Hoops Habit
Fansided

FanDuel NBA: Best Picks, Lineup For Jan. 6

By Michael Yaffe

Jan 2, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis (23) drives to the basket between Dallas Mavericks center Zaza Pachulia (27) and forward Charlie Villanueva (3) during the second half at the American Airlines Center. The Mavericks defeat the Pelicans 105-98. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 2, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis (23) drives to the basket between Dallas Mavericks center Zaza Pachulia (27) and forward Charlie Villanueva (3) during the second half at the American Airlines Center. The Mavericks defeat the Pelicans 105-98. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 7
Next

Here are the top four picks at each position and a sample lineup for Wednesday’s FanDuel NBA games; but first, a look at Wednesday night’s roster cornerstone options.

Jan 2, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis (23) drives to the basket between Dallas Mavericks center Zaza Pachulia (27) and forward Charlie Villanueva (3) during the second half at the American Airlines Center. The Mavericks defeat the Pelicans 105-98. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 2, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis (23) drives to the basket between Dallas Mavericks center Zaza Pachulia (27) and forward Charlie Villanueva (3) during the second half at the American Airlines Center. The Mavericks defeat the Pelicans 105-98. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /

Chris Bosh, Miami Heat ($7,900) vs. New York Knicks: After missing an extended portion of last season with blood clots in his lungs, Bosh has re-established himself as one of the top power forwards in the Eastern Conference. He has been particularly dominant at the AmericanAirlines Arena, where he averages 19.6 PPG as opposed to 17.7 PPG elsewhere.

Despite the looming presence of rookie Kristaps Porzingis, the Knicks are fifth-most generous to Bosh’s position over their last 10 games, and in addition to the visitors’ somewhat condensed schedule (second consecutive game and third in four nights) they could be reeling after a home-and-home series with the Atlanta Hawks.

Bosh had an off-game from the field in the teams’ initial meeting in Miami this season but he’s coming off a season-best 31 point night against an Indiana team that is generally tough against power forwards, so he should be able to ride that momentum at home against an opponent that’s generally weaker in that regard.

Related Story: NBA Draft: Best Player Ever Selected in all 60 Spots

Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans ($10,200) vs. Dallas Mavericks: Davis broke out of a two-game humdrum versus the Mavericks with a 31-point, 14-rebound performance this past Saturday.

While the Mavs endured a grueling double OT win against the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday, the Pelicans have been off since the previous meeting, and Davis has traditionally thrived with three-plus days of rest over his career (22.8 PPG vs. 20.2 PPG overall).

Despite Davis’ eruption in the last game, the Mavs are still middle of the pack vs. power forwards on FanDuel NBA over their past five contests; however, that doesn’t tell the whole story because in addition to the aforementioned factors the Mavs will be playing their fourth game in six nights.

They don’t meet the “tired team” criteria per se, but considering they’re a veteran-laden team with multiple players battling/recovering from injuries, the conditions certainly favor a potential repeat performance from the Brow.

Kemba Walker, Charlotte Hornets ($8,700) vs. Phoenix Suns: With a 10-game skid that includes losses to the L.A. Lakers, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Denver Nuggets, it feels safe to say that the Suns have officially hit rock bottom. Among their numerous issues, containing opposing point guards has been a season-long weakness for them, as they are second-worst overall.

The Hornets, meanwhile, have to be considered among the league’s most pleasant surprises, as they’ve managed to soldier on despite ongoing injuries to key players throughout the season.

Despite the relative turmoil, Walker has been a steadying influence at PG, scoring at least 22 (actual) points in five of his last six contests, and his 1.8 steals per game average places him just outside of the league’s top 10.

Although Walker’s road splits are negligible (18.6 PPG vs. 19.8 PPG at the Cable Box), Charlotte has a much worse record away from home (4-10 vs. 17-17 overall), so as bad as the Suns have been the Hornets could end up playing closer to the level of competition than one might expect, which would result in more playing time for Walker before the bench is emptied.

Next: Top Four Point Guards