DraftKings NBA picks January 24: Will Cousins get half of Monday's total?

LOS ANGELES, CA – JANUARY 09: Garrett Temple #17 of the Sacramento Kings dribbles past Jordan Clarkson #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the first half of a game at Staples Center on January 9, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

DraftKings NBA picks January 24: Will Cousins get half of Monday’s total?

We have nine games for our Wednesday, but there is a bit of a lack of star power due to several being in action last night. That’s not to say there aren’t great options here tonight. There are. We just have to find them!

Point Guards:

Best Bets:

Damian Lillard ($8,900): Lillard is playing at a high level right now. He has seven straight games of over 40 DraftKIngs points. Lillard put up 44.25 DraftKings points on the Timberwolves the first time around. That would put him right on 5x value if Lillard can do it again. There really isn’t any reason not to trust him here. As opposed to Chris Paul with Harden back…..

Kemba Walker ($8,000): Walker always seems to come up big when the matchup is right, but he has even racked up over 5x value on tough point defenses such as Sacramento (twice), Miami, and Utah over the last ten games. Walker has only been under 5x value once in that span, and he still hit 4.7x. Walker seems like a low risk proposition against a New Orleans team that really struggles defending the point.

Honorable Mention:

Dennis Smith Jr. ($6,500): Smith has been over 30 DraftKings points in 11 of the last 12 games. In the game that he missed, Smith was only three points below. Houston provides a tougher matchup with the team finally at full strength, but at the pace in which the Rockets play, there is still plenty of potential here for a player like Smith. Smith probably wont hit 40, but mid 30’s is likely.

Darren Collison ($6,100): Collison is a hard guy to trust, but this is a great matchup for him against the Suns. Collison put up 27.75 DraftKings points in 27 minutes in the first game. Cory Joseph is still preventing Collison from playing minutes in the high 30’s like he was early in the season, but barring a blowout, 5x value is still likely from Collison tonight.

Jerian Grant ($5,800): Kris Dunn is still dealing with symptoms of a concussion, so Grant should start again. Grant has 80.25 DraftKings points in two starts with Dunn out. He had a huge game against the Pelicans on Monday. This matchup with the Sixers is another good opportunity for Grant, but he isn’t going to hit 50 again. He is still a great value play though.

Dark Horses:

Dejounte Murray ($4,800): This is a tough matchup with Memphis, but considering this is the second night of a back to back for the Spurs, guys like Tony Parker and Manu are likely to rest. Murray’s workload has increased anyway with his ascension to the starting role, but he could see more run than normal without Parker backing him up. At any rate, the price is low enough to take a flier on Murray.

Isaiah Canaan ($4,100): I really don’t know what to make of that backcourt situation in Phoenix, but the more time that passes, the more it becomes apparent that Canaan is the better DFS option on any given night. Ulis may have a little higher upside, but he has far more nights below average than above. If you are looking this cheap, Canaan is the safest pick at the position.

My pick: Walker(PG), Murray(G), Smith(UTIL); Grant(PG), Murray(G)

PHOENIX, AZ – JANUARY 14: Victor Oladipo #4 of the Indiana Pacers points to a teammate during the second half of the NBA game against the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena on January 14, 2017 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

Shooting Guards:

Best Bets:

Victor Oladipo ($9,200): Oladipo has fallen on hard times lately, but he has a nice matchup against the Suns tonight. He came in well under value against the Suns the first time around, but that had more to do with the blowout than his play. There is risk here since Oladipo is slumping, and if Jimmy Butler is back, I’m going with Butler. Butler put up 48.5 against the Blazers in the first meeting, and is a far safer option provided he is healthy.

DeMar DeRozan ($8,300): Honestly, the whole upper tier without Butler is tough for me. Booker is inconsistent, and struggled against the Pacers the first time around. DeRozan is here because the Hawks are statistically the worst team in the league defending the off guard. However, DeRozan struggled against them in both prior meetings. The potential is here for DeRozan to have a big game, but as with most high priced shooting guards, there is risk involved. That would be why Harden isn’t on here. He put up 47.5 on Dallas in the first meeting, and that was with a full compliment of minutes and Paul out.

Honorable Mention:

Jaylen Brown ($6,000): This isn’t a great matchup for Brown like last night against the Lakers was, but he should still put up good numbers here. The main thing to take away from this is that Brown is one of the more consistent producers on a team full of wings. He lacks huge upside, but Brown is a constant in a risky DFS world. I love him for cash games, but most games Brown is worth using in GPP as well.

Nicolas Batum ($5,800): Batum has quietly put together a solid string of games lately. Batum is capable of hitting the low 40’s, but that is a rare occasion. However, since he only needs 29 DraftKings points to hit value, Batum is a solid value play against the Pelicans. New Orleans has struggled to defend the guards all year long. Nothing has changed.

