RADIO
The second day of the New Year brings hoops fans a nine-game slate that could feature just one player having an exorbitant price tag. That means that DFS owners will have to get into the nitty gritty to find either complementary or diametrically opposite pieces.
As of Thursday morning, only one game has a projected double-digit spread, which should lend itself to a night of competitive basketball across the board.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 1/2/20. You can also check out today's FanDuel lineup picks. Remember to monitor injury news as the slate can completely change before line-up lock.
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DraftKings DFS Guards
Luka Doncic - PG/SG, DAL v. BKN ($12,000)
Entering Thursday’s game versus Brooklyn, Doncic’s usage on a nightly basis has begun to reach prodigious heights, ergo his inclusion into the rarified air of hitting the $12,000 price tag. While the MVP candidate has reportedly been dinged up over the past few outings with minor injuries, he has shown little sign of being slowed by them, attempting 29 shots (including 16 threes) amid a 35-point double-double on New Year’s Eve. That volume was helped by Kristaps Porzingis’ absence, and with his 7-foot-3 teammate questionable to play versus a fast-paced Brooklyn squad, Doncic would likely reap the benefits once again. For owners in cash games, fading Doncic is an incredibly risky proposition, even as his price tag hits another level.
Aaron Holiday - PG/SG, IND v. DEN ($5,700)
After a one-game stint as a reserve, Holiday will likely return to the starting five Thursday with Malcolm Brogdon back on the sidelines. That news makes him an instant DFS commodity, as he has averaged 14.8 points, 5.2 assists and 3.2 rebounds as a starter this year, versus 7.6 points, 1.7 assists and 2.1 rebounds as a reserve. Despite a stingy matchup versus Denver, Holiday has managed to score in double figures in 13 of his 14 starts, having scored a career-high 25 points his last time in the starting five.
DraftKings DFS Forwards
Paul George - SF/PF, LAC v. DET ($8,800)
It’s been a true plot twist to watch George become a boom or bust DFS play on a nightly basis in 2019. He enters 2020 having reeled off his first two double-doubles of the season in his two most recent outings, a hot stretch on the glass that is worth taking notice of. It hasn’t just been his increased aggression on the boards that makes him an optimistic GPP play Thursday, but the fact that he has fired up double-digit three-point attempts in his last two outings, all while not committing a turnover in over 77 combined minutes of action. There is risk associated with choosing to roster George, who has had six games this season in which he has exceeded the 30-point plateau and four in which he has failed to hit the 15-point mark; which George shows up Thursday will likely decide numerous contests.
Robert Covington - SF/PF, MIN v. GSW ($5,600)
The Minnesota Timberwolves injury report will once again be must-see viewing for anyone making a DFS lineup Thursday. With both Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins questionable to play, Covington steps up as a premier DraftKings option on the second night of a back-to-back. During December, Covington fired up 6.6 three-point attempts on a nightly basis; entering play Thursday, Golden State is yielding the highest made three-point percentage in the league to opponents (38.7 percent). The Timberwolves' offense has been ragtag without Towns or Wiggins in the mix, but Covington’s rebounding (at least seven boards in four straight games) and long range shooting ability make him a safe bet at his price tag should the team be without its two leading scorers.
DraftKings DFS Centers
Rudy Gobert - C, UTA @ CHI ($8,900)
Anyone putting together a DK lineup loves having a high percentage chance of something excellent occurring. The odds of Rudy Gobert notching a double-double? 96.2 percent, per the fact that he has recorded one in 25 of his past 26 games. Factor in that Gobert also gets to feast on a Chicago frontcourt that is yielding 56.7 DK points to opposing centers this season, the second-highest mark in the league. While Gobert’s scoring very rarely deviates (he has scored 20 or more points just five times this year), he has been ferocious on the glass as of late, logging exactly 19 rebounds in three of his last five games. There are myriad high-priced options at the center slot Thursday, although it’s unlikely there’s one with as consistent of a floor as Gobert.
