NBA DFS Picks, Projections, Lineups, Injuries & More Today: Wednesday Playbook

We have an 8-game Wednesday main slate for NBA DFS purposes on both DraftKings and FanDuel. This slate has pretty much everything we could ask for as NBA DFS players. The Sixers have already ruled out Joel Embiid and Paul George, while other stars like Karl-Anthony Towns and Tyrese Haliburton have been listed as questionable. Another big piece of news we will be looking for is the Nuggets injury report on the second leg of a back-to-back, as Nikola Jokic missed last night's game with an illness.  

With star power on display and key opportunities for value plays, this DFS Playbook breaks down top targets, potential sleepers, and strategies to help you build a winning lineup. Let’s dive into the action-packed slate and uncover the best picks for January 8th!

Before actually diving into the meat and potatoes, welcome to the NBA DFS season. If this is your first time reading our column on NBA DFS picks, I just want to welcome you and give you a few tips and tricks on what you should be looking for each night.

• News outlets: reliable sources that give us injury news & starting lineups
• Pace of play: who's playing fast vs. who's playing slow. Which teams get a pace-up spot (more possessions) vs. pace-down (fewer possessions)
• Usage rates: is a percentage of how many plays that player is being used in
• NBA DFS Projections
• Lineup Generator
• NBA Ownership

NBA DFS Picks & Daily Fantasy Playbook Tuesday, January 8th

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Pre-Lock Update

This section will be used for anything that changes from the morning until right up to roster lock. 

Injury updates, players we’re higher on than we were in the morning and so much more.

The Nuggets have not yet released an injury report, as they are on the second leg of a back-to-back. The status of Nikola Jokic is obviously very impactful. 

UPDATE 3:10 PM ET

• Kawhi Leonard - OUT

UPDATE 3:40 PM ET

• Nuggets Injury Report
  • Nikola Jokic - Questionable
  • Aaron Gordon - OUT

UPDATE 5:30 PM ET

• Damian Lillard - Questionable
• Andre Drummond is closer to doubtful, per HC Nick Nurse 
• Tyrese Haliburton - Available
• Myles Turner - OUT
  • Thomas Bryant will start in his place and is a top value option
  • Bump for Obi Toppin as well

UPDATE 6:15 PM ET

• Day'Ron Sharpe - OUT
  • Brooklyn looks like they will have just 8 players active and all are playable
• Isaac Okoro - Available
• Sam Merrill - OUT
• Andre Drummond - OUT
• Alex Sarr - OUT
  • Jonas Valanciunas is now a top value play
• Kyle Kuzma - Available
• Carlton Carrington - Available

UPDATE 6:35 PM ET

• Ben Simmons - OUT
  • It will indeed be just 8 active for the Nets
• Deni Avdija - Available
• Donovan Clingan - OUT

NBA Injuries, News & Updates Today, 1/8

• Joel Embiid - OUT
• Paul George - OUT
• Andre Drummond - OUT
• Kyle Lowry - OUT
• Kyle Kuzma - Available
• Jordan Poole - OUT
• Alex Sarr - OUT
• Carlton Carrington - Available
• Malcolm Brogdon - OUT
• Marvin Bagley - OUT
• Ayo Dosunmu - OUT
• Tyrese Haliburton - Available
• Myles Turner - OUT
• Isaac Okoro - Available
• Sam Merrill - OUT
• Karl-Anthony Towns - Questionable
• Miles McBride - Questionable
• Ausar Thompson - OUT
• Cam Thomas - OUT
• Cameron Johnson - OUT
• D'Angelo Russell - OUT
• Ben Simmons - OUT
• Day'Ron Sharpe - OUT
• Jerami Grant - OUT
• Deni Avdija - Available
• Donovan Clingan - OUT
• Zion Williamson - OUT
• Dejounte Murray - Questionable
• Trey Murphy - OUT
• Jeremy Sochan - OUT

NBA DFS Slate & Game Overviews

We've got a lot of games with either lower game totals or spreads suggesting blowout for tonight's matchups. That said we do have a handful of games where we are expecting close, competitive and high scoring which is where the majority of the ownership tonight is going when building out our DFS lineups and those games are below.

Washington Wizards vs. Philadelphia 76ers

• Total: 220.5
• Spread: PHI -11

Chicago Bulls vs. Indiana Pacers 

• Total: 242.5
• Spread: IND -6

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Cleveland Cavaliers

• Total: 230.5
• Spread: CLE -2.5

Toronto Raptors vs. New York Knicks

• Total: 231
• Spread: NYK -12.5

Los Angeles Clippers vs. Denver Nuggets

• Total: 226
• Spread: LAC -2.5

NBA DFS Core Player Pool & Lineup Picks

Here are the core players I’m looking at for my NBA DFS picks tonight. You can see the full analysis of tonight’s NBA DFS projections and player pool below or skip ahead to building the best lineups possible by locking these into the aforementioned lineup generator now.

High

• Nikola Jokic (if active), Giannis Antetokounmpo, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Karl-Anthony Towns (if active), Cade Cunningham, Jalen Brunson (if KAT out)

Mid

• Tyrese Maxey, James Harden, Zach LaVine, Josh Hart, Norman Powell, Anfernee Simons, Deandre Ayton, Shaedon Sharpe, Kelly Oubre, Jonas Valanciunas 

Value

• Ziaire Williams, Guerschon Yabusele, Caleb Martin, Andrew Nembhard, Tyrese Martin, Obi Toppin, Brandon Boston, Thomas Bryant 

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