NBA DFS picks and lineup: Daily fantasy prediction for Fanduel and Draftkings - January 19th, 2021
The NBA Tuesday slate has just four teams in action tonight. As the NBA DFS player pool is lighter than normal, fantasy owners will need to search harder to find high-value players.
The two matchups in store tonight consist of Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans, who will be up against Donovan Mitchell and the Utah Jazz. Simultaneously, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder will tip-off against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets.
Would Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic or Williamson be a wise center-piece in your Tuesday NBA DFS lineup? Or should you consider other players for your daily fantasy tournaments?
In this article, you will find the top five NBA DFS value picks for today's games, determined by data-driven analysis with player stats, matchup history and previous performance.
NBA DFS Draftkings and Fanduel picks
Regardless of your daily fantasy strategy, the best NBA DFS lineups find the best value for your picks. Below is a list of the players who have a great value and will likely put up a strong performance in their respective matchups tonight.
Each position has Fanduel as well as Draftkings prices and projections, along with value ratings from Optimal DFS.
NBA DFS: PG/SG - Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
FD- $8600 DK - $8700 | Opponent - Denver Nuggets | Proj Pts FD - 41.2 DK - 35.9 | Value FD - 4.8x DK - 4.6x
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is putting together an All-Star season for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The 22-year-old is averaging 21.6 points, 6.2 assists and is shooting 50.8% from the field.
Gilgeous-Alexander gets to the rim at will. According to cleaningtheglass.com, he is ranked second amongst point guards for most shots within four feet of the basket, behind Ben Simmons with 70 attempts.
Expect the third-year pro to have a big game against the Denver Nuggets as he is coming off a 33-point and 10-assist performance.
NBA DFS: SG - Jordan Clarkson
FD- $6300 DK - $6500 | Opponent - New Orleans Pelicans | Proj Pts FD - 24.8 DK - 26.0 | Value FD - 3.9x DK - 4.0x
Jordan Clarkson is the second-highest scoring leader on the Utah Jazz, behind Donovan Mitchell with 17.5 points a game.
Clarkson earned the reputation of being a streaky shooter in his first few years in the NBA, but he has been nothing but consistent this season. The right-handed guard is shooting 50% from the field, and his shot choice has been great, with an expected field goal rating of 61.2%, via cleaningtheglass.com.
Expect Clarkson to have a big game against the New Orleans Pelicans, who rank 29th out of the 30 teams in defensive efficiency in the last two weeks, giving up 119.1 points per 100 possessions, via cleaningtheglass.com.
NBA DFS: SF - Brandon Ingram
FD- $8400 DK - $9100 | Opponent - Utah Jazz | Proj Pts FD - 38.1 DK - 36.9 | Value FD - 4.5x DK - 4.1x
Brandon Ingram is the main ball handler for the New Orleans Pelicans, making him a strong NBA DFS selection.
Ingrams ranks in the top 5% for players with the highest usage rate, according to cleaningtheglass.com, with a rating of 30.4%. This means that 30.4% of the Pelican's total offense ends on a shoot, assist or turnover from the 23-year-old forward.
Look for Ingram to have a big game tonight as he has a matchup advantage against Bojan Bogdanović, a player against whom he has scored an average of 42 points in their last two matchups, via basketballreference.com.
NBA DFS: PF - Darius Bazley
FD- $5200 DK - $5600 | Opponent - Denver Nuggets | Proj Pts FD - 30.4 DK - 31.3 | Value FD - 5.8x DK - 5.6x
Darius Bazley is a great NBA DFS value pick. He has projected over 30 fantasy points and has a low-listing price.
Expect Bazley to knock down open looks against the Denver Nuggets, who, according to cleaningtheglass.com, rank in the bottom five of the league for opponent's effective field goal rating at 56.2%.
NBA DFS: C - Steven Adams
FD- $5800 DK - $6100 | Opponent - Utah Jazz | Proj Pts FD - 30.5 DK - 31.2 | Value FD - 5.3x DK - 5.1x
Steven Adams is another great NBA DFS value selection due to his low-price and high fantasy point projection.
Adams is coming off a performance where he recorded a 12-point and 15-rebound double-double.
Look for Adams to have another strong outing against the Utah Jazz tonight and to connect on easy baskets in the paint, as he has an expected field goal percentage of 64.6%, via cleaningtheglass.com
Other valuable NBA DFS pickups at a low listing price:
JaMychal Green - PF
FD- $4400 DK - $4600 | Proj Pts FD - 22.6 DK - 23.9 | Value FD - 5.1x DK - 5.2x
Josh Hart - SF
FD- $4700 DK - $4900 | Proj Pts FD - 21.4 DK - 21.8 | Value FD - 4.5x DK - 4.5x
George Hill - PG/SG
FD- $4900 DK - $4300 | Proj Pts FD - 26.3 DK - 25.7 | Value FD - 5.4x DK - 6.0x