Squad Up Daily NBA Fantasy Dose: Target the many bad defenses

Follow theScore's fantasy feed on Twitter (@theScoreFantasy) for the latest news, features and more. And download Squad Up, theScore's free-to-win-money sports game.

Here is a look at the Squad Up daily NBA fantasy picture for Thursday, January 5:

Dynamic Duos

• PG D'Angelo Russell (64K) & PF Julius Randle (67K), Lakers (vs. Trail Blazers): The Portland-LA matchup should be exploited heavily. They are the two worst teams in terms of defensive efficiency and are both top 10 in pace. Randle is coming off a monstrous triple-double (19-14-11) and has been generally reliable when he plays.

• PG Tony Parker (47K) & SF Kawhi Leonard (86K), Spurs (at Nuggets): It's unwise to focus on the Spurs with regularity, but Parker has been playing well and doesn't cost as much as some of his peers. Leonard is the only sure thing on the roster, night in and night out, so easing the budget with Parker is the best bet against the defensively deficient Nuggets.

• SG C.J. McCollum (83K) & PF Al-Farouq Aminu (53K), Trail Blazers (at Lakers): Not having PG Damian Lillard hurts the Trail Blazers, but elevates the likes of Aminu to fantasy-worthy status. His price tag is a little high relative to his struggles on the whole, but he had a stellar showing at Golden State Wednesday. The Lakers are a much less imposing opponent.

Bargain Plays

• SG Jonathon Simmons (25K), Spurs (at Nuggets): If the game enters blow out territory, Simmons is more likely to make an impact. The Spurs' last five wins have all been by wide margins, and Simmons played 20 or more minutes in three of those. Against the Nuggets, he's more likely to factor into the game and return value relative to salary.

• SF Justin Anderson (25K), Mavericks (vs. Suns): Anderson only played five minutes in his last game and has combined for only 30 in his last three. He's largely a bust, but changes could be afoot in Dallas as the team is in freefall. The Suns are a bottom-10 defensive team, too, and if Anderson sees his minutes jump his production should follow.

• PF Kevin Seraphin (25K), Pacers (vs. Nets): Seraphin has played double-digit minutes in three straight games, seeing his production improve with each outing. It's entirely possible a dip occurs, but the Nets provide the closest thing to a gimme matchup the Pacers will find. Another solid game can follow as long as Seraphin finds the floor.

Top Fades

• SG DeMar DeRozan (80K), Raptors (vs. Jazz): DeRozan finished the Raptors' recent road trip less effective than how he started. His scoring was fine, but he did little else in his games against the Suns, Lakers, and Spurs. While the Spurs are elite, the same can't be remotely said of the other two. A decent game could follow as he returns home, but the Jazz feature the second most efficient defense after San Antonio.

• PF LaMarcus Aldridge (69K), Spurs (at Nuggets): Aldridge has had spurts showcasing the remaining upside, including a 27-point, 13-assist performance in a close loss against the Hawks on New Year's Day. That this seems like a chip shot is what should be concerning. He scored only eight points in 29 minutes against an even weaker Trail Blazers defense Dec. 30.

• C Brook Lopez (82K), Nets (at Pacers): Lopez is the most expensive C on the slate and one of the priciest frontcourt options all told. While he has been about as consistent as you could hope, especially with the added element of a 3-point shot this season, the price is too great. Even though the Pacers are a mid-range defensive team, there are cheaper options who can provide similar or better results.

Contrarian Options

• PG Kemba Walker (82K), Hornets (at Pistons): The Pistons' top-10 defense is enough to generate some concern over Walker's upside, but he has hardly struggled against other top-tier opponents. Walker is almost matchup-proof, with a fairly steady floor and an ability to crash through his ceiling any given night.

• SF Gordon Hayward (80K), Jazz (at Raptors): The Jazz are playing the third of five games amidst an Eastern road trip after splitting a back-to-back set in Brooklyn and Boston. Hayward is always good for 30-plus minutes, but travel fatigue may contribute to a down game, or so the perception goes. His usage is always high and he packs in a couple steals most nights to boost his overall scoring.

• SF Luol Deng (47K), Lakers (at Trail Blazers): Biceps tendinitis kept Deng out of practice Wednesday, putting his status for Thursday in jeopardy. He has not been great of late, failing to reach double digits in any stat category over his last four games after back to back double-doubles. If he suits up, a face off against Portland sets him up for success.