Dark Horses:

Zach LaVine ($5,300): LaVine is the main reason that I am not higher on Grant tonight. The Bulls are bringing him along slowly, but LaVine did quite a bit of damage in 24 minutes against the Pelicans. Playing half the game at this price with a good matchup on tap, it is conceivable that LaVine could hit 6x value or higher. He is loaded with potential, and Bulls fans are finally getting a little taste of what’s in store.

Jeremy Lamb ($4,900): The Hornets have been increasing Lamb’s minutes over the last few games, and he has responded with three straight games of more than 5x value. Lamb has always been streaky, so using him on a hot streak against the Pelicans looks like a really strong play tonight.

Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot ($3,900): The Sixers finally decided to give TLC some run, and it has worked out very well. Luwawu-Cabarrot has 50.75 DraftKings points over the last two games, which puts him pretty close to 8x value. T.J. McConnell is out along with Redick, so expect TLC to get a lot of run against a soft Bulls defense.

My pick: Luwawu-Cabarrot(SG); Lamb(SG),Luwawu-Cabarrot(UTIL)

PHILADELPHIA, PA -JANUARY 20: Ben Simmons #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers dunks the ball in the first half against the Milwaukee Bucks in the first half at Wells Fargo Center on January 20, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

Small Forwards:

Best Bets:

Ben Simmons ($7,600): Simmons has only hit value once in the last four games, and four times in the last dozen. He seems to have hit that rookie wall. So why does he top the position tonight? It’s all about usage. With McConnell and Redick both out, Simmons should see a lot of minutes and be asked to take on more of a role in the offense. We all know that he has the talent, and the Bulls are bordering on an elite matchup. I’m willing to overlook his slump here. Simmons should be in for a pretty big night.

T.J. Warren ($7,000): Warren’s upside is capped with Booker back, but he is still a consistent producer. Warren has at least 30 DraftKings points in nine of the last ten games. All but three of those were above 35. Warren missed the first contest with the Pacers so we don’t have a measuring stick, but something tells me he’ll be fine as a solid mid level play tonight.

Honorable Mention:

Kyle Anderson ($5,900): Anderson has been very good filling in for Kawhi Leonard. With the news breaking yesterday that Kawhi wants out of San Antonio, the Spurs may appease Leonard and let him play. Judging by the way this team has conducted itself in the past, they are going to do what they feel is right regardless of what the player wants. Anderson is a DFS darling for as long as Leonard remains out.

Robert Covington ($5,700): I moved off of Covington for a while after heavy usage early in the season because his finger injury was resulting in him constantly missing value. It appears to be safe to use Covington once again. He has 67.25 DraftKings points over the last two games, and a nice matchup on tap with the Bulls tonight. I finally feel good about rolling Covington out there for the first time in a month.

Dark Horses:

Marvin Williams ($4,100): I still like Tyrone Wallace, but I hate the matchup with Boston. If Butler sits, Nemanja Bjelica is once again a must start. Assuming that Butler is back though, I’m moving on to Williams with MKG out. Well, if he is out. He was listed as probable on Monday, but still sat, so I guess we never really know. If MKG is in, Williams is out, and you may be better off taking a chance on Wallace against Boston.

Davis Bertans ($3,900): If Pau Gasol is forced to sit or if LMA gets the night off, Bertans is a great value source. He did well in the starting lineup last night, and it would be a huge surprise if he didn’t hit 7x value at this price.

Marco Belinelli ($3,500): I know how it is. Sometimes you build a roster with your favorites for the night, but find out you have very little cash left. You really don’t want to retool everything, so you are looking for a punt. Belinelli continues to be one of my favorite punts. He is a bench marksman who scores his double figures, but nothing else. Rarely is Belinelli putting up big numbers, but he almost always hits 5x value.

My pick: Anderson(SF), Covington(F); Simmons(SF), Covington(F)

NEW ORLEANS, LA – DECEMBER 13: Anthony Davis #23 of the New Orleans Pelicans reacts during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at Smoothie King Center on December 13, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) /

Power Forwards:

Best Bets:

Anthony Davis ($10,800): Once again, it looks like Davis has the easier matchup tonight. Of course, we see how that ended on Monday. At any rate, Davis still went over value even with Boogie dropping a legendary game for DFS players. D12 is going to be dedicated to stopping Cousins, so Davis will get to dominate the likes of Frank the Tank, Marvin Williams, and Johnny O’Bryant. Good luck, Charlotte.

Blake Griffin ($9,000): Griffin put up a triple double on Monday night, and was still over 30 DraftKings points lower than Cousins! His performance against Minnesota was not lost on me. The Timberwolves are still in the top ten against power forwards. Boston is in the bottom five. This is the only Boston weakness, so enjoy watching Blake exploit it!

