DraftKings NBA Picks for January 31
By Mike Marteny
DraftKings NBA Picks for January 31
There are seven games for our Saturday DraftKings main tournament. Some of these teams are on the tail end of a back to back outing, so watch out for sitting players. There were a ton of players sitting last night. Will it happen again tonight?
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.
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Point Guards
Best Bets:
Russell Westbrook ($12,300): The Spurs’ point guard defense is improving, but Westbrook has a triple-double in half the games he has played this year. Improving wont cut it. He has cooled off a little in January, and he was ice cold against the Cavs on Sunday, but he still went for 57 DraftKings points. Few players can do that on an “off” day.
John Wall ($10,000): The Knicks have defended the point pretty well this year, but Derrick Rose may still be out, and Wall has done well against them even with Rose in. Wall has 107.75 DraftKings points in two games against the Knicks so far this year. If you don’t trust Westbrook against the Spurs, Wall is a suitable fade option.
Honorable Mention:
Kyle Lowry ($8,600): Someone forgot to tell Lowry that Orlando was a tough matchup. He put up 54.25 DraftKings points on them on Sunday. He has a nice matchup against the Pelicans tonight. Lowry has put up 153.5 DraftKings points over the last three games after hitting a rough stretch for ten days or so. Lowry seems to be back to normal.
Kemba Walker ($7,900): Walker is not one of the most consistent guys you can use, but he has played well lately. Walker has averaged 48.3 DraftKings points per game over his last three. He topped 40 in the first game against Portland, so expecting him to do it again is not out of line.
Jrue Holiday ($7,700): Holiday has scored over 50 DraftKings points in three of the last four games. The only game he was under was a tougher matchup against the Spurs. Tonight he gets a Toronto team that is in the bottom ten against point guards, so don’t be surprised if he flirts with 50 again.
Dark Horses:
Jameer Nelson ($5,600): Emmanuel Mudiays’ balky back has improved to the point where he is travelling with the team to L.A. for the game against the Lakers, but I would be surprised if he plays much, if at all. Nelson is still the Nuggets guard to roll with tonight against the Lakers, but his value takes a huge hit if Mudiay plays. Nelson has three straight games over 30 DraftKings points with Mudiay out.
Ty Lawson ($4,000): Lawson has outplayed Darren Collison in both production and minutes over the last two games. I don’t know if that signifies anything besides Lawson being the better fantasy option right now, but it is something to keep an eye on. Lawson has topped 30 DraftKings points in three of the last five games. He is definitely trending upward right now.
My pick: Westbrook(PG), Nelson(G); Holiday(PG), Lawson(G)
Shooting Guards
Best Bets:
James Harden ($12,200): It’s one of the oldest passages in the fantasy basketball book. Thou shalt use shooting guards against the Kings. Harden has 105 DraftKings points in two games against the Kings this year, which is low for what you are spending on him. However, Harden has been over 58 DraftKings points in eight of the last 11 games. He has also topped 95 twice in that span. He has the most upside of anyone tonight.
C.J. McCollum ($7,600): McCollum has topped 5x value in three of the last four games, and has a solid matchup with Charlotte tonight. That said, he only managed 31 DraftKings points in the first meeting with the Hornets this year. McCollum was cold from the field in that game. His shooting has picked up lately, so I’m not too worried about the earlier game.
Honorable Mention:
Nicolas Batum ($7,400): Batum has topped 5x value in six of the last eight games, including three straight. He posted 36.25 DraftKings points against the Blazers the first time around. That would leave him right around 5x value.
Victor Oladipo ($5,500): Oladipo has averaged 32.3 DraftKings points over the last five games. Moreover, he has not been under 29 in that span, so Oladipo has been very consistent lately. He is a great option at this price range even though his upside is capped from playing alongside Westbrook.
Lou Williams ($5,500): The return of D’Angelo Russell will limit the production of some Lakers players, but who? Jordan Clarkson is still a sixth man, so the brunt of Russell’s return will likely be felt by Nick Young or Williams. That said, LouWill dropped 42.5 DraftKings points against Denver two weeks ago. If he is hot again, he wont be sitting much.
Dark Horses:
Gary Harris ($4,800): Harris has yet to find his shooting stroke since returning from injury, but Saturday’s game against Phoenix showed some promise. Will Barton lit up the Lakers with Harris sidelined two weeks ago. Most of that run will fall to Harris this time around, so if he is knocking down his shot, the potential is here for a huge value.
Arron Afflalo ($3,400): Afflalo has topped 5x value in four straight games. He has played more than 30 minutes in each of those games. Afflalo has outplayed Garrett Temple lately, and is slowly stealing minutes from him. The absence of Rudy Gay has opened up opportunities all over the team. So far Afflalo is doing more with them than Temple is.
My pick: Oladipo(SG); Harris(SG), Batum(SF)
Small Forwards
Best Bets:
Carmelo Anthony ($7,500): Anthony has seriously increased his trade value lately, averaging 46.7 DraftKings points over his last six games. He has been “held” to 83.25 DraftKings points in two games against the Wizards this year, which still comes out to nearly 6x value. Kawhi Leonard has been cold from the field since returning from his hand injury. I trust Melo more tonight.
Markieff Morris ($6,600): A recent run of bad matchups on paper had many laying off of Morris lately, but he has still managed to stick right around 5x value. Morris has averaged 38.3 DraftKings points per game over the last eight games. He is playing very well for the price right now. Hop on the Morris train! There is plenty of room!
Honorable Mention:
Otto Porter ($6,400): Porter has also upped his production lately, but he has not been as consistent as Morris. Porter had a 12 DraftKings points clunker against the Celtics just last week. However, this is a good matchup for Porter. He has put up 76.75 DraftKings points in two games against the Knicks so far this year. There is potential for 6x value again.
