Professional Sports
FanDuel NBA DFS Picks for Today (Friday, 1/17/25)
When we check the flow chart today, we have a huge DvP hit with “point guards against the Bulls” once again as Charlotte star LaMelo Ball gets a matchup with Chicago. We were ready to roll Trae Young in this spot on Wednesday before he was ruled out, but his backup — Keaton Wallace — […]


When we check the flow chart today, we have a huge DvP hit with “point guards against the Bulls” once again as Charlotte star LaMelo Ball gets a matchup with Chicago.
We were ready to roll Trae Young in this spot on Wednesday before he was ruled out, but his backup — Keaton Wallace — fared quite well with a 27-6-6 line of his own and four steals!Featured Promo: Get any DFS Premium Bundle for for 30% off using code NEW! Win more with expert advice from proven winners and exclusive DFS tools. Get instant access to RotoBaller’s Lineup Optimizers, Research Stations, daily picks and VIP chat rooms across 10 sports!
Today’s FanDuel NBA DFS Core Picks
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Here is where I leave you with some of my favorites.
Hopefully, the Raptors can continue their solid recent play and keep this one close against Milwaukee. I feel pretty good about their chances as they are coming off an upset of the Celtics in a game in which they were 15-point underdogs!
If the Nets get a little healthier and can be more competitive, then Clowney is in a good spot to produce. He should get overlooked today with all this Utah value.
This play didn’t work out quite like I wanted it to on Wednesday as the Magic were handled easily by the Bucks, but Isaac should have an opportunity tonight to play solid minutes with Goga Bitadze out again. He can stuff the stat sheet in a hurry, so we just need 20 minutes or more from him.
🔸LaMelo Ball: 21-53 – 40%
🔸LeBron James: 3-5 – 60%
🔸Trae Young: 3-7 – 43%
🔸Victor Wembanyama: 2-6 – 33%
🔸Tyrese Haliburton: 1-6 – 17%
Barnes can stuff the stat sheet across the board, including with defensive stats, so I am more than willing to pay 9K for him as I think he brings a legit 50+ FD point ceiling in this spot.
— Basketball Forever (@bballforever_) January 16, 2025
Others Under Consideration: Miles Bridges – SF/PF (,700), Jimmy Butler– SF/PF (,600)
If you love grinding DFS slates day in and day out throughout these cold winter days, then you’ve come to the right place. FanDuel has a solid nine-game slate on tap, and thanks to the Utah Jazz (who are sitting half their team tonight), we have plenty of value to make it a high-scoring stars-and-scrubs slate.
Murphy continued his strong play on Wednesday night, posting 52 FD points on the strength of a 24-10-4 line and four combined blocks/steals.
Scottie Barnes, TOR – SF/PF (,100)
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Be sure to also check out all of our other daily fantasy basketball articles and analysis to help you set those winning lineups, including this new RotoBaller YouTube video:
Others Under Consideration: Day’Ron Sharpe – C (,600), Jaylin Williams – C (,800), Isaiah Collier – PG (,700)
Mark Williams, CHA – C (,200)
This article will provide my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel on 1/17/25. Remember to monitor NBA injury news and our awesome NBA injuries report tool, as the slate can completely change before lineups lock at 7:00 p.m. EST on FanDuel.
(via Sport Radar) pic.twitter.com/OYxvamQHbQ
Today’s FanDuel NBA DFS Tournament Pivots
I recommend some higher-priced players for cash games and GPPs in today’s edition while highlighting some of my favorite value plays and game stacks. If you want DraftKings picks, see who Zach Thompson likes by reading his piece here.
