X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

DraftKings NBA DFS Picks for Today (Friday, 1/17/25): Daily Fantasy Basketball Advice

Jalen Brunson - NBA DFS Lineup Picks, Daily Fantasy Basketball

This Friday, the NBA tips off another great sports weekend with seven games on the DraftKings main fantasy basketball slate. The Thunder are the only one of the 14 teams in action that are playing for the second night in a row after defeating the Cavaliers on Thursday. The Celtics and Timberwolves do have a second game in a row on Saturday, but for the most part, teams are clear of back-to-back games messing up their rotation. However, key injuries will still have a huge impact on the slate, so be sure to keep a close eye on availability updates leading up to tip-off.

Friday's main slate features some great fantasy plays to consider, so let's look at the best of these matchups from a DFS perspective on DraftKings. If you're looking for FanDuel-specific advantage, check out Thunder Dan's FanDuel picks!

This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 1/17/25. Remember to monitor NBA injury news and our awesome NBA injuries report tool, as the slate can completely change before lineups lock at 7:00 p.m. EST on DraftKings. 

Featured Promo: Get any DFS Premium Bundle for for 30% off using code NEW! Win more with expert advice from proven winners and exclusive DFS tools. Get instant access to RotoBaller's Lineup Optimizers, Research Stations, daily picks and VIP chat rooms across 10 sports! Go Premium, Win More!

 

DraftKings NBA DFS Core Picks

Jalen Brunson, NYK - PG ($8,700)

Brunson and the Knicks welcome Minnesota to Madison Square Garden on Friday night, but former  Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns ($9,900; wrist, thumb) is questionable. If KAT is out, Brunson will have to carry even more of the load, but regardless of Towns' status, Brunson is the heart of the Knicks offense and has a consistently heavy usage rate that gives him both a high floor and a high ceiling.

Brunson has scored 30+ points in three straight games and produced over 50 DraftKings points in each of those contests. He led the way with 38 points and 52.25 DraftKings points against the Sixers on Wednesday and averaged 47.6 DraftKings points on 32.5 points, 6.3 assists, 3.3 rebounds, 1.0 steals, and 2.3 three-pointers while playing 39.8 minutes in the four games that he has started without Towns. No Towns would give him a higher ceiling, but he's a strong core play against the Timberwolves either way.

Trey Murphy III, NO – SG/SF ($7,800)

The Pelicans host the Jazz in a very favorable spot this Friday, so I'm going back to Trey Murphy III once again since he brings such a high ceiling at his still relatively affordable salary. Murphy continues to pick up more work with Brandon Ingram (ankle) out and has proved he can work well alongside Zion Williamson ($8,600).

Murphy had a 24-point, 10-rebound double-double on Wednesday to post 52 DraftKings points, and he earned at least 43 DraftKings points in six of his last eight games. Over those eight contests, Murphy has produced 45.8 DraftKings points per game at the rate of 1.25 DraftKings points per minute. He missed three games during that stretch with an ankle injury, but he has 44.5, 54.5, and 52 DraftKings points in his three games since returning.

To top off his great fantasy production, he had the game-sealing block against the Mavs on Wednesday.

Mark Williams, CHA – C ($6,800)

The Hornets traded Nick Richards to the Suns since Williams has shown that he's fully recovered from his injury and is ready to be a key contributor for Charlotte. He's still very affordable given the upside that he has recently shown, and he and the Hornets have a nice road matchup on Friday in Chicago against the fast-paced, defensively challenged Bulls.

Williams dropped 24 points, 16 rebounds, four assists, and 52 DraftKings points in 30 minutes on Sunday in Phoenix, and on Wednesday, he played a season-high 36 minutes against the Jazz and totaled 57.75 DraftKings points on 31 points and 13 rebounds in the Hornets' five-point victory.

Williams has produced an impressive 1.38 DraftKings points per minute over his last six games for 40.2 DraftKings points per game. In what should be a high-scoring contest, he brings a ton of upside from under $7,000.

