Thursday has a five-game bifurcated slate with a pair of nightcap matchups. The full slate locks at 7:00 p.m. ET on DraftKings and FanDuel. Given the packed collection of games and pivotal decision points, it’s a great time to spotlight the best NBA DFS building blocks and picks for the day. Let’s break down Thursday’s standout plays, with Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and James Harden looking like foundational plays.
NBA DFS Picks & Building Blocks Today: Thursday, Jan. 16
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NBA DFS Picks Today: Building Blocks
Kevin Durant: Suns at Wizards
NBA DFS Projections
DraftKings: 51.26 | FanDuel: 49.94
NBA DFS Ownership Projections
DraftKings: 59.4% | FanDuel: 61.8%
DFS Salary
DraftKings: $9,200 | FanDuel: $9,700
Phoenix acquired Nick Richards from Charlotte in exchange for Josh Okogie and a net gain of two future second-round picks. That does not impact tonight’s game since Okogie did not appear in the last two games and also played sparingly over the last fortnight, but it would seem that Jusuf Nurkic’s “illness” is likely to keep him away from the team.
Bradley Beal (ankle) will not be suiting up against his old team in Washington, but that bodes well for both Kevin Durant (who grew up in the DC Metro Area) and Devin Booker in a fantasy-friendly matchup. Over the last 10 games, the Wizards allowed 121.6 points per 100 possessions — which was the worst defensive rating in the league during this stretch – and played at a top-5 pace.
Durant has a steady 40-fantasy point floor while still getting to 50-plus fantasy points when things are going his way. On Tuesday, he dropped 31 points in Atlanta on the way to a 56-fantasy point effort. Booker had 55-plus fantasy points in three of the last five games as this duo continues to play ridiculous minutes for coach Mike Budenholzer. Phoenix wants to win, Washington does not. The Wizards can be pesky, so there is a decent chance that they can push this game into the fourth quarter, despite the Suns being double-digit road favorites. Grayson Allen stands out as a discount dandy on both DraftKings and FanDuel.
From the Washington side, Kyle Kuzma and Bilal Coulibaly are strong options on FanDuel, with former Wizard Tyus Jones joining Coulibaly on DraftKings.
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James Harden: Clippers at Trail Blazers
NBA DFS Projections
DraftKings: 43.55 | FanDuel: 41.31
NBA DFS Ownership Projections
DraftKings: 9.4% | FanDuel: 16.3%
DFS Salary
DraftKings: $9,100 | FanDuel: $8,800
Kawhi Leonard is out and Terance Mann doubtful, though there are still plenty of available players for the Clippers. It is the matchup against the injury-riddled/tanking Portland Trail Blazers that has the Los Angeles stalwarts looking good for tournaments tonight.
Shout out to James Harden, who has helped shepherd the Clips to a 22-17 record that is the fifth best in the tight Western Conference standings. There are seven teams below them within three games, but two of the four franchises above them are within three games as well.
If Leonard continues progressing, and Harden, Norman Powell and Ivica Zubac keep producing, there is a real chance for L.A.’s other squad to stay above the Play-In Tournament line. Of course, an extended injury to any of this trio will kibosh those hopes, but for now there is a little room for some optimism.
Zubac is an unsung DFS hero who has been overlooked, despite producing 40-plus fantasy points in 10 of his last 15 games. The 27-year-old is averaging a career-high 31.8 minutes, which in turn has him posting personal bests across the board. Despite the increased run, he also boasts 2.2 fouls per 36 minutes, which is by far the best of his career. He is, of course, beloved by Stokastic’s Eric Lindquist, and it would not be a surprise for Zubac to be named the Nuke of the Night on Live Before Lock.
Powell is averaging 23.7 points per game, which is well above any other season the 31-year-old has put forth. This is a good matchup against one of his former teams tonight, and the versatile wing provides just enough rebounds, assists and defensive stats to avoid being a one-trick pony.
Harden is the maestro overseeing the offense, with the seventh-most (8.0) assists in the league while also calling his own number to the tune of 21.5 points per game. Though he does not provide any salary relief, the upside in this matchup has him projecting as an excellent tournament differentiator.
Portland will be without Jerami Grant and Donovan Clingan, and Deni Avdija (ankle) and Robert Williams III (illness) are doubtful. Few players have been as disappointing as Deandre Ayton when it comes to motivation and playing through minor injuries. He projects well, assuming he actually cares tonight, but he also could torpedo lineups, along with the hopes and dreams of DFS gamers. Toumani Camara is actually the preferred option over Ayton since he tries and also can be used as a “nominal” center in a pinch. For those looking for a late-slate wild card, Jabari Walker has fallen out of the rotation, but he could see minutes tonight if Williams is out.
Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simons and Shaedon Sharpe are all in play with this trio needing to carry the offense tonight. Let personal preference and salary constraints be your guide when selecting one or even two of these players. Each are capable of big games and duds while mostly being scoring dependent.
Today’s Top Sports Betting Pick
Domantas Sabonis is an interesting option in the sports wagering market for the under on his 6.5 assists prop.
The screenshot of Portfolio EV shows that this wager projects to win 57% of the time. That combined with the solid -120 odds leads to a terrific 6.0% expected value when accounting for the -132 “True Odds.”
Fliff is currently offering -120, which presents solid value compared to the “True Odds” of -132. Most other books are in the -140-or-worse range.
Stokastic’s Advanced NBA Statistical Projections have Sabonis projected for 36.7 minutes and 5.76 assists, which is well below the 7 is needed for this wager to fail. The matchup against Houston is a tougher one, and Malik Monk should be back in action, providing another secondary facilitator.
Final Thoughts on NBA DFS Picks & Building Blocks Today
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