Squad Up Daily NBA Fantasy Dose: Nuggets, Lakers lack defense but present value

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Here is a look at the Squad Up daily NBA fantasy picture for Tuesday, Jan. 17:

Dynamic Duos

• C Nikola Jokic (69K) & SF Wilson Chandler (60K), Nuggets (at Lakers): Jokic has emerged as the Nuggets' top playmaker, averaging 18.6 points and 5.5 assists since rejoining the starting lineup. More than one of those assists per game have been to Chandler, who played just 20 minutes Monday and could see an increased role with Gary Harris ruled out.

• C Pau Gasol (57K) & PG Tony Parker (43K), Spurs (vs. Timberwolves): Since Dec. 5, Gasol and Parker have averaged 2.2 assists per game between each other alone. Their playing time can be erratic but at modest prices, you can take advantage of having two six-time All-Stars bookending your lineup. They both show glimpses of their former stardom with some frequency.

• PF Taj Gibson (50K) & PG Michael Carter-Williams (47K), Bulls (vs. Mavericks): This isn't an exciting duo, but it has established some chemistry since Carter-Williams became a starter nine games ago. In that span, MCW averaged 1.1 assists per game to Gibson, and together they've combined for 21.8 points, 13.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.2 blocks per game.

Bargain Plays

• SF Brandon Ingram (35K), Lakers (vs. Nuggets): Ingram is starting to come around, averaging 12 points, four rebounds and 2.6 assists in 30 minutes per game since Jan. 5. The Nuggets are to defense what lakes are to coastal California: spuriously related at best. This should be a back-and-forth shootout between the NBA's two worst defenses.

• SG Jamal Murray (25K), Nuggets (at Lakers): The Nuggets are the only team playing on the second half of a back-to-back and both Emmanuel Mudiay and Jameer Nelson saw 32-plus minutes in Monday's affair. By comparison, Murray played just four minutes. The Lakers have the worst defensive efficiency in the NBA, so if there were ever an opportunity for a minimum-priced bench player to exceed expectations, it's Tuesday.

• C Dewayne Dedmon (29K), Spurs (at Timberwolves): Dedmon's fifth-highest totals in both minutes played and rebounds came against Minnesota earlier this season. The athletic tandem of Karl-Anthony Towns and Gorgui Dieng could give Pau Gasol some trouble. It wouldn't be a shock to see Dedmon see more extended run.

Top Fades

• SF Danilo Gallinari (56K), Nuggets (at Lakers): Gallinari logged 40 minutes of action on Monday. If the team can afford to scale back his minutes against a bad Lakers team, expect it to do so.

• C Montrezl Harrell (47K), Rockets (at Heat): While Harrell has a bit more range than the average Houston center, he still takes the vast majority of his shots near the hoop - right in ace shot-blocker Hassan Whiteside's personal no-fly zone. He'll still have an opportunity to get to the line but his chances of a big game are slim.

• PG J.J. Barea (32K), Mavericks (at Bulls): Barea is modestly priced and daily fantasy players will recall that he averaged 16.3 points per game before suffering an injury in mid-November. He has only played 16.8 minutes per game over his last four outings and his lack of size plays right into the Bulls' strength in their backcourt.

Contrarian Options

• PG D'Angelo Russell (70K), Lakers (vs. Nuggets): Russell is one game removed from three consecutive single-digit scoring performances, the first such occurrence of his career. Goran Dragic is barely more expensive (73K) and has averaged 4.8 more fantasy points per outing, but the decrepitude of a tired Nuggets defense cannot be overstated. Of the mid-tier options, Russell has the highest upside relative to price.

• SF DeMarre Carroll (50K), Raptors (at Nets): Carroll is the Raptors' streakiest starter because of his supporting role within the offense. The Nets offer a great matchup for any "3-and-D" player by allowing opponents to shoot the 10th-highest 3-point percentage against while leading the league with 17.2 turnovers per game. He's a tournament lineup play, but Carroll could shine in Brooklyn.

• PF Ryan Anderson (48K), Rockets (at Heat): For as bad as they've been this season, the Heat can hang their hat on piecing together a middle-of-the-pack defense, anchored by interior presence of Hassan Whiteside and grit of James Johnson. Luckily, Anderson can lean on his outside shooting; the stretch four has shot 40.9% on 3s over the past month, taking over seven per game.