Williams was listed as probable for this game due to left knee soreness, and given his injury history, it's worth monitoring closely. However, as long as he is ready for a regular workload, he's a great mid-range option to build around given his recent production and high ceiling.

Others Under Consideration: Julius Randle - PF/C ($7,100), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander - PG ($10,200), Kristaps Porzingis - C ($7,000)

 

DraftKings NBA DFS Tournament Pivots

Scottie Barnes, TOR - PG/SF ($8,700)

With Immanuel Quickley (groin) ruled out, Barnes will have to carry more of the playmaking responsibility for the Raptors as they visit the Bucks. In the 20 games he has played without Quickley this season, Barnes is averaging 45.8 DraftKings points per game and 1.30 DraftKings points per minute with a 27.2% usage rate.

Without Quickley on Wednesday, Barnes fell just one assist short of a double-double and finished with 18 points, nine assists, and 40.75 DraftKings points against the Celtics. He has over 40 DraftKings points in five straight games.

Without Quickley, Barnes has both a high ceiling and a high floor since he'll have to carry the workload against the Bucks.

LaMelo Ball, CHA - PG ($10,400)

If you can spend up for one superstar player for tournament lineups, Ball is my favorite option as the Hornets face the Bulls. When he has been available, he has been excellent all season and continues to lead the NBA in usage, which gives him a high ceiling every night and also minimizes the risk since the opportunity is always there for him to dominate.

On Wednesday, Ball had another big game with 27 points, nine assists, six rebounds, and 52 DraftKings points against the Jazz. He has put up over 50 DraftKings points in each of his last three games even though his outside shooting has been a little off.

The Bulls have been a great matchup for opposing point guards and usually give up plenty of points. If Ball gets his outside rhythm back, his ceiling will be even higher.

Jalen Williams, OKC - PF ($8,000)

Without Isaiah Hartenstein (calf), Williams could be asked to slide into more center minutes for the Thunder over the next week. When he did that earlier this season, it was huge for his fantasy numbers.

In his six games without both Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren, Williams averaged 49.5 DraftKings points on 24.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 2.8 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game.

In his first game without Hartenstein due to this injury, Williams had 44.5 DraftKings points in just 30 minutes on Thursday against the Cavaliers. He finished with only 19 points but added six rebounds, five assists, two blocks, and three steals.

The Thunder will finish their back-to-back against the Mavericks on Friday, and Williams has the potential to post a monster game while taking on more work in the frontcourt.

Keyonte George, UTA - PG ($6,000)

After a five-game absence, George returned on Wednesday against the Hornets and made quite a splash. He led the Jazz with 26 points and tacked on six assists, four rebounds, and two steals to total 46 DraftKings points.

On Friday, he'll get Collin Sexton ($7,500) back in the backcourt but John Collins (hip), Lauri Markkanen (back), Jordan Clarkson (foot), and Walker Kessler (rest) are all out. With so few offensive options, George should be set for high usage in a favorable spot against the Pelicans.

At just $6,000, he's a very solid mid-range option for your backcourt in tournament play since he brings such a high ceiling.

Others Under Consideration: Giannis Antetokounmpo - PF/C ($11,400), Jayson Tatum - SF/PF ($9,900), Dejounte Murray - PG ($8,200), RJ Barrett - SF ($7,900), Josh Hart - SF/PF ($8,000), Cole Anthony - PG/SG ($6,300)

 

Want more NBA DFS tools and exclusive content? Check out our premium daily content from proven winner Will Priester! Grab an NBA season pass and get access to our daily projections, optimizer, Will's personal picks, props, advice, and VIP chat rooms. Use promo code ZTSPORTS at checkout to save 10%

 

DraftKings NBA DFS Value Picks

Daniel Gafford, DAL – C ($5,500)

The Mavericks will be without Dereck Lively II (ankle) on Friday as they host Oklahoma City, so Gafford should be set up for plenty of playing time in the middle against the undersized Thunder. On Wednesday without Lively, Gafford went off for 27 points, 12 rebounds, and 50 DraftKings points in a three-point loss to the Pelicans.

