DraftKings NBA Picks for January 25
By Mike Marteny
DraftKings NBA Picks for January 25
We are at ten games for the main DraftKings tournament tonight. We have plenty of stars on display tonight. Where can we find bargains so we can roster a couple of stars? The Clippers and Spurs are both off, so it will be harder to find value.
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.
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Most of my picks end up being a little on the conservative side, so these lineups may be better suited for cash games, though I usually play both types.
Both lineups made it into the money last night. Maybe the secret is to stop changing them!
If you want a second opinion, head on over to Fantasypros. They will use their algorithm to help you find the best bang for the buck. They can also be customized to do the turbo and late tournaments, and they will also build around your favorite stack!
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Point Guards
Best Bets:
Russell Westbrook ($12,800): We all know that Westbrook has been the best player on the planet this year, but I don’t recommend him every game. Some matchups are better than others. We have history on our side tonight. Westbrook has averaged 68.6 DraftKings points in two games against the Pelicans this year. That puts him above 5x value, which is hard to do at this price. Oh…..Westbrook has also been above 70 DraftKings points in three of his last four games. He will flirt with four out of five at the very least.
Damian Lillard ($8,600): I don’t trust Kyle Lowry against Memphis. He put up solid number on them the first time, but Mike Conley was out. That makes a huge difference. I don’t trust the hot Isaiah Thomas either. Patrick Beverley did a good job on him in the first meeting. That leaves Lillard to round out the top tier. He has 85.25 DraftKings points in two games against the Lakers so far this year. That puts him right around 5x value, and he has an added boost with D’Angelo Russell out.
Honorable Mention:
Jrue Holiday ($7,600): Holiday blew up on Cleveland for 67.5 DraftKings points on Monday night. He has posted mostly pedestrian numbers this year, but we got a glimpse of what he is capable of. Holiday put up 73.75 DraftKings points on the Thunder in two previous meetings this year. He is a strong play in what looks to be another fast paced game.
Dennis Schroder ($6,200): The Bulls are an absolute mess at point guard right now to the point where you can’t trust any of the three in daily leagues. Conversely, you can count on the defensive stats since most of them were posted when Rajon Rondo was starting. Schroder has 63 DraftKings points on the Bulls in two prior games, but if Jerian Grant starts again, Schroder should have an easier go of it tonight.
Dark Horses:
Malcolm Brogdon ($5,100): Brogdon is still seeing upwards of 30 minutes a game for the Bucks. So long as he does, he is a good value play. He put up 26.5 DraftKings points on the Sixers in 28 minutes in the first meeting. Brogdon looks like a lock for 5x value.
Jordan Clarkson ($4,900): Clarkson is still the sixth man even with Russell out, but he still plays 30 minutes a game and is seeing a few more shots. Prior to being shut down by Dallas, Clarkson had two games of nearly 6x value with Russell out. I would be he does that against Portland, who’s horrid perimeter defense is the stuff of DFS legend.
My pick: Westbrook(PG), Schroder(G); Schroder(PG)
Shooting Guards
Best Bets:
James Harden ($12,300): Harden put up 60 DraftKings points in the first meeting against Boston. With Avery Bradley still out, Harden will have an easier time shots over Smart. I wouldn’t expect a huge increase, but 5x value is a great possibility.
C.J. McCollum ($7,800): McCollum has racked up 81.75 DraftKings points in two games against the Lakers this season. He has been able to get clean shots, and the Lakers’ perimeter defense isn’t any better than it was earlier in the season. McCollum is one of the safer bets for 5x value.
Honorable Mention:
Dion Waiters ($6,600): Waiters has been on fire with Tyler Johnson out. Johnson is currently not travelling with the team, so we could see another huge night from Waiters. I trust him a lot more than the inconsistent Nicolas Batum, even against the Warriors. Waiters has back to back 40+ DraftKings points games. I’ll take him for the third straight against the Nets.
Marcus Smart ($6,000): Smart has played pretty well with Avery Bradley out. Honestly, Smart was seeing plenty of minutes anyway. Now he sees a few more shots come his way. He has used that to pick up 67 DraftKings points over the last two games. Smart picked up 24.75 DraftKings points in the first game against Houston in 27 minutes. He should be right around 5x value with the extra minutes and shots.
Dark Horses:
Victor Oladipo ($5,500): Oladipo has topped 5x value in four of the last five games, including a tough one against Utah on Monday. He picked up 29.75 in the first meeting with the Pelicans this year, so he should be slightly above 5x value tonight.
Terrence Ross ($4,500): Ross didn’t start last night with DeMar DeRozan out, but he still saw 30 minutes and picked up as many DraftKings points. His role should be roughly the same tonight with another good matchup against Memphis. The Grizzlies don’t defend perimeter shooters all that well.
Norman Powell ($3,600): Powell picked up the start with DeRozan out and played a whopping 39 minutes. He picked up 31.75 DraftKings points, so he was actually a better value than Ross. Ross is just more known as a sharpshooter. What happens if Powell’s shot quits falling?
My pick: Powell(SG); McCollum(SG), Waiters(G), Powell(F)
Small Forwards
Best Bets:
Kevin Durant ($9,400): His production has fallen a bit with the performance of Stephen Curry lately, but I still trust Durant more than LeBron James against Sacramento. I think the King could see some rest down the stretch in that one, while I think Charlotte keeps close to the Warriors. The Hornets also have not defender the small forward position very well. Durant still has hit 5x value in five of the last six games. He should make it six of seven.
Jimmy Butler ($9,100): Butler has 91 DraftKings points in two games against Atlanta so far this year. He has been up and down since missing a couple of games with the flu. Of course, it may have to do with the fluctuation at point for the Bulls. He has only hit 5x value twice in six games since his return.
