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Basketball Picks Daily Fantasy Expert Advice

01/17/2023
Doug Norrie

Are Kyrie Irving and the Nets still values? Daily Fantasy DraftKings and FanDuel NBA Picks - Tuesday, January 17, 2023

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Point Guard/ Shooting Guard

Kyrie IrvingKyrie Irving FD - $9300 DK - $9900
Opponent - SA
Proj Pts FD - 51.03 DK - 54.52

The Nets have lost their last two games since Kevin Durant went on the shelf with a knee injury and they’ve struggled to maintain consistent scoring without their superstar. Kyrie Irving has averaged 19 points, six assists, and four rebounds over the last two, dramatically underperforming expectations (both real-life and fantasy scoring) when it came to what many thought would happen without KD. The price is still high, but this matchup at least lines up for a bounce-back game where Kyrie is concerned. The Spurs rank dead last in defensive efficiency and play the league’s fifth-fastest pace. That’s the DFS sweet spot for sure and I think we can go back to Kyrie here.

Fred VanVleetFred VanVleet FD - $7100 DK - $7800
Opponent - MIL
Proj Pts FD - 35.85 DK - 38.4

VanVleet has had trouble shooting this season, seeing the FG% and three-point FG% drop to career lows. It’s been an especially difficult time behind the arc where he is making threes at only a 32.8% clip, down from 38% for his career. It’s a problem for the Raptors who really need his scoring even though they have won four of their last five games. FVV bounced back last game for 33, but before that his scoring totals were 3, 11, 11, and 14. That’s just not going to get it done. But it has served to drop his price, especially on FanDuel and I think we can make him a buy against the Bucks here.

There are some unknowns for this slate and the big one of the status of Giannis Antetokounmpo. He was scratched last game after having a probable tag earlier in the day on Monday. This game is on the back-to-back and he’s currently questionable. If Giannis were to sit then Jrue Holiday (FD 7900 DK 8000) would instantly vault to the top of the value chain, and would likely be a chalk play. He dropped 35 points and 11 assists on Monday against the Pacers.

Grayson Allen (FD 4500 DK 4600) and to a lesser degree Pat Connaughton (FD 4900 DK 4800) would be in the mix as well.

Small Forward

Terance MannTerance Mann FD - $5700 DK - $5700
Opponent - PHI
Proj Pts FD - 31.51 DK - 33.93

Paul George is hurt, Reggie Jackson has been moved to a (for now) permanent bench role and John Wall has been banged up. That’s put Terance Mann front and center for the Clippers in the starting lineup and he’s being reward with big minutes for LA. The dude has played 40 or more in two of the last three games and is coming off of a 31-point performance against the Rockets on Sunday. He’s taken double-digit shots in four of the last five and done just enough with the rebounding and assists in case the scoring hasn’t gotten all the way there. This isn’t an amazing matchup against the Sixers, but he’s still coming too cheap for the opportunity.

Royce O'NealeRoyce O'Neale FD - $5900 DK - $5500
Opponent - SA
Proj Pts FD - 32.05 DK - 34.86

When a team loses its best player, it’s going to make sense to stack some of the remaining guys in DFS because nearly everyone stands to see a bump. That’s the case with Royce O’Neale who’s been something of a popular play over the last couple of games without Durant. Without the latter and Ben Simmons last time against the Thunder, O’Neale nearly had a triple-double with 11 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists. If Simmons is back I do think the counting stats take a bit of a hit, but the Nets’ plan is to play him in the high-30s in close games, giving him a higher floor.

Power Forward/ Center

Nikola JokicNikola Jokic FD - $11500 DK - $12000
Opponent - POR
Proj Pts FD - 56.73 DK - 60.37

Jokic is an incredibly tough fade every single night and this evening is no different. The dude is putting up just some of the best numbers you’ll ever see and even at $11.5K and $12K respectively, we still need to think long and hard about it. The Nuggets have the highest implied total on the shorter slate of games and are facing a below-average Trailblazers squad. Jokic has triple-doubled in three of the last four games and is averaging 22 points, 11 assists, and 11 rebounds for the month of January. Again, the dude is about as good as it gets when it comes to piling on fantasy points.

Ben SimmonsBen Simmons FD - $6900 DK - $5900
Opponent - SA
Proj Pts FD - 38.76 DK - 40.4

Ben Simmons was a somewhat late scratch on Sunday when the Nets played the Thunder, having to sit out with back soreness he experienced in pre-game warmups. He is slated to return in this game and if he has a full go in terms of minutes is coming much too cheap on both sites. His shooting hesitancy is much-documented at this point, but this is still guy who can almost totally get there just on the rebounds and assists (with some defensive stats) if things go right. The scoring could still come around some (wishful thinking) but he’s averaging 7.4 rebounds and eight assists a game over his last five with 2.2 steals added for good measure. The matchup against the Spurs is perfect for what he can still do on the court as well.

Nicolas ClaxtonNicolas Claxton FD - $7200 DK - $7200
Opponent - SA
Proj Pts FD - 41.87 DK - 41.21

Claxton has been a force for the Nets this season, ranking second behind only Brook Lopez in blocks with 104 on the season. He’s also leading the league in field goal percentage and eFG%, getting it done on both ends out of the center position. The price has climbed steadily and with good reason over the course of the season, though he’s still coming at something of a value here in this matchup against San Antonio. The Spurs have the ball stolen the second-most in the league this season though don’t get blocked more than league average. Claxton is a play on both sites here, but especially FanDuel where the defensive stats count for more.

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