Late DraftKings NBA picks January 28: Westbrook or bust!

We have a seven day Sunday as well with four of them going in the evening. The early slate was loaded, so this one is a little less exciting. That said, there is still plenty of talent to choose from here. Should we use Westbrook, or fade the stud? Let’s check our options.

Point Guards:

Best Bets:

Russell Westbrook ($11,800): Westbrook is clearly the best option on the slate, and it’s not even close. He put up a staggering 77.25 DraftKings points on the Sixers in the first meeting. Don’t go expecting that again since Westbrook played 52 minutes in that first game. We can’t go counting on another overtime game here, but Westbrook should still be good for 60. I don’t see anyone else on the slate that can do that.

Kyle Lowry ($7,800): Lowry put up 51 DraftKings points in the first meeting with the Lakers in 36 minutes. However, Lowry has been miserable from the field over the last two games, going just 5-24 with only 14 points. A date with the Lakers should get him back on track, but there is still some risk here.

Honorable Mention:

Jordan Clarkson ($6,400): Clarkson should still get plenty of run here because I really doubt that Lonzo Ball returns. The Lakers have no reason to rush him. Clarkson’s production has gone down after two scorching starts in place of Ball. On a short slate, it’s worth a dart throw to see if he can do it again before the minutes evaporate.

Dejounte Murray ($5,800): On paper the Kings are tough against the point, but Murray has 60.75 DraftKings points against them in only 42 minutes over two games. There is a lot of potential here with Murray now starting for the Spurs. I see no reason to avoid him tonight.

Ish Smith ($5,700): Smith continues to see starter’s minutes despite Langston Galloway starting lately. It has sparked Smith’s play of late, and it could fully blow up with Smith taking on a Cavs defense that has been awful against point guards. Don’t worry about him not being labeled as a starter. Smith has logged 33 or more minutes twice in three games since the switch.

Dark Horses:

De’Aaron Fox ($5,100): His abdominal injury doesn’t seem to be an issue since Fox put up 24.75 DraftKings points on one of the tougher point guard defenses in the league.The Spurs are up there as well, but I see no reason for Fox not to hit value here.

Raymond Felton ($3,400): Felton is thrust back into the fold with the season ending injury to Andre Roberson. Terrance Ferguson will likely start, but Felton will still get plenty of run. With his status as one of the better bench scorers for this team anyway, there is potential here.

My pick: Westbrook(PG)

Shooting Guards:

Best Bet:

DeMar DeRozan ($8,600): DeRozan put up a solid 41.75 DraftKings points on the Lakers in the first meeting. If you are building a lineup without Westbrook, DeRozan would seem to be the prime starting point. I would consider cramming him in with Westbrook if you can find the value to do so. However, DeRozan’s potential isn’t so great that I would sacrifice the rest of my lineup to do it.

Honorable Mention:

Buddy Hield ($5,200): Hield has finally found some consistency, but will it last this time? He has at least 28 DraftKings points in four straight and five of his last six. In the first two meetings with the Spurs, Hield had 56.25 DraftKings points. The streak should continue tonight.

Reggie Bullock ($4,100): Someone has to score from the position with Avery Bradley struggling to produce anything. It has either fallen to Luke Kennard off the bench or to Bullock, but neither one with much consistency. Bullock put up big numbers against the Thunder last time out, and certainly has the potential to do so against Cleveland. Bullock is worth a shot at a weak position.

Dark Horses:

Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot ($4,000): TLC continues to get plenty of run with Redick out. His production hasn’t been all that great, but it has been consistent enough to use him. Luwawu-Cabarrot doesn’t have a ton of upside, but he does provide good value so you can afford someone who does.

Bryn Forbes ($3,700): Like most of the youngsters on this team, Forbes has been seeing more run lately. He has responded with more than 5x value in three of the last four games. There is still risk involved here due to none of the Spurs seeing huge minutes, but again, if you need value, you could do worse.

My pick: Hield(SG), Luwawu-Cabarrot(G)

Small Forwards:

Best Bets:

LeBron James ($11,600): LeBron played just 27 minutes in the first meeting with Detroit, so he was predictably under value. The King and the Cavs have done better lately, but is one game enough for you to pay this exorbitant price for him? I would much rather go with Westbrook tonight.