In his nine games without Lively this season, he's averaging 30.6 DraftKings points per game on 15.7 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks in 26.4 minutes per game. He should easily return value and has a high ceiling if he can carry over his momentum from Wednesday.

Drew Eubanks, UTA – C ($4,100)

Eubanks is another option to consider if you need an even cheaper play in the middle that should return value in a good spot to step up. Without Kessler, Eubanks should be very busy against the Pelicans.

He has posted back-to-back strong showings for the Jazz coming into this contest, posting 27.75 DraftKings points against the Nets on Sunday and 29.5 DraftKings points against the Hornets on Wednesday. In that game on Wednesday, he only played 20 minutes but still produced 11 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and one of his best stat lines of the season.

He looks lined up for 30+ minutes and has a real shot at his first double-double of the season if he can continue his recent momentum.

Jonathan Isaac, ORL – PF/C ($4,000)

With Goga Bitadze (concussion) out and Paolo Banchero ($8,700) still ramping up to a full workload, Isaac should continue to get more playing time off the Magic bench. He exploded for his first double-double of the season on Sunday with 20 points, 11 rebounds, and 41.75 DraftKings points against the Sixers.

Over his last five games, Isaac has averaged 25.9 DraftKings points with over 16 DraftKings points in each contest.

Cason Wallace, OKC – PG/SG ($4,200)

Most of the apparent value plays are in the frontcourt this Friday with big-name, big-priced guards generally set up to take most of the work in the backcourt. Wallace is one play to consider if you have to go cheap at a guard spot, though, since the second-year guard has become a fixture in the Thunder's starting lineup.

Wallace had six points and six rebounds on Thursday against the Cavs, but before that, he had been even better, scoring at least 13 points and producing at least 23 DraftKings points in four of his last five games, including establishing a new season-high with 18 points against the Sixers earlier this week.

On Thursday, Wallace still had 16 DraftKings points even though he gave up some usage to other members of the supporting cast. Wallace doesn't usually get a ton of usage, but he does log plenty of minutes for the Thunder and can chip in very solid value production at just $4,000.

Others Under Consideration: Jaylin Williams - C ($3,800), Kyle Filipowski - PF/C ($4,200), Wendell Carter Jr. - C ($4,300), Nickeil Alexander-Walker - SG/SF ($3,300), Tristan Da Silva - SF/PF ($4,300), Lonzo Ball - PG ($4,600), Chris Boucher - PF/C ($3,600)

 

Today's Top NBA DFS Game Stacks

Hornets at Bulls (235 total)

The Bulls have allowed the second-most points per game in the NBA and play at the second-fastest pace. It's a great pace-up place to target the Hornets, and their usage has been steady with LaMelo Ball ($10,400), Mark Williams ($6,800), Miles Bridges ($7,300), and Brandon Miller ($7,700) all getting plenty of work. Miller seems a little overpriced, but the rest of those stars should be able to return value against the Bulls while Cody Martin ($4,000) and Josh Green ($3,500) can be bargain fits in the stack as well.

On the Bulls' side, Zach LaVine ($8,600) has cooled off a little bit over his last few games, so I'd lean more toward Nikola Vucevic ($8,200) and Coby White ($6,300) instead. Josh Giddey ($7,000) has produced good, balanced lines lately as well, although his time could be squeezed now that Ayo Dosunmu ($6,100) is back from injury. As values, Jalen Smith ($3,300) and Patrick Williams ($4,500) get good enough minutes to be options as well. Of the two teams, I prefer stacking the Hornets, but the Bulls have a few strong plays as well.

