NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: Friday (1/12)

It was disappointing to have just four games on the main card yesterday, but we’re back to a full slate of action here. We have 10 games yet again, but the injury report is mayhem. We’re getting into the middle portion of the season, and the injuries are going to keep flowing in. With that in mind, let’s look at the schedule and then dive into that lengthy injury report!

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

NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: Friday (1/12)

Schedule and Odds

• SAC at PHI (PHI -1) O/U: 242
• IND at ATL (ATL -5.5) O/U: 254.5
• HOU at DET (HOU -7) O/U: 226.5
• GSW at CHI (CHI -3) O/U: 229
• ORL at MIA (MIA -3.5) O/U: 219
• POR at MIN (MIN -14) O/U: 222.5
• CHA at SAS (SAS -1) O/U: 242.5
• LAC at MEM (LAC -7.5) O/U: 227
• TOR at UTA (UTA -2) O/U: 238
• NOP at DEN (DEN -9) O/U: 227.5

Check out our consensus game odds as well as the odds from each sportsbook at BettingPros.

Injury Report

• Tyrese Haliburton (hamstring) OUT
• Clint Capela (Achilles) Probable
• Cade Cunningham (knee) OUT
• Joel Embiid (knee) OUT
• Draymond Green (suspension) OUT
• Franz Wagner (ankle) OUT
• Jimmy Butler (foot) Doubtful
• Deandre Ayton (knee) OUT
• Rudy Gobert (hip) Questionabls
• LaMelo Ball (ankle) Questionable
• PJ Washington (foot) Doubtful
• Gordon Hayward (calf) OUT
• Ja Morant (shoulder) OUT
• Pascal Siakam (back) Questionable
• Jakob Poeltl (leg) OUT
• Tyler Herro (shoulder) Questionable
• Marcus Smart (finger) OUT
• Zach Collins (ankle) OUT
• Malcolm Brogdon (rest) Questionable

Core Plays

Victor Wembanyama (PF/C – SAS): $9,100 DraftKings, $10,000 FanDuel
Wembanyama is the best rookie in the NBA, and he’s about to be the best player in the league in the near future. The big man is averaging 45 DraftKings points per game in a remarkable rookie season, posting the first triple-double of his career in his most recent outing. He did that across just 21 minutes, giving him at least 50 DK points in three straight games. We don’t want to fade him against Charlotte, surrendering the second-most fantasy points to opposing big men.

Alperen Sengun (C – HOU): $8,400 DraftKings, $8,900 FanDuel
Sengun has taken another step this season and might make his first All-Star game. The Turkish center is averaging 44 DraftKings points per game, scoring at least 33 fantasy points in all but three games this year. Those totals should be easy to reach against Detroit, posting a 26th OPRK against opposing centers while sitting 28th in defensive efficiency.

Terry Rozier (PG/SG – CHA): $8,800 DraftKings, $9,100 FanDuel
LaMelo Ball is close to returning, but we need to keep using Rozier until he’s ready to go. Scary Terry has scored at least 44 DraftKings points in 12 of his last 17 outings, generating a 46-point average in that span. It’s one of the best stretches of his career, but it’s likely to continue with Ball, Hayward, and Washington all expected to miss this game. The matchup is the icing on the cake, with San Antonio sitting 25th in defensive efficiency and 26th in points allowed.

Cash Game Considerations

Nikola Jokic (C – DEN): $11,500 DraftKings, $NA FanDuel
The Joker has been the best cash game option for the last five years. The big man is averaging over 61 DraftKings points per game in that span and has established a 50-point floor. That’s all you want from a cash game option, and we don’t really care who he plays. New Orleans isn’t a bad matchup either, with Joker averaging 30.5 points, 15 rebounds, and 15 assists in their two matchups this season. That’s 80 fantasy points per game.

Trae Young (PG – ATL): $9,900 DraftKings, $10,200 FanDuel
Young is on the injury report, but he’s expected to play in this sensational spot. What makes him such a good option is this incredible matchup with Indiana. The Pacers play at the fastest pace in the NBA while sitting 29th in points allowed. That’s ideal for a guy like this, with Trae averaging 51 DK points per game. In their first matchup, Trae totaled 58 fantasy points in one of his best games of the season.

