Thursday night marks the second night in a row where we have six games to dig into for the NBA DFS slate. Both the Utah Jazz and the Sacramento Kings are teams on a back to back this evening.
Paul George, who is currently listed as probable, should return to action for the Los Angeles Clippers for the first time since January 5th. There should be some sort of minutes restriction for George, but be sure to monitor this situation if you are interested in targeting the Clippers. Expect the price of Kawhi Leonard to begin to normalize with George and his usage back in the lineup. Another regular starter in Patrick Beverly is also probable for this game against the Kings after missing the previous three games. Other injury news includes questionable designations on Jayson Tatum for the Boston Celtics and Al Horford for the Philadelphia 76ers.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 1/30/20. You can also check out today's FanDuel lineup picks. Remember to monitor injury news as the slate can completely change before line-up lock.
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DraftKings DFS Guards
Devonte' Graham - PG, @ WAS ($7,700)
Targetting players against the Washington Wizards is always a solid strategy to consider on any given slate. The Wizards are dead last in defensive rating, points allowed, and opponent FG%. The Wizards also play at the third-highest pace and are coming off back to back games of giving up over 150 points. The recent box scores have been worrisome for Graham, but this serves as a great "get right" spot for the young guard. It is also encouraging to see that his minutes have not taken a hit despite a dip in production. Graham should have plenty of playmaking opportunities in what should be a tight match-up with a spread of just 3.5 points.
Ish Smith - PG, vs CHA ($4,600)
On the other side of the ball, I am considering Ish Smith as a potential value option to save salary. Despite coming off the bench, Smith has been playing starter-like minutes with 27+ minutes in three of the last four games. One thing that Smith should benefit from is more on-ball situations with Jordan McRae now sidelined. In addition to Mcrae being sidelined, Smith could see more playmaking opportunities when Bradley Beal is resting. Thanks to Smith coming off the bench, we can have confidence that at least a portion of Smith's minutes will be with Beal off the court.
Other Options: Bradley Beal, De'Aaron Fox, Donovan Mitchell
Other Value Options: Bogdan Bogdanovic, Patrick Beverley, Mike Conley, Kevin Porter Jr.
DraftKings DFS Forwards
Will Barton - PG/SF, vs UTA ($6,000)
Will "The Thrill" Barton has had quite the journey to becoming one of the most trusted players on this roster by Coach Mike Malone. Despite this, I do feel inclined to say that Malone is a coach that does not shy away from utilizing his bench or riding the hot hand at the cost of leaving his normal starters on the bench. While this can be concerning, the potential upside at a price of $6,000 far outweighs the risk in my opinion. This price seems like a bit of an overcorrection based on a recent stretch of games that has resulted in his price reaching the lowest point since December 10th, 2019. Using Barton in tournament formats instead of cash games is my preferred option.
Kevin Love - PF/C, vs TOR ($7,200)
I always proceed with caution when targeting players against this impressive Toronto defense. Especially when this CLE/TOR matchup is ugly with a point spread of 10 points and potential blow out risk. However, despite having the second-best defensive rating in the league, one area to consider attacking Toronto is through Kevin Love and the PF position. Toronto ranks 22nd in the league against the position and Love carries a healthy usage rate of 22.9%. This makes Love a prime candidate for production in the event that the Cavs keep this game close.
Other Options: Nemanja Bjelica, Draymond Green, John Collins
Other Value Options: Marquese Chriss, Joe Ingles
DraftKings DFS Centers
Thomas Bryant- PF/C, vs CHA($5,200)
Sometimes it is best to keep it and simple, and that is one option I am considering on Thursday night at the C position. Bryant is coming off one his best games of the season with 44 DK points and now gets an appealing matchup against the Hornets, who rank last against the position. The combination of this and the recent pace of play for the Wizards creates a great opportunity for you to capitalize on a reasonable price of just $5,200. Additionally, Bryant being eligible at PF allows flexibility to get creative and still spend up at C depending on your preferences.
Other Options: Nikola Jokic, Rudy Gobert,
Other Value Options: Ian Mahinmi, Dewayne Dedmon