Noah Clowney, BKN – PF/C (,100)
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Brice Sensabaugh, UTA – SF (,200)
Mark Williams is a mean machine. Throw it down on his former teammate, Mason Plumlee pic.twitter.com/7aISSurgb8
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As long as the Pelicans don’t blow this game open too early, Murphy should be in a great spot to replicate his recent success.
Ball is in great form, having scored 50+ FD points in three straight, and now gets a soft Chicago defense that allows the second-most FD points to opposing point guards.
Dallas is without Dereck Lively II tonight and has been soft on the interior all year. Look for Williams to continue his strong play with a big performance tonight. He brings a very safe floor with a nice ceiling (thanks to the defensive stats) as well.
With Isaiah Hartenstein out (and Chet Holmgren still out), we are back to OKC playing swingman Jalen Williams at center in some super small-ball lineups.
LaMelo Ball, CHA – PG (,300)
Utah is missing John Collins, Walker Kessler, Lauri Markkanen, and Micah Potter in the frontcourt tonight. That means Eubanks should likely draw the start at center and Filipowski at PF.
Today’s FanDuel NBA DFS Value Picks
It was ugly for Brooklyn on Wednesday night as it was thoroughly trounced by the Clippers but Clowney is only two games removed from a solid outing against Portland.
Eubanks is a journeyman but has always been effective with minutes. He’s averaging 30 FD points over his last two games, while Filipowski has been a bit more spotty with his production. Both guys have a chance to play 30+ minutes tonight against a New Orleans team that has been below-average defensively this season.
Others Under Consideration: Jalen Brunson – PG (,300), Victor Wembanyama – PF/C (,000)
Trey Murphy III, NO – SG/SF (,900)
LaMelo Ball has been GOING CRAZY with the one-legged 3’s this season 🤯
Jalen Williams, OKC – SF/PF (,700)
Barnes should be running the point tonight for much of this game as Immanuel Quickley remains out for Toronto.
— Shane Young (@YoungNBA) January 13, 2025
Jonathan Isaac, ORL – SF/PF (,700)
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With Zion Williamson back in the lineup tonight, those boards might not all be there, but Murphy will surely be firing up shots and gets a very soft opponent in the Utah Jazz — who are without most of their starters.
Mark Williams has officially arrived, and with Nick Richards now in Phoenix, it could be a huge year for the Hornets big man (if he can stay healthy!).
My Favorite NBA DFS Picks for Today
This is an eruption spot for Ball, who finally has Mikal Bridges and Mark Williams healthy at the same time as reliable scorers to whom he can pass for some easy assists, too.
- My favorite OVERALL play on the slate: LaMelo Ball
- My favorite CASH play on the slate: LaMelo Ball
- My favorite GPP play on the slate: Mark Williams
- My favorite VALUE play: Drew Eubanks
Sensabaugh has been coming off the bench, but rookie Cody Williams has not done much offensively, and the Jazz need offense in the worst way.Drew Eubanks, UTA – C (,200), Kyle Filipowski, UTA – PF/C (,100)With FanDuel jacking up Daniel Gafford‘s price to ,000, I’d much rather just pay a few hundred bucks more for Williams and his massive ceiling. We can pair him with LaMelo, too, as the two of them have been a formidable duo in their limited time together this season.
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More DFS Lineup Picks and Analysis