Jazz at Pelicans (230.5 total)

The Jazz will be very short-handed once again on Friday, but that leaves more work for key producers like Keyonte George ($6,000) and Drew Eubanks ($4,100). Brice Sensabaugh ($4,800) should also continue to get plenty of work on the wing while Isaiah Collier ($4,900) slots in behind George and Sexton. Svi Mykhailiuk ($3,800) and Kyle Filipowski ($4,200) could also step into bigger roles and return nice value.

The Pelicans are starting to get much healthier, except Brandon Ingram. Trey Murphy III ($7,800) has been excellent and is highlighted above as a core play. You can stack him with Dejounte Murray ($8,200) or CJ McCollum ($7,000) while Daniel Theis ($3,100) and Jose Alvarado ($3,300) are bargain plays off the bench.

 

My Favorite NBA DFS Picks for Today

Here is where I leave you with some of my favorites.

  • My favorite OVERALL play on the slate: Jalen Brunson
  • My favorite CASH play on the slate: Mark Williams
  • My favorite GPP play on the slate: Jalen Williams
  • My favorite VALUE play: Daniel Gafford


Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy basketball mobile app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, lineup notifications & DFS articles. All free!

NBA DFS News and Injury Alerts

More DFS Lineup Picks and Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Heliot Ramos21 mins ago

Hitting Leadoff Against Lefty
Spencer Steer42 mins ago

Out Of Saturday's Lineup
Gleyber Torres48 mins ago

Dealing With Rib Pain
Lars Nootbaar53 mins ago

Back In Leadoff Spot For Cardinals
Yoán Moncada58 mins ago

Yoan Moncada Making Angels Debut On Saturday
Josh Lowe1 hour ago

Rays Place Josh Lowe On 10-Day Injured List With Oblique Strain
Giancarlo Stanton1 hour ago

Resumes Hitting
Paul Goldschmidt1 hour ago

Leading Off On Saturday
David Bednar3 hours ago

Nearly Blows Save Opportunity On Friday
Jake Cronenworth4 hours ago

Hits Pivotal Home Run In Win
Brent Rooker4 hours ago

Hits Home Run No. 1 In Win Over Mariners
Jeffrey Springs4 hours ago

Strikes Out Nine, Picks Up Win In Shutout
Owen Caissie5 hours ago

Goes Deep In Season Opener
Dillon Dingler5 hours ago

Homers, Collects Three RBI On Friday
Chandler Simpson5 hours ago

Tallies Three Hits In Triple-A Debut
Juan Soto5 hours ago

Belts First Home Run Of The Season
Emmanuel Rodriguez5 hours ago

Shines In Triple-A Season Opener
David Festa5 hours ago

Sharp In Triple-A Start
Max Muncy5 hours ago

Launches First Career MLB Home Run
Jack Leiter5 hours ago

Earns Victory On Friday
Kevin Gausman6 hours ago

Tosses Six Innings Of Two-Run Ball
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP
10
9
11
10
12
19
13
22
14
24
15
25
16
33
17
39
18
40
19
41

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Najee Harris - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Dynasty Fantasy Football Buy or Sell: Najee Harris, Rico Dowdle, Jordan Mason

One year ago, we discussed the futures of Josh Jacobs, Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley, and Aaron Jones as those free agents found new homes. This year's headliners are Najee Harris, Rico Dowdle, and Jordan Mason. Not quite the same. Still, with every transaction come implications for dynasty fantasy football rosters across the globe. Below, we […]


Romeo Doubs - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Early 2025 Fantasy Football Sleepers: Undervalued NFC Draft Targets

While the 2025 fantasy football redraft season is still several months away, there is no such thing as being too prepared for your fantasy draft. Fantasy football is year-round, even for those who only play in redraft leagues. The landscape of fantasy football will change between today and the start of redraft season, with the […]


Detroit Lions Defense, Aidan Hutchinson - Fantasy Football DST Rankings, Streamers, IDP Sleepers

2025 Fantasy Football IDP Sleepers: Five Draft Targets

It's notably difficult to identify sleepers in fantasy football IDP leagues. The skill of the players in question is very important, but situation also plays a large factor, as does a recent history of injuries. Rather than bucketing them into groups, it's better to analyze each one individually, look at where they are in terms […]


