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FanDuel NBA: Best Picks, Lineup For Jan. 12

By Michael Yaffe

Jan 8, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (24) stretches for the loose ball as Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (bottom) dives to the ground during the third quarter at Staples Center. The Oklahoma City Thunder won 117-113. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 8, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (24) stretches for the loose ball as Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (bottom) dives to the ground during the third quarter at Staples Center. The Oklahoma City Thunder won 117-113. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 8, 2016; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks center Greg Monroe (15) looks to shoot as Dallas Mavericks center Zaza Pachulia (27) defends during the second quarter at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 8, 2016; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks center Greg Monroe (15) looks to shoot as Dallas Mavericks center Zaza Pachulia (27) defends during the second quarter at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports /

Top Four Centers

  1. Greg Monroe, Milwaukee Bucks ($7,600) vs. Chicago Bulls
  2. Amir Johnson, Boston Celtics ($4,900) vs. New York Knicks
  3. Kelly Olynyk, Boston Celtics ($4,600) vs. New York Knicks
  4. Zaza Pachulia, Dallas Mavericks ($6,700) vs. Cleveland Cavaliers

Rationale:

  • The Bulls are fifth-worst overall vs. opposing centers and Monroe is coming off a 43 fantasy point performance in his last outing.
  • The Celtics’ frontcourt is like an endless parade of 6’10” bigs wearing the scramble suit from A Scanner Darkly. Johnson and Olynyk happen to be garnering the starters’ minutes these days so they would be the ones to deploy against a Knicks team that is dead last in their previous 10 games vs. opposing PFs (Johnson’s position) and middle of the road vs. pivots overall (Olynyk’s spot).
  • The bulk of the remaining starting centers in action have difficult match-ups tonight, but Zaza backs into the top four by virtue of his propensity to overachieve at the American Airlines Center (11.7 PPG, 12.5 RPG) vs. on the road (9.9 PPG, 9.5 RPG).

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