X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

DraftKings Daily Fantasy Basketball Picks (1/5/19): NBA DFS Lineups

The top daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on January 5, 2019. Jake Finnen provides NBA DFS analysis and sleeper picks for building optimal DFS rosters.

An ideal seven-game slate is the perfect chance to rebound after a tough loss last night or to keep the momentum going into the weekend. Regardless of how you are feeling about yesterday, the light is shining today. It didn't take long to find the players I want anchoring my lineups tonight and while the value is there, it shouldn't be needed. Per usual, I will stick to lower-priced, hopefully lower-owned players, but do not feel forced into going super risky tonight. Tonight is going to pay out to those who really push the "easy matchup" narrative. It won't be a horrible strategy given the teams playing tonight, so instead of spending up for one or two players, make sure you get five or six top-tier options with one value pick to balance it out. I will gladly throw some value picks your way to help make it easier.

You really shouldn't need to stack any specific teams tonight but if that is just your go-to strategy then look no further than the Kings and Warriors. Pace will be at a very-high level and you can stick to taking the heavy-hitters as best you can. Kevin Durant has the most upside tonight seeing how the Kings have no one to even get in his way. Aside from everything that I have been talking about, I feel it necessary to say that Evan Turner is due for a productive game and I think facing the Rockets will be his chance to capitalize.

For the rest of the article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 1/5/19. 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 with any questions.

Featured Promo: Get any DFS Premium Bundle for for 30% off using code WIN! Win more with expert advice from proven winners and exclusive DFS tools. Get instant access to RotoBaller's Lineup Optimizers, Research Stations, daily picks and VIP chat rooms across 10 sports! Go Premium, Win More!

 

DraftKings DFS Guards

Ricky Rubio - PG/SG UTA @ DET ($5,800)

Not so much of a value pick, but an anchor nonetheless. So, there are some teams where Ricky Rubio might struggle against. The Miami Heat or Boston Celtic's free-flowing defense. The Grizzlies slow pace and Mike Conley's persistence. Patrick Beverley and the Clippers. Those are just exampled of a few teams that you could fade Rubio against and I would understand. When Ricky Rubio lines up against teams like the Thunder, who have a great defensive ranking versus guards but no real "stopper" outside of Paul George, you have to see nothing but upside. I am just trying to prove the point, that Ricky Rubio is specifically someone you can't just chalk up to bad matchups. There really aren't any outside of one on one situations, which Rubio very rarely finds himself trying to produce. I haven't even talked about the Pistons defense and I shouldn't need to because it won't matter tonight. The Pistons are better suited against the other Jazz players, leaving me to believe that not only will Rubio see increased usage, but he should be taking a fair share of threes tonight as well.

Garrett Temple - SG/SF MEM @ SA ($3,700)

Garrett Temple's minutes are so locked into the Grizzlies rotation that if you don't consider Temple each night then what are you even doing DFS-wise. He doesn't have a strong track record and his ability to produce leaves much more to be desired on an nightly basis, regardless the minutes are there and you know that given the Grizzlies situation, there will be nights where Temple is their best player. He plays great on and off-ball defense giving him upside in those categories, but he really needs to be hitting for him to prove to be a worthwhile pick. The Spurs are usually not one of the teams you directly target, but seeing how the Spurs are lacking backcourt defense aside from Derrick White, you should definitely target them. I do like Marc Gasol's upside as well and he should be the focal point of the offense, which should work into Temples favor in terms of spacing.

 

DraftKings DFS Forwards

Reggie Bullock - SG/SF DET vs. UTA ($3,900)

This is a similar pick to Garret Temple in that he needs to be hitting his shot to really provide value. With both players prices so low, there isn't all that much downside to these picks because of their roles in the offense, but Reggie Bullock lacks the defensive playmaking to give him upside elsewhere. I would stay away from picking players who struggle to score from the perimeter and although Bullock is streaky in that aspect, he is known for his outside scoring and thats where he feels the most comfortable. Blake Griffin and Andre Drummond, despite facing Rudy Gobert, should be able to get to their spots in the paint. Drummond will have a much tougher time scoring tonight, but if any Piston can draw multiple defenders, it's going to leave Drummond open with a severe mis-match. If you play Bullock, you want the rest of the Pistons scoring early, allowing Bullock to see a wide variety of shot attempts from passes coming from a double-team. The Jazz would rather lose because Bullock wouldn't miss rather than Griffin.