Immanuel Quickley (PG/SG – TOR): $7,000 DraftKings, $NA FanDuel
The Raptors made a risky trade when they sent OG Anunoby to New York, but it’s done wonders for Quickley’s fantasy value. He’s the starting point guard in Toronto right now, scoring at least 31 DK points in all six games since the trade. We knew this guy would be a stud in a full-time role, and he should be closer to $8K on both sites if he’s going to play 35-40 minutes as the primary ball-handler. Facing Utah is unbelievable too, ranked 23rd in total defense.

GPP Targets

Klay Thompson (SG/SF – GSW): $6,100 DraftKings, $6,200 FanDuel
It’s been a nightmarish season for the Klay and the Warriors, but this sharpshooter is starting to find his shot. Thompson has scored at least 25 DraftKings points in 12 of his last 15 games, scoring at least 31 fantasy points in over half of those. That’s the form that made him an $8K player in the past, and we’re willing to bet on that continuing in a GPP. He slaughtered Chicago last season, scoring at least 41 fantasy points in both of their matchups.

Xavier Tillman (PF/C – MEM): $5,200 DraftKings, $5,600 FanDuel
It’s sad how many injuries this Memphis team has suffered, but it’s forcing Tillman into a prominent role. That led to X scoring 35 DK points across 28 minutes in his most recent outing. We saw him play like that for weeks at a time last season, and we have to assume he’ll see major minutes with how many key players the Grizzlies are missing. This is one position where you can exploit LA, posting an 18th OPRK against opposing big men.

Naz Reid (PF/C – MIN): $5,700 DraftKings, $6,600 FanDuel
We don’t want to use Reid if the T’Wolves are at full strength, but he’s one of the best GPP options if Gobert has to sit again. We thought he’d start for the French center in their most recent outing, but Reid still registered 45 DK points across 37 minutes of play. This guy has played at a $9K level whenever he’s been given a full workload, and we don’t want to fade that opportunity against a Portland team posting a 25th OPRK against opposing centers.

Value Plays

Jaden Ivey (PG/SG – DET): $6,900 DraftKings, $7,300 FanDuel
This Pistons team is beyond pitiful, but Ivey has been a pleasant surprise. He’s stepped up no matter who’s in this lineup, but he’s the primary playmaker now that Cade Cunningham is sidelined. He’s scored at least 39 DraftKings points in both games since Cade went down and has a 34-point average over his last 11 outings. This could be a blowout against Houston, but Ivey should play 30 minutes no matter how this game plays out.

Bruce Brown (SG/SF – IND): $5,600 DraftKings, $5,800 FanDuel
Most people were pivoting to Andrew Nembhard and TJ McConnell in the absence of Tyrese Haliburton, but Brown was the primary playmaker in the first game he missed. He flirted with a triple-double in that expanded role, dropping 41 DK points across just 27 minutes. That’s absurd from a sub-$6K player, and facing Atlanta couldn’t be much better. They sit 28th in total defense while allowing the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing wings.

Tre Jones (PG – SAS): $6,200 DraftKings, $5,600 FanDuel
It was hard to understand why Jones was sitting on the bench for San Antonio, but he’s a great DFS option as the starting point guard now. He’s scored at least 31 DK points in two of his first three games as a starter and averaged nearly 30 fantasy points per game in that role last season. That makes him impossible to fade against a Hornets team that ranks 29th in defensive efficiency ratings.

Advantageous Pricing

• Victor Wembanyama (PF/C – SAS): $9,100 DraftKings, $10,000 FanDuel
• Naz Reid (PF/C – MIN): $5,700 DraftKings, $6,600 FanDuel
• Dejounte Murray (PG/SG – ATL): $7,200 DraftKings, $8,200 FanDuel
• Clint Capela (C – ATL): $6,100 DraftKings, $7,100 FanDuel
• Onyeka Okongwu (C – ATL): $5,800 DraftKings, $6,900 FanDuel
• DeMar DeRozan (SF/PF – CHI): $7,100 DraftKings, $8,000 FanDuel
• Andre Drummond (C – CHI): $5,500 DraftKings, $6,500 FanDuel

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