Professional Sports
UFC 318 staff picks include a defeat in Dustin Poirier's final fight and more predictions
Dustin Poirier bids farewell to the octagon when he battles Max Holloway in his final ever MMA fight at UFC 318. “Diamond” is hanging up his gloves after UFC 318 at the end of an incredible 16-year career in MMA. In that time, Dustin Poirier became a fan-favorite to UFC fans and even won the […]

Dustin Poirier bids farewell to the octagon when he battles Max Holloway in his final ever MMA fight at UFC 318.
“Diamond” is hanging up his gloves after UFC 318 at the end of an incredible 16-year career in MMA.
In that time, Dustin Poirier became a fan-favorite to UFC fans and even won the Interim UFC Light championship in 2019 from his upcoming opponent.
This fight will be Poirier’s third bout against Max Holloway, where he will be hoping to make it 3-0 at the top of a packed card at UFC 318.
However, Holloway is a different fighter from their earlier bouts and is now considered one of the greatest Featherweights in UFC history. He will want to finally get a win over Poirier in what will be a tense and emotional main event.
Ahead of UFC 318, the experts at Bloody Elbow have made their staff picks for the two main event fights, as well as the Performance of the Night and the Fight of the Night.

Max Holloway vs Dustin Poirier 3 prediction
- Jamie Theodosi – Max Holloway
- Donagh Corby – Max Holloway
- Jordan Ellis – Max Holloway
- Ross Markey – Max Holloway
While it would be a fantastic story to see Poirier going out with a win, the Bloody Elbow experts have unanimously predicted that Holloway will leave UFC 318 with the win.
Poirier hasn’t fought since losing to Islam Makhachev in June last year, as he missed out on the chance to become the UFC Lightweight champion proper.
“Diamond” has had a mixed record in the last few years, losing three of his last five fights since winning back-to-back bouts against Conor McGregor, in what were some of Poirier’s best performances to date.
MORE BLOODY ELBOW NEWS
This poor record at the end of his career hints that Holloway will win the fight against Poirier, at the third time of asking.
The Hawaiian fighter was on a three-strike win streak before being knocked out by Ilia Topuria, although it is hard to hold that loss against him, given how dominant Topuria has been since.
This should be a close fight between two icons of the UFC, but it is hard to look past Holloway when picking the winner in Poirier’s swansong.
Paulo Costa vs Roman Kopylov prediction
- Jamie Theodosi – Paulo Costa
- Donagh Corby – Paulo Costa
- Jordan Ellis – Roman Kopylov
- Ross Markey – Paulo Costa
The co-main event of UFC 318 has been moved around a lot before finding its home just before Poirier’s final fight.
Paulo Costa vs Roman Kopylov was supposed to take place at UFC 317 before being moved to UFC 319, then back to this show on July 19.
Jordan is backing Kopylov to win the bout after picking up back-to-back wins in his last fights, while Costa is still licking his wounds after his UFC 302 loss to Sean Strickland.
Despite his record of four losses in his past five fights, Jamie, Donagh, and Ross are all predicting Costa to end his poor form to beat Kopylov in the fight, turning the tables on the Russian and ending his own good form in the process.
Fight of the Night
- Jamie Theodosi – Max Holloway vs Dustin Poirier
- Donagh Corby – Dan Ige vs Patricio Pitbull
- Jordan Ellis – Max Holloway vs Dustin Poirier
- Ross Markey – Max Holloway vs Dustin Poirier
The main event is expected to be the best Fight of the Night at UFC 318, with Jamie, Jordan, and Ross all predicting it to win that night’s bonus.
Their previous two matches both impressed, and this being Poirier’s last fight, he will want to go all out to put on the best performance he can, even if he doesn’t walk out the winner.
However, Donagh thinks that the undercard bout between Dan Ige and Patricio Pitbull will win the Fight of the Night bonus.
Pitbull suffered defeat in his UFC debut, and time is running out to make himself a fixture in the promotion.
He will need to be at his best to take on Ige, who will hope to build on his KO win at UFC 314 to catapult himself towards a title shot, at the Brazilian’s expense.
Performance of the Night
- Jamie Theodosi -Daniel Zellhuber
- Donagh Corby – Daniel Rodriguez
- Jordan Ellis – Dan Ige
- Ross Markey – Dan Ige
The experts have three different picks for who will win the coveted Performance of the Night bonus at UFC 318.
Jamie is predicting Daniel Zellhuber to earn the Performance of the Night bonus when he takes on Michael Johnson.
The Mexican fighter is 3-2 in his UFC career so far, and he will hope to build some momentum against a fighter who handily beat his last two opponents to end a poor run of results.
Meanwhile, Donagh is backing Daniel Rodriguez to earn a $50,000 bonus at UFC 318. He is fighting the impressive Kevin Holland, who is deadly in the octagon but is susceptible when facing a top fighter, as Rodriguez hopes to be.
“D-Rod” has a history in boxing and is deadly with his hands in the UFC, so he will be aiming for a knockout win against Holland at UFC 318.
Finally, both Ellis and Ross think that Ige will have too much for Pitbull on July 19 and will put away the Bellator legend, potentially for good, in his second UFC fight.
College Sports
Kentucky recruiting update on Tay Kinney and Jordan Smith
The Kentucky basketball staff continues to lay the groundwork for its 2026 recruiting class, with 5-star guards Jordan Smith Jr. and Tay Kinney among their top targets. Smith, a dynamic scorer and elite perimeter defender, was planning to wait until next spring to commit, due to the uncertainty created by the transfer portal. However, he […]


