Welcome to hump day, hoops fans! It is Wednesday, January 3rd of the new year of 2024 and we have a lovely 10-game NBA DFS Slate for our pleasures tonight! There are plenty of nice spots on this slate tonight, but obviously we want to attack those lovely game settings such as the Milwaukee Bucks vs Indiana Pacers, Atlanta Hawks vs Oklahoma City Thunder, and even the Washington Wizards traveling into Cleveland to take on the Cavaliers! Let's talk about the player options for tonight!

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 off their current price tag this season and of course our NBA DFS Lineup Generator!

 

Check out today's NBA DFS Playbook Preview Show

Notable NBA Injury Updates

Out

 

Questionable

 

 

Teams on Back-to-Backs

Second Leg

 

First Leg

 

PACE (Last 15 Games):

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

 

NBA Game Spreads & Totals

 

Top Tier Core Plays

Giannis Antetokounmpo (PF/C), Milwaukee Bucks

Yet again, we have the Bucks vs the Pacers here tonight in a game with a massive total. Giannis has absolutely dominated these match ups so far this season putting up 71, 58, 95, and 78 fantasy points over his last four attempts. The high-paced nature of this game fits Giannis's play-style to an absolute “T” and he has thrived in this setting as the Pacers player a tid-bit larger form of small-ball with Jalen Smith and Myles Turner, neither who can come close to guarding Antetokounmpo.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (PG), Oklahoma City Thunder

We do get SGA here on the second leg of the back-to-back set after he faced the Boston Celtics at home last night while playing 37 minutes of action and recording 57.5 fantasy points on a 36 points, six boards, seven dimes, and one steal stat-line. We do have “some” concern here with this being a back-to-back, however this game is showing just a single point spread with a very nice game total sitting at 248, so we have to see through the lens of the books here. Nonetheless, we know the Hawks have struggled mightily against opposing backcourts this year and have given up their fair share of points, so SGA is easily in the consideration of top plays for tonight.

Tyrese Haliburton (PG), Indiana Pacers

I honestly have Haliburton neck-and-neck here with Shai tonight, as both are in absolute brilliant spots in their own respective match ups and both are playing against some of the worst backcourt defending teams in the league. Much like Giannis in this head-to-head clash, Haliburton has put up some monster fantasy games against the Bucks so far this season including games of 56, 64, 38, and most recently, 59 fantasy points just two nights ago. We don't really need much more context here as Haliburton is easily a top-three play on this slate in this game environment, and on his home floor. 

Donovan Mitchell (PG/SG), Cleveland Cavaliers

Even though the Cavaliers are double-digit home favorites here against the Wizards tonight, the near 240-point total is one we cannot ignore. The Wizards are 1st in PACE and this should fit well into Mitchell's play-style. The Cavaliers are still without many big names including Darius Garland and Evan Mobley, so this is still the Mitchell show until further notice, and an excellent spot at that against a very bad defense. 

 

Mid-Tier Core Plays

Anthony Edwards (PG/SG), Minnesota Timberwolves

This game could potentially fly just a smidge under the radar with the Pelicans being on the second leg of a back-to-back set, however, they absolutely demolished the Nets last night and the starters neared 28-30 minutes for the most part, so there isn't a worry about tired legs. However, I think this game actually turns out to be quite good, and I really like Ant here in this spot. Edwards has taken over as the sole alpha of this Wolves team and has show that as of late. Edwards has played 38+ minutes in 6 of his last 7 games while putting up at least 44 or more fantasy points in his last nine-straight games. 

Julius Randle (PF), New York Knicks

Randle continues to be the main focus of the 1-2 punch here for New York and now with OG Anunoby coming into the fold and taking a somewhat higher usage player in RJ Barrett out of the fold is even better for Randle. Randle has played 36+ minutes in his last five games while recording 48, 48, 64, 39, and 40 fantasy points as a result. The only worry here is that the Bulls are on their second leg of the back-to-back set and could potentially be without Coby White tonight. I still feel this game should stay competitive enough and Randle should get his.

Alperen Sengun (C), Houston Rockets

Really like this spot for Sengun here against the Nets tonight. We are hoping that the Nets will come out ready to play after getting absolutely torched last night by the Pelicans, but the match up for them isn't much easier as they travel to Houston to play the Rockets. Either way, Sengun has been playing extremely well and should have a plus match up here tonight against this frontcourt. Sengun has eclipsed 48 fantasy points in four of his last five contests. 

