RADIO
Happy Tuesday!!! Today is the 16th Tuesday since the start of what has been another glorious NBA season. However, New Orleans Pelicansf fans are probably not overjoyed to hear that star center Anthony Davis has officially asked out of "The Big Easy". Nevertheless, the games must go on and there are eight games on the docket.
Speaking of Davis and the Pelicans, they are currently in Houston waiting to take on the Rockets at 8 p.m. (ET) in what is the most intriguing contest on tonight's slate. The teams have split their two meetings this year, although the two squads have headed in opposite directions since their last game which saw James Harden become the first player since Oscar Robertson to record at least 35 points and five assists in seven consecutive games as he had 41 points and six dimes in a 108-104 victory. The Rockets (29-20) are currently in fifth place in the Western Conference having won three straight and nine of 15. Harden is on a 23-game streak where he has tallied at least 30 points and Chris Paul returned to the team on Sunday. Meanwhile, New Orleans (22-28) has lost six of eight and will once again be without Davis (finger). Despite the recent slide, Jrue Holiday continues to play the best basketball of his career and Jahlil Okafor has been outstanding since being inserted in the starting lineup four games ago.
In other news, Jimmy Butler (wrist) will suit up for the 76ers against the Lakers after missing the past three games. For the rest of the article, I'll be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel on 1/29/19. 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.
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FanDuel DFS Guards
Derrick White: PG Vs. PHO ($5,700)
White has played well over the last 16 games. He has scored in double figures, grabbed at least three rebounds, doled out four or more assists and come up with a minimum of one steal in each of his last three outings while making 17 of 25 shots (68 percent) from the field.
Since Dec. 28, White has scored in double-digits on 13 occasions. He is averaging 14.6 points, 1.1 three-pointers, 4.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.4 steals while shooting 62.9 percent from the floor as well as 47.2 percent from beyond the arc during this 16-game stretch.
Russell Westbrook has posted a triple-double in each of his last three outings while Ben Simmons has also played well. So has Tomas Satoransky.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope: SG Vs. PHI ($4,500)
Caldwell-Pope is a total value play here. He has shot the ball well over the last two games and in three of his last five contests. The 25-year-old is coming off a 24-point performance against the Suns (Sunday) as he was 9-for-17 from the floor, including 4-for-9 from long-range. In addition, KCP tied his season high with six boards to go along with two steals and three turnovers. It was his second 20-point game and the eighth time that he has scored in double figures this month.
The sixth-year pro, who has started the last six games, is averaging 11.2 points along with 1.4 three-pointers, 3.3 rebounds and 1.1 assists as a starter. Harden, Bradley Beal, Holiday and Zach LaVine are higher priced options.
FanDuel DFS Forwards
Trevor Ariza: SF @CLE ($6,600)
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Paul George are the top plays here. I also really like Brandon Ingram, however, his price tag is just a tad bit too high especially if Kyle Kuzma is able to go against the 76ers.
Ariza continues his solid play with the Wizards. The 6-foot-8 wing topped the 20-point mark for the seventh time in the last 13 games against San Antonio on Sunday. Versus the Spurs, he compiled 20 points along with four rebounds, two assists and two steals in 42 minutes. The 15th-year pro has scored in double-figures in 15 of his 19 games with Washington, averaging 15.2 points, six rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.6 steals during this stretch.
Kelly Oubre Jr., Rudy Gay, and Cedi Osman are also solid options. Jonathan Isaac and Davis Bertans are also options, although their production is anything but a given.
Ed Davis: PF Vs. CHI ($4,300)
Here is a value play and this wasn't an easy call as I also like Davis' teammate Rondae Hollis-Jefferson tonight and Hollis-Jefferson only costs $100 more. The 29-year-old veteran ultimately won out due to his rebounding prowess over five games, despite being replaced in the starting lineup on Monday against Boston by Hollis-Jefferson.
Still, Davis recorded eight points along with 11 rebounds (five offensive), three assists and one block in 23 minutes versus the Celtics. It was his third double-digit rebound game and the fourth time he tallied at least six points in the last five contests. The ninth-year pro, who is having his most productive month of the season, is averaging 7.8 points as well as 11.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists while shooting 66.7 percent from the floor during this five-game stretch.
LaMarcus Aldridge, Kenneth Faried, and Lauri Markkanen are higher priced options who have been playing well. I would hesitate to play either Aldridge and Markkanen. Aldridge has not been great against the Suns this year, averaging just 16.7 points and 6.7 rebounds over three contests. I also like Aaron Gordon, Jerami Grant and to a lesser extent Josh Jackson.
FanDuel DFS Centers
Jahlil Okafor: C @ HOU ($7,200)
Don't like his price tag, but Okafor has been very good since Davis has been out with his injury. He is really the only low-post option that the Pelicans have with Nikola Mirotic (calf) out and Julius Randle (ankle) questionable for the game. Plus, opposing centers have feasted on the Rockets with an undersized power forward Kenneth Faried having to guard players that are much bigger than his 6-foot-8, 220-pound frame. Nikola Vucevic, Serge Ibaka, Noah Vonleh, and Joel Embiid are the four centers that Faried has had to monitor since being acquired by the Rockets and each of those four players have posted a double-double.
Okafor has posted three double-doubles while averaging 19.8 points, 10.8 boards, and 2.8 blocks in 31.8 minutes a night in his last four appearances. The 23-year-old has attempted at least 10 shots in each of the four games and is shooting the ball at a 75 percent clip. He has registered at least 40 FanDuel fantasy points in three of the four appearances.
Embiid has an extremely appealing matchup against the Lakers while Nikola Vucevic and Steven Adams have been playing well if you want to spend some of your salary cap here. Ante Zizic, Brook Lopez as well as Thomas Bryant are also mid-level priced options.
