DFS NBA Lineups for January 17, 2017 at Draftkings.com & Fanduel.com
DFS NBA is fast-paced, high-scoring, and the right work and research, an incredibly fun variant of daily fantasy that can be quite profitable.
Each day that there’s a good slate of games, we’ll give you the game totals, spreads, and pertinent injury news for NBA daily fantasy, as well as some players that we’re considering for our lineups on DraftKings and FanDuel. We’ve got a short slate today, but plenty of healthy totals. Be sure and monitor any of the injury news that comes out throughout the day, as value plays can arise in a moments notice.
PLAYERS RULED OUT
Jeremy Lin (hamstring)
Josh Richardson (foot)
Larry Nance Jr. (knee)
Andrew Bogut (hamstring)
INJURY NEWS TO MONITOR
Clint Capela (leg)
Jordan Clarkson (ankle)
Gary Harris (ankle)
Patrick Patterson (knee)
Nikola Mirotic (illness)
NBA GAME SPREADS, TOTALS & START TIME FOR TODAY’S GAMES
Raptors -11.5 @ Nets (7:30p): 226
Rockets -7.5 @ Heat (7:30p): 221
Mavericks @ Bulls -5.5 (8:00p): 196.5
Timberwolves @ Spurs -11 (8:30p): 201
Nuggets @ Lakers -1 (10:30p): 228.5
Best NBA Picks for January 17, 2017
James Harden ($12.2k DraftKings, $12.3k FanDuel)
He’s become extraordinarily expensive, but there aren’t enough studs on the board tonight to make Harden a worthwhile fade. He’s been a triple double machine with that statistical achievement in 7 of his last 11 appearances and should be asked to play heavy minutes tonight in a tough matchup at Miami. The Heat (+7.5) is playing well enough to keep this game close, but they don’t have the personnel necessary to contain Harden, as they cough up the eight-most PPG (24.69) to opposing SGs over the last month.
Hassan Whiteside ($8.4k DraftKings, $8.9k FanDuel)
The Rockets might get starting center Clint Capela back from leg surgery tonight, but this is still a situation to exploit with Capela likely playing limited minutes and fill-in starter Montrezl Harrell standing just 6-foot-8 next to the massive Whiteside. Miami’s big man is averaging 20 PPG and 14 RPG over his last 3 appearances and finally returns home for this matchup, where he’s averaging 19.6 PPG, 15.8 RPG and 47.4 DK PPG as compared to 38.1 DK PPG in road games this season. Due to their blinding pace, the Rockets are coughing up the seventh-most PPG (107.6) this season and the sixth-most RPG (14.8) to opposing centers over the last month, so Whiteside has a great chance to post a bigtime double double.
Nikola Jokic ($8.1k DraftKings, $8.5k FanDuel)
The only reason to fade Whiteside or Harden tonight is to squeeze Jokic into all lineups at the center position on DK or at PF on FanDuel. He remained en fuego with 30 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists against the Magic last night and is now averaging 22.6 PPG, 10.1 RPG and 5.4 APG over his last 5 appearances. Jokic is flying past the other Nuggets bigs on the depth chart and operating as the main weapon for HC Mike Malone, so he should see plenty of usage against the Lakers’ porous defense this evening. The Lakers cough up the second-most FPPG (50.37) and most APG (3.39) to opposing centers this season and Jokic is certainly capable of torching that weak unit.
Mid Tier and Value NBA DFS Picks
James Johnson ($6.1k DraftKings, $5.9k FanDuel)
While his price tag lowers his relative upside, JJ is still putting up numbers with consistency and he’s worth a look in what should be a high-scoring affair against Houston tonight. The Rockets are playing at the fourth-fastest pace in the NBA and giving up the third-most FPPG (45.05) along with the most PPG (22.1) to opposing PFs on the season. With Justise Winslow (shoulder) expected to miss the rest of the year for Miami, Johnson has stepped up in a big way and he’s now averaging 14 PPG, 5.5 APG and 2.3 STL/BLK per game over his last 4 appearances.
Emmanuel Mudiay ($4.9k DraftKings, $4.5k FanDuel)
The Nuggets continue to give their talented second-year PG chances to prove that he’s grasping the NBA game, and their patience was rewarded with a huge performance from Mudiay on MLK Day. He went for 18 points and 13 assists in another high scoring outing for the surging Nuggets against a porous Magic defense. Tonight, Mudiay and his teammates will have a great opportunity to ride that momentum against a Lakers squad that now ranks dead last in defensive rating on the season. The Lakers cough up the fourth-most FPPG (45.78) and most APG (9.76) to opposing PGs this season and that makes Mudiay a fantastic value with upside.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson ($3.8k DraftKings, $4k FanDuel)
The Nets again players continue to break down as the season wears on and younger players such as Hollis-Jefferson are beginning to make the mark for a struggling franchise. RHJ is averaging just 18.2 MPG over his last 6 appearances, but averaging a cool 18.5 DK PPG during that span and he may have earned more playing with a 14-point, 7-rebound performance on Sunday. The Nets are always a team to target because they play at the fastest pace in the NBA and really struggle defensively, but RHJ and other athletic players could help them keep pace with Toronto at home tonight.
If, Then Player
If Jordan Clarkson (ankle) is ruled out for the Lakers, Lou Williams would become fantasy relevant once again. D’Angelo Russell and Brandon Ingram would also become more appealing with more guaranteed usage.
