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DraftKings NBA picks January 8: Clash of the Nikolas

ByMike Marteny|
Nikola Vucevic #9 of the Orlando Magic standing with Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images)
Nikola Vucevic #9 of the Orlando Magic standing with Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images)
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DraftKings NBA
Russell Westbrook #0 of the Houston Rockets sits on the bench (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)

DraftKings NBA picks January 8: Clash of the Nikolas

We have a strong DraftKings NBA slate tonight with nine games on tap. Only three players top five figures, but they are big ones in Harden, Giannis, and Luka. Which ones should we use? How can we afford more than one? Let’s see if the injury report helps.

Out: Pascal Siakam (groin), Russell Westbrook (rest), Steph Curry (hand), Klay Thompson (knee), Fred VanVleet (hamstring), Kristaps Porzingis (knee), Jrue Holiday (elbow), Malcolm Brogdon (back), D’Angelo Russell (shoulder), Julius Randle (personal), Will Barton (personal), Victor Oladipo (knee), Jonathan Isaac (knee), Wendell Carter (ankle), Zion Williamson (knee), Davis Bertans (quad), Thomas Bryant (foot), Marcus Morris (neck), Norman Powell (shoulder), Marc Gasol (hamstring), Rui Hachimura (groin), Otto Porter (foot), Mo Wagner (ankle), Mike Conley (hamstring), Jabari Parker (shoulder), Garrison Mathews (ankle), Kevon Looney (abdomen), Marvin Williams (nose), George Hill (illness), Bruno Fernando (personal), Dewan Hernandez (ankle), Al-Farouq Aminu (knee), Michael Carter-Williams (shoulder), C.J. Miles (wrist), John Wall (Achilles), Romeo Langford (illness), Vincent Poirier (finger), Robert Williams (hip).Darius Miller (Achilles), Nene (hip), Gerald Green (foot), Ryan Broekhoff (leg).

Questionable: Domantas Sabonis (knee), Brad Beal (leg), Kenrich Williams (back), Pat Connaughton (thigh), Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (illness), Dennis Smith (oblique),

Jimmy Buckets is expected to play in this one. So is Millsap. Kemba will play, but is on an undisclosed minutes limit. That’s enough to scare me off of him and Smart and maybe even Jaylen Brown. Winslow is playing on a minutes limit as well. Beal went through shootaround, which likely means he will play, but in what capacity?

It was another empty night. I had no Drummond and too much exposure to A.D. with no LeBron. Booker and Morant were great. So was Brooks, but Wiggins and Jonas hurt bad. So did taking the other Thunder guards over CP3.

Cratias took it down with a modest 333 DraftKings points, getting the takedown by just .25 points. He built with Booker and Drummond and had strong nights from Melo, CP3, Brooks, Crowder, Prince, and McCaw.

Just because you don’t see someone on here doesn’t mean they aren’t a good play. I only have so much room, and I’m not going anyone a favor if I recommend more than half of the players at a position. If you have a feeling about someone, by all means, follow that. I mostly follow numbers and trends.