NBA Expert Picks Preview: Thursday, Jan. 1
Glean insight from the best minds in the industry as they list picks they’ll actually be targeting in their tournament games, along with detailed analysis and reasoning.
Author Disclaimer: Please remember, these picks are not necessarily safe for your 50/50-H2H games. They are intended to separate yourself from the herd in an attempt to be contrarian and different. The most logical outcomes don’t always play out on a given NBA slate, so we are looking for the guys that may surprise, that few will roster.
Thursday, January 1
NOTE: Be sure to monitor the status of DeMarcus Cousins as he could be suspended. If he plays then he is top GPP option as he has a great matchup with Minnesota, who is 18th in DVP against centers. Boogie ate them up in the first meeting with 31 points, 18 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and 2 blocks. If he sits, then Darren Collison and Rudy Gay become prime targets.
PG
Darren Collison, $6,600 – This is a great price for Collison regardless of whether Boogie plays or not. If Boogie sits, then Collison is a must play. Minnesota is 18th in DVP against PGs and is the worst defense team going in this short slate. The Kings put up 113 points in the first meeting between these teams as Collison had 19 points, 2 rebounds and 7 assists.
Derrick Rose, 7,000 – The SG position is weak and Afflalo and McLemore are both expensive so I’d play two PGs in this short slate. Rose has a nice matchup with a poor Nuggets defense and will have a big size advantage over Ty Lawson. I expect the Bulls to bounce back from their poor showing last game and for Rose to be a big part. Prior to the last game, he had been playing good ball as he had 32 or more DK points in four of his previous five games.
SG
Jimmy Butler, $8,800 – Shooting guard is really thin so I’d just play Butler and be done with it as Afflalo and McLemore aren’t cheap. Like the rest of the Bulls, he was bad in his last outing, but that was their third game in four nights. Prior to that game, he was on fire, and should get rolling again with a quality matchup with Denver, who is 21st in DVP against SG. He had 32 points and 9 rebounds in the earlier meeting between these teams. It is worth noting that Derrick Rose only played 10 minutes in the earlier meeting so he may not see quite the same usage as in the earlier matchup.
SF
Rudy Gay, $8,600 – If Boogie is out then Rudy is a must play as this price is very affordable and his usage will go through the roof. He would probably get around 20 shots and Minnesota is 29th in DVP against SFs, and traded away their best perimeter defender in Corey Brewer.
Andrew Wiggins, $5,800 – For cash games, I like Shabazz, but for GPPs give me Wiggins. The Kings are 7th in DVP against SF, but are 26th in DVP against SGs, so one of Wiggins and Shabazz Muhammad will get the plus matchup and the other will get the tougher matchup with Rudy. Wiggins should be the lower owned of the two and could very well get the more favorable matchup with McLemore. He also has been playing much better lately, and dominated the first matchup between these teams with 29 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 steals and a block.
PF
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