from him as much as possible, but at the same time it shouldn't be hard. Without both Leonard and Lowry, the Raptor defense takes a serious hit, leaving bigs like Ibaka and Pascal Siakam to play more team oriented defense. It will work and the Raptors bench should dominate even the Suns starters, but I'm confident than Ayton and Booker will both have good games and they will only need each other to produce. Look for these two go back-and-forth splitting up the offensive production as best they can.
