NBA DFS picks January 4: Should we fade all the stars?

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Sep 6, 2020; Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) reacts after a play against the Miami Heat during the first half of game four of the second round of the 2020 NBA Playoffs at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

NBA DFS Power Forwards:

Giannis is by far the best player on the slate tonight. He doesn’t need big minutes to get big production. Giannis racked up 65 DraftKings points on the Bulls in just 28 minutes on Friday. His ceiling isn’t what it normally is, but on a slate that looks like it will be lacking in elite talent, Giannis is a sure thing.

I like Sabonis and Randle, but this is not the time to use them. Jayson Tatum has a much better matchup at a lower price on a team that is missing a couple of playmakers. I know how frustrating it can be to use Tatum, but this looks like the time to do it.

I never thought I would say this, but Tobias Harris is by far my favorite play on the Sixers. It’s a plus matchup for all of them, but Simmons is horribly overpriced yet again. Embiid is also a tougher pill to swallow at that price. Harris has blown past 5x value at this price in each of the last four games.

John Collins looks cheap against the Knicks, but his production isn’t always there. Atlanta has a lot of talent this year and Collins has faded into the background in a few games and let the other guys take over. It makes the team better in the long run, but it’s frustrating for DFS purposes.

Larry Nance is always in play with Love out, but it hasn’t been automatic like it was last year. Nance’s price is also raised to the point where he really needs a good game to hit value.

For those of you that care, this is a great matchup for Aaron Gordon. He has only played 30 minutes once this season though. Darius Bazley has a higher ceiling, but his floor is just as frightening.

Bobby Portis has been great off the bench for the Bucks. He’s a high motor guy that can do a lot of damage in a little bit of time. Considering this game should be a blowout, I like Portis as a value play here.

Maxi Kleber is still priced nicely for a value play. He doesn’t have a lot of upside, but both he and James Johnson have played well for the Mavs while they await the return of the Unicorn. Both are solid value picks.