DraftKings NBA Picks for January 20

We are back up to nine games for the main DraftKings tournament tonight. We have plenty of star on display. Who is worth paying up for? Where are the bargain to afford a few? Is it a night to go with mid-range options? Let’s check out the trends.

Don’t forget to follow @fantasycpr on Twitter for lineup updates as we get them leading to the tipoffs of the games! I am not always able to get back in here and fix my picks when someone sits for the night, but we will update it on Twitter.

Point Guards

Best Bets:

Giannis Antetokuonmpo ($10,600): Giannis has 100.75 DraftKings points in two games against the Cavs this season. That would leave him just a shade under 5x value, but he always has the potential for more. Cleveland is a little beat up right now, so that could open more lanes for a guy like Giannis, who just seems to be everywhere at once.

Stephen Curry ($8,700): Curry has finally gotten back to the level that we expect him at. Well, at least close to it relative to his price. Curry has seven straight games of 5x value or more. This is a Houston team that he took for 45.75 DraftKings points earlier this season. Expect him to be in that neighborhood again tonight.

Honorable Mention:

Kyle Lowry ($8,300): Charlotte is pretty good on the outside, but Lowry put up 45 DraftKings points on them in the first meeting. Since a disastrous outing against the Spurs on January 3rd, Lowry has averaged 47.6 DraftKings points per game. And you know he will be out to prove that he deserves to start the All Star game. Lowry could have a big night.

Kemba Walker ($8,000): Walker had his best game of the season against the Raptors earlier this year. He put up 67.5 DraftKings points on the Raps in that one. Expecting that again is a little misguided, but there is no reason to believe that he wont hit at least 6x value against a team that is lax against point guards.

Dark Horses:

T.J. McConnell ($5,200): The Sixers have played better lately with McConnell in there over Sergio Rodriguez. Rodriguez is more of a fantasy asset, but McConnell picks up a lot of assists and rebounds. As long as Phillie plays better with him on the court, he will continue to start. He has over 5x value in seven of his last eight games, so he is a relatively low risk play as well.

Jordan Clarkson ($4,100): The Bulls situation is far from settled with Michael Carter-Williams and Rajon Rondo splitting the minutes down the middle with Jerian Grant on the outside looking in against Dallas. The Nets don’t trust Spencer Dinwiddie anymore, even with Lin out. So I would feel more comfortable taking a chance on Clarkson, who is already set in his sixth man role. He is back on track after a couple of rough games, averaging 26.5 DraftKings points a game over his last three.

My pick: McConnell(PG); Walker(PG)

Shooting Guards

Best Bets:

James Harden ($12,200): There is no sure thing, especially at this price, but Harden comes close. He destroyed the Warriors for 75.25 DraftKings points in the first meeting. He has been arguably the hottest player in the league in 2017. Harden has more DraftKings points this calendar year than Russell Westbrook. If you are going to splurge, do so for Harden.

DeMar DeRozan ($8,200): You may think that DeRozan was not much of a factor against Charlotte with Lowry having a good game, but he put up 45.75 DraftKings points of his own in that game. DeRozan has had two games in the 60’s and two in the 50’s over his last seven. The other three? They were below 40. There is a little risk involved here, but it looks like a good matchup.

Honorable Mention:

Nicolas Batum ($7,400): Batum put up 41.5 DraftKings points on the Raptors in the first meeting. He had been struggling since missing three games earlier this month with a sore knee, but he got back on track against this week with 79.25 DraftKings points over the last two games. He should be right around 5x value tonight.

Dwyane Wade ($6,300): Wade strayed from his 30’s comfort zone in the first meeting against Atlanta. He put up 42.75 DraftKings points on the Hawks. He will see plenty of open shots tonight with Kyle Korver now in Cleveland. Hardaway and Bazemore are solid defenders, but not enough to shut Wade down.

Dark Horses:

Tyreke Evans ($5,800): Evans went berserk on the Nets on January 12th, racking up 48.5 DraftKings points in a season-high 28 minutes. It is likely too much to ask for a repeat of that, but 6x value is a very good possibility.

Joe Ingles ($4,400): I trust Ingles more than Joe Johnson, especially since he is starting with Rodney Hood sidelined. Ingles picked up 26 DraftKings points in his start against the Suns on Monday. He will have a hard time improving on that against Dallas, but he should at least be in that area.

My pick: Harden(SG), Ingles(G); Batum(SG), Wade(G), Evans(F), Ingles(UTIL)

Small Forwards

Best Bets:

Kevin Durant ($10,500): Durant absolutely dominated Houston in the first meeting. He torched the Rockets for 73.5 DraftKings points. Part of the gaudy total had to do with his good shooting and 12-12 stat from the foul line, but we all know Durant is capable of this again. He just dropped 70 on the Thunder Wednesday night.

Jimmy Butler ($8,900): On paper, this looks like a bad matchup for Butler. That said, Butler racked up 66.5 DraftKings points on Atlanta in the first meeting between these two teams. Expecting that kind of output again is probably a little off base, but Butler has averaged 52 DraftKings points over the last three games after sitting out with an illness. Butler should get at least 5x value, and has a shot at 6x.

Honorable Mention:

Paul George ($7,800): George had one of his better games of the season in the first meeting against the Lakers. He had 48.25 DraftKings points in 37 minutes. His minutes are consistently in that area even though the production has tapered lately. He should be right around 5x value, but I will be surprised if he gets much above that.

