RADIO
Wednesday is shaping up to be a rather eventful day in the United States, all capped off with a stacked slate on the hardwood. Washington may not be back in action yet as a seventh player has reportedly tested positive for COVID-19, but after a brief two-game pocket Tuesday, the 10 contests that are still on for Wednesday make it seem like a super-sized slate.
The biggest storyline around the league will be the simultaneous return of Kyrie Irving, which coincides with his return to Cleveland and his first time playing alongside James Harden and Kevin Durant. How will any of their fantasy totals react to adding yet another All-NBA player to the mix? That remains to be seen, but with their price tags not having adjusted, in addition to facing the league’s second-best defense per efficiency, the triumvirate carries some hefty risk, especially on a slate already stacked with talent.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 1/20/21. 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
Paul George - SG, LAC vs. SAC ($9,100)
There is only one player in the NBA averaging 6.5 three-point attempts per game who is shooting 50 percent or better from behind the arc entering play Wednesday -- George. His 4.1 makes on a nightly basis tie him for second in the league alongside Stephen Curry, even as he has shot nearly 15 percent better than one of the game’s all-time great marksmen.
His long range acumen is particularly advantageous Wednesday as George faces off with the Kings, who have yielded a league-worst 40.2 percent three-point percentage to the opposition thus far in 2020-21. George dropped 26 points -- with four made triples -- in just 30 minutes when the two sides faced off last Friday, as he has now gone for at least 20 points in nine straight outings.
D'Angelo Russell - PG/SG, MIN vs. ORL ($8,800)
The last time that Russell earned a mention in this space, his game against Memphis was promptly postponed due to the league’s health and safety protocols. Much in the same ilk as that contest was set to be, Russell should be in a tremendous spot for increased usage and production, provided that the game takes place.
Not only is Russell down his primary backup in Ricky Rubio, but Karl-Anthony Towns has been sidelined due to a positive COVID-19 test. Even with ample offensive help this year, Russell has taken between 21-22 shots in each of his last four games, having averaged 26.3 PPG over his last six contests. Combine that upside with the fact that Orlando yields the third-most DK points per outing (55.3) to opposing PG’s, and Russell makes a strong case to draw mega intrigue in GPP contests.
Victor Oladipo - PG/SG, HOU vs. PHO ($7,800)
The clamps put down on the opposition this season by the Suns’ defense has been impressive, it’s just not enough to force Oladipo from drawing considerable intrigue. As John Wall (knee) remains sidelined Wednesday, it’s another opportunity for Oladipo to serve as the team’s de facto point guard after he dished out nine assists in his team debut Monday, his most in an outing since Dec. 23, 2018.
Despite a rocky start to his first outing as a Rocket, Oladipo eventually finished with new season highs in scoring (32) and shot attempts (23). His elevated price tag and matchup versus Phoenix may scare off some cash contest managers, but he has GPP appeal in droves due to his unquestioned role as the team’s top scoring option on the wing.
DraftKings DFS Forwards
Domantas Sabonis - PF/C, IND vs. DAL ($9,800)
There is virtually no slate in which Sabonis, now the league leader in minutes at 37.5 per night, is not a sound DFS investment. But on Wednesday versus the Mavericks, he’ll have the advantage of facing an interior that is still decimated by the league’s health and safety protocols, while likely not having to share any rebounding opportunities with Myles Turner (hand), who could be sidelined for the foreseeable future.
Sabonis has played 13 games this year and logged a double-double in each one of them. He has dished out at least five assists in nine games, which has pushed his price tag to the gaudy levels that it reaches Wednesday. But he did most of that work with Turner and Oladipo, who has since been dealt to Houston, in the equation. In short, his All-Star-level production may have just been scratching the surface, as it appears he could continue to climb into a nightly 30-15 threat.
Kelly Oubre Jr. - SF/PF, GS vs. SA ($5,500)
After some seesaw performances to begin his first year as a Warrior, Oubre has shown recent flashes of his exciting offensive upside. With his price tag having taken a significant hit stemming from back-to-back single-digit scoring performances against the Clippers earlier in the month, it’s worth sticking by a player who went for a season-high 23 points his last time out against a stout Lakers defense.
While Oubre’s shooting percentages can be seen as a detriment in season-long formats, that’s not of concern here; he has fired up double-digit shot attempts in 12 of his 13 outings, an indication of the role that he retains in the offense. Add in that the Spurs have had an issue keeping opposing wings in check this season, allowing a league-worst 51.3 DK points per contest to small forwards, and Oubre finds himself in consideration during a contest that is set for one of the highest totals on the slate.
Rodney Hood - SG/SF, POR vs. MEM ($3,800)
Of the first 11 games that Hood played in this season, he was held scoreless in five of them. With Portland working the veteran back into the mix, his role with the second unit simply wasn’t allowing him to showcase his scoring abilities. But after having entered the starting five in place of C.J. McCollum (foot) on Monday, Hood went for 21 points in 25 minutes, a reminder of the scoring prowess that he holds.
Taking McCollum’s 20 shot attempts per contest out of the mix is sure to make multiple Blazers candidates for increased usage over the coming weeks, but no player fits the bill better than Hood. Before tearing his Achilles last season, Hood was shooting a career-best 50.6 percent overall, and had started all 21 games that he appeared in for Portland. His price tag likely won’t remain this low for much longer, with his upside and role in the starting lineup paving the way for him to see one of the highest roster percentages on the slate.
DraftKings DFS Centers
Enes Kanter - C, POR vs. MEM ($6,300)
Being back among the starting five has looked good on Kanter, who has seen his minutes allotment jump with Jusuf Nurkic (wrist) hitting the injury report. A perpetual double-double threat due to his presence on the interior, Kanter has also added a combined eight assists, five blocks, and two steals in his two starts, which raises his floor, making him further appealing in cash contests.
Even when Memphis had Jonas Valanciunas available at the center spot, they were yielding the fourth-most DK points per contest (56.9) to opposing centers. Now, with Xavier Tillman Sr. among the starting five, Kanter should feast against the youngster in what figures to be the premier up-tempo contest of the slate.
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