NBA DFS First Look & Optimal Lineup Picks Today

The Slate Starter is a daily first look at to get your daily fantasy basketball lineup-building process started before lock tonight. Each day, we will go through some of the best NBA DFS picks, top stacks and optimal lineup construction for DraftKings and FanDuel. Be sure to check Awesemo’s NBA Starting Lineups page, as it will be updated throughout the day as the NBA injury reports are released and breaking news surfaces. Let’s dive into some players who stand out as key options on Friday’s nine-game slate.

Want to see how your lineup stacked up against yesterday’s winning NBA DFS lineups on DraftKings, FanDuel and Yahoo? Check out Awesemo’s Optimal Lineup Review, which uses Fantasy Cruncher Rewind to analyze the winning plays from the night before.

NBA DFS Picks & Optimal Lineup Construction | Jan. 14

Cole Anthony, PG, Orlando Magic

Anthony has been a nice source of value since returning to the lineup four games ago, recording at least 43.0 DraftKings points in three of those games. That includes a game where he played just 25.7 minutes, and he’s shot a pedestrian 32.9% from the field and 29.4% from 3-point range over that stretch. Overall, he has the potential for even better performances moving forward.

Perhaps that will start on Friday. Anthony has one of the best possible matchups vs. the Hornets, who rank first in pace and 26th in defensive efficiency this season. The Magic’s implied team total of 107.25 doesn’t jump off the page, but it represents a sizable increase from their season average of 101.8.

Anthony stands out as a particularly nice option at just $7,400 on FanDuel. He should be able to pay off that price tag without much trouble, so expect him to fare nicely in our NBA Projections.

Harrison Barnes, SF/PF, Sacramento Kings

Friday’s matchup between the Kings and the Rockets figures to be one of the best of the day. Both of these teams play fast – the Rockets rank first in pace, the Kings rank ninth – and neither team plays a lick of defense. The Rockets rank dead last in defensive efficiency, while the Kings rank just 27th. Unsurprisingly, the total on this game sits at a slate-high 238.5 points.

Harrison Barnes is an interesting option in this contest. His production has been down recently, but he’s played reduced minutes over the past month. However, he racked up 37.5 minutes in his last contest, and he responded with 38.25 DraftKings points. If he’s going to see that much playing time moving forward, he’s undoubtedly underpriced at his current salary across the industry.

Barnes’ pedestrian recent production could also make him a bit overlooked on Friday’s slate. If his ownership projection is too low, he should grade out with a strong leverage rating in the Boom/Bust Probability tool.

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Dejounte Murray, PG, San Antonio Spurs

Friday’s slate features nine games, but it’s a bit light on star power. Only seven players are priced above $9,500 on DraftKings, and we’re missing a true alpha like Giannis Antetokounmpo or Nikola Jokic.

With that in mind, Murray owns one of the top ceilings of the day. He has been outstanding recently, logging at least 53.25 DraftKings points in four of his past five games. That includes a 73.5-point performance in his last outing. Overall, he’s increased his production to 1.55 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, which trails only Joel Embiid’s average of 1.68.

However, make sure to monitor the status of Derrick White. He’s missed the past four games dues to health and safety protocols, but he’s been upgraded to questionable vs. the Cavaliers.

If White is out again, I’ll have plenty of exposure to Murray in DFS and the player prop market. Make sure to take advantage of the Awesemo Player Prop tool, which highlights the most exploitable player props each day.

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