Jabari Parker ($6,900): Parker has a ton of upside, but his production is not as consistent as those of us who play daily leagues would prefer. He has 62 DraftKings points in two prior games against Orlando, which would leave him a little under 5x value, but he could be a nice dart throw in a GPP lineup.

Dark Horses:

Dario Saric ($4,300): Saric has averaged 26 DraftKings points over his last four games, and gets a Portland team that has been dumped on lately. Saric has very good per-minute stats, but minutes can still be hard to come by on that crowded team. Robert Covington has cooled off, which has afforded more minutes for Saric. He has responded well.

Tony Snell ($3,300): Despite mixed results, Snell has managed to play mostly consistent minutes on a team that constantly messes with rotations. Snell has 34.5 DraftKings points in two games against Orlando. That is nothing to write home about, but it is 5x value.

My Pick: Durant(SF); Snell(SF)

Power Forwards

Best Bets:

Draymond Green ($7,900): Green has a tough matchup on paper against Houston tonight, but he did put up 57.75 DraftKings points on them in the first meeting. Clint Capela is still being worked back into the rotation, so Houston isn’t as strong up front as the stats say. That said, it doesn’t really apply to Draymond anyway. He has a high floor because he does so many things on the court.

Paul Millsap ($7,500): Millsap has reached or exceeded 5x value in an astonishing 12 straight games. Few can match that kind of consistent value. He put up 44.25 DraftKings points on the Bulls in the first meeting. Expect another strong showing tonight.

Honorable Mention:

Terrence Jones ($6,200): Jones put up big numbers against the Nets on January 12th, but Anthony Davis missed that game. Considering that Davis has left each of the last two games, taking a shot on Jones may not be a terrible idea. He is a risk since he doesn’t start, but Jones is still hovering right around 5x value when he plays 25 or more minutes.

Thaddeus Young ($5,500): Young put up 33 DraftKings points on the Lakers in the first meeting. Young has been over 5x value in three of the last four games, with the only one he missed being a tougher matchup with Denver. Young’s work on the defensive end gives him a high floor. He has racked up 15 steals in the last four games alone!

Ersan Ilyasova ($5,300): Ilyasova has managed to average 31.2 DraftKings points over the last ten games. Even with all the trees up front, Ilyasova still plays around 25 minutes a game. He looks like a lock for value against a Portland team that has been abused by power forwards. His upside is capped because he doesn’t often play upwards of 25 minutes, but he will do ample damage while in there.

Dark Horses:

Al-Farouq Aminu ($5,000): Aminu has been over 20 DraftKings points in each of his last eight games, and ten of his last 11. He is always right around 5x value, but he may fall a little short against a Philadelphia team that is playing very well right now.

JaMychal Green ($4,500): Zach Randolph is the consistent one off the bench. Green has the most upside as we saw on Wednesday against Washington. However, he has missed 5x value in six of his last seven games. He carries a big risk, but with Rudy Gay and Omri Casspi both out, Sacramento will have a tough time containing him.

Anthony Tolliver ($4,300): Tolliver will get plenty of run with Gay and Casspi both out. Matt Barnes has been on the outs with the team since his arrest, which has afforded Tolliver the chance to carve out a role here. He has done pretty well, though he still has bouts of inconsistency. He has the minutes to put up plenty of value tonight though.

My pick: Ilyasova(PF), Tolliver(F), J. Green(UTIL); Millsap(PF)

Center

Best Bets:

Joel Embiid ($8,400): It doesn’t matter what team Embiid has played against, he has played well. He has only missed 5x value once in the last dozen games. That was against the Nets when the team held him to 24 minutes. He has played some of the better interior defenses in that span, and still hit value. Don’t expect that to stop here.

Marc Gasol ($7,200): Gasol has back to back games of more than 42 DraftKings points. With Sacramento so beat up in the frontcourt, a third wont be far behind. Gasol is one of the more consistent post producers, and has the potential for far more than 5x value.

Honorable Mention:

DeMarcus Cousins ($10,200): Cousins has topped 5x value in five of his last six games, which is ridiculous at this price. The reason I downgrade him tonight is because Memphis is a stout defensive team. The Grizzlies held Cousins to 86.25 DraftKings points in two games against him this year. Now Gay is out though, which could push more of the scoring load onto Cousins.

Brook Lopez ($6,800): I don’t trust the inconsistency of Dwight Howard or Myles Turner in cash games. I would much rather use the reliable Lopez. Lopez has five straight games of 32 or more DraftKings points. He went for 33.5 in the first meeting with the Pelicans. He should be in this area once again.

Dark Horses:

Montrezl Harrell ($4,900): Clint Capela is back, but the Rockets are trying to ease him back into action. Harrell picked up 30.5 DraftKings points on the Warriors in the first meeting, but that was with Capela sidelined. I am banking this pick on the fact that Harrell is a better matchup against the Warriors than Capela is.

Zaza Pachulia ($3,500): Pachulia has eight straight games of more than 5x value. He has seen an increase in minutes because he fits the style of this team. Pachulia lacks big upside, but he will continue to post around 6x value as long as he is playing more than 20 minutes. There is nothing to suggest that will change.

My pick: Pachulia(C); Gasol(C)

Next: FanDuel NBA Picks

Stay tuned for our FanDuel picks, our DFS NHL picks, and plenty of NFL advice heading into your weekend!