FanNation fantasy basketball picks for Tuesday, Jan. 20
Ready to show your friends you know more about the NBA than they do? FanNation's Basketball Throwdown fantasy basketball game is your best option. You pick a guard, forward and center who you think will exceed their fantasy projections. The scoring system takes into account points, rebounds, assists, blocks, steals and turnovers. The team that surpasses its projections by the most wins, so picking a lineup of Stephen Curry, LeBron James and Joakim Noah is no sure-fire path to victory. You can also bet anywhere from $1 to $500 on each night's matchup or play for free.
I'll give you my picks each day and a recap of yesterday's top performers so you can get bragging rights over your friends.
Sign up for tonight's Basketball Throwdown here.
Monday's overachievers
Guard: C.J. Miles, Pacers, +21.2
Miles had a big night off the bench for the Pacers, but it wasn't enough to beat the Rockets as James Harden scored a season-high 45 points. In addition to his 23 points, six rebounds and two assists, Miles also recorded five steals en route to a 42.2-point game. While he has struggled shooting, Miles has been a consistent scoring option for the Pacers over his last 20 games, averaging 15.5 points and 3.8 rebounds.
Forward: Carmelo Anthony, Knicks, +27.3
Playing in his second game since missing six straight with a knee injury, Anthony helped the Knicks snap their 16-game losing streak. In a 99-92 win over the Pelicans, Anthony finished with 24 points, nine rebounds, three assists, two blocks and a steal. Because he missed so many games, his projection dropped to just 17 points. While Anthony is a sure bet to beat such a low projection, it is a roll of the dice to play him considering the Knicks could shut him down at any point this season.
Center: Timofey Mozgov, Cavaliers, +21.0
Mozgov recorded a double-double as the Cavaliers cruised to a 108-94 win over the Bulls. He had 15 points, 15 rebounds, two blocks and a steal in 33 minutes. Teaming with Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson, Mozgov helped the Cavaliers out-rebound the Bulls 54-40. In six games since joining Cleveland, he has averaged 9.3 points, 9.0 rebounds and a block. On a team with as many scorers as Cleveland, Mozgov isn't likely to put up huge offensive numbers, but he can still control the paint.
Today's picks
Guard: Ty Lawson, Nuggets vs. Spurs, 9 p.m. ET
While the Nuggets are a long shot to make the playoffs in the uber-competitive Western Conference, Lawson is having yet another standout season. He is averaging 17.0 points, a league-leading 10.0 assists and 1.3 steals. He has been a consistent performer in the last five games, beating his projection four times. While the Spurs are one of the top-10 defensive teams in the league, Lawson should still be able to beat his projection on Tuesday.
Forward: Kevin Durant, Thunder at Heat, 7:30 p.m. ET
Coming off a blistering four-game stretch, Durant should continue his strong play on Tuesday against the Heat. In his last four games, he has shot 70.5 percent from the field while averaging 28.3 points, 8.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists. With LeBron James playing in Cleveland, the Heat don't have a perimeter player to match up with Durant.
Center: Chris Bosh, Heat vs. Thunder, 7:30 p.m. ET
With only four options at center on Tuesday, Bosh has the best chance to beat his projection. He is coming off a 30-point, seven-rebound, three-assist, three-steal, one-block performance against the Kings and has scored at least 26 points in three of his last four games. He will face a tough matchup with Serge Ibaka, but he should be able to put up big numbers as the Heat's primary option along with Dwyane Wade.
- Paul Palladino
