NBA DFS: Joel Embiid and top FanDuel, DraftKings daily Fantasy basketball picks for Jan. 27, 2022

Thursday’s NBA action is limited to just a pair of games, the first of which features the Los Angeles Lakers at the Philadelphia 76ers at 7:30 p.m. ET. With high-priced options like LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Joel Embiid headlining the NBA DFS player pool, daily Fantasy players may need to get creative when rounding out their rosters. Perhaps a bargain player like Malik Monk could provide value if you choose to go with top-heavy NBA DFS lineups.

Monk averaged 21.9 points over his first seven games back from a five-game absence (health and safety protocols). His last outing was a 22-point, five-rebound performance off the bench against Brooklyn on Tuesday, but Monk has only made one start and averaged nine points and 3.4 rebounds in his previous five appearances. Before taking any chances with your NBA DFS picks for Thursday, be sure to check out the NBA DFS advice, player rankings, stacks and top daily Fantasy basketball picks from SportsLine’s Mike McClure. 

McClure is a DFS professional with nearly $2 million in career winnings. He’s also a predictive data engineer at SportsLine who uses a powerful prediction model that simulates every minute of every game 10,000 times, taking factors like matchups, statistical trends and injuries into account.

This allows him to find the best NBA DFS values and create optimal lineups that he shares only over at SportsLine. They’re a must-see for any NBA DFS player.

On Wednesday, McClure included Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball as one of his core NBA DFS picks on both DraftKings and FanDuel. The result: Ball scored 29 points with 13 assists and 10 rebounds to return 69 points on DraftKings and 62.5 points on FanDuel. Anybody that included him in their lineups was well on the way to a profitable day.

Now, McClure has turned his attention to the Thursday, January 27, NBA DFS slate and locked in his top daily Fantasy basketball picks. You can only see them by heading to SportsLine.

Top NBA DFS picks for Thursday, January 27

One of McClure’s top NBA DFS picks for Thursday is Sixers center Embiid, who is listed at $11,400 on DraftKings and FanDuel. Embiid has been simply unstoppable over his last four games, and has averaged 42.5 points, 12.8 rebounds and 2.3 blocks during this current run. Against New Orleans on Tuesday, he finished with 42 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks.

Philadelphia has yet to play Thursday’s opponent, the Los Angeles Lakers, this season, but Embiid could be in for a soft defensive matchup for much of the night. Davis (knee) made his return to the starting lineup after he missed 17 games on Tuesday. He had four blocks, but was otherwise ineffective in a win over the Nets. Davis played just 24 minutes and will likely be on another minutes restriction tonight, thus keeping the Lakers’ best defender on the bench.

Another key in McClure’s optimal NBA DFS strategy includes stacking Embiid with guard Tyrese Maxey ($6,400 on DraftKings and $5,800 on FanDuel). Since missing four games due to health and safety protocols, Maxey has made eight starts and averaged 15.6 points and 4.5 assists. Against San Antonio on Sunday, he scored 18 points with six assists and a steal.

Across the board, Maxey has been more efficient as a starter than as a reserve this season. Bolstering his potential is his comfort taking shots at home, where he makes 38 percent of his 3P attempts. The Lakers also have allowed opponents to dish out 25.7 assists per game this season, which is the fourth-highest mark in the league. Over his last three games, Maxey has 19 total assists to keep Philly’s offense in a groove.

How to set your NBA DFS lineups for Thursday, January 27

McClure is also targeting a player who could go off for massive numbers on Thursday 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.

So who is DFS pro Mike McClure putting in his optimal NBA DFS lineups for Thursday? Visit SportsLine now to see optimal NBA DFS picks, rankings, advice, and stacks, all from a professional DFS player who has almost $2 million in career winnings, and find out.