After a thrilling nine-game slate yesterday was capped off by a surprising Los Angeles Lakers blowout over the suddenly-reeling Boston Celtics, the NBA has presented a smaller three-game offering for January 24.
A smaller slate doesn’t necessarily mean that DraftKings fantasy players will have poor options for tonight’s action. Here are three must-start players for January 24, and to keep it fun, I’ll choose one player from each game:
Set your DraftKings fantasy basketball lineups here: NBA $333K Fadeaway [$100K to 1st]
PG/SG Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Philadelphia 76ers, $8,300
Somehow, the star of the NBA’s best team and a man who was just named an All-Star starter for the second time in his career is only the ninth-most expensive player on tonight’s slate, behind Tyrese Maxey and seven players who are either out or questionable. It’s no secret that Mitchell has struggled with his shot in recent weeks — he’s shot just 38.2% from the field and 30.5% from beyond the arc in his last seven games — but for him to have a salary only $300 more expensive than Paul George ($8,000) is wild to me. Co-star Evan Mobley ($8,500) remains out, and in the three games since Mobley’s injury, Mitchell has averaged 29.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.0 assists (46.3 FPTS) per game.
Plus, Philadelphia has been out of sorts all season and its defense has struggled mightily, allowing 114.7 points per 100 possessions — more than all but eight other teams. Overall, the 76ers have allowed the 11th-most FPTS to opposing shooting guards. Philadelphia has also conceded the second-highest field goal percentage and 10th-highest three point percentage, making tonight a perfect opportunity for Mitchell to break out of his shooting slump.
C Mark Williams, Charlotte Hornets vs. Portland Trail Blazers, $7,800
Williams’ price tag might look galling for his reputation, but over the last five games, he’s quietly been one of the best centers in basketball, and at just 23 years old, he’s looking like LaMelo Ball ($10,500)‘s long-term pick-and-roll partner. With Brandon Miller ($7,700) out for the season, Williams should get more opportunities to prove that he’s Charlotte’s second-most important player. In four of his last five games, he’s dropped more than 50 FPTS, and in the one he didn’t, he still had a 13-point, 13-rebound, three-block (40.25 FPTS) performance. For some context, the 52.6 FPTS per game that he’s averaged over his last five games would be the highest of any eligible center besides Nikola Jokić, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Victor Wembanyama, and Anthony Davis.
For all of its struggles overall, Portland has actually been pretty decent against opposing bigs, allowing the eighth-fewest FPTS per game to centers. The only impactful defenders on the Trail Blazers’ roster — in other words, players who allow a lower opposing field goal percentage than expected — are all forwards or centers, but both Deandre Ayton ($6,500) and Donovan Clingan ($4,000) are questionable for tonight’s contest. Regardless, I’ll keep backing Williams until it’s proven that someone can slow him down.
SG/SF Jaylen Wells, Memphis Grizzlies vs. New Orleans Pelicans, $4,400
For a more budget option, I’m backing the man who has the fourth-shortest odds to win Rookie of the Year. The 39th overall pick has been a consistent contributor for the third-seeded Grizzlies this year, averaging 11.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.6 assists (20.3 FPTS) per game while shooting 38.8% from beyond the arc, the highest among all rookies who have played at least 30 games and averaged at least 20 minutes per contest. On January 17, Wells had a 22-point, three-rebound, two-assist (31.75 FPTS) performance against the San Antonio Spurs, returning 0.0072 fantasy points per dollar.
He has a great matchup on Friday against a New Orleans defense that has allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing shooting guards. The Pelicans will certainly be without Brandon Ingram ($8,600) and Herbert Jones ($3,000), two of their most-impactful wing defenders, and they might be without Dejounte Murray ($8,500) as well. Wells might also command a larger role in the offense if either Ja Morant ($9,000) or Santi Aldama ($4,800) misses the game; both are questionable with illnesses. In the teams’ two previous matchups, Wells has averaged 11.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game.
