DFS NBA Picks for FanDuel and DraftKings - Saturday 1/7

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Guards

Once again the guard we get Luka at the top of the guard position on a smaller slate but with a price quickly approaching $13K and with him dealing with a slight injury, I am going a more balanced direction tonight. Let's take a look.

Klay Thompson FD - $7900 DK - $7900
Opponent - ORL
Proj Pts FD - 38.45 DK - 42.57

We have multiple situations in which injuries are boosting other players and it starts with the Warriors guards as Steph Curry remains out of the lineup. Poole and Klay have taken on an incredible amount of usage in the offense but it's the latter who is not only cheaper but has been more consistent from a fantasy perspective. Going back to Christmas, Klay has averaged 26 shots a game and made the most of it with 24 or more real points and 40 or more DraftKings points in each of those games. He now gets a plus home matchup against the struggling Magic who have lost four of five while giving up an average of 121 points a game. Klay is my top PTS/$ guard in all formats.

CJ McCollum FD - $8700 DK - $8500
Opponent - DAL
Proj Pts FD - 40.38 DK - 44.71

It sounds like Brandon Ingram will finally return to the Pels lineup within the next week but until he does, we can comfortably roll out McCollum as a top guard, especially on a smaller slate. With Ingram out for over a month, the Pels managed to stay near the top of the Western Conference standings and a lot of that falls on McCollum who has been very consistent. Over his last 12 games, he has averaged 26.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 6.6 assists and has only tallied less than 40 DK points once in that time while averaging 45.6 per game. That balanced attack helps justify a rising price that is close to $9K on both sites and I will have exposure in all formats until Ingram returns.

Markelle Fultz FD - $7200 DK - $6200
Opponent - GS
Proj Pts FD - 31.63 DK - 33.55

There is a real lack of value on this slate which has led me to a balanced approach and Fultz fits that mould, at least on DraftKings where the price still has him in play. While he doesn't usually get the volume to win you a GPP contest, he contributes in multiple areas for fantasy which does make him an excellent cash game play. With that said, he has taken double-digit shots in four of his last five games, shooting 50% over his last two, and has averaged 31.5 DraftKings points in that time. In a pace-up matchup against the Warriors and their 20th-ranked defense, I love Fultz for DraftKings cash games tonight.

Small Forward

LeBron James FD - $11400 DK - $10700
Opponent - SAC
Proj Pts FD - 57.87 DK - 62.12

With a lack of value on this slate combined with a game total that is nearly 20 points higher, I will be taking the savings and building around LBJ rather than Luka tonight. If you were new to basketball, you would probably not guess James is in his 20th season as he has been incredible lately averaging 31.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game over his last 17 while topping 50 DraftKings points in 12 of them(54.6 average). The Lakers are eight-point dogs in this one and will need everything from LeBron to stay in it but that is likely in a plus matchup as the Kings are 23rd in defensive efficiency and 4th in pace. James is a building block for me in all formarts.

Power Forward/Center

Paolo Banchero FD - $8000 DK - $8100
Opponent - GS
Proj Pts FD - 38.36 DK - 41.68

It's been a while since I have targeted Banchero as he has hit the rookie wall pretty hard but it appears he is back and right in time. Between injuries and suspensions, the Magic have been somewhat short-handed lately and relying on their first-round pick to pick up the slack, and that he has done. Over the last three games, he is averaging over 20 shots, has dropped 21 or more points in each of them, and has also been a beast on the boards with 17 in his last two games combined with 10 assists. The price is right near the top of it's range but helping things is the matchup against the Warriors who are below average(20th in def eff) and are also the fastest team in the league. fire up Banchero in all formats.

Thomas Bryant FD - $6300 DK - $6100
Opponent - SAC
Proj Pts FD - 37.81 DK - 40.28

We have some nice mid-tier options at the center position tonight but it's Bryant who stands out as the top guy in terms of PTS/$ value. LeBron has obviously been the biggest benefactor for fantasy with Anthony Davis out by Bryant has definitely put his name on the map playing his best basketball of the season. It starts with the increase in usage as he has taken double-digit shots in eight of 12 games without AD but the real value lies in his elite work on the glass as he has averaged a whopping 9.9 in those 12 games. Overall, he is averaging just over 33 Draftkings points per game without AD but has been even better in the short term tallying 40 or more in three of his last four. Lock Bryant in the center position in all fomrats.

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