The Kentucky basketball staff continues to lay the groundwork for its 2026 recruiting class, with 5-star guards Jordan Smith Jr. and Tay Kinney among their top targets.
Smith, a dynamic scorer and elite perimeter defender, was planning to wait until next spring to commit, due to the uncertainty created by the transfer portal.
However, he recently told Joe Tipton of On3 and Rivals his timeline is now “up in the air.” That news opens the door for Mark Pope and the Wildcats to stay aggressive in their pursuit.
Smith doesn’t have any official visits set yet, according to Tipton, but Kentucky is one of the seven schools he hopes to visit, along with Arkansas, Duke, Louisville, Syracuse, Indiana, and Georgetown.
While Tipton believes Arkansas and Duke are early favorites, Pope’s fast-paced, NBA-style offense and Kentucky’s tradition of sending guards to the league continue to resonate with top talent.
Meanwhile, Pope and his staff are also keeping a close eye on Kinney, a top-15 point guard who’s drawing serious attention across the country. Louisville is thought to be in a strong position, and while the Wildcats remain in the mix, another SEC school could be surging ahead.
Kinney recently scheduled an official visit to Arkansas, who is becoming a significant player in this recruitment, according to Tipton.
“I really think Arkansas is shaping up to be a serious contender,” Tipton wrote.
Texas, Oregon, Indiana, and Purdue are also involved.
Both Smith and Kinney would fit seamlessly into Pope’s offensive system, with their versatility and high motors. As Kentucky reshapes its identity under Pope, securing a dynamic backcourt duo in the 2026 class could be pivotal to building a future national title contender.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for more Kentucky Wildcats news and views!! Go CATS!!!
College Sports
Five of the best sports documentaries of all time (and where to watch them)
Here is a collection of the most exciting, nail-biting, emotional documentaries you’ll ever see. Advertorial by Bestbettingsiteoffers The great thing about sports documentaries is that they can cover a huge, HUGE amount of events. Obviously, the stuff that immediately comes to mind are the huge sporting events from around the world, but if you think […]

Here is a collection of the most exciting, nail-biting, emotional documentaries you’ll ever see.
Advertorial by Bestbettingsiteoffers
The great thing about sports documentaries is that they can cover a huge, HUGE amount of events. Obviously, the stuff that immediately comes to mind are the huge sporting events from around the world, but if you think smaller, think more niche, there is very likely a fantastic documentary dealing with that event too.
Fascinated by deep-sea diving? A must-watch for you is The Deepest Breath. A lover of e-sports? Then you have to check out The King Of Kong. Looking for something completely left field but still super competitive? Spellbound is the one for you, set in the world of spelling bees.
Sports fans tend to follow more than just the games—news, stats, even things like betting offers often come up in the mix. These documentaries tap into that same wide interest, showing how deep the love for competition can go.
See what we mean? There is quite literally something for everyone. Whittling down that list to five of the best is tough, but these picks are tremendous, and some of the best movies ever made, not just under the banner of sports documentaries.
So on with our five picks, and where to watch them* right now:
Free Solo – Disney+
From the description alone, you would be forgiven for thinking this isn’t going to be THAT interesting a watch, as the documentary profiles rock climber Alex Honnold on his quest to perform the first-ever free solo climb of a route on El Capitan, a vertical rock formation found in Yosemite National Park in California. So you’ll have to trust us when we tell you this is one of the most edge-of-your-seat movies you’ll ever see, and it proved to be so impressive that it went on to win the Best Documentary Oscar back in 2019.
Murderball – rent on Apple TV
This documentary focuses on the intense rivalry between the American and Canadian wheelchair rugby teams in the run-up to the 2004 Paralympic Games taking place in Athens, Greece. We get to know the players and their families, who all talk openly and frankly about their injuries, personal lives, and the love of the game that has them all vying for the gold. This movie was nominated for Best Documentary at the 2006 Oscars, but lost out to March of the Penguins.
Icarus – Netflix
Some of the best documentaries are those that begin filming with something specific in mind – in this case, director Bryan Fogel wanted to expose the inadequacy of the procedures to catch athletes using performance-enhancing substances – but become something else over the course of the movie being made – here, the World Anti-Doping Agency’s investigation of doping in Russia led to the head of the Moscow Anti-Doping Laboratory to flee his country and become a whistleblower. Icarus went on to win the 2018 Best Documentary Feature Oscar.
Senna – Netflix
Arguably one of the best and most impactful documentaries not to even be nominated for an Oscar, this film tells the story of much-loved Brazilian motor-racing champion Ayrton Senna. Directed by Asif Kapadia (who went on to win an Oscar in 2016 for his Amy Winehouse documentary), it tells us about Senna’s life, death, and intimate rivalry with fellow driver Alain Prost through archival race footage and home video recorded by Senna’s friends and family.
When We Were Kings – Sky/NOW
Another Best Documentary Picture winner, focusing on the night of The Rumble in the Jungle in 1974. Betting offers on underdog Muhammad Ali were 4-1 against the then-unbeaten, heavy-hitting George Forman. It took director Leon Gast over 22 years to edit and finance before it could be released in 2006, when it was met with immediate critical acclaim, and the movie is still considered to be one of the best sports documentaries ever made.
*Information correct for readers in the UK and Ireland at the time of writing
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College Sports
Timmins athlete wins gold at provincials – TimminsToday.com
TIMMINS – Athlete Chris Exel is a man of his word. Ahead of the Special Olympics Provincial Summer Games, the 25-year-old said he wanted to bring gold medals back to the City with a Heart of Gold. He’s returning home with two golds and a bronze medal. SEE: ‘Gotta bring back the gold’: Timmins athlete competing […]