Al-Farouq Aminu - SF/PF HOU @ POR ($5,000)

Even with Moe Harkless and C.J. McCollum playing decently well, tonight should be all about Al...Farouq Aminu. Last night he produced in a loss against the Thunder, but it wasn't enough to secure a win. Aminu is a win-first, stats-second type of player and while it does hurt his overall upside, he carries momentum extremely well and he should have plenty of rebounding upside AGAIN. To be honest, Aminu isn't a strong scorer and these past three games are a testament to how high his floor can be. With a role as minimal as Aminu's, it's hard to expect big games from him every night, but at the same time, there's almost no reason he can't put up double-digit scoring efforts on a nightly basis. He gets the opportunities and the Trail Blazers love his attention to defense. His price somewhat scares me because it hurts if he does in fact flop tonight, but aside from me playing devil's advocate with myself, Aminu is going to be one of the lower-owned pays tonight, hoping that everyone doesn't see him adding another notch to his recent string of productive games.

 

DraftKings DFS Centers

Serge Ibaka - PF/C TOR @ MIL ($5,800)

Here's my thought process on picking a center tonight. DeAndre Jordan was my initial thought, but playing against Joel Embiid and that his production could be limited by his matchup alone made me think he wouldn't be worth it. Jordan could have a good game, but I want more than just a 10-10 outing with a few blocks. My next thought was Willie Cauley-Stein against the Warriors. Seeing how the Warriors struggled against Clint Capela, maybe it would be the same for Cauley-Stein. Yeah, the Kings aren't the Rockets and they don't have a James Harden so while Cauley-Stein will produce, it's still not at the level we are wanting for tonight. Thus leading me to Serge Ibaka. His price doesn't kill you and as one of the cheaper options at center, his upside is massive. the Milwaukee Bucks have minimal frontcourt defense and outside of Brook Lopez and D.J. Wilson they literally have no shot blockers. Ibaka should dominate this game in the way only Ibaka knows how. Just draining the Bucks in mid-range spacing, then killing them from the outside. Defensively, Ibaka's upside increased because he will be seeing plenty of attempts at the rim. This game will revolve right around Ibaka and his areas of expertise, mid-range and defense. This is my second anchor for tonight.

More Fantasy Basketball Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Austin Ekeler

Suffers Torn Achilles
Quinshon Judkins

Expected to Play Against Ravens
CFB

Austin Simmons Listed As Game-Time Decision Against Arkansas
CFB

Nico Iamaleava Struggles In Fourth Straight Loss
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

Dealing With a "Tweak"
BUF

Alexandar Georgiev Joins Sabres on One-Year Deal
Corey Perry

Injured During Pre-Camp Skate
Kyle Larson

Can Kyle Larson Dominate at Bristol Again?
Denny Hamlin

One of the Best at Bristol
Ryan Blaney

All Eyes on Ryan Blaney at Bristol
Chase Briscoe

Whiffs in Qualifying, Will Start 31st in Bristol Night Race
Ty Gibbs

Could Contend at Bristol
AJ Allmendinger

on the Pole for Bristol Night Race
Tanner Bibee

Fans 10 in Two-Hit Shutout
Zach Neto

Dealing With Wrist Soreness
Masyn Winn

Shut Down for Rest of Season
Tarik Skubal

to Undergo Imaging on Saturday
Jacory Croskey-Merritt

RapSheet: Jacory Croskey-Merritt Expected to Be Lead Back Moving Forward
Tyler Soderstrom

