With a generic NFL triple title dominating the sports headlines, a handful of solid NBA games — and countless strong daily fantasy hoops games — are falling under the radar. If you’re planning on watching some basketball tonight – or at least making some lineup on DraftKings – we’ve got a star and sleeper build that we think could earn you some DFS cash to close out your week and get into the work week in style.
MVPs are everywhere on this five-game list. Defending MVP Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets host the Magic. Perennial MVP contender Joel Embiid and the 76ers will face four-time MVP LeBron James and the Lakers in Los Angeles, with Anthony Davis (foot) staying on the sidelines and James Harden (heel) possibly also in street clothes. And the Mavericks could do without MVP favorite Luka Doncic (ankle) against Damian Lillard and the Blazers.
Do you have all that!? Good! It’s always important to monitor the health and injuries of all your potential DFS picks, and to make things easier, we screen all players with no questionable designations. In the middle of a crazy day of football, we don’t trust each other to go back and update our roster before the 6pm lockdown.
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As always, the name of the game is to get the most out of your money. Let’s dive into our Sunday Night NBA DraftKings lineup and briefly discuss why each player represents above-average value.
Note: Building the DraftKings roster is simple: Draft eight players with assigned salaries — one for each position, plus guard flex, forward flex, and utility — and keep the team under the salary cap of $50,000.
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Best NBA DFS 1/13 line-up: DraftKings strategy, sleepers for Friday night
PG: Jalen Williams, Pelicans at the Nets ($5,100)
We like that Williams has point guard eligibility, especially with Doncic and Harden listed as questionable and Kyrie Irving ($9,200) a bit too expensive for our liking. The affectionately nicknamed rookie J-Dub has been fantastic lately, consistently posting fantastic 25-30 scores since the schedule changed and setting up two 40 burgers since January 3. He’s a solid source of goals, rebounds and assists, but he also surprises us with stocks on a consistent basis. This price tag seems like a bargain.
SG : Malik Monk, Kings at Spurs (4 300 $)
Sporting his patented “band-aid look” like Nelly in the early 2000s, Monk has been a revelation for the surprisingly good Kings this season. He’s averaging a fantastic 24.3 points per game, but his ceiling against below-average defenses may be a game-changer. Since Christmas, we’ve seen Monk eclipse 33 against Orlando and 43 against Denver. If he has a hot hand tonight against a below par Spurs D, he could flirt with dormant gems territory again.
SF: TJ Warren, Nets vs. Thunder ($4,200)
Another super-sleeper, Warren has been Jacques Vaughn’s Nets “next man” since Kevin Durant sprained the MCL. The former ‘Bubble MVP’ has just returned from a long-time ACL recovery, but he certainly still knows how to score. Warren has point totals of 20, 18, 15 and 10 over the last five games, and could pay off big if he starts providing other peripheral stats.
PF : Trey Lyles, Kings at Spurs (3 600 $)
Talk about a deep sleeper – Lyles is such an under-the-radar game, I can’t even find a picture for him! But he very quietly averaged a fantastic 29.75 points over Sacramento’s last three games. He’s a solid shooter, he’s good for five boards a game, and he usually makes a few assists and a stockpile or two a game. That’s all you can ask for at $3,600.
C : Nikola Jokic, Nuggets contre Magic (11 600 $)
The buildup was there – you must have known that having all those sleepers in our lineup meant Jokic was going to be in the middle. The two-time MVP remains the Association’s best fantasy asset, regularly piecing together stat lines that have you shaking your head in wonder. Against a Magic team woefully ill-equipped to defend him, Jokic could reach a fantastic 60 points by the end of the third quarter.
G : Bruce Brown, Nuggets contre Magic (4 900 $)
From Nuggets MVP to Nuggets glue guy! Brown has been a fan favorite in Denver, and he’s one of Jokic and coach Mike Malone’s favorite additions this offseason. He’s one of the best rebounders and defensive players in the NBA, he’s a solid shooter and he plays smart. Come for the boards and stocks, leave pleasantly surprised with a few points and assists.
F: De’Anthony Melton, 76ers aux Lakers (5 000 $)
We expect Melton to step up for the Sixers if Harden sits with heel pain, so his fantastic per-game average of around 27 points seems like a realistic bar to set tonight. He’s slowed down a bit since Tyrese Maxey’s return, but Melton still has plenty of talent. He’s one of the best three-and-D guys in pro hoops and should help Philly beat King James and the Lakers tonight.
Util : Joel Embiid, 76ers aux Lakers (11 200 $)
Last but not least, JoJo with the MVP mojo! Embiid seems to be on a warpath lately, clearly looking to win the scoring title for the second straight season with 33 points per game. It is also still in search of his first MVP award, which he could very well take away if he maintains his current pace. At this rate, 50 fantasy points is Embiid’s baseline, especially in a big game. But with the defensively challenged Thomas Bryant tasked with stopping him without Anthony Davis, his number tonight could be closer to 80.
