DraftKings Daily Fantasy Basketball Picks (1/3/21): NBA DFS Lineups

The top daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on January 3, 2021. Eric Moody provides NBA DFS analysis and sleeper picks for building optimal DFS rosters.

The NBA schedule has seven games on the slate for Sunday. Did you know that three out of seven have a 225 or more implied point total? You’ll have an adequate number of players to choose from, but here are three tips on how to attack it.

First of all, it’s important to look at the pace and Vegas lines. Second, it’s also useful to understand the number of fantasy points a team gives up to a specific position. The final tip is to identify value plays which is critical on a slate of any size. You don’t have to necessarily go for the cheapest value, but you want to identify players who have a high floor and a high ceiling. 

This article will supply you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 1/3/21. You can also check out today’s FanDuel lineup picks. It’s also important to monitor injury news as a result of COVID-19 as the slate can completely change before line-up lock. Without further ado, let’s dive into the picks! 

DraftKings DFS Guards

Damian Lillard - PG, POR vs. GS ($9,800)

Lillard scored 34 points, accumulated four rebounds, eight assists, and one steal in 35 minutes against the Warriors on New Year’s Day. He’s played 176 minutes so far this season and has a True Shooting Percentage of 59.7%. This metric is a measure of shooting efficiency that takes into account field goals, three-pointers, and free throws. Lillard’s Usage Rate of 30% ranks up there with all of the other top point guards in the NBA. This metric is an estimate of the percentage of team plays used by a player while he’s on the floor. The only other point guard on the slate with a higher ceiling than Lillard is Luka Doncic. This game has a high 232-point implied total.     

Zach LaVine - SG, CHI vs. DAL ($7,300)

LaVine scored 16 points, accumulated six rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block in 27 minutes against the Bucks on New Year’s Day. He’s averaged 31.5 minutes per game with a True Shooting Percentage of 56.4%. LaVine’s 31% Usage Rate this season is also encouraging. He’s exceeded 20 or more points in four of his six games this season. LaVine will continue to be featured this season and even more so in the short term with Lauri Markkanen out. 

Coby White - PG/SG, CHI vs. DAL ($6,200)

White scored 12 points, four rebounds, and three assists in 29 minutes of play against the Bucks on New Year’s Day. His Field Goal Percentage (35%) has been horrendous this season, but White’s True Shooting Percentage of 48% has allowed him to be productive from a fantasy perspective. He’s a relatively inexpensive fantasy option who could outperform his salary considering the Bulls' lack of offensive options. 

Bonus Guards: Devin Booker ($7,700), Keldon Johnson ($6,100), and Mike Conley ($6,900)

DraftKings DFS Forwards

Kawhi Leonard - SF, LAC vs. PHO ($9,600)

Leonard’s performance on New Year’s Day was exquisite. He posted 20 points, 16 rebounds, nine assists, and three blocks in 39 minutes against the Jazz. Leonard’s only played in four games this season but has a Usage Rate of 30%. The Clippers' offense will run through Leonard and Paul George. Head coach Tyronn Lue, according to Joe Vardon of The Athletic, is using each star at the point guard position in practice in order to give some spark to their offense. Leonard has one of the highest ceilings of any small forwards on the slate. 

DeMar DeRozan - SF/PF, SA vs. UTA ($7,500)

DeRozan scored 23 points, accumulated nine rebounds, seven assists, and had one block against the Lakers on Saturday night. Were you aware that he’s had seven to nine rebounds or assists in five games this season? DeRozan has a True Shooting Percentage of 62.3% this season, but only has a Usage Rate of 23%. Did you know that he has the 19th highest Player Efficiency Rating among all players? This metric sums up all a player’s positive accomplishments, subtracts the negative accomplishments and returns a per-minute rating of a player’s performance. DeRozan is one of my favorite candidates on the slate to exceed expectations. 

Rudy Gay - SF/PF, SA vs. UTA ($5,100)

Gay had 15 points, three rebounds, one block, and two assists against the Lakers on New Year’s Day in 24 minutes of play. His fantasy production has been up and down all season as a result of the Spurs offensive scheme. Gay’s Usage Rate has only been 24% this season since he’s been coming off the bench. He’s played well defensively and has scored 10 or more points three times. Better games are ahead for Gay and the Spurs as the team continues to get acclimated with each other. The veteran forward is a nice value at his current salary. 

Bonus Forwards: Kevin Durant ($9,300), Andrew Wiggins ($6,900), Paul Millsap ($4,500), and Robert Covington ($5,000). 

DraftKings DFS Centers

Anthony Davis - PF/C, LAL vs. MEM ($9,700)

Davis scored 32 points, accumulated 11 rebounds, five assists, four three-pointers, and two steals against the Spurs last Friday. He has a True Shooting Percentage of 59.5% this season along with a Usage Rate of 27%. Did you know that Davis’ points, rebounds, and three-pointers were all season highs for Davis? This positive momentum will continue against the Grizzlies on Sunday who allows a high number of DraftKings points to forwards and centers. 

Jusuf Nurkic - C, POR vs. GS ($6,400)

Nurkic dealt with foul trouble during Friday’s game against the Warriors. He finished with eight points, eight rebounds, two assists, and one steal over 18 minutes. Nurkic’s Usage Rate has only been 19.3%. It’s important to consider that he’s only played in 13 games since the 2018-2019 season. As a gentle reminder, Nurkic averaged 31.6 minutes, 17.6 points, 10.3 rebounds, four assists, 1.4 steals, and two blocks per game in the Blazers’ eight seeding games last season. He will go boom sooner rather than later and the game against Golden State provides Nurkic an excellent opportunity to do just that.   

Bonus Centers: Jonas Valanciunas ($8,000), Deandre Ayton ($7,100), Rudy Gobert ($7,200), and Naz Reid ($5,500).