Scratched on Friday With Groin Tightness
Tarik Skubal

Exits with Side Tightness
CFB

Antonio Williams Out Against Georgia Tech
Ketel Marte

Scratched From Friday's Lineup
Brock Purdy

Officially Ruled Out Against Saints
Jauan Jennings

Given Questionable Tag for Week 2
CFB

CJ Bailey Flashes Again in Win Over Wake Forest
CFB

Jaxson Moi a Game-Time Decision for Tennessee on Saturday
Dallas Goedert

Officially Ruled Out for Week 2
Xavier Worthy

Listed as Doubtful to Play in Week 2
Jayden Reed

Hopes to Return in November Following Surgery
Jean Silva

A Favorite At Noche UFC 3
Kyle Tucker

"Unlikely" to Return When Eligible on Tuesday
Diego Lopes

Set For Noche UFC 3 Main Event
Ketel Marte

Expected to Return on Friday
Rob Font

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
David Martinez

Set For Noche UFC 3 Co-Main Event
Quinshon Judkins

Questionable to Make NFL Debut in Week 2
Rafa Garcia

An Underdog At Noche UFC 3
Jared Gordon

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Dustin Stoltzfus

Looks To Return To The Win Column
Kelvin Gastelum

In Dire Need Of Victory
Diego Ferreira

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Alexander Hernandez

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Quang Le

Set For Noche UFC 3 Main Card Opener
Santiago Luna

Set For His Debut At Noche UFC 3
Malcolm Brogdon

Heading to Knicks on One-Year Deal
CFB

David Sanders Jr. Won't Play Against Georgia
Landry Shamet

Staying with the Knicks
CFB

Dylan Edwards Slated to Return on Friday
Jacory Croskey-Merritt

Sees Little Usage in Week 2, Outlook Still Trending Upwards?
Deebo Samuel Sr.

Leads Commanders in Catches, Scores Touchdown Again
Tucker Kraft

Posts Huge Performance on Thursday
Joe Mixon

Lack of Joe Mixon Injury Updates Sparking Concern for Fantasy Managers?
Jayden Reed

Fractures Collarbone, Headed for Injured Reserve
Austin Ekeler

Commanders Fear Austin Ekeler Tore his Achilles
Jesús Luzardo

Jesus Luzardo Strikes Out 10 in Win
Aaron Judge

Matches Yankees Legend with Two-Homer Game
Austin Ekeler

Injured, Carried Off Field with Non-Contact Injury
Jayden Reed

Ruled Out with Shoulder Injury
Quinshon Judkins

Browns Insider Expects NFL to "Come Down Heavy" on a Quinshon Judkins Suspension
Jayden Reed

Questionable to Return on TNF With Shoulder Injury
Anthony Volpe

Playing Through Partially Torn Labrum in his Shoulder
Adam Lowry

Aims for Early-Season Return
Charles Oliveira

Not Eyeing Retirement
Tyreek Hill

Chiefs, Steelers Eyeing a Trade for Tyreek Hill?
CFB

Ryan Williams Expected to Play Against Wisconsin
CFB

Billy Edwards Jr. Unlikely to Play on Saturday
P.J. Washington

Officially Signs Contract Extension
CFB

David Sanders Jr. Questionable to Make Debut Against Georgia
Chris Godwin

to Be Limited in His Return Thursday
Lauri Markkanen

Big at Both Ends as Finland Books Place in EuroBasket Semis
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Notches 39 Points in Losing Effort
NBA

Cam Reddish Expected to Move to Europe
NBA

Trey Lyles Joins Real Madrid
Charles Bassey

Signs Exhibit 10 Deal With Hawks
Sacramento Kings

Terence Davis Waived by Kings
Will Smith

Scratched With Hand Soreness on Wednesday
Ketel Marte

has Foot Contusion, Expected to Play Friday
Shohei Ohtani

Won't Pitch This Weekend
MacKenzie Gore

to Start on Thursday
Ketel Marte

Exits Early on Wednesday
Matthew Knies

Ready for Bigger Role With Maple Leafs
Jack Eichel

Unbothered by Lack of Extension
Sidney Crosby

Not Thinking About Leaving Pittsburgh
SJ

Michael Misa Signs Entry-Level Contract With Sharks
Rutger McGroarty

Nursing an Injury
Anthony Rizzo

Retires
Cameron Champ

the Ultimate Wild Card at Procore
Cameron Young

Looks to Extend Momentum in Napa
Davis Thompson

Searching for a Spark at Procore
Sahith Theegala

Looking to Reignite Form at Procore
Mackenzie Hughes

Aims for Another Strong Showing at Procore
Luke Clanton

Brings Ball-Striking Upside to Napa
Seamus Power

Looking to Overcome Poor Course History at Procore
Joe Highsmith

Hoping to Find Form in Napa
Masyn Winn

Will Require Offseason Knee Surgery
Kristaps Porzingis

Reportedly Still Not Completely Healthy
Kelly Oubre Jr.

