RADIO
Unfortunately, there are only four games on the main slate. Those four contain plenty of upside, so while I will talk plenty about that specific slate, I do want to cover some players in the earlier games. If you need value, Landry Shamet, J.J. Redick, Noah Vonleh and Allonzo Trier are all solid plays. There aren't many directions to go as far as superstars are concerned, so make sure that if you roster Vonleh or Trier, that Joel Embiid's has a good chance of not playing. Even though it's only one player, he only will be able to keep both Vonleh and Trier from scoring at the rim easily. Kyle Lowry, Bradley Beal, and Kawhi Leonard are in order as my must-plays, which allows you to properly fade Embiid without risking to much production.
Going to back to the main slate of games, it's pretty obvious the Nuggets-Trail Blazers game will be the one to watch (and stack), but both the Warriors-Mavericks and Lakers-Cavaliers game contains a decent bit of value. Jordan Clarkson is gearing up for a revenge game in Los Angeles, and Dennis Smith Jr.'s price is incredibly low given his upside. It's going to be hard to take the Mavericks starters, including Luka Doncic, mainly because this game could turn to a blowout so quickly. Dallas is easily one of the best coached teams in the league and the addition of Doncic allowed for the team to gel through a consistent playmaking threat. Even if Doncic plays well, it's going to be hard for him to fuel the fire that is the Mavericks out-producing the Golden State. Anything is possible in the regular season and if I roster anyone from this game, it's going to be Doncic, Smith Jr., or DeAndre Jordan.
I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 01/13/19. These DFS lineup picks can vary from higher-priced players and elite options to lower-priced players and value picks on DraftKings. You can also check out today's FanDuel lineup picks. As always, don't set your lineups to early and check player statuses before the opening tip. Find me in the NBA Chat Room or @HalfCourtJester on Twitter.
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DraftKings DFS Guards
D.J. Augustin - PG/SG, vs. HOU ($4,700)
Playing D.J. Augustin against top-level teams carries a decent bit of a risk since he has yet find legitimate production against any of the league's elites. The Houston Rockets have been thriving off the flames coming from James Harden's fingers, but I don't know how their defense will fair against a team like the Magic. As bad as the Magic have been at certain points this season, they have the talent to make any game competitive. This game will probably last about three quarters before Harden kicks it in to high-gear to secure the win, but I really like the upside of some of Orlando's secondary pieces. Augustin has a spotty track record for production but he is still the leading point guard and all he needs is for his shooters to actually hit their shots. Nikola Vucevic should be able to control Clint Capela in the paint and even if Capela will grab nearly every rebound, I still like Augustin's speed as his best weapon against Houston.
Andre Iguodala - SG/SF, @ DAL ($3,700)
This isn't a hard pick when you think about it. The only problem with taking Andre Iguodala is that he plays a role and struggles to hit the few shots a game he takes. Usually you just fade him in a game like this, but I'm really hoping Dallas can make this close for a majority of the game. I can see the Warriors doing typical Warrior things and shooting the lights out to start, but this regular season flow Golden State is on has made them look incredibly human. Luka Doncic has been playing like someone who is going to find a way to carry his team against the best team in the world and if you don't believe basketball is mental, then tell me how Doncic and Iguodala have been two of the more impactful players on their respective teams. Regardless of my rantings, tonight the Mavericks lack defense to guard Iguodala's specific role so I'm expecting him to actually convert and exceed projected.
DraftKings DFS Forwards
Juancho Hernangomez - SF/PF, vs. POR ($3,500)
Last outing, Juancho Hernangomez scored one point and got one rebound. The return of Paul Millsap has seriously hindered Hernangomez' upside, so while playing him will be far more fewer and in-between, there are still spots where he can greatly impact the game. All in all, Millsap is a more skilled player and will get the nod if it somehow comes down to a choice between the two, but I don't think we can totally count out Hernangomez as a productive option. Millsap will still see a few games for rest and while those will be the games to target, lengthy stretch bigs are going to have all the upside tonight. Look for Nikola Jokic, Zach Collins, and Jusuf Nurkic to have a ton of oppurtunities tonight, while Hernangomez should seea few extra minutes tonight. To be honest, it's really hard to say whether or not he is going to be a viable option moving forward.
Harrison Barnes - SF/PF, @ DAL ($5,600)
This is purely a revenge game pick and based on historical facts, this one usually doesn't pay out. That information is flawed because it doesn't account for the Luka-effect, but Doncic' ability to space the floor has helped Harrison Barnes dramatically. In his two games versus the Warriors this season, Barnes has averaged an even 20 points and while that alone is enough to make him exceed his projected, I'm hoping he will be more effective elsewhere. It will be tough for him to produce in any other category than scoring, but tonight I expect playing at home will allow his teammates to hit more shots than usual, giving Barnes upside in assists. If his price was any higher I probably wouldn't consider it, but I'm assuming this revenge game will go overshadowed.
DraftKings DFS Centers
Zach Collins - C, @ DEN ($3,700)
Zach Collins production has been spotty to say the least, but his upside is so high every night it's hard to fade him. Tonight there will be minimal defense on both sides, so I expect both frontcourts to see extra minutes while the guards are stick watching from the outside in. Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum are always good options and I have total confidence they will also be solid plays, but I'm assuming the rest of the secondary scorers like Evan Turner and Al-Farouq Aminu will struggle, giving more opportunities to Collins and other bench options like Seth Curry. Risky play but I think if there is going to be any low-owned option that is going to exceed, I think Collins is near the top of the list.
