This is probably the most unique slate of the season. We have 28 of the 30 teams in action, with all of the games spread throughout the day. The reason for that is because we’re celebrating Marin Luther King Jr Day. That’s something that many of the players take pride in and it should lead to a great day of basketball. With that in mind, let’s get into our 1/20 NBA DFS plays of the day!
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1/20 NBA DFS Point Guards
Damian Lillard, POR vs. GS
DK ($8,400) FD ($8,800)
If C.J. McCollum misses this game as I expect him to, Lillard is the best play on the board. The reason for that is because Lillard has a 34.4 percent usage rate with McCollum off the floor and should play close to 40 minutes while taking 20-plus shots. That’s huge for a guy who’s already averaging 46.8 DraftKings points per game which alone is a nice value at this price tag. The matchup might be the best part of this play though, with Golden State owning a 23rd OPRK against opposing PGs this season. In two games against them this season, Lillard is averaging 57 fantasy points per game and has traditionally destroyed them throughout his career.
Monte Morris, DEN at MIN
DK ($4,700) FD ($4,000)
While starting for Jamal Murray is obviously a big boost to Morris’ value, the absences of Gary Harris and Paul Millsap are huge as well. That should guarantee Morris about 30 minutes and the majority of ball-handling duties. If you look at the 11 games where Morris played at least 30 minutes last season, he averaged about 31 fantasy points per game. That would be a monstrous total at this price tag and we love him against a 26th-ranked T’Wolves defense as well.
1/20 NBA DFS Shooting Guards
DeMar DeRozan, SAN at PHX
DK ($8,200) FD ($8,800)
DeRozan has found himself into our article a few times recently and it’s easy to see why when looking at his recent form. Over his last 12 games played, DeRozan is averaging 27.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. That equates to 44.8 DK points per game and it makes his DraftKings price look like a $1,000 discount. The matchup against Phoenix is tasty too, with the Suns sitting 22nd in total defense.
Damion Lee, GS at POR
DK ($6,000) FD ($4,900)
The weird contract situation with Lee kept him out of the lineup for a few games and that appears to have kept his price way too low on FanDuel. Not only has Lee scored at least 22 FD points in 12 of his last 13 games, but he’s also averaging 30.5 fantasy points per game in that span. That’s too much production from a player below $5,000 and we can’t overlook the fact that he faces a Portland team who sits 24th in defensive efficiency as well.
1/20 NBA DFS Small Forwards
Will Barton, DEN at MIN
DK ($7,800) FD ($6,600)
With all of those aforementioned injuries in Denver, Barton has found himself as the primary playmaker for this team. That’s evident when you see that he ranks second to Nikola Jokic in usage, sitting at 24 percent. In the last game without those three, Barton played 41 minutes and dropped 54 DraftKings points in one of the best games of his career. Getting that expanded role is even more intriguing with Minnesota owning a 23rd OPRK against small forwards this season.
Marcus Morris, NYK at CLE
DK ($5,600) FD ($5,200)
These DFS sites just continue to disrespect Morris and it’s hard to understand why. This is a guy who’s averaging 31.3 DraftKings points per game for the season which is more indicative of a $6,500 player. It’s not like he’s slumping either, averaging 35.6 fantasy points per game across his last six fixtures. That makes this price tag look strange but facing a Cleveland team who sits 29th in defensive efficiency makes it look truly bizarre.
1/20 NBA DFS Power Forwards
Kevin Love, CLE vs. NYK
DK ($7,900) FD ($6,900)
If you read Friday’s article, you probably could have seen this coming. We always try to get Love in there when he has a good matchup and is expected to play a competitive game, and this checks both of those boxes here. In fact, Cleveland enters this matchup as a 1.5-point favorite while New York sits 25th in defensive efficiency. That’s a recipe to success for Love, with the big man scoring at least 32 DK points in six-straight games while averaging 39 fantasy points per game in that span.
Jerami Grant, DEN at MIN
DK ($4,400) FD ($4,000)
This is the final piece to the Nuggets puzzle. This team is dismantled by injuries right now and Grant has been a steady guy for them. In his eight starts this season, Grant is averaging 25 fantasy points per game. That’s all you can ask for from a player in the $4,000-range and it’s strange that both sites are keeping him so affordable. It’s not like we’re scared of the Timberwolves either, sitting 26th in points allowed and fifth in pace.
1/20 NBA DFS Centers
Andre Drummond, DET at WSH
DK ($9,600) FD ($10,200)
Drummond is hard to trust right now with the animosity in Detroit but he literally has the highest upside of any player on this slate. The main reason for that is because of the matchup, facing a Washington club who sits dead-last in both points allowed and defensive efficiency while owning a 26th OPRK against opposing centers. That’s scary against a guy who’s already averaging 48 DK points per game for the season and has shown 70-point potential at times this season. In the first game against Washington, Drummond had 15 points, 24 rebounds, two steals and two blocks, despite going just 6-of-20 from the field. If he plays motivated, Drummond could land a 20-20 line with a handful of defensive statistics.
Brook Lopez, MIL vs. CHI
DK ($4,600) FD ($5,100)
Lopez has remained way too cheap all season long and it’s strange when looking at his recent production. Over his last 16 games played, Lopez is providing 29.9 DraftKings points per outing. That’s gargantuan production from a guy below $5,000 and it doesn’t even take into consideration this matchup. The Bulls currently allow the most fantasy points in the league to opposing centers this season and just lost Wendell Carter Jr and Daniel Gafford to injury.
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