Ashton Jeanty - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks

Ashton Jeanty's Top Potential Landing Spots For 2025: Fantasy Football NFL Draft Outlook

Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty will enter the 2025 NFL Draft as one of the best prospects in the class. Jeanty just ran for 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns across 14 games this past college season. Those 2,601 rush yards were the second-most of all-time in FBS history, only behind Barry Sanders's 2,628 rush yards […]


Bhaysul Tuten - NFL Draft Prospects, Rookie Rankings

2025 Fantasy Football Rookie Mock Draft: 12-Team, Single QB

The 2025 NFL Combine has now been completed, so it's worth doing another mock draft to see where everyone stands after the league's pre-draft testing event. Overall, there were a few surprises, but the order of many players will remain the same. The mental domain of the original rankings, which have been fairly set in […]


Rashid Shaheed - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2025 Fantasy Football Sleepers: Later-Career Breakout Candidates

Typically, most NFL players break out in the early parts of their careers. Between the ages of 20 and 25 is when you expect to see the majority of players have their first big season. Some waste no time and put together excellent years while they're rookies, while some need more time to develop. These […]


Davante Adams - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

NFL Free Agency Tracker - Updates On Every Free Agent Signing (2025)

HuThe NFL offseason is starting to heat up, and the league's legal tampering period is set to begin on March 10 at noon Eastern. Free agents cannot officially sign until the new league year begins on March 12 at 4 p.m. Eastern, but deals will be agreed to, and news will be coming in quickly […]


Marvin Mims Jr. - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL DFS Picks

Early 2025 Fantasy Football Sleepers: Undervalued Draft Targets For Every AFC Team

Fantasy football is year-round, even for those who only play in redraft leagues. Much will change over the next several months, including the rest of free agency, the NFL Draft, and training camp. However, it’s never too early to look at potential sleeper candidates and undervalued draft targets for next season. Therefore, let’s look at […]


Kirk Cousins - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Worst NFL Contracts: Seven Overpaid, Overvalued Players For 2025

Free agency is in full swing, and teams are handing out big contracts left, right, and center. Myles Garrett became the highest-paid non-QB just a few weeks ago, and Ja'Marr Chase broke that record almost instantly! But big contracts aren't always a success; just ask these teams. These teams had high hopes when they spent […]


Tank Bigsby - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Fantasy Football Dynasty Sleepers - Undervalued Running Backs For 2025

Getting ahead of the game is the name of the game in any game, especially if that game happens to be dynasty fantasy football and you want to find underrated running backs to add to your rosters. The shelf life for many RBs isn't very long in the NFL, so it's a position you want […]


Najee Harris - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Fantasy Football Outlooks For RBs On New Teams: Najee Harris, Javonte Williams, Rico Dowdle, Jordan Mason, Raheem Mostert, Elijah Mitchell, more

Free agency has fueled a massive wave of player movement that has transformed the fantasy landscape. This includes the results that have emerged after a collection of running backs garnered contracts that will launch them into new environments this season. These backs will be challenged to replicate the prolific numbers that were assembled by the […]


Ja'Marr Chase fantasy football rankings NFL DFS lineup picks

Dynasty Fantasy Football WR Rankings Analysis – Ja'Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, Malik Nabers

There's no question that Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, Minnesota Vikings WR Justin Jefferson, and New York Giants wideout Malik Nabers are all elite receivers with sky-high production potential for fantasy football. Lousiana State University is WRU, without a doubt. This trio, along with Brian Thomas Jr., proves it. While we won't be covering […]


Caleb Williams - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Eight Best Ball Fantasy Football Players To Target For 2025

Fantasy football is an evolving game. While dynasty is the most popular year-round form of fantasy football, best ball leagues are gaining ground. The best part of best ball leagues is the ability to draft a million teams and not have to manage them during the season. It allows fantasy players to scratch the offseason […]