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With the NFL regular season in the books, the NBA is now in sole possession of Thursday nights for the time being. As a result, both games will be nationally televised on TNT starting with Lakers/Sixers at 7:30 PM ET followed by Timberwolves/Warriors at 10:00 PM ET.
Having only four teams taking the court is certainly better than nothing, but it does affect strategy. Such a small player pool leaves little room for error. It will be imperative to get guys with low ownership into your lineups in order to stand out. While none of us have a crystal ball to see into the future, there are a few intriguing guys worth considering for your lineups on Thursday.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 1/27/22. Remember to monitor NBA injury news as the slate can completely change before lineups lock. Let's cut right to the chase and dive into my favorite DraftKings and FanDuel plays for Thursday's three-game slate.
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DraftKings and FanDuel Guards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Anthony Edwards - SG, MIN @ GSW (8,100 DK, $7,300 FD)
Edwards did his best Kobe Bryant (RIP Mamba) impression in Tuesday's win over the Blazers, finishing with 40 points and no assists. A matchup against the Warriors means he should see heavy usage on offense in order to keep pace. While everyone will likely swoon over LeBron James and Stephen Curry in their lineups, Edwards is feeling it and should see less ownership. He's a great play on both sites but really sticks out on FanDuel, where is $800 lower.
Tyrese Maxey - PG, PHI vs. LAL ($6,400 DK, $5,800 FD)
Much like Anthony Edwards, Maxey is a better play on FanDuel but should be solid on both sites regardless. It's no secret the Lakers have been poor defensively this season, but they've been extra sorry defending against opposing guards. Through 48 games, they are currently surrendering the most fantasy points on DraftKings and FanDuel to opposing point guards. Maxey has posted at least 20 points on both sites in his last seven games and at least 30 points in five of seven. He should continue to see increased usage with Seth Curry and Shake Milton sidelined.
Jordan Poole - SG/PG, GSW @ MIN ($5,300 DK, $5,400 FD)
Poole has done a nice job staying fantasy-relevant despite Klay Thompson's return to the lineup, as he's put up just under 20 PPG over his last three games in a bench role. While he should continue leading the second unit, his scoring will be needed against a fast-paced Timberwolves squad. Not to mention Stephen Curry is in the middle of a shooting slump, so Poole could be leaned on for offense more heavily than normal. The Timberwolves have given up the fourth-most DraftKings fantasy points per game to opposing guards this season.
GPP PG:
Patrick Beverley - PG, MIN @ GSW ($5,600 DK, $4,200 FD)
The Timberwolves are 'hopeful' that Beverley will make his return after a two-game absence and he's almost impossible to ignore on DraftKings, where he's priced $1,400 lower than his DraftKings price tag. Simply put, every time Beverley has been healthy and on the court, he's produced fantasy value in one way or another. As evidenced by his 26.1 DraftKings and 26.7 FanDuel points per game this season. Either way, Beverley should see plenty of minutes if active as he'll likely draw the Stephen Curry assignment.
Others to consider: Stephen Curry ($9,500 FD), Malik Monk ($4,500 DK, $4,400 FD)
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DraftKings and FanDuel Forwards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Otto Porter Jr. - SF/PF, GSW vs. MIN (5,100 DK, $5,700 FD)
This is a sneaky play, as the masses will likely be all over Jonathan Kuminga after his 22-point performance on Tuesday. The truth of the matter is Porter has been seeing the biggest increase in playing time while Draymond Green is out and has scored in double figures in three straight games. The Timberwolves have also given up the seventh-most FanDuel points per game to opposing forwards this season.
Tobias Harris - PF/SF, PHI vs. LAL ($7,300 DK, $8,100 FD)
The elite play of Joel Embiid has caused Harris' recent level of play to slide under the radar. Harris has scored at least 4o FanDuel points in each of his last four games and has posted a double-double in his last two. The Lakers have been terrible at slowing down opposing power forwards also, giving up the eighth-most DraftKings points to the position this season. Harris is a no-brainer on DraftKings.
Furkan Korkmaz - SF, PHI vs. LAL ($4,800 DK, $4,500 FD)
Korkmaz has scored at least 20 fantasy points in four of his last five games and gets a nice matchup against the Lakers. His value is somewhat tied to the status of Danny Green, however, who is listed as questionable after sitting out since January 12th with a hip injury.
Others to consider: Andrew Wiggins ($5,700 DK, $6,000 FD), Carmelo Anthony ($4,300 DK, $5,200 FD)
DraftKings and FanDuel Centers - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Joel Embiid - C, PHI @ LAL ($11,400 DK, $11,400 FD)
Embiid might be the highest owned player on the slate, but it's not physically possible to pass him at the moment. Forget about price tag, Embiid is dominating the NBA and if he's not the MVP favorite by now, he should be. Check out his numbers over his last four games: 42.5 points, 12.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 2.2 blocks, and a staggering 70 fantasy points per game. Unreal. The Lakers did just get Anthony Davis back recently and he's probable to play, though he could be limited again after only seeing 25 minutes in his first game back. Regardless, Embiid is a monster and a perfect option to build your team around. Don't overthink it.
Jarred Vanderbilt - PF/C, MIN @ GSW (5,500 DK, $6,100 FD)
Vanderbilt is only center eligible on DraftKings, so this is solely a DraftKings call. Regardless, he's $600 cheaper on the site and put up at least 35 fantasy points in each of his last three games. He's not often thought of as a center, so he may fly under the radar a bit, which is exactly what you want in a smaller slate.
Others to consider: Nemanja Bjelica ($3,500 DK), Kevon Looney ($4,700 DK, $4,900 FD)
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