RADIO
Well, it appears as if we've earned an extra 1 at the end of our calendars. The NBA landscape has changed dramatically in the past 365 days, but through it all, there remains two hoops, a ball, and a league chock full of the world’s most talented basketball players.
For those adventurous enough to shake off an early morning haze stemming from New Year’s celebrations, there’s a 10-game slate to wade through. Headlining that pocket is a rematch between Atlanta and Brooklyn that produced 286 points -- 286! -- when they matched up Wednesday. It goes without saying that getting exposure to that contest will be paramount, all while figuring out ways to get Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, and Giannis Antetokounmpo into lineups. Hopefully you weren’t expecting NBA DFS to get easier in ‘21.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 1/1/21. You can also check out today's FanDuel lineup picks. With COVID-19 a significant factor globally, remember to monitor injury news as the slate can completely change before line-up lock.
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DraftKings DFS Guards
Bradley Beal - SG, WAS @ MIN ($9,400)
With Russell Westbrook (rest) slated to take off the second leg of a back-to-back, Beal steps up from being a strong DFS choice to a tremendous one. Much in the same manner that James Harden went from being a perpetual DFS threat to one from a different stratosphere when Westbrook sat out as a member of the Rockets, the same can be said for Beal.
Beal’s first game without Westbrook this year saw him attempt 29 shots. He managed to finish with 29 points across 39 minutes despite not making a three, which bodes well for the stat line that he could produce when his shot is falling. There are a plethora of high-priced stars on Friday’s slate, but Beal certainly cannot be ignored when factoring in everything working in his favor.
C.J. McCollum - SG, POR @ GS ($8,400)
The bugaboo that has traditionally held McCollum back from elite DFS production has been his contributions elsewhere than the scoring column. But having logged at least three assists and three rebounds -- in addition to at least 20 points -- in each of his first four games, McCollum is crescendoing into a top tier fantasy asset.
His matchup versus the Warriors is quite simply golden, as Golden State is yielding a league-worst 44.2 shooting percentage from behind the arc to the opposition to begin the year. Having launched an average of nearly 13 triples over his last three outings, McCollum figures to benefit from the increased pace that Stephen Curry and the Warriors are likely to push the game toward.
LaMelo Ball - PG/SG, CHA vs. MEM ($5,300)
After a clunker of an NBA debut on Dec. 23, Ball has acclimated himself quickly, having dropped 22 points to go with eight rebounds and five assists in his most recent outing. While he heads the backcourt for the second unit, his price tag puts him in range for consideration Friday.
The Grizzlies have been diced by opposing point guards to begin the year, allowing the second-most overall points and points scored per contest. It won’t help matters that they’ll be short-handed without Ja Morant (ankle) in the mix moving forward, propping up the DFS appeal of their opponents on a nightly basis. Ball has likely played himself into a consistent 24-28-minute role, which would provide him with a stable floor when facing Memphis.
Desmond Bane - PG/SG, MEM @ CHA ($3,700)
A four-game sample size is really all that’s needed to confirm that Bane can really shoot the rock. Having made multiple threes in every game thus far in his professional career, Bane has shifted from down on the depth chart to potentially playing a key role as soon as Friday due to injuries.
With Morant (ankle) out and Grayson Allen (ankle) unlikely to suit up, Bane becomes a key rotation member for Memphis. He has shot 52.9 percent from behind the arc, including a four-triple showing Wednesday. With ample shot opportunities to go around (particularly in the backcourt), Bane is a terrific roll of the dice fantasy commodity that will allow fantasy managers to get high-priced stars into lineups.
DraftKings DFS Forwards
Otto Porter - SF/PF, CHI @ MIL ($5,600)
Chicago possesses oodles of upside and value play potential Friday due to the quartet of players (Lauri Markkanen, Tomas Satoransky, Chandler Hutchison, Ryan Arcidiacono) who have been ruled out as they work through the league’s health and safety protocols. While Patrick Williams is likely in play as well, Porter made his first start of the year Thursday after opening the season with four consecutive double-digit scoring performances.
Injuries have slowed Porter over the past few years, but he has been a consistent 15-point threat on a nightly basis for the last half decade. Utilizing low-priced Bulls could be a sound means of achieving a “stars and scrubs” strategy, even if, in this case, that scrub is a former high-level starter who should factor considerably into the team’s offense.
Cam Reddish - SF, ATL @ BKN ($4,700)
When it comes to potentially rostering Reddish on Friday, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. He dropped 20 points against the Nets on Wednesday and was uber-aggressive en route to attempting 11 shots and taking 10 free throws. While it’s hard to envision that Atlanta and Brooklyn could again exceed the 285-point plateau, Reddish figures to remain a focal point of that high-octane attack.
In addition to his scoring and potential marksmanship, Reddish has proven adept both on the glass and in passing lanes. With Danilo Gallinari (ankle) set to miss the game, Reddish could be funneled up the frontcourt to utilize his size, which helped him to average 5.3 rebounds and two steals through his first three games.
DraftKings DFS Centers
Deandre Ayton - C, PHX @ DEN ($7,000)
While Jokic has been on fire offensively to kick-off the new season, Denver’s defense -- particularly against the interior -- has left a lot to be desired. Finishing 2020 with the second-worst overall defensive efficiency (114.8), the Nuggets have also yielded more than 25 PPG to opposing centers, the third-highest mark in the league.
All of the above is beneficial for Ayton, who has been through the gamut of high-level defenders, having crossed paths with Steven Adams and Rudy Gobert. While Ayton has seen his minutes monitored and his overall role in the offense stagnate, a fast-paced matchup with a lax interior defense could be the trick to unleashing his scoring prowess.
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