Honorable Mention:
Jabari Parker ($7,200): You have not seen Parker in this column very often, and it’s mostly because he is still pretty inconsistent. However, in the first game against Philadelphia, he put up 34.75 DraftKings points. that is very close to 5x value. Over the last three games, Parker has averaged 43.6 DraftKings points per contest. I like the odds here.
Jae Crowder ($5,600): Crowder has six straight games with more than 5x value, but he still has not gone over 35 DraftKings points. His consistency is a good foundation for any lineup, but especially for cash games. He was held a shade under value in the first meeting with Houston, but he has seen his numbers pick up a little with Bradley out. 5x value seems likely again.
Dark Horses:
Dario Saric ($4,200): Statistically, the Bucks are the best in the league defensively against small forwards, but Saric will likely play mostly at power forward again tonight with Joel Embiid out and Jahlil Okafor questionable. Saric picked up 35.75 DraftKings points in the first meeting with the Bucks in just 23 minutes. He could be a sneaky source of points, but he is still a risky play.
Garrett Temple ($4,000): Temple has picked up some extra minutes with Rudy Gay out. He has averaged 24.4 DraftKings points per game with Gay out. Temple picked up 15.5 DraftKings points in the first meeting with Cleveland, but his usage is definitely higher with Gay out. He should be right around 6x value once again.
Wayne Ellington ($3,900): Ellington has played well in the absences of Justise Winslow and Tyler Johnson. Ellington has 51.25 DraftKings points over the last two games with Johnson out while starting at SF with Waiters moving to SG. Both are very good options against the Nets tonight.
My Pick: Ellington(SF); Crowder(SF), Ellington(UTIL)
Power Forwards
Best Bets:
DeMarcus Cousins ($10,800): Cousins has topped 5x value in seven of the last ten games, which is quite a feat at this salary. Boogie picked up 53.5 DraftKings points against the Cavs in the first meeting, meaning he should be right about 5x value again. His numbers have also picked up a little bit with Gay out.
Paul Millsap ($7,800): Millsap has topped 5x value in nine of the last 11 games. He has 78 DraftKings points in two games against the Bulls this season. What that tells me is that Millsap is a lock for 5x value, so long as the Hawks don’t rest him.
Honorable Mention:
Kevin Love ($7,800): Love struggled against the Warriors and Spurs, but found his shot against the Pelicans on Monday. Love managed 40 DraftKings points against Cousins in the first meeting, so as long as his shot is falling again, he should be right around 5x value.
James Johnson ($5,900): Johnson has struggled with Dallas, Milwaukee, and Golden State over the last three games. He gets a reprieve tonight against the Nets who are rather awful up front. Expect Johnson to get back on track here.
Dark Horses:
Al-Farouq Aminu ($5,000): Aminu has abused the Lakers this year. While Portland is supposed to be a great matchup for opposing power forwards, Julius Randle has actually struggled. Save the cash and use Aminu, who has 71.25 DraftKings points against the Lakers in two games this year.
JaMychal Green ($4,400): Green succeeded where Zach Randolph did not in the first meeting against Toronto. Green picked up 35.25 DraftKings points in that matchup with the Raptors. His skill set seems to match up well with Toronto, so he could be a nice sleeper pick tonight.
My pick: Millsap(PF), Aminu(F); Johnson(PF)
Center
Best Bets:
Anthony Davis ($10,400): Davis sat out on Monday with a sore quad, and you can bet the Thunder hope he misses this game as well. In two games against Oklahoma City this year, Davis has 132.25 DraftKings points. In two games! If Davis sits, you want Terrence Jones in your lineup. Jones had the best game of his young career on Monday night with Davis out.
Hassan Whiteside ($7,900): Whiteside sometimes disappears for games at a time, but that shouldn’t happen against the Nets. The Nets are the worst in the league at defending the center position. We have seen Whiteside have some big games this season, but he hasn’t had one in a couple of weeks. Is this where he gets back on track?
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Honorable Mention:
Marc Gasol ($7,500): Gasol has four straight games with over 42 DraftKings points. Toronto is not exactly a strong team in the middle, but they did hold Gasol to 33.5 DraftKings points in the first meeting. That is not a bad total, but I am guessing that Gasol gets closer to his recent output this time around.
Al Horford ($6,800): Horford has 11 straight games with over 30 DraftKings points, but he has not been above 40 during that span either. That said, his athleticism was a huge problem for Houston in the first meeting as Horford racked up 46.5 DraftKings points in that game. Considering Horford a high floor guy with the potential for 7x value.
Brook Lopez ($6,300): Up until the Spurs game on Monday, Lopez had seven straight games with at least 30 DraftKings points. Expect him to be back at that floor again against the Heat, who don’t actually defend the post well despite Whiteside’s imposing presence.
Dark Horses:
Enes Kanter ($5,400): Kanter put up 73.75 DraftKings points in two games against the Pelicans this year. If he hits that average again, Kanter is at 6.5x value. That may be a lofty goal, but Kanter has been over 5x value in eight of the last ten games.
Nerlens Noel ($4,300): Keep an eye on the status of Jahlil Okafor coming into this one. If Okafor ($5,100) plays, he will likely start. I would consider switching to Okafor if he starts, but I love Noel at this price if Okafor sits. Noel had a huge game against the Clippers last night. Don’t expect quite that big of a game against the Bucks, but if he starts again, 8x value is likely.
My pick: Lopez(C), Noel(UTIL); Davis(C)
Stay tuned for our FanDuel picks, our DFS NHL picks, and plenty of NFL advice heading into your weekend!