It’s NFL playoff time, but that shouldn’t deter you from tonight’s six-game NBA slate. There are some fun matchups to target and injuries affecting some of the stars. Also, the age-old question: “Is Luka’s price tag worth it?”

Make sure to follow me on twitter @jac3600 for more DFS talk.

View the best player prop bets for tonight’s slate with our NBA Prop Bet Cheat Sheet

NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: January 14, 2023

TOP PLAYS

Luka Doncic (DAL): $12,800 DK/$12,500 FD

Doncic has been posting unreal rates and DK scores lately. Whether or not to play him in cash is going to come down to the amount of Saturday values that are available and where his ownership lands. Fire away on all cylinders in GPPs

Jayson Tatum (BOS): $10,600 DK/$10,800 FD

I imagine Tatum is going to be quite popular tonight, making him the early choice for cash stud. Tatum put up 44 DK points last game despite an abysmal 31.8 FG%, which shows the kind of role he sees without Jaylen Brown. With Brown expected to miss at least a week, Tatum’s rates will be sky high – 36-percent usage rate, 20.4-percent assist rate this year with Brown off the court. Charlotte ranks 27th in overall team defensive efficiency.

CASH PICKS

Jusuf Nurkic (POR): $7000 DK/$8000 FD

This is more a DK-specific cash play, as Nurkic is fully priced up on FanDuel. The price at DK is a fantastic one to pay for him there. Usually someone to see his minutes handled, Nurkic has been unleashed the last four games with minutes of 33, 38, 34 and 32. He’s recorded a double-doubles in all four. Dallas presents a tough defensive matchup for centers but ranks dead last in rebounding rate. A fifth straight double-double looks like a strong bet for Nurkic.

Marcus Smart (BOS): $5900 DK/$6400 FD

Smart should be megachalk on both sites tonight after putting up a 16-6-10 line in 36 minutes last game. He does not see the usage boost that some of his teammates do, but the minutes floor is sky high and his assist rate balloons to 30.8 percent. You can differentiate with other Boston players in GPP, but a Smart-Tatum pairing in cash is a solid floor move.

VALUE PLAYS

Bennedict Mathurin (IND): $4900 DK/$5600 FD

Andrew Nembhard (IND): $4600 DK/$5700 FD

Last night, we saw a prime example of Pacer-life without Tyrese Haliburton. The rookie Mathurin is a shoo-in at his price points after playing 39 minutes. Whether starting or not, Mathurin has an elite 28.4-percent usage rate without Haliburton and should be locked into cash.

Nembhard does not have the same ceiling as Mathurin, but he too should be ticketed for major minutes and his price did not move from yesterday. The matchup is brutal against Memphis, but the prices leave so much room for upside, allowing you to spend on some top-tier studs.

Other Options: Robert Williams, Al Horford, Grant Williams, Isaiah Jackson (if Myles Turner is out), Malik Beasley, T.J. McConnell

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