NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Recommendations for January 20 2020

With games spread throughout the day Monday, FanDuel and DraftKings are handling things a bit differently. DraftKings has broken things down into four slates, three of which are featured contests. Meanwhile, the main slate on FanDuel starts at 5:00 PM EST. For this article, we’ll only look at players for games that start at that time, or later. Don’t forget to sign up for our Newsletter and try our NBA Lineup Optimizer to help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.

POINT GUARDS

Damian Lillard, POR vs. GS
FanDuel = $8,800
DraftKings = $8,400

The big news on the Blazers’ side for this game is that C.J. McCollum (ankle) will not play. Enter Lillard, who already has a 29.2 percent usage rate that ranks inside the top-20 in the league. With McCollum out Saturday against the Thunder, Lillard scored 34 points across 36 minutes. Expect him to take all of the shots that he can handle in this game, as well.

Anfernee Simons, POR vs. GS
FanDuel = $3,700
DraftKings = $3,900

Simons took McCollum’s spot in the starting lineup against the Thunder and ended up playing 35 minutes. The problem is, he finished with just 12 points, three rebounds and an assist. He went just 4-for-11 from the field, as well. The key stat to focus on is the minutes. If he can approach that amount of time on the floor again in this game against a significantly worse defensive team, he could be a steal at near the minimum price on both sites.

SHOOTING GUARDS

D’Angelo Russell, GS at POR
FanDuel = $7,600
DraftKings = $7,600

This is a favorable matchup for the Warriors with the Blazers posting the seventh-worst defensive rating in the league. Who better to take advantage of their defensive struggles than Russell, who ranks eighth in the league with his 32 percent usage rate. While he’s not overly cheap, he won’t destroy your budget on either site, making him one of the top shooting guards to have on your radar.

Gary Trent Jr., POR vs. GS
FanDuel = $3,600
DraftKings = $3,200

Ok, this is the last player that I’ll mention from this game, I promise. While Simons couldn’t take advantage of McCollum’s absence, Trent certainly did with 30 points, five rebounds and three steals. He played 36 minutes in that game and should continue to receive added playing time with Trevor Ariza still not eligible to play for his new team.  He’s even cheaper than Simons, so he’s going to be difficult to resist in tournament play.

SMALL FORWARDS

Brandon Ingram, NO at MEM
FanDuel = $9,000
DraftKings = $8,800

This should be a high-scoring affair with both the Pelicans and the Grizzlies ranked inside the top-six in the league in pace of play. This is certainly a welcome favorable matchup for Ingram, who played the Celtics, Jazz and Clippers over his last three games. While the Celtics held him in check, he scored 49 points against the Jazz and produced 21 points, seven rebounds and six assists against the Clippers. His floor is among the highest of any player on the slate.

Marcus Morris, NY at CLE
FanDuel = $5,200
DraftKings = $5,600

This is one of the most unappealing games of the day, but that doesn’t mean it can’t provide some juicy production for DFS. The Knicks will be without R.J. Barrett (ankle), who is one of their primary offensive options. That should keep Morris busy, who produced 20 points, six rebounds and three assists against the Sixers on Saturday with Barrett sidelined. Further tilting the scales in Morris’ favor is that the Cavaliers have the second-worst defensive rating.

POWER FORWARDS

Julius Randle, NY at CLE
FanDuel = $8,000
DraftKings = $7,700

Randle has cranked up his production lately, averaging 23.2 points, 10.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.1 steals over his last 11 games. He’s been much more aggressive during that stretch, averaging 18.9 shot attempts per game compared to his season mark of 15.5 a night. The last time he faced the Cavaliers, he torched them for 30 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals. Don’t expect them to be able to slow him down in their rematch, either.

Kevin Love, CLE vs. NY
FanDuel = $6,900
DraftKings = $7,900

Even with all of the trade rumors surrounding Love, he’s averaged 22.5 points, 9.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists across his last six games. His scoring and rebounding abilities have never been in question, it’s his defensive liabilities and massive contract which have made trading him somewhat difficult. The Knicks have allowed the third-most DraftKings points per game to opposing power forwards, so don’t be surprised if Love produces another valuable stat line.

CENTERS

Nikola Vucevic, ORL at CHA
FanDuel = $8,500
DraftKings = $8,400

The Hornets have had problems slowing down opposing centers, allowing the second-most DraftKings points per game and the fourth-most FanDuel points per game to the position. That should be music to the ears of Vucevic, who will continue to be relied upon heavily with the Magic dealing with some key injuries. He’s stepped up in an efforts to keep the team afloat, averaging 20 points, 12.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists across his last 10 games.

Dwight Howard, LAL at BOS
FanDuel = $5,700
DraftKings = $5,400

Will Anthony Davis (back) make his return from a five-game absence to play against the Celtics? He’s officially listed as questionable, but there have been no encouraging reports so far that he is expected to take the floor. If he does indeed sit again, Howard makes for a great cheaper option. Over the last five games, he’s averaged 11.6 points, 12.2 rebounds and 1.2 blocks.

Author Bio:

Mike has been covering fantasy sports since 2007, joining Lineup Lab in 2017. An avid player of both season-long fantasy leagues and DFS, Mike’s work has appeared on numerous sites, including RotoWire, SportsLine and Sports Illustrated. He’s also been featured on DraftKings’ nightly show, The Sweat, and was a finalist for the 2018 FSWA Basketball Writer of the Year award. Follow Mike on Twitter @rotomikebarner.