DFS NBA Lineups for January 28, 2017 at Draftkings.com & Fanduel.com
Each day that there’s a good slate of DFS NBA 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 have seven Saturday games on the main NBA slate for 1/28/17 with Boogie Cousins and Giannis Antetokounmpo both in action, and both on the tail end of a back to back. DraftKings has two GPPs with $375,000 guaranteed tonight. You can buy your way into those for $4 and $40. At FanDuel, the tournament schedule is highlighted by a $3 buy-in, $300,000 guaranteed that pays out $25,000 to first place. As always, be sure and monitor any of the injury news that breaks throughout the day, as value plays can arise in a moments notice.
PLAYERS RULED OUT
Nikola Jokic (hip)
Emmanuel Mudiay (back)
Chris Paul (thumb)
Avery Bradley (Achilles)
Jeremy Lin (hamstring)
Tyler Johnson (shoulder)
Josh Richardson (foot)
INJURY NEWS TO MONITOR
Stephen Curry (quad)
Hassan Whiteside (ankle)
Trevor Booker (illness)
Cody Zeller (quad)
NBA GAME SPREADS, TOTALS & START TIME FOR TODAY’S GAMES
Kings @ Hornets -7.5 (7:00p): 207
Pistons -3.5 @ Heat (7:30p): 203
Celtics -1.5 @ Bucks (8:00p): 216
Clippers @ Warriors -11.5 (8:30p): 223
Grizzlies @ Jazz -6.5 (9:00p): 189
Nuggets @ Suns -3 (9:00p): 231.5
Nets @ Timberwolves -11.5 (9:00p): 219.5
Best NBA Picks for January 28, 2017
Kevin Durant ($9.5k DraftKings, $10.4k FanDuel)
All it really takes is the possibility that Steph Curry will be inactive or somewhat limited to make Durant a virtual must play. The Warriors superstar is putting together one of the most efficient seasons in NBA history and he’s still capable of putting up huge numbers when the Dubs are tested by a capable opponent. With Blake Griffin back in the fold, the Clippers (+12.5) are a little more dangerous, and they’re still vulnerable on the wing without a legitimate starter at the SF position. Durant had a quiet game with just 16 points on 5-of-17 FG shooting against the Clips earlier this season, but he torched the Clips with averages of 28.8 PPG, 10 RPG and 6 APG over meetings as a member of the Thunder last year and he could see much higher usage tonight if Curry is hobbled.
Andre Drummond ($7.4k DraftKings, $7.7k FanDuel)
The Pistons big man has been very productive lately with averages of 14.9 PPG and 13.7 RPG over 11 appearances this month and he draws a juicy matchup tonight against a Miami team that should be without it’s starting center. Even with Hassan Whiteside active this year, Drummond has burned the Heat with averages of 21.5 PPG and 16.5 RPG over 2 meetings and he should have a much easier time scoring on Willie Reed than the lengthy Whiteside. Miami is giving up the eighth-most RPG (15.25) to opposing centers over the last month and missing the league’s leading rebounder in Whiteside can’t help them match up with Big Dre.
Goran Dragic ($7.5k DraftKings, $7.5k FanDuel)
He came through in a big way with 26 points, 11 assists and 54.25 DK points (49.5 FD points) in a win over the dysfunctional Bulls last night and Dragic will have to carry a huge load once again if Hassan Whiteside (ankle) doesn’t make a miraculous recovery on 0 days rest. The Dragon is sporting a 31.5% Usage Rate now with Whiteside off the floor this season and he clearly has a lot of upside for the shorthanded Heat right now. While Detroit is a solid overall team, the Pistons cough up the eighth-most FPPG (44.58) to opposing PGs this season and will likely struggle to contain the explosive Dragic.
Mid Tier DFS NBA Picks
Jameer Nelson ($5.3k DraftKings, $4.7k FanDuel)
The Nuggets get little time to recover after winning a shootout over the Suns at home on Wednesday, as they’ll travel to Phoenix without the services of their best player in Nikola Jokic. With young PG Emmanuel Mudiay also staying behind on this road trip, Nelson should man the point once again after torching the weak Suns defense for 13 points and 9 assists while playing 42 minutes two nights ago. The veteran should have a couple more bigtime performances in him before Mudiay is ready to return and he’s definitely capable of exceeding value another time against a Suns team that coughs up the second-most PPG (111.8) while playing at the third-fastest pace in the NBA this year.
Darren Collison ($4.9k DraftKings, $4.9k FanDuel)
He was locked into a timeshare with backup PG Ty Lawson, but Collison has clearly emerged as the lead dog in the Kings backcourt. He played a whopping 46 minutes and followed up an excellent effort against the Cavs with 26 points in a tougher matchup against the Pacers last night, so you can trust him as a mid-tier option against the struggling Hornets defense this evening. Charlotte opened the season as a typically strong defensive team, but the Hornets have coughed up the fifth-most FPPG (41.49) to opposing SGs over the last month and DC is spending plenty of time at the 2 when Lawson runs the point off the bench.
Bargain Tier DFS NBA Picks
Willie Reed ($4.8k DraftKings, $4.3k FanDuel)
Drummond will receive a boost if Whiteside is out and so will the Heat’s backup center of course. Reed played 37 minutes last night and dropped 20 points, while flukily grabbing just 5 rebounds in a win over the Bulls. Tonight he could start against a Pistons team that coughs up the third-most FPPG (53.29) to opposing centers over the last month and he should be motivated to prove his ability after getting dominated by Drummond in limited minutes when he drew a spot start against Detroit last month.
Jusuf Nurkic ($4.3k DraftKings, $4k FanDuel)
With Jokic out, Nurkic is expected to step out of the shadows of irrelevancy and play significant minutes for the first time in weeks. The Bosnian Beast has received several DNP-CDs and played under 16 MPG over each of the last two months, but he might receive a couple of spot starts with Jokic on the shelf and the Nuggets presumably shopping him ahead of the trade deadline. Nurkic averages 16.7 points, 11.8 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per 36 minutes this year, so he’s clearly a good bet to exceed value if he plays anywhere close to 30 minutes.
Randy Foye ($3k DraftKings, $3.5k FanDuel)
His numbers certainly received a boost with Caris Levert, Trevor Booker and Brook Lopez all resting last night, but Foye’s performance over 30 excellent minutes is worth noting since he plays for a team that’s been looking for a replacement for constantly injured PG Jeremy Lin. Foye went for 16 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists and a team-high 34.5 DK points while keeping the Nets competitive in Cleveland and now he’ll face a Wolves team that ranks 23rd in defensive rating. The minutes have been there for Foye, but he needed more confidence, and putting up a line like that against the defending champs should provide just that.
If, Then Player
If Steph Curry misses tonight’s game, Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson will become the most appealing plays on DraftKings at relatively modest price tags on that DFS site.
Trevor Booker’s continued absence could maintain the appeal of punt plays such as Luis Scola and Quincy Acy.
