We only have five games tonight, but there is a lot to talk about here. This slate is all about the Portland Trailblazers, whose roster is completely ransacked. The Blazers have been without Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum for a while, which has led to some huge production from Anfernee Simons. Simons will also miss time here, so the Blazers are as good as it gets for DFS value. We will be going to a stars and scrubs build again, as a few of our priorities from Portland are very cheap.
Here’s Two Core Plays For DFS Basketball 1/13/22 (using DraftKings Values)
| Point Guard | J. Morant | $9,200 | |
| Shooting Guard | B. Mclemore | $4,200 | |
| Small Forward | |||
| Power Forward | . | ||
| Center | |||
| Guard | . | ||
| Forward | |||
| Utility |
The Memphis Grizzlies are the hottest team in the league, having won nine straight off some great play from Ja Morant. Morant has emerged as one of the two or three best point guards in the NBA season, and his DFS production reflects that. He has gone for over 50 FPTS often lately, and he has shown upside of 66 FPTS during this stretch. The Grizzlies have an easy matchup against the Timberwolves tonight, so we are high on Morant here.
The Blazers are going to be where we look for value tonight, as there is a ton of extra minutes and usage going around. Ben Mclemore looks fantastic here at $4,200, as he should have to do a lot for this squad. Mclemore played 31 minutes last game and went for 33.75 FPTS. With Simons out, he could see an even bigger role, and he is way too cheap if he plays over 30 minutes again. All the high-usage guys are gone tonight, so there is room for players like Mclemore to shoot their hearts out.
Here’s a Fade DFS Basketball 1/13/22 (using DraftKings Values)
Steph Curry went off last game with 62.5 FPTS, but we are not chasing the big night here. Curry went under 50 FPTS for four straight outings before that one, and we know anything over 60 is closer to a ceiling game. If you are playing a ton of different GPP lineups then definitely get some Curry for his upside, but he is a fade for single-entry.
Now, what do you get if you sign up now STARTING AT $15!!!!
• Our favorite play tonight out of Portland.
• A minimum-priced guard who should see a solid opportunity.
• One superstar we like paying up for tonight.
• The rest of our priorities from the Blazers.
Point Guard
Dennis Smith Jr. – PG ($4,000 DK) Smith is our favorite player on the entire slate, and it isn’t close. He should be in for a start at point guard for Portland here, along with some ridiculous floor time. Smith was crushing earlier in the season with all the guards sidelined on this team, and we expect to see the same thing tonight. He will have a lot of usage, as there are just no star options available here.
Shooting Guard
CJ Elleby – ($3,000 DK) It is hard to find a bad play from Portland tonight. Elleby allows us to save a ton of salary with the $3,000 price tag, and he looks solid for production in this spot. Elleby played 17 and 19 minutes in the last two games without Lillard and McCollum, so he should be in for over 20 minutes with Simons out. He should see his fair share of usage while on the floor, and he really does not need to do much to deliver with this price.
Nasir Little – ($5,600 DK) Little has shown some massive upside throughout this season, as he has had a lot of opportunity with all the injury troubles. Little has played well over 30 minutes in five straight, having played 38 minutes last time out. Simons was taking a ton of the usage here, so things look a lot better for guys like Little in this spot.
Giannis Antetokounmpo – ($12,300 DK) Antetokounmpo is a bit more expensive than he would like him to be, as anyone starts getting tough over $12,000. However, all the stars are expensive tonight. We also have enough value from Portland to pay up for whoever we want. Antetokounmpo does not use a key guard or center spot here, and he always has some of the best upside on the slate. The Warriors have a weak frontcourt and play at a fast pace, so the Freak could be in for a feast here.
Jusuf Nurkic – ($7,600 DK) With all the key players out, Nurkic is the only Portland stud left on the roster. He is usually not a super high usage guy, but we have been seeing a different story with the star guards out. The Blazers are relying on the inside scoring of Nurkic a lot here, and that has shown through some huge upside performances. Nurkic is too cheap for the situation in Portland, and one of our favorite options on the slate.
General strategy
This is just one of those slates where it is impossible to get away from one team. The value options from Portland like Smith and Mclemore are incomparably better than any of the budget plays elsewhere. Barring some huge injuries on other teams, it is hard to imagine a scenario where you do not need a few of these Blazers. For Cash games, we are locking in Mclemore, Smith, and Nurkic, while we will use a ton of Little and Elleby as well. For GPP’s we like switching it up by looking for the Blazers we think will go less owned like Elleby and Robert Covington. Good luck tonight and keep an eye out for whatever else shakes things up.
