Skip Navigation to Main Content

NBA DFS Lineup Picks & Advice: Thursday (1/16)

Welcome to the Thursday NBA DFS slate. We’ve reached the dog days of the season where we’re in the deep winter with few other sports going on outside of basketball regularly. Gotta love it.

If you’re going to play NBA DFS, you must keep in mind lineup announcements and stay tuned for late swapping. That is going to be the easiest way to stay ahead of the field and in the money. We have a five-game slate tonight, so you’ll have to get creative for large-field GPPs.

In the end, it’s about making the right choices and picking your spots, which is why I’m here. Let’s break down the top plays for this slate.

View the best player prop bets for tonight’s slate with our NBA Prop Bet Cheat Sheet partner-arrow

NBA DFS Lineup Optimizer

NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer

NBA DFS Core Plays

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (PG – OKC)

  • DraftKings: $10,500
  • FanDuel: $11,500

I understand this isn’t exactly re-inventing the wheel by picking the highest salaried player as one of my core plays but whenever Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is playing on a slate he has to be considered as one of the higher-rostered options.

In the last 10 days, Gilgeous-Alexander has averaged 54 DraftKings points. I’m not much of a narrative individual when playing DFS but this is a big game I expect the Thunder guard to get up for. In the last game against Cleveland, Gilgeous-Alexander was on the court for 38 minutes, scoring 31 points. I project more from him returning home after a long road trip.

Cleveland paces up the Thunder, so despite the solid defense Oklahoma City will face, the additional possession opportunity is all I need to be in on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as a core play tonight.

Kevin Durant (PF, C, SF – PHO)

  • DraftKings: $9,200
  • FanDuel: $9,700

The Phoenix Suns are going to be the highest-rostered team tonight as they get the nuts matchup against the Washington Wizards. No team has allowed more fantasy points to opposing power forwards than Washington.

Washington has the fourth-fastest pace of play with the worst defense in the league that’s only gotten worse as the season has progressed. Durant has averaged 45 DraftKings points a game and is coming off a solid outing in Atlanta.

Durant won’t break the bank but he still has a high ceiling that makes him one of my favorite plays tonight. Devin Booker is another strong option for identical reasons but Durant has a higher ceiling.

NBA Prop Bet Cheat Sheet

NBA DFS Cash Game Targets

Deandre Ayton (C – POR)

  • DraftKings: $6,100
  • FanDuel: $6,000

Deandre Ayton has averaged around 30 minutes a game this year with a 19% usage rate, so it’s easy to play the Portland center who has tallied 32 DraftKings points a game. His last two games have not been the best but the opportunity should be there tonight with Donovan Clingan, Robert Williams III and Jerami Grant all out.

A lot of additional usage should go to Ayton against a Clippers team that hasn’t exactly been fatal to opposing centers despite their top-five defensive rating. The Arizona product gets a boost at home, so I’m happy going to Ayton in cash lineups to pay up elsewhere.

Anfernee Simons (PG, SG – POR)

  • DraftKings: $6,500
  • FanDuel: $7,100

An already injured Portland team means Anfernee Simons will be on the court for a lot of minutes tonight. I know it’s not exactly fun going with multiple players from the same team that don’t exactly project well but somebody has to score given the rotation.

Yes, the Clippers are a tough team to face for DFS purposes but for cash lineups, you’re looking for opportunity and Simons will have that tonight. He’s been playing much better of late, averaging nearly 24 points a game in the last seven matches, so I’m comfortable playing him and his 26% usage rate

Check out the new BettingPros sports betting app, featuring betting systems, a same game parlay tool, social bet feeds, and sportsbook sync!

NBA DFS GPP Targets

Cade Cunningham PG – DET)

  • DraftKings: $10,300
  • FanDuel: $10,300

I expect a lot of the high-priced point guard rostership to go to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tonight but a clear second-best option is Cade Cunningham. Detroit finds itself in a pace-up spot against the seventh-worst defense in the league.

The Pacers allow the 10th-most points to opposing point guards per game and that’s not even considering Tyrese Haliburton is questionable, so Indy might be short-handed in the backcourt. Cunningham has shown his capacity for a ceiling performance and reaching 60 is like an 80th percentile output with his true ceiling much higher in this type of matchup.

Evan Mobley (PF, C – CLE)

  • DraftKings: $8,100
  • FanDuel: $8,500

With Oklahoma City down to their third-string center with a diminished frontcourt, Evan Mobley is in a clear position for a ceiling game, and he isn’t garnering much rostership in early projections. He’s been playing better of late, averaging 44 DraftKings points a night. That number is decent on its own as a baseline but he’s capable of more.

Mobley has passed the 50 DraftKings point threshold eight times this year, getting past 60 twice. After coming off a 48 fantasy point outing last time against Oklahoma City, I would project him for a similar output tonight with greater potential.

BettingPros Free Trial

NBA DFS Value Plays

Ben Sheppard (SG, SF – IND)

  • DraftKings: $3,700
  • FanDuel: $3,900

Depending on who starts for Indianapolis, the value will be between Ben Sheppard and Jarace Walker. With Sheppard starting last time out I assume they will run it back again tonight.

Sheppard didn’t do much last time out but he did play 32 minutes. I will take anyone priced sub-$4,000 who will see the court that much. I project Sheppard for around 23 fantasy points, which isn’t much, but makes for a great punt option for the rest of your lineups.

Jaylin Williams (C – OKC)

  • DraftKings: $3,300
  • FanDuel: $4,000

With Isaiah Hartenstein out and Chet Holmgren‘s continued absence, Jaylin Williams is slotted to start tonight and is arguably the best value play on the slate.

It will be the first start of the season for Williams, who projects for around 25 minutes and just shy of 30 fantasy points. To get someone projected around 8X-9X means he will be quite highly rostered, and it’s quite the matchup to be so. Both squads are in the top 10 in pace of play and Williams will have to shoulder a big load with the frontcourt dwindled.

Kris Dunn (PG, SG – LAC)

  • DraftKings: $3,400
  • FanDuel: $4,200

Anytime you can get a starter with such a price tag it feels like a pretty easy option to throw in as a value option. Kris Dunn is a perfect example. He’s not exactly a prolific scorer, so this is the most punt-option between the value plays tonight, but he does fill up the stat sheet otherwise most nights.

Dunn is projected for around 20 fantasy points and should play around 25 minutes against a Trail Blazers team that has allowed the second-most points and fifth-most fantasy points to opposing shooting guards.

Join the FantasyPros Fantasy Football Discord Server!

Subscribe: YouTube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | iHeart | Castbox | Amazon Music | Podcast Addict | TuneIn

More Articles

NBA DFS Lineup Picks & Advice: Friday (2/7)

NBA DFS Lineup Picks & Advice: Friday (2/7)

fp-headshot by Daniel Dobish | 3 min read
Fantasy Basketball Trade Advice: Kyrie Irving, P.J. Washington, Trey Murphy III

Fantasy Basketball Trade Advice: Kyrie Irving, P.J. Washington, Trey Murphy III

fp-headshot by Seth Fisher | 2 min read
NBA Player Prop Bets & Picks: Friday (2/7)

NBA Player Prop Bets & Picks: Friday (2/7)

fp-headshot by FantasyPros Staff | 2 min read
NBA Underdog Player Picks & Predictions: Friday (2/7)

NBA Underdog Player Picks & Predictions: Friday (2/7)

fp-headshot by FantasyPros Staff | 1 min read

About Author

Hide

Current Article

3 min read

NBA DFS Lineup Picks & Advice: Friday (2/7)

Next Up - NBA DFS Lineup Picks & Advice: Friday (2/7)

Next Article