A potential NBA Finals preview could take place on Friday night when the Boston Celtics host the Denver Nuggets. Boston has the best record in the NBA (32-9), including a perfect 20-0 mark at home. Could the Nuggets, the defending NBA champions, be the team to hand the Celtics their first loss in Boston? With seven games on the NBA schedule for Friday, should daily Fantasy basketball utilize options in the NBA DFS player pool from this matchup like Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Nikola Jokic or Jamal Murray in NBA DFS lineups?
Celtics guard Derrick White had 22 points in a 105-96 win over the Raptors on Monday after failing to break the 20-point mark in any of his first seven January contests. White averaged 20.3 ppg in December, so can daily Fantasy basketball players expect the 29-year-old guard to return to his December form when creating an NBA DFS strategy? Before making your NBA DFS picks, be sure to check out the NBA DFS advice, player rankings, stacks, and top daily Fantasy basketball picks from SportsLine’s Jimmie Kaylor.
Kaylor is a DFS and betting expert for SportsLine, who won a DraftKings Millionaire Maker contest in 2022. He uses a combination of his background as a former college and professional athlete and his keen eye for statistical trends when making his picks and locking in his DFS lineups. Kaylor enters the 2024 calendar year with multiple five-figure tournament cashes on his DFS resume.
Kaylor’s approach allows him to find the best NBA DFS values and create optimal lineups that he only shares on SportsLine. They’re a must-see for any NBA DFS player.
On Wednesday (when he last published picks), Kaylor highlighted Lakers power forward/center Anthony Davis as one of his top picks in his NBA DFS player pool on both sites. The result: Davis had 28 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists, returning 61.5 points on DraftKings and 60.9 points on FanDuel. Anybody who included him in their lineups was well on the way to a profitable day.
Kaylor has turned his attention to NBA action on Friday and locked in his top daily Fantasy basketball picks. You can only see them by heading to SportsLine.
Top NBA DFS picks for Friday, January 19
For Friday, one of Kaylor’s top NBA DFS picks is Heat center Bam Adebayo, who is listed at $8,700 on DraftKings and $9,300 on FanDuel. Adebayo has been a rebounding machine as of late, averaging 11.7 rebounds over his last 10 contests, including a 20-rebound performance in a 96-95 overtime victory against the Nets on Monday. He’s also averaging 21.1 points over that stretch.
The Heat play the Hawks on Friday, and with Atlanta missing Trae Young (illness), there may be even more rebounding opportunities with a key scorer out. Adebayo is averaging 23.7 points and 11 rebounds over his last six matchups against the Hawks. Atlanta has the third-worst scoring defense in the NBA, allowing 123 ppg, including 124.1 ppg over the last eight contests. The Hawks are also allowing the third-most points in the paint (56.2 ppg), which plays to Adebayo’s strengths.
Another part of Kaylor’s optimal NBA DFS strategy includes Nuggets power forward Aaron Gordon ($6,100 on DraftKings and $6,400 on FanDuel). Gordon (shoulder) is probable for Friday after scoring 16 points with six rebounds and four assists in a 126-121 loss to the 76ers on Tuesday. He had 20 points and 10 rebounds in the previous contest, and he’s been one of the most efficient scorers in the NBA this month. Gordon is averaging 15.9 points on 67.1% shooting over his last eight contests.
Gordon has scored at least 17 points in three of his last four contests against the Celtics. The 10-year NBA veteran averaged 16.3 ppg last season, the second-best of his career, and is averaging 14.1 ppg this year. He’s a reliable player who won’t break your NBA DFS budget and could outperform his price tag for Friday’s NBA DFS lineups. See Kaylor’s other NBA DFS picks right here.
How to set your NBA DFS lineups for Friday, January 19
Kaylor is also targeting a player who could go off for massive numbers on Friday because of a dream matchup. This pick could be the difference between winning your tournaments and cash games or going home with nothing. You can only see who it is here.