Reportedly on the Trade Block
Andre Drummond

Future in Philadelphia in Doubt
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Helps Greece Reach Semis at EuroBasket
Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Posts Historic Triple-Double
Joel Dahmen

Finishes Tied For 15 at Wyndham Championship
Bud Cauley

Finishes Tied for 33rd at BMW Championship
Justin Thomas

Finishes Tied for Seventh at Tour Championship
J.J. Spaun

Finishes Tied for 25th at Tour Championship
Collin Morikawa

Finishes Tied for 19th at Tour Championship
Keith Mitchell

Misses Cut at Wyndham Championship
Ben Griffin

Finishes Tied for 10th at Tour Championship
Patrick Cantlay

Finishes Tied for Second at Tour Championship
Gary Woodland

Could Hang Around at Procore Championship
Ranger Suárez

Ranger Suarez Strikes Out 12, Earns 12th Win on Tuesday
Karl Vilips

Ready for Napa Valley This Weekend
Taylor Montgomery

Heating Up at the Right Time
Jackson Koivun

May Be a Little Rusty at Procore Championship
Doug Ghim

Looking to Rise Up at Napa Valley
Josh Giddey

Re-Signs With Bulls for Four Years
Shakir Mukhamadullin

Joins Informal Skate
William Eklund

Skates With Sharks
Owen Power

Back at 100 Percent
Tyler Seguin

Cleared for Action
Mathew Barzal

Good to Go for Season Opener
Will Smith

Returns to Dodgers Lineup on Tuesday
Dustin Wolf

Signs Seven-Year Extension
NBA

Mason Jones Takes His Talents to Australia
NBA

Talen Horton-Tucker Joins Reigning EuroLeague Champions
Malcolm Brogdon

on Knicks' Radar
Andrew Wiggins

Attracting Interest From Lakers
Miami Heat

Heat Interested in Reunion With Precious Achiuwa
New York Knicks

Ben Simmons Reportedly Declined Knicks' Contract Offer
Elias Pettersson

Feeling "Good" Ahead of Season
NHL

Alex Formenton Rejoins Swiss Team
NHL

Grigori Denisenko Heads Back Home
CAR

Kevin Labanc Joins Hurricanes for Tryout
Ross Colton

Healthy for Start of Season
Caio Borralho

Suffers His First UFC Loss
Nassourdine Imavov

Extends Win Streak
Mauricio Ruffy

Gets Submitted
Benoît Saint Denis

Benoit Saint Denis Taps Out Mauricio Ruffy
Paul Craig

Retires After UFC Paris Loss
Denny Hamlin

Earns his First Cup Victory at Gateway
Kyle Larson

Damage Ruins Kyle Larson's Chance At a Top Finish at Gateway
Christopher Bell

Scores his Third Top-10 Finish at Gateway
Joey Logano

Maintains his Perfect Top-Five Streak at Gateway
Ryan Blaney

Struggles and Recovers for a Top-Five Finish at Gateway
Modestas Bukauskas

Scores First-Round Knockout
Bolaji Oki

Suffers Second-Round TKO Loss
Mason Jones

Scores Comeback Win
Chase Elliott

Gets Lucky but Still Has Best Run at Gateway
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Wins Stage 2, but Was Let Down by Strategy
Tyler Reddick

Despite Bad Luck, Tyler Reddick Does What he Needed to Do
Chase Briscoe

Recovers from Incident with Daniel Suarez to Finish Second
William Byron

Late Caution Foils William Byron's Shot at Gateway Victory

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP