Written By: Ryan Humphries on Twitter & LineStar chat @Ryan_Humphries

Pick’Em Prop Offers 2/5/24 💸

Our editors found the top Pick’Em DFS deals so you don’t have to! 

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NBA DFS & Props Shows w/ Tyler & Shannon 

DFS Main Slate Rundown 📰

A nice and tidy six-game slate will get us rolling into a new week of NBA action! Some high-scoring contests are expected tonight with five games owning at least a 230 over/under while four games will have a narrow spread of four points or fewer. There will be a handful of key players with “questionable” tags to monitor so, as always, keep an ear out for any significant news! Best of luck!

Today’s Key Injuries

• Lakers: L. James - Questionable, A. Davis - Questionable, J. Vanderbilt - OUT, C. Reddish - OUT

• Hornets: L. Ball - OUT, G. Hayward - OUT, M. Williams - OUT, C. Martin - Questionable

• Mavericks: D. Exum - OUT, D. Lively II - OUT

• 76ers: J. Embiid - OUT, T. Harris - Questionable, D. Melton - OUT, N. Batum - OUT

• Kings: None

• Cavaliers: J. Allen - Questionable, D. Garland - Questionable

• Clippers: I. Zubac - Questionable

• Hawks: S. Bey - Questionable, C. Capela - OUT, D. Hunter - Questionable

• Warriors: C. Paul - OUT, A. Wiggins - Doubtful, D. Saric - Probable, G. Payton II - OUT

• Nets: B. Simmons - OUT, D. Sharpe - OUT, D. Finney-Smith - OUT

• Raptors: RJ Barrett - OUT, J. Porter - OUT

• Pelicans: Z. Williamson - Questionable, H. Jones - Questionable, L. Nance Jr. - Questionable

Main Slate Match-Ups w/ Game Totals & Point Spreads

Top DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Plays

Note: NBA position designations are never going to perfectly align between the major DFS sites. For the purposes of these newsletters, positional designations will default to DraftKings.

Point Guards/Shooting Guards to Consider 🏀

PG/SG Donovan Mitchell, CLE | DK: $9.7k, FD: $10.6k | vs. SAC

There are a handful of excellent guard options worth spending up on today and, as usual, I’d expect Luka Doncic (DK: $12k, FD: $12.6k) to be the most popular pick even with Kyrie Irving returning from a five-game absence. As a pivot away from the Luka chalk, we can look to Donovan Mitchell who should fly in at under 10% owned tonight. The Cavs have been getting healthier lately but Mitchell still commands this offense and has put up at least 55.5 DKFP/51.6 FDFP in four of the last five games while averaging 1.60 FPPM in that span. On top of his usual scoring prowess (32.3 PPG L5Games), he’s been a great facilitator (8.0 APG L5Games) and has been snagging his fair share of steals/blocks (2.4 STL+BLK/gm L5Games). The Cavs are also at home tonight where Mitchell is averaging 30.1 PPG on 48.5% FG% and 52.2 DKFP/gm this season -- a noticeable increase over his road averages of 26.4 PPG on 45.3% FG% and 47.5 DKFP/gm (+10.1% more FPPG at home). To wrap things up on Mitchell, this should also be a great game environment given the 235 over/under and close spread (CLE: -3.5). The safe route would be to go with Luka Doncic, and guys like Tyrese Maxey and a heating-up Steph Curry also make plenty of sense at slightly lower price points [than Mitchell]. But Mitchell still brings a huge ceiling to DFS lineups and, in general, a safe floor when he’s playing at home.

PG/SG Brandin Podziemski, GSW | DK: $5.7k, FD: $5.7k | @ BKN

With Andrew Wiggins being listed as doubtful for tonight’s contest, Podziemski should be in line for a spot start and big minutes. Podziemski started the second half of the Warriors’ last game after Wiggins was injured and he went on to play 39 minutes. That game did go to overtime but, even without those OT minutes, Podziemski still saw heavy playing time. Podziemski is averaging 0.97 FPPM as a starter this season, which isn’t spectacular, but it’s still very solid. At a price point of $5,700 on both sites, there is a clear pathway to 6x value if Podziemski is out there for around 35 minutes or so. When these teams last met on Dec. 16th, Podziemski was in the starting lineup and came away with 40.25 DKFP/39.5 FDFP in 32 minutes of action. We’ll gladly take a similar result tonight even if it does look as if Podziemski is going to be one of the more chalky players on the slate.

SG/SF Lonnie Walker IV, BKN | DK: $4k, FD: $5.6k | vs. GSW

This will be more of a DraftKings-friendly play since FanDuel has done a better job at adjusting Walker’s salary to better reflect his increase in playing time lately. Walker has played at least 27 minutes in each of the last three games and has posted DKFP scores of 28.5, 41.75, and 33.5. Dorian Finney-Smith (ankle/out) has been sidelined for all three of those games, so it seems as if that’s who Walker is siphoning the most minutes from. The Nets’ rotation is often a tricky one to diagnose but Walker has been providing a nice spark off of the bench so we should expect him to continue playing upper-20s/low-30s minutes with Steph Curry and the Warriors in town.

Other Guards to Consider

PG Luka Doncic, DAL | DK: $12k, FD: $12.6k | @ PHI

PG Stephen Curry, GSW | DK: $9.4k, FD: $9.5k | @ BKN

PG Tyrese Maxey, PHI | DK: $9.1k, FD: $9.4k | vs. DAL

PG De’Aaron Fox, SAC | DK: $8.3k, FD: $9.1k | @ CLE (DK Preferred)

PG D’Angelo Russell, LAL | DK: $7.1k, FD: $7.7k | @ CHA (Preferred if LeBron and/or AD are out)

PG/SG Cam Thomas, BKN | DK: $6.6k, FD: $7.2k | vs. GSW

SG/SF Kelly Oubre Jr., PHI | DK: $6.5k, FD: $6.7k | vs. DAL

PG/SG Malik Monk, SAC | DK: $5.4k, FD: $5.7k | @ CLE

SG/SF Norman Powell, LAC | DK: $5k, FD: $5.2k | @ ATL

PG Ish Smith, CHA | DK: $3.6k, FD: $3.9k | vs. LAL (Only if he’s starts)

Small Forwards/Power Forwards to Consider 🏀

SF Brandon Miller, CHA | DK: $6.8k, FD: $7.3k | vs. LAL

I didn’t feel overly compelled to spotlight an expensive forward today so we’ll begin out of the mid-range with Brandon Miller. As usual, the Hornets (+12.5) are heavy underdogs but they’re still without three key starters (Ball, Hayward, and M. Williams), and, with Miller being a rookie, he’s more likely to play strong minutes even in the event of a blowout -- I’m also not overly concerned that he played 38 minutes last night. Miller heads into this game on the heels of back-to-back 50+ FP performances and he’ll now face a Lakers team that has ranked 29th versus starting SFs L20Games. We’ve seen a low floor out of Miller in recent weeks but, more often than not, he’s flirting with, or exceeding, the 40 FP threshold and has put up at least 