Honorable Mention:

LaMarcus Aldridge ($8,400): LMA once again finds himself in a very favorable situation with Kawhi Leonard still out. Aldridge put up 42.5 DraftKings points in the first tilt with Memphis. Watch out for sitting players in the second night of a back to back for the Spurs. Pop sits players even when it looks like the Spurs can’t afford to. Keep an eye on this one, but I love the matchup for LMA if he is in there.

Harrison Barnes ($6,700): This is a tricky one because Houston’s defense at the forward slots is pretty good. However, Barnes has been playing very well lately, getting over 32 DraftKings points in nine of the last 11 games. There are enough other options that you don’t have to mess with this lineup if you don’t want to, but Barnes could put up another solid game.

Dario Saric ($6,400): Yep, the Sixers stack is on the table against the Bulls. Saric racked up 43 DraftKings points in the Bulls in the first meeting. The return of Mirotic will help the Bulls some, but not enough to drop Saric out of value range. I’m not sure how much I want to load up on Philly, but man, there are some really good matchups in this one.

Dark Horses:

Marquese Chriss ($5,000): Chriss was becoming a great source of value before a strained hip sidelined him. Chriss has been upgraded to questionable tonight. This is a game that I want Chriss in if he plays. Bender struggled against the Pacers, but it’s hard to ignore Chriss at this price so long as he is out there with no limitations.

John Collins ($4,600): Collins was a fantasy darling earlier this year, but he has had to work his way back into that role. It seems as though he has. Collins has four straight games over 20 DraftKings points. He has virtually no upside since Atlanta is committed to playing him about half the game and no more. If you want upside, you have to take a chance with Ilyasova, the starter. Ilyasova is nowhere near as consistent with production as Collins is.

Daniel Theis ($3,700): It seems as though Boston is working Theis back into his 20 minutes per game. Like the Hawks are doing with Collins, the Celtics are working Theis along slowly. The chances of Theis having an impact this season are slim, but he is a value machine when he plays 20 minutes.

My pick: Davis(PF); Griffin(PF)

PHILADELPHIA, PA -JANUARY 20: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers dribbles the ball against the Milwaukee Bucks in the first half at Wells Fargo Center on January 20, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

Center:

Best Bets:

DeMarcus Cousins ($11,600): Boogie had a game for the ages on Monday, so I expect elevated ownership on him tonight. They can have him. I’m not saying Boogie wont hit value, but if you’re chasing 100 again, it isn’t going to happen against Howard and the Hornets. Howard has shut down some decent players this year. He isn’t going to lock down Cousins, but Howard should limit Boogie enough to keep him under value for this monstrous price tag.

Joel Embiid ($9,700): This is another situation where ownership is going to be higher than it should be. Cousins had his huge game against the Bulls, which means that many will chase Embiid in hopes that he dominates in the same way. Embiid might come up big in the game, but he has a couple of things going against him. First off, Boogie did that in two overtimes. Second, the Sixers wont throw Embiid out there for anywhere near 40 minutes like the Pelicans do Cousins. Embiid may hit value, but he wont have a historic night.

Honorable Mention:

Dwight Howard ($8,200): Towns has come nowhere near value in two games against Portland, and there is no way I’m using Drummond against Utah, so Howard is the next best option. Actually, Howard has been playing very well lately. He has five straight games with more than 5x value. Cousins is good, but he is not a lock down defender. Howard has a chance at cracking 40 again tonight, just don’t expect a huge game out of him.

Marc Gasol ($7,300): Who doesn’t love a battle of the Gasol’s? Well, we nay not get one tonight with Pau likely still out. While these two have had some epic battles, this is better from a DFS standpoint if Marc doesn’t have to face his older brother. The Spurs went small with Aldridge manning the middle last night. If they do that tonight, this is still a good slot for Gasol.

Dark Horses:

Jonas Valanciunas ($5,500): Valanciunas can still be solid in the right matchup. This looks like one of those against Atlanta. Valanciunas has 60.75 DraftKings points in two games against the Hawks this season. Many, myself included, will be nervous because of the clunker against Minnesota on Monday. However, this matchup is almost too good to ignore.

Montrezl Harrell ($4,700): DeAndre Joran is considered doubtful for tonight. That would mean another start for Harrell in the middle. Harrell has played well with Jordan out with the exception of the Utah game. This is not an easy matchup with Boston, but 5x value is still likely at this price.

Tyson Chandler ($4,400): The return of Chandler will unfortunately mean another DNP for Greg Monroe, who was big on Monday. Chandler put up 26.5 DraftKings points on the Pacers in the first meeting. There is no reason that he can’t do it again. That said, if Monroe’s good game on Monday convinces the coaches to left him on the court again, I like Monroe over Chandler if he starts.

My pick: Chandler(C); Howard(C)

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