TIMMINS – Athlete Chris Exel is a man of his word.
Ahead of the Special Olympics Provincial Summer Games, the 25-year-old said he wanted to bring gold medals back to the City with a Heart of Gold. He’s returning home with two golds and a bronze medal.
SEE: ‘Gotta bring back the gold’: Timmins athlete competing at provincials
In soccer, the Timmins team also won the silver medal in their division.
Exel won first in the 50-metre race with a time of 7.91 seconds, and in shot put, his gold-medal winning throw was 8.53 metres. He took bronze in javelin, where he threw 16.78 metres.
This was the first time 25-year-old Exel competed at the provincial games, which were held July 10-13 in Brantford. The Special Olympics committee will let the athletes who are moving on to the 2026 nationals know later this year.
As for the next provincial games, those will be a little closer to home for Timmins athletes next time, with the event being held in North Bay.
Watch Exel’s gold-medal race below:
Professional Sports
UFC champion gives brutally honest opinion on the BMF title ahead of UFC 318 clash
Ever since the BMF title was introduced in the UFC, it has received both praise and criticism from fans and stars of the sport. This coming Saturday in the UFC 318 main event, the BMF title will be on the line for just the fourth time in UFC history when Max Holloway takes on Dustin […]

Ever since the BMF title was introduced in the UFC, it has received both praise and criticism from fans and stars of the sport.
This coming Saturday in the UFC 318 main event, the BMF title will be on the line for just the fourth time in UFC history when Max Holloway takes on Dustin Poirier.
Holloway won the controversial strap with one of the most incredible knockouts in UFC history when he face-planted Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 last year.
With a win over ‘The Diamond’, Holloway will become the first fighter to successfully defend the strap as both Justin Gaethje and Jorge Masvidal failed to defend it.

Tom Aspinall gives brutally honest opinion on the BMF title
Ever since the BMF title was introduced in the UFC in 2019 it has received its criticism from the MMA fanbase because of the fact that it isn’t truly considered a ‘real’ title.
However, it is not just the fans that are critical of the title as current UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall has shared his brutally honest thoughts about the strap.
“Do you want my honest opinion (on the title)? I mean, it’s a title but it’s not a world championship so what are we doing?” Aspinall began to explain on UFC on TNT.
“These guys don’t need a title, they’re two legends of the sport, look at the name value, even look at the rankings, look at the amount of fights they’ve got, look at the shorts they’re wearing, we don’t really need a title on the line, to be honest,” Aspinall continued.
Despite his incredible career in the UFC, Poirier has never been an undisputed champion and that is one of the reasons why he is retiring now, knowing the likelihood of that is over.
MORE BLOODY ELBOW NEWS
Max Holloway removed from rankings ahead of UFC 318
‘Blessed’ on the other hand had an incredible career at featherweight, prior to making his permanent move up to lightweight, and is one of the greatest in the division’s history.
And ahead of his UFC 318 BMF title defence at lightweight, Holloway found himself still ranked number one in the 145lb division which he claimed was ‘ridiculous’.
However, just days before his clash against Poirier in Louisiana, Holloway has been removed from the featherweight rankings after his pre-fight request.
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