NBA DFS Picks for January 17
Get ready for a busy night in the NBA with 10 games on the schedule Wednesday. There are plenty of elite options to choose from for your DFS entry with the Warriors, Thunder and Pelicans in action. There are a lot of great options available up and down the price scale, as well. Consider using some of the players below and plugging them into our NBA Lineup Optimizer to hopefully craft a winning lineup.
Point Guard
John Wall, at Hornets (FD: $10,100, DK: $9,700)
Projected Points: FD: 48.87, DK: 50.36
Wall is having by far his best month of the season, averaging 25.9 points, 11.3 assists, 3.6 rebounds, 2.1 steals and 1.4 three-pointers in seven January games. Not only is he averaging 39 minutes in those games, but he also has an excellent 33.7% usage rate. He dominated the Hornets in their first meeting this year, scoring 31 points and dishing out 11 assists. He won’t come cheap, but expect him to be worth his lofty price tag Wednesday.
Milos Teodosic, vs. Nuggets (FD: $5,100, DK: $5,200)
Projected Points: FD: 23.74, DK: 24.99
The Clippers are still thin in their backcourt, leaving Teodosic with an opportunity for added minutes. While his production isn’t off the charts, he has averaged a valuable 11.0 points, 6.7 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 3.0 three-pointers in his last three games. Wednesday brings a favorable matchup against the Nuggets, who allow the third-most points per game to point guards on both FanDuel and DraftKings. If you are looking for a cheap point guard option, Teodosic does have upside.
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Shooting Guard
Lou Williams, vs. Nuggets (FD: $8,900, DK: $8,700)
Projected Points: FD: 41.29, DK: 42.95
Williams is one of the hottest scorers in the NBA right now, averaging 31.2 points and 4.4 three-pointers in his last 13 games. He’s not just looking for his own shot though, also averaging 5.4 assists per game over that same stretch. He’s having one of the best seasons of his career and playing a ton due to all of the Clippers injuries, resulting in a 29.9% usage rate that ranks inside the top-20 in the league. He should have plenty of opportunities to be productive again Wednesday.
Tim Hardaway Jr., at Grizzlies (FD: $6,400, DK: $5,900)
Projected Points: FD: 29.06, DK: 30.05
Hardaway returned Friday from a lengthy absence due to a leg injury, scoring 16 points in 25 minutes off the bench. He scored 25 points in 33 minutes the next game Saturday before sitting out the second leg of the back-to-back set Sunday. He is set to play again Wednesday and could resume his role in the starting five. The Knicks badly need his offense, and it’s a good sign that he played 33 minutes Saturday. He has the potential to provide value at this reasonable price against the Grizzlies.
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Small Forward
Kevin Durant, at Bulls (FD: $10,600, DK: $10,600)
Projected Points: FD: 52.56, DK: 52.62
The Bulls have won three in a row and are a tough team at home, but playing the Warriors is an entirely different beast. They don’t have anyone who matches up well defensively with Durant, which really can be said for most teams. On a roster loaded with elite talent, Durant still gets plenty of chances to score evidenced by a 30.4% usage rate that ranks 11th-best in the league. If the Bulls can keep this game close, Durant could be in line for a monster performance.
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Josh Richardson, at Bucks (FD: $5,800, DK: $6,200)
Projected Points: FD: 24.42, DK: 24.22
The Heat continue to battle injury issues, the latest of which is Tyler Johnson (ankle), who is listed as doubtful for Wednesday. Richardson is playing a lot as a result, averaging 37 minutes in his last eight games. He hasn’t let the added opportunities go to waste, averaging 14.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.5 steals, 1.4 blocks and 1.9 three-pointers over that same stretch. He doesn’t cost a ton, making him worth considering for your entry.
Power Forward
Blake Griffin, vs. Nuggets (FD: $8,700, DK: $9,000)
Projected Points: FD: 43.04, DK: 44.33
Known for his excellent scoring abilities, Griffin is averaging at least 21 points per game for the fifth straight season. However, with all of the Clippers injuries at guard and Chris Paul now in Houston, Griffin is averaging a career-high 5.4 assists per game this year. He doesn’t provide much in the way of defensive stats, but the increase in assists has helped to create a high floor in DFS. The Nuggets allow the 10th-most points per game to power forwards on both FanDuel and DraftKings, making Griffin an excellent option yet again Wednesday.
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Lauri Markkanen, vs. Warriors (FD: $6,400, DK: $6,300)
Projected Points: FD: 29.36, DK: 30
The Bulls thought very highly of Markkanen when they drafted him, but even they would have found it hard to imagine he would begin his career playing so well. Thrust into a starting role from the start of the season due to the fight between Nikola Mirotic and Bobby Portis, Markkanen became the fastest player in NBA history to reach 100 career three-pointers Monday against the Heat, doing it in 17 fewer games than the previous record holder, a guy by the name of Stephen Curry. If the Bulls are going to keep up with the Warriors offense, they are going to need all the scoring they can get from Markkanen. Considering the Warriors play at the fourth-fastest pace (102.4 possessions per game) in the league, Markkanen makes for an excellent option Wednesday.
Center
DeMarcus Cousins, at Hawks (FD: $11,900, DK: $10,800)
Projected Points: FD: 57.99, DK: 60.21
This game could get ugly for the Hawks. They received some reinforcements up front with the recent return of Dewayne Dedmon, but they don’t have anyone capable of hanging with Cousins. Cousins’s 32.5% usage rate is fourth-highest in the league and he has at least 15 rebounds and five assists in four of his last six games. The Hawks allow the-third most points per game to centers on both FanDuel and DraftKings, so don’t be afraid to pay up for Cousins on Wednesday.
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Jonas Valanciunas, vs. Pistons (FD: $5,500, DK: $5,200)
Projected Points: FD: 25, DK: 25.12
Valanciunas has the potential to put up big double-doubles, evident by the fact that he has scored at least 15 points and grabbed at least 13 rebounds in three of his last six games. The problem is, he’s very inconsistent, scoring no more than eight points and grabbing five rebounds or fewer in two of the other three games. His playing time is not consistent by any means, but the good news is the Raptors may be forced to play him more than usual Wednesday to battle with Andre Drummond. If you want to take a chance on a cheaper center with upside in tournament play, Valanciunas might be your man.
