The NBA Daily Plays for Wednesday, January 13th breaks down the best Stud, Value and GPP plays at each position for FanDuel and DraftKings daily fantasy sports contests. The Stud & Value plays should be considered relatively chalky and are ideal for cash games. The GPP plays dig a little deeper to hopefully find some low owned talent who could pay off big in a tournament. Make sure you check out our NBA projections page to help in your DFS research. We have also added an NBA Injury News page which monitors all injury news and offers pivot plays to consider if the injured player ends up sitting.
Game Lines
Point Guard
Studs
Russell Westbrook (FD $10,900, DK $10,700) –
No duh, right? Russell is the most expensive player for today’s slate and for good reason. He has one of the highest floors in the game and his ceiling hasn’t even been found yet. Even with Kevin Durant back and lowering his usage, he’s still able to put up ridiculous numbers. He and the Thunder take on the Mavericks, who have a lot of fire power and can keep up with OKC in the scoring department. This will be a high scoring affair and you’ll want to have some exposure to it.
Values
Ramon Sessions, (FD $4,300, DK $4,300)-
This pick hinges on the health of John Wall and if he plays. He’s said that he is going to play, but that he’s supposed to get an MRI on his sore knee on Thursday. If I were the Wizards staff, I would sit my star player the day before he’s supposed to get his knee checked out, but we’ll see what they do. If he sits, Ramon would offer great value as a starting PG.
GPP Plays
Tyreke Evans (FD $7,800, DK $8,200)-
All you really need to know is that Tyreke is playing against his former team and that team happens to be the Sacramento Kings. The Kings are not known for defense, they’re known for allowing teams to score in bunches and bunches against them. Tyreke has really been ballin’ lately and I think he’ll have a bit of a chip on his shoulder when he plays in his old stomping grounds. If Anthony Davis sits once again, Tyreke needs to be a lock into your lineup.
Shooting Guard
Studs
Klay Thompson (FD $7,600, DK $8,200) –
The Warriors coaching staff has said that they are going to rest Draymond Green on their upcoming back-to-back games. If Draymond sits this game, Klay is going to have to step up offensively as Curry can’t possibly score 100 points. Can he? Well maybe he can, but Klay will need to step up in the possible absence of the Warriors second best player.
Values
Aaron Afflalo (FD $4,700, DK $4,900)-
I never thought I’d see the day where I’m recommending Afflalo as a great value play in DFS. But here we are. Afflalo has been playing out of his mind recently and his price hasn’t risen that much, if at all. He takes on the leagues worst defense vs. SGs. If you consider the way he’s been playing, his matchup and his prices, he’s almost a no-brainer.
GPP Plays
Will Barton (FD $6,700, DK $6,200)-
Barton has not been playing the best basketball as of late. He’s taken a back seat to Danilo Gallinari ever since he’s come back from a minor injury. He and the Nuggets have a daunting task ahead of them, as they take on the defending champs in what will most likely be a high scoring game. If the Nuggets are going to try to keep this game competitive, then Barton is going to need to knock down some shots. He’s a risky play, but one that could really pay off if he gets going.
Small Forward
Studs
Paul George (FD $9,000, DK $8,900)
PG13 is starting to heat up, after cooling off from his sizzling start to the season. The Pacers will look to get the ball into Paul’s hands early and often against the Celtics who struggle against small forwards. If you’ve fallen off the Paul George bandwagon, it’s time to hop back on.
Values
Omri Casspi (FD $5,700, DK $6,00)-
I don’t think there will ever be a time where I don’t play Casspi. Maybe if his price reaches 8k on a site, then maybe. Casspi has missed the last few games with upper back soreness, probably from carrying the entire team on his back. So I can see how you can be sore from something like that. Keep an eye on if he’s back in the starting lineup, as they may want to ease him in. If he starts, make sure you lock him in.
GPP Plays
Khris Middleton (FD $6,700, DK $6,800) –
Khris Middleton has been playing some great basketball lately and is worth some serious consideration. He takes on the league’s worst defense versus small forwards and he should have the opportunity to put up as many shots as his little heart desires. If you can’t afford a stud, look no further than Khris Middleton today.
Power Forward
Studs
Paul Millsap (FD $8,600, DK $8,300) –
I like to call Paul, “Mr. Consistent”. He’s a guy that is going to get you 40 points a night, with the occasional 30 or even 50 pointer. Am I ok with this? Absolutely. He’s taking on the Hornets who aren’t a very formidable foe, so he should be able to get us that 40 and maybe even bless us with a 50 burger. Lock him in.
Values
Ryan Anderson (FD $5,500, DK $6,500)-
This pick depends on the health of Anthony Davis. If Davis is in, then I’d pivot to someone else and maybe pay up at this position. If Davis sits, Anderson is one of my favorite plays of the day. Ryan takes on the Kings, his hometown team. You know Ryan is going to put on a show for his family and friends if he gets the playing time. Oh, he’s also taking on the Kings who allow their opponents to score at will. So there’s that too.
GPP Plays
Thaddeus Young (FD $6,700, DK $7,200)-
Thaddeus has been seeing more offensive responsibility ever since Jarrett Jack’s injury. Unfortunately for Thaddeus, it hasn’t really been showing up on the stat sheet. Lucky for him, he gets to take on the New York “Slump Buster” Knickerbockers. If he’s going to snap out of this funk, it is going to have to be against the Knicks.
Center
Studs
DeMarcus Cousins, (FD $10,600, DK $10,500) –
If you see DeMarcus Cousins is playing, you lock him into your lineup. Cousins is as matchup proof as they come and he has one of the highest ceilings in the game. We may see his ceiling go even higher, as he takes on the Pelicans who are the league’s worst defense versus the center position. I really feel bad for the Pelicans, as they are about to get destroyed in the paint.
