NBA DFS Cheat Sheet Today: Picks & Predictions for NBA Thursday 1/16
The NBA DFS Cheat Sheet is back for NBA Thursday to break down the top NBA DFS picks for January 16, and highlight the top game to target tonight for your PrizePicks Lineups.
Tonight’s NBA slate will be headlined by a rematch of the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Oklahoma City Thunder, the top two teams in the league, on TNT. Just last week, the Cavaliers got the better of Oklahoma City in Cleveland, winning a tight game,129-122.
The second of the games on TNT will be between the Houston Rockets and the Sacramento Kings. The Kings hot start to the new year ended at the hands of the Bucks but hope to start a new streak against the second seed in the Western Conference.
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NBA DFS Cheat Sheet for Thursday: Picks for PrizePicks
Find game previews, NBA DFS projections, and PrizePicks NBA picks below for NBA Thursday, January 16. You can find all of today’s NBA DFS Projections on the PrizePicks app.
NBA DFS Picks for PrizePicks Today
- Cavaliers C Jarrett Allen vs. Thunder: 24.5 Pts+Rebs — More
- Suns G Devin Booker vs Wizards: 32.5 Pts+Rebs — More
- Rockets F Amen Thompson vs. Kings: 24.5 Pts+Rebs — More
- Clippers G James Harden vs. Blazers: 8.5 Assists — More
Thursday NBA Games to Target for NBA DFS
Here are the top two games to target on the Thursday NBA DFS slate for production and fantasy upside on PrizePicks.
Suns vs. Wizards: Preview, Picks
Time: 7 p.m. ET
How to Watch: NBA League Pass
This will be the first meeting of the year between the teams, and this is as good of a fantasy matchup as it gets for the struggling Phoenix Suns. The Wizards are currently allowing the most fantasy points to opposing teams, and they rank in that top spot against point guards, shooting guards, and power forwards. They are also allowing the third-most fantasy points to opposing centers.
Washington is allowing the most points per game as a team and has the worst defensive rating as well. While Phoenix’s metrics don’t really pop out, they still have both Devin Booker and Kevin Durant who can light it up on any given night, especially with Bradley Beal still sidelined.
PrizePicks NBA Pick: Suns F Kevin Durant 11.5 Rebs+Asts — More
Cavaliers vs. Thunder: Preview, Picks
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
How to Watch: TNT
If last week’s game was any indication of how these two teams fare when they meet up, we will be treated to another high-quality game. While the superstars didn’t light it up, the secondary stars and role players were pivotal in this first meeting. Thunder F Jalen Williams had 25 points and 9 rebounds along with C Isaiah Hartenstein’s 18-point, 11-rebound performance.
For Cleveland, it was that dynamic frontcourt of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley who combined for 46 points and 22 rebounds, along with exceptional performances from G Ty Jerome and G Max Strus off the bench.
Despite both teams nearing the top of the rankings in defense, it was their offensive prowess on full display last Wednesday night, combining for 251 points. The Thunder will be without Hartenstein for this game and for at least the next week due to a left soleus strain, which does cause some problems for the Thunder on the boards and defensive end down low.
This will be another must-watch game and without Hartenstein, it will be interesting to see what the Thunder throw at Cleveland to try and stop that frontcourt.
PrizePicks NBA Pick: Darius Garland 6.5 Assists — More
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NBA DFS Picks Today for PrizePicks
Below, you’ll find the top NBA DFS picks today for PrizePicks for Thursday, January 16.
Cavaliers C Jarrett Allen vs. Thunder: 24.5 Pts+Rebs — More
After tearing it up last week against the Thunder, Jarrett Allen’s matchup gets significantly easier. With Isaiah Hartenstein picking up an injury and Chet Holmgren still out, Allen is getting matched up with either Jaylen Williams or Jaylin Williams down low.
The former Jaylen Williams is listed at 6-foot-5 and primarily plays power forward but Jaylin Williams is only one inch shorter than Allen, but does not usually see his run of minutes at the center position. Jaylin Williams also does not see starter minutes as well, usually coming off the bench.
Allen put up 25 points and 11 rebounds against a true center like Hartenstein last time around; Cleveland will look to get him going early again in this mismatch.
Suns G Devin Booker vs. Wizards: 32.5 Pts+Rebs — More
Shooting guards have torn it up against the Wizards, and tonight should be no different. In every metric, whether it be the last seven games, the last 15 games, or all season, Washington just struggles against them.
Overall on the season, the Wizards are giving up the most fantasy points to opposing shooting guards. They are giving up the seventh most points to shooting guards and second-most rebounds on the season. Over the last seven games, they are top-three in both those metrics. Washington is allowing the most rebounds to their opponents this year as well.
The Wizards shoot the second-lowest field goal percentage in the league which means more rebound opportunities. Then with either Bub Carrington or Jordan Poole as his primary defender, Booker should be able to get a lot of great looks as well.
Rockets F Amen Thompson vs. Kings: 25 Pts+Rebs — More
Amen Thompson has leaped in his second season in Houston and is taking advantage of being in the starting lineup while Jabari Smith Jr. is out. He is averaging nearly 16 points and 11 rebounds in his last eight appearances, which include seven starts. Jabari Smith Jr. will be out for an extended period and during his absence, Thompson has stepped up.
While the Kings have done well against small forwards, that is not the case since Doug Christie took over as coach. Their run of small forwards faced in this run include Jaylen Brown, Zach LaVine, Andrew Wiggins, and Jaylen Wells among a few others.
Thompson doesn’t shoot the three-ball but can still get to the basket to score against a weaker Sacramento defense. In these last seven games, the Kings are also in the top half of the league in rebounds allowed to opposing power forwards.
In their only meeting so far, Thompson had 16 potential rebounds, tied with C Alperen Sengun for second most behind Tari Eason. In the five games without Smith Jr., Thompson has produced higher rebound and potential rebound totals over Sengun. With both Eason and Smith Jr. out, that will allow for more opportunities for him to clean up on the glass as well.
Clippers G James Harden vs. Trail Blazers: 6.5 Assists — More (Goblin)
Despite coming off of a back-to-back, the Clippers blew out the Brooklyn Nets in historic fashion, winning by 59 points. In very little action, Harden put up 11 assists and there is a potential for that to be the case again in what could be another potential blowout vs. Portland.
Harden is averaging 8.5 assists in two games against Portland, and they provide one of the best matchups for guards looking to distribute the ball. Portland is allowing the fourth-most assists to opposing point guards over the season; over the last seven games, they are allowing the most.
Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard is back in the lineup as well. Although he is struggling to score so far, his presence will warrant Harden to be a facilitator even more than before when Leonard was out.
Lock in Your NBA Thursday Lineups on PrizePicks
A rematch of the top-two teams in the league headlines the Thursday NBA slate with another exciting showdown between two of the best centers in the league right after, as Alperen Sengun and the Rockets take on Domantas Sabonis and the Kings. The slate might be small, but it should be an entertaining one nonetheless.
Use these picks in the NBA DFS Cheat Sheet to build your Lineups on PrizePicks. PrizePicks is the easiest way to cash in on your NBA knowledge; just pick more or less on at least two player stat projections and get paid if you’re correct. The more you pick, the more you stand to win.
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