Danilo Gallinari ($6,300): Gallinari was brilliant over the last two games, but how much stock can we put into it? They were both against the Suns. The Lakers are marginally better against small forwards, especially with Deng in there. On top of that, Gallinari was cold from the floor heading into the home and home against the Suns. Can his better shooting continue? He shot 46% from the field and put up 31.75 DraftKings points against the Lakers in the first meeting, so he looks pretty safe again.
Dark Horses:
Brandon Ingram ($4,300): There is significant risk involved in this one. Ingram is 0-11 from the floor over the last two games, and has played just 39 combined minutes in those games after playing more than 28 minutes in seven straight. He racked up 34.25 DraftKings points in the first meeting with Denver, so if he gets court time, the potential is there for him to get back on track.
Davis Bertans ($3,100): Bertans has four straight games of over 5x value. He has seen an increase in minutes with Pau Gasol out and Aldridge playing at center. He doesn’t have much for upside, but if you are looking for a punt play that will get you 5x value, this is it.
My Pick: Anthony(SF); N/A
Power Forwards
Best Bets:
DeMarcus Cousins ($11,200): I don’t care what the matchup says anymore. Cousins will put up numbers anyway. He has hit 5x value for this price eight times in the last 11 games. Those include games against Cleveland and Detroit twice each! The only team that really held him under value was Memphis. Judging by the fact that he managed 55.25 DraftKings points in the first meeting with Houston, they shouldn’t really be able to hold him either.
LaMarcus Aldridge ($6,700): Aldridge was held under 5x value for the first time since Gasol’s injury by Dallas on Sunday, but he wasn’t far under. Oklahoma City isn’t as strong up front with Enes Kanter out, so Aldridge should still see 5x value.
Honorable Mention:
David Lee ($5,500): The Spurs signed the veteran for this reason: an insurance policy. Lee has averaged 29.3 DraftKings points per game in the six games Gasol has missed. He is a lock for 5x value for as long as Gasol is out, though he lacks significant upside.
Kenneth Faried ($5,400): Faried played 37 minutes on Saturday with Nikola Jokic out, despite being slapped with a questionable tag before the game. Faried should be good to go tonight, and with Jokic still out, should get a huge workload. He put up 49.75 DraftKings points on Saturday night. We all know what Faried is capable of when given minutes. The minutes are there tonight.
Dark Horses:
Al-Farouq Aminu ($4,500): Noah Vonleh is still starting at power forward, but Aminu has still played 28 or more minutes in all but two January games. Aminu doesn’t have a lot of upside, but he is a very good defensive player, which keeps his floor high enough to warrant using him. He has at least 5x value in all but three games this month.
Patrick Patterson ($3,500): Patterson has started the last two games at power forward for the Raptors and has put up 51.75 DraftKings points. The Raptors have looked a little better with Patterson starting, so this is a trend that could continue. If Patterson starts, he has good value.
My pick: Aldridge(PF), Faried(F); Cousins(PF), Faried(F)
Center
Best Bets:
Anthony Davis ($10,500): Well, I don’t think his quad is bothering him anymore. Washington doesn’t either. Davis put up 70.75 DraftKings points on them on Sunday. He is good to go against Toronto, who is decent up front, but decent isn’t good enough. Davis should have no issues with 5x value tonight.
Mason Plumlee ($6,500): Lost in the great guard play in Portland is just how good Plumlee has been this year. He has five straight double-doubles, averaging 39.8 DraftKings points per game in that time. He is still a huge bargain at this price.
Honorable Mention:
Marcin Gortat ($5,800): Gortat has 80.25 DraftKings points over the last two games, and gets to take on a Knicks team that he has averaged 31.8 against this season. This looks like another good game for Gortat, though he does lack big upside.
Jonas Valanciunas ($5,400): Valanciunas has topped 5x value in ten of the last 11 games. He has been consistently good lately, which is about all that Toronto can ask for. He could be in line for a really good game tonight. The Pelicans have been abused by opposing centers since they can’t find an answer there with Davis playing mostly power forward.
Steven Adams ($5,400): For those that thought Adams’ value would go through the roof with Kanter out, you have to be a bit disappointed right now. That said, three of his last four games have been against teams in the top six against opposing centers. Adams doesn’t get much of a reprieve tonight against the Spurs, but they aren’t quite as potent without Gasol. Adams should still hit 5x value, but don’t expect a lot more.
Dark Horses:
Jusuf Nurkic ($5,000): I was among the masses that was expecting a big game from Nurkic with Jokic out, but instead we saw the same Nurkic that got himself removed from the rotation. Faried dominated the interior, which he likely will again. However, Faried’s skill set is better suited for the Suns. Nurkic should see more minutes against the Lakers tonight, but there is risk involved. If he doesn’t play well, Denver wont keep shipping him in there.
Willie Cauley-Stein ($3,000): After being a huge disappointment for most of the first half of the season, Cauley-Stein has finally received a bit more of a run for the Kings, and he has done quite a bit with it. He has averaged 19.6 DraftKings points over the last five games, and that includes one game where he played just 12 minutes. He is trending upwards right now, and could play around 20 minutes again against Houston.
Tarik Black ($3,000): Black’s start against Utah over the weekend didn’t yield much, but this is the Jazz we are talking about. They are brutes in the middle. It is looking likely that Julius Randle is out again, which would give Black another start against a Denver team that allowed 25.5 DraftKings points to him in just 19 minutes in the first meeting. Black could have a huge game if he starts.
My pick: Black(C); Plumlee(C), Cauley-Stein(UTIL)
Stay tuned for our FanDuel picks, and our picks for NHL and the PGA tour! We even have some EPL picks coming your way!