We have a four-game NBA DFS main slate on Thursday, February 1st, on DraftKings and FanDuel. This slate has been turned upside down with the latest news that LeBron James and Anthony Davis are out tonight. Even with them out, Donovan Mitchell, Jalen Brunson, Jayson Tatum, and Tyrese Haliburton are still on the slate, so plenty of star power still. Let's dive into today's NBA DFS top plays for the four-game main slate.

NBA DFS Tools to dominate tonight's NBA DFS slate!

Make sure to check out today's NBA DFS projections and NBA DFS ownership projections before finalizing your lineups today. We also have the NBA Consistency Report to help identify players that have exceeded value based on their current price tag this season and of course our NBA DFS Lineup Generator!

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Notable NBA Injury Updates

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Back-to-Backs

Pace

Pace definition: Pace is the total number of possessions a team uses in a game.

*key* Green is elite pace of play, Blue is decent pace of play, & Red is slow pace of play.

Green = Fast Paced team

Blue = Neutral Paced team

Red = Slow Paced team

Defensive Ratings

NBA Game Totals

Top Tier Core Plays

Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers

On the surface, this game is terrible. No doubt, it’s terrible. That said, Evan Mobley's been ruled out and we're not certain about Darius Garland. Even if he does play, it's on a limit. Mitchell’s on a heater right now averaging 30.6 points, 9.4 assists, 5.6 rebounds, and 57.6 DKP/game over his last five.

Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks

Brunson's been good, not great from an FP scale the last couple of slates without Julius Randle, but man this is a spot that could change that narrative. Still, without the guys that are in, Brunson's at a 33% USG and averages 1.39 FP/min. 50 FP is normally great, but his price continues to rise, that's the only reason I worded it that way. Elite play tonight.

Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers

Here's what we know. Nick Nurse thinks Maxey will play. We know Embiid, Melton, and Covington are out. With all that in play, Maxey and the 76ers get a massive pace-up spot and he'll have the team to himself here. Maxey, with those guys out, is at 1.36 FP/min this season along with a 9.4% USG bump to 36.7%.

Mid-Tier Core Plays

Lauri Markkanen, Utah Jazz

Markkanen is the Jazz's best player and we saw what the Philly defense looks like without Joel Embiid last game, well, a less than 100% Embiid, and now Embiid's fully out. Markkanen and his 25% USG and 1.28 FP/min average is a fantastic spot to attack.

Jarrett Allen, Cleveland Cavaliers

Have you seen what centers have done to Memphis lately? It's all year they've struggled rebounding as they're bottom-five in rebounding opportunity. Sabonsi has 25 rebounds against them the other day and now Allen gets a center room all by himself with Evan Mobley ruled out. He's had 11+ rebounds in 16 straight games and has flashed a ceiling of 23 in that span. This is a ceiling-rebounding spot for Allen.

Kristaps Porzingis, Boston Celtics

If you think this game can stay close, someone on Boston is going to have a big game. With their starting five fully healthy and playing together, it's Porzingis who leads the team in FP/min at 1.22 while posting a 23.8% USG rate. Porzingis has a very solid floor/ceiling combination and gets a match-up against Jaxson Hayes and Christian Wood.

D'Angelo Russell, Los Angeles Lakers

Tied with Austin Reaves at 1.37 FP/min without James, Davis, and Vincent is Russell and that's an elite number. Russell is a good shot-creator and can be a good facilitator as well. He gets a 7.2% USG bump up to 30.2% USG rate without those guys this year. He has 40 minute upside and the highest ceiling on the Lakers.

Austin Reaves, Los Angeles Lakers

Without James, Davis, and Vincent this year, Reaves sees the biggest usage bump at 12.6% up to 33.4%, which leads the team. He's also at 1.37 FP/min, which is tied with DLo for the team lead. If the Lakers can keep this game competitive, it's because of Reaves.

Tobias Harris, Philadelphia 76ers

Whether Maxey plays or not, Tobias Harris is going to be a staple in many lineups, including mine. With Embiid, Melton, and Covington out, he sits at a 25.5% USG and 1.13 FP/min. If Maxey sits, the usage goes up and Harris will have the team to himself. 

Donte DiVincenzo, New York Knicks

Everyone's darling the last two games, why not make it three straight? This is as good of a pace up spot as we're going to get on tonight's slate and the Knicks could be even more short-handed than the last two games with Quentin Grimes popping on the injury report. With just Quickley, Barrett, Randle, and Robinson off the floor, he has a 26.6% USG and averages 1.24 FP/min.

Collin Sexton, Utah Jazz

Second on the Utah Jazz in FP/min this year? Collin Sexton is at 1.2, which is an elite number. He also sports at 27.5% USG, which is percentage points away from the team lead. Anytime we see Sexton extended he's putting up a crooked fantasy score.

Isaiah Hartenstein, New York Knicks

Some 25-minute limit last game. Hartenstein played 29 minutes and now gets a pace-up spot in a good spot for centers. With the same guys out as I mentioned above with DDV, he's at 1.23 FP./min. That goes up to 1.28 if Anunoby is also out again. The minutes cap should be all but gone here.

Paul Reed, Philadelphia 76ers

Look, he's been a very good fantasy producer when Joel Embiid's off the floor. He's at 1.05 FP/min without Embiid off and Maxey on. He's at 1.13 when BOTH are off. He needs to stay out of foul trouble and will be be able to chase John Collins around the perimeter is really the question.

Value Tier Core Plays

John Collins, Utah Jazz

Collins has been one of the most consistent Jazz players lately as he's averaged 27.4 minutes and 35.9 DKP/game over his last five, averaging a double-double during that span. Collins is a tough match-up for Paul Reed cuz he'll pull him to the perimeter and space the floor against him. Collins is up to 1.04 FP/min on the year.

Aaron Nesmith, Indiana Pacers

Nesmith isn't going to break the slate again (I think) but I recognize how good he's been lately regardless. The minutes are up, the production is up, and thus, here we are. He's a .97 FP/min player with Pascal Siakam this year and the fit next to Siakam has been perfect for him. 

Jarred Vanderbilt, Rui Hachimura, Christian Wood, Los Angeles Lakers

Which Lakers front-court member is the most valuable? From a FP/min standpoint, it's Christian Wood at 1.02. He is seemingly splitting time with Jaxson Hayes who will likely start and play over him in blowouts. Hachimura sits with the highest USG at 22% and his .83 FP/min is OK. Vandy has been the worst in both categories this year, but he's been the best of the three lately, so he's my preferred option, but I have interest in all of them.

Kelly Olynyk, Utah Jazz

I almost went Simone Fontecchio here, but why not just go with the cheaper asset that's a better fantasy producer? Olynyk is averaging 1.1 FP/min, which is third on the team, and has twice hit the 20-minute mark over his last four games. He has a VERY high ceiling and low floor, so take that for what it is.

Late-News Core Play Section

*Section for players we are considering “core plays” based on late-breaking news & research

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