Kawhi Leonard (SF/PF), Los Angeles Clippers

Not thinking many people likely get to Kawhi here tonight, but I do like this spot. The Suns are still without Kevin Durant and that will leave them a bit thin for frontcourt defense in size. Kawhi returned last game after missing the prior four Clipper games and played his regular minutes load of 33 minutes and picked right back up where he left off in smashing fantasy performances putting up 49 fantasy points on 24 points, six boards, five assists, a block and four steals. 

Kyrie Irving (PG/SG), Dallas Mavericks

Kyrie will be playing his second game back after returning last time out against the Jazz, where he played 32 minutes and supplied nearly 34 fantasy points on the night in a losing effort. This game against the Blazers does have a bigger spread, but the total is super intriguing being at 238.5 points. The Blazers are down a few players, mainly Deandre Ayton, but they did get Shaedon Sharpe back last game and I believe Anfernee Simons may return tonight, which could make this game a bit more competitive. Either way, Irving is a 40-fantasy point player and his price is still fair for the encouraging minutes and performance in his first game back after missing multiple games.

Jarrett Allen (C), Cleveland Cavaliers

This is a great spot for both Mitchell and Allen, who have both shined lately. Allen is playing arguably his best basketball of the season up to this point and this is about as good of a match up as they come tonight against Washington. Allen has seen 34, 40, 35, and 35 minutes over his last four games and those high-minute totals have resulted in 39, 60, 65, and 56 fantasy points. His price is good, match up better.

Jusuf Nurkic (C), Phoenix Suns

I think they are many viable options at play here tonight at the center position and Nurk is just another in a decent spot with a usage bump without Durant on the floor. Nurkic averages around a 18.3% usage rate, while also averaging roughly 44 fantasy points on the year without KD, and that equates to a very solid and workable 1.23 fantasy point per minute without Durant on the floor.

 

Value Tier Core Plays

Bogdan Bogdanovic (SG/SF), Atlanta Hawks

I don't necessarily love the price here for Bogdan, however, I think getting OKC on a back-to-back after the Celtics will render him a play here tonight in a game with just a point spread and a 248-point total. The Hawks will need scoring here and Bogdan is who they look towards for that off the bench. He continues to see 27-34 minutes a game in the sixth man role and we know he has the upside to go for 40 on any night if his shot is falling.

Immanuel Quickley (PG/SG), Toronto Raptors

The Raptors get the Grizzlies here on the road in their second leg of a back-to-back and we are finally getting starter minutes for Quickley with his new squad! Ok, not FULLY just yet, but he did see 28 minutes in his debut for the Raps in their game vs the Cavs and he reeled out 31 fantasy points. Point is that he is the starting PG, and we should expect 28+ minutes a night and this spot is good against the Grizzlies.

Caris LeVert (SG/SF), Cleveland Cavaliers

There could be an instance where we see the Wizards hang around long enough for LeVert to see his typical 26+ minutes off the bench here for the Cavs. LeVert has topped 40 fantasy points in two of his last three games, and that was sandwiched in between games against the Pelicans and Bucks in which he did not have great performances. This is more of a tournament play tonight, as we did see his floor in those tougher match ups. 

Saddiq Bey (PF), Atlanta Hawks

Liking some of the value here for the Hawks tonight and most likely won't considering who they are playing, but it is OKC at home that we have to fear for the most part, and not on a second leg of the back-to-back that we have tonight. Either way, lovely game environment and Bey is playing good minutes. Saddiq is getting 32+ minutes a night and has put up serviceable fantasy point performances with those minutes. Bey has reached at least 29 fantasy points in four of his last five games.

Alex Caruso (SG/SF), Chicago Bulls

Caruso only saw 21 minutes last night in Philly due to the massive blow out, so he didn't really get a ton of run in that one. Prior to last night, Caruso had played 29+ minutes in four-straight, while also accruing 28+ fantasy points in his prior three games. Everyone loves playing in Madison Square Garden! 

Simone Fontecchio (SF/PF), Utah Jazz

I really like the multi-position eligibility on Fontecchio and the fact that he has been smashing recently. With given the start at SF in his last two games, Simone has played 29 and 31 minutes while putting up 41 and 30 fantasy points in those to games to boot. As long as Fontecchio is getting starts, not to mention this is a great match up vs the Pistons at home, he is more than in play at his price.

Larry Nance (C), New Orleans Pelicans

Hate that they took away the PF eligibility from Nance, but he is still seeing good minutes and could easily be ran at utility if needed to save some salary. Since returning to action, Nance has played 25, 23, and 20 minutes while recording 29, 29, and 20 fantasy points in those three games. The Pelicans will more than likely need his size against the frontcourt of the Timberwolves tonight, so I do like this play at his price.

 

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Player Pool

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