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The top daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on January 13, 2022. Juan Carlos Blanco provides NBA DFS analysis and sleeper picks for building optimal DFS rosters.
We're set for a five-game slate Thursday night, one that features plenty of big names at the top end of the salary scale. With the exception of Kyrie Irving, who'll sit out the Nets' home game as usual, there are no short-term absences among the top-shelf options, making it a fun night for those who are looking to pay all the way up in least one spot.
Fortunately, there are also a solid amount of mid-salary and value options in good matchups/game environments. We also could be treated to a couple of particularly favorable DFS scenarios in the Timberwolves-Grizzlies and Warriors-Bucks games, as well as a Clippers-Pelicans clash that could be a sneaky pivot off those matchups.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 1/13/22. Remember to monitor the NBA injury report as the slate can completely change before lineups lock. Good luck, RotoBallers.
DraftKings and FanDuel Guards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Ja Morant - PG, MEM vs. MIN ($9,200 DK; $9,700 FD)
Morant comes at a nice discount over several other higher-salaried options at the position but offers as much upside as any guard on the slate. The Grizzlies' linchpin is averaging over 45 fantasy points per game on both sites over his last five contests while shooting 51.1 percent over that span, and he comes in having scored under 40 on only three occasions in the last 10 games overall. The Timberwolves have been a much more vulnerable defense on the road, and although they generally remain tough against point guards due to the presence of Patrick Beverley, it's worth noting they're allowing the sixth-most points per road game (114.5) on the second-most assists per contest (26.9) in that split.
D'Angelo Russell - PG/SG, MIN at MEM ($7,900 DK; $7,600 FD)
Russell makes for an intriguing option on the other side of the Timberwolves/Grizzlies tilt and checks in shooting a blistering 52.8 percent, including 44.8 percent from distance, over his last four contests. The veteran has averaged over 45 fantasy points against the Grizzlies in two prior meetings this season as well, shooting 51.4 percent, including 45.5 percent from behind the arc, in that pair of games. Memphis comes in allowing the fifth-highest three-point shooting percentage (36.4) in the league and ranks just in the bottom half of the league in offensive efficiency allowed to shooting guards (21.2 percent).
Eric Bledsoe - SG/PG, LAC at NOP ($5,700 DK; $4,800 FD)
Bledsoe certainly always carries some risk, but he's flashed a ceiling well north of 40 fantasy points on both sites this season and sports very reasonable salaries relative to his upside. The veteran is coming off a pair of strong showings against the Hawks and Nuggets where he scored over 27 fantasy points on each site while averaging 11.5 points, 8.0 assists, 2.0 rebounds and 2.5 steals across 26 minutes. He could be in for another productive night against a Pelicans squad that's allowed 41.7 percent offensive efficiency to second-unit players, along with the third-highest figure in that category to point guards (27.4). New Orleans has also yielded the second-most DK (58.7) and fourth-most FD (56.1) points to point guards over the last seven contests, furthering Bledsoe's case.
Also consider: James Harden ($10,700; $10,000)
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DraftKings and FanDuel Forwards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Kevin Durant - SF/PF, BKN vs. OKC ($11,000 DK, $10,900 FD)
Durant sports a 31.7 percent usage rate and averages over 47 fantasy points per 36 minutes without Kyrie Irving on the floor, and the latter will be sitting out Thursday due to the Nets being at home. KD has been stellar all season under any circumstance, and he'll check into Thursday's favorable matchup having averaged over 50 fantasy points on both sites over the last six contests while shooting 51.3 percent. He also posted 51.5 DK/50.6 FD points against the Thunder in his one prior meeting with them as well, and OKC comes in allowing the sixth-highest offensive efficiency to power forwards (27.8 percent), along with 48.9 DK/47.4 FD points per contest to the position.
Josh Hart - SF, NOP vs. LAC ($6,800 DK; $6,900 FD)
Hart is in the midst of a career-best season that's seen him put up new high-water marks across the stat sheet while also shooting a career-high 51.9 percent. The versatile wing has been especially impressive since mid-December, a nine-game stretch where he's averaged 17.9 points, 9.0 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.1 steals across 37.7 minutes per contest. Hart has averaged just under 40 fantasy points per contest on both sites in two games against the Clippers this season as well, and Los Angeles has allowed 40.2 DK/43.2 FD points per game in the last 15, with a large chunk of that sample coinciding with Paul George's absence due to an elbow injury.
Andrew Wiggins - SF, GSW at MIL ($6,300 DK; $6,600 FD)
Wiggins coming off back-to-back duds, which have happened to coincide with the return of Klay Thompson to the floor. Those factors may well scare some off Wiggins despite the small slate, but he remains a solid tournament option at his reasonable salaries and draws a favorable matchup to boot. The Bucks have allowed the fifth-highest offensive efficiency to small forwards (24.2 percent), along with the fourth-most DK (45.7) and FD (44.7) points per game to the position in the last seven contests. Wiggins has also shot an impressive 49.0 percent on the road this season and had posted seven straight games with more than 30 fantasy points before his aforementioned two -game skid.
Also consider: Anthony Edwards ($8,100; $8,300)
DraftKings and FanDuel Centers - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Jonas Valanciunas - NOP vs. LAC ($8,600 DK; $7,700 FD)
Valanciunas has been a virtual lock for at least 30-35 fantasy points on both sites this season, and he'll enter Thursday's matchup against the Clippers having averaged just over 40 DK points in his last five contests. Valanciunas has also thrived against Los Angeles in two prior meetings, shooting 58.1 percent, including a blistering 70.6 percent from three-point range (12-for-17), while averaging 32.5 points, 14.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 steals per contest. The Clippers have been vulnerable to centers overall, especially of late, as evidenced by the fact they've allowed 59.1 DK/58.2 FD points per game to the position in the last 15 games.
Brandon Clarke - MEM vs. MIN ($5,200 DK; $5,700 FD)
Clarke has been filling in effectively for Steven Adams (COVID-19 protocols), who is questionable for Thursday's game. The young big has averaged over 30 fantasy points in his last six games and has put up 11.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.0 block across just 20.5 minutes in two previous contests against the T-Wolves this season. Clarke could certainly be in for a workload of about 25-27 minutes if Adams sits out again, and he'd be in good position to deliver a strong return on his modest salaries against a Minnesota squad allowing the third-highest offensive efficiency to centers (35.1 percent) and the fifth highest to frontcourt players overall (82.3 percent). The T-Wolves are also giving up 57 DK/56.2 FD points per game to centers for the season and surrender significantly more points in the paint on the road (47.8) compared to home (39.9), while Clarke is scoring a career-high 83.2 percent of his points in that part of the floor.
Also consider: Karl-Anthony Towns ($10,000; $9,800)
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