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DraftKings NBA Early Picks January 19: Embiid or Westbrook?

By Mike Marteny

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 18: Joel Embiid #21 of Team Stephen and Russell Westbrook #0 of Team LeBron vie for a rebound during the NBA All-Star Game 2018 at Staples Center on February 18, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 18: Joel Embiid #21 of Team Stephen and Russell Westbrook #0 of Team LeBron vie for a rebound during the NBA All-Star Game 2018 at Staples Center on February 18, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) /
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DraftKings NBA
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – OCTOBER 10: DeMarcus Cousins #0 of the Golden State Warriors attends a shootaround ahead of the team’s preseason game against the Los Angeles Lakers at T-Mobile Arena on October 10, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

DraftKings NBA Early Picks January 19: Embiid or Westbrook?

We have a split Saturday for our DraftKings NBA picks. There are ten games today, but two of them tip earlier, so they get spun into their own little tournament. Most people just ignore these, but there is still enough money up for grabs to make it worth our while.

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Pedestrian nights by Durant and Lillard kept me under the cash line last night. Failed value by Kyle Korver and a foul plagued return for Boogie didn’t help either.

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CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – DECEMBER 19: Kemba Walker #15 of the Charlotte Hornets reacts as he runs onto the floor against the Cleveland Cavaliers before their game at Spectrum Center on December 19, 2018 in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

DraftKings NBA Guard Picks:

Westbrook is the only real star on the slate, though I would think Embiid still plays. It’s pretty easy to get both Westbrook and Embiid in your lineups because the Suns and Hornets both provide enough value to do so. If you can build around those two, that’s a sure 100+ DraftKings points that you are starting with.

Where to go after that is a bit of a question. Kemba Walker has a great matchup with the Suns, but he only put up 38.75 DraftKings points on them the first time. I don’t really expect this game to be a blowout though, so for me Walker is pretty firmly in play.

Devin Booker and Jimmy Butler are both coming off of good games, and both have a decent matchup here as well. As far as Sixers go, I like the price on Butler and Embiid is a go if he plays. If not, I want both Butler and Simmons, but it’s hard to pack them both with Westbrook.

Kelly Oubre is still a really good play, but he isn’t really priced as a value play. His ceiling is about 35 DraftKings points in his role off the bench. However, there is more upside with Oubre than Redick, especially since we have seen that he and Booker can coexist.

There are a lot of really good value plays at guard. The one I trust the least is actually the one that starts. De’Anthony Melton was miserable last game. Both T.J. McConnell and Tony Parker, who apparently found the Fountain of Youth in downtown Charlotte, are better plays. Even Turd Ferguson looks like a much better play than Melton right now.

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PHILADELPHIA, PA – OCTOBER 26: Robert Covington #33 and Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers box out Steven Adams #12 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during a foul shot in the fourth quarter at Wells Fargo Center on October 26, 2016 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. The Thunder defeated the 76ers 103-97. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

Forwards:

This doesn’t look like a great matchup for Paul George, but I can’t really recommend fading him with the way he is playing right now either. George is easily the best forward unless you plan on using Simmons here.

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I’m honestly not all that wild about Embiid’s matchup against Steven Adams anyway. Embiid has only faced Adams three times, and he has a solid 27 points and eight rebound average against him. That still wouldn’t net us 5x value, even with the peripheral stats.

I could justify running Adams back at Embiid, and I am definitely using Adams if Embiid sits. If Embiid is in there, Deandre Ayton looks like the play to have at center. I don’t trust the value of either Bismack Biyombo or Willy Hernangomez right now. It’s Adams or Ayton for me.

The Memphis power forward pendulum has swung back in favor of JaMychal Green. This is a good spot for him. I also like James Johnson on the other side if he remains the starter. This is a fluid situation though.

Jerami Grant has a fantastic matchup here, and is the only real lock play I see on the slate. I can see mixing and matching with everyone else, but Grant will be my constant.

If you are digging for value here, Richaun Holmes is usually a strong value play, but when he fails, he fails in spectacular fashion. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist also doesn’t see a ton of minutes, but he is high energy off of the Charlotte bench. I would run with him before Holmes. I’m only on Mike Muscala if Embiid sits.

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Be sure to check back all week for all of your NFL picks, DFS and otherwise. We also have your daily NBA picks covered along with the college football DFS picks and against the spread picks.