Ben Simmons ($8,100): Simmons picked up 47.75 DraftKings points on the Thunder in the first meeting, which is a respectable total. The good news is that Simmons wont have to deal with Roberson here, but he wont play 51 minutes either. I like the upside on Simmons, I just don’t think that it’s high enough in this matchup to pay for him.

Honorable Mention:

Paul George ($8,000): George is back up to his old tricks, hitting at least 5x value in four of the last five games. He was right around that mark in the first meeting with Philadelphia, but as with the rest of the players from this game, they wont see the huge minutes that they did without another overtime game. I’m buying the Thunder side of this more than Philly, honestly.

Robert Covington ($5,500): Covington put up 39 DraftKings points in the first meeting with the Thunder, but the thing that has me optimistic about tonight is that Covington was a pathetic 4-21 from the floor and he still had that many points. There is still potential here at his depressed price.

Dark Horses:

Kyle Anderson ($5,200): Anderson is still starting, but is losing minutes to Davis Bertans lately. This is hurting the value and potential of both players, so it makes both to them hard to use. However, Bertans is the safer pick due to the lower salary if you must have a piece of this situation.

My pick: Covington(SF)

Power Forwards:

Best Bets:

LaMarcus Aldridge ($8,700): Aldridge is once again a strong choice with Kawhi Leonard out. The thing that makes him even better tonight is the absence of Willie Cauley-Stein in the Kings frontcourt. Aldridge has racked up 96.5 DraftKings points in two games against Sacramento. With their frontcourt a little thin and with Leonard out, I like this matchup quite a bit for Aldridge.

Kevin Love ($7,400): Love picked up 39.75 DraftKings points in the first meeting with Detroit, a team that has been abused by power forwards all season long. The only thing that could throw a wrench in this is if Thompson starts at power forward, pushing Love to center. Keep an eye on this one.

Honorable Mention:

Carmelo Anthony ($6,700): Anthony is still the third option on this offense, but most nights he still produces enough to make him worth the while. Melo gets plenty of shots still, so he still has enough potential on any given night. That said, there are plenty of better options here.

Dario Saric ($6,300): Saric continues to consistently put up numbers in the 30’s for DraftKings points. His prowess as a deep threat while playing what is traditionally a big man’s position has made him tough to defend, even for a team like the Thunder I trust Saric more than Melo in this situation.

Dark Horse:

Skal Labissiere ($4,600): Randolph picked up a lot of minutes against Miami, which sent Skal to the bench. However, with WCS out, Labissiere could see a lot more minutes tonight. Keep an eye on this leading up to the tip, but if Skal starts, he is still worth a look against the Spurs.

My pick: Aldridge(PF), Labissiere(F)

Center:

Best Bets:

Andre Drummond ($9,900): The minutes were screwy in the first matchup because of the blowout. Drummond still only picked up 21.5 DraftKings points in 25 minutes, so there is risk here. However, if Drummond only has to deal with Love, well, his stock soars. 20 rebounds could be his floor!

Joel Embiid ($9,300): Embiid had a good game against the Thunder in the first matchup with 53.5 DraftKings points in 48 minutes. The Sixers are playing Embiid in the first game of a back to back, so Embiid is going to play. We don’t have to worry about that. But if the Sixers are planning on playing him in both games, they may end up limiting the minutes. There is some risk involved here, but the reward outweighs it.

Honorable Mention:

Pau Gasol ($6,800): Gasol against a possibly shorthanded Kings frontcourt? I like those odds. Aldridge is going to take a lot of the opportunities, but Gasol wont be a dog either. There is solid potential here with Cauley-Stein out.

Julius Randle ($6,000): Randle has been bordering on dominant for the Lakers lately. He continues to get good run up front with the ineffectiveness of Lopez. I do like Randle against the somewhat soft Toronto front, but the fact that he doesn’t start is a bit of a turn off.

Dark Horses:

Jonas Valanciunas ($5,700): Valanciunas has been a monster lately, putting up 106.25 DraftKings points over the last two games. We have seen things like this before where Valanciunas shows promise, and then disappears. That may or may not happen against the Lakers, but I will go with not. He should have at least one more strong game in him.

Tristan Thompson ($4,400): Thompson had a nice game in his first game as a starter, putting up 27 DraftKings points in 31 minutes. Thompson is going to have a tough time with Drummond tonight, but as long as he is this cheap, he is a solid value play at worst.

My pick: Valanciunas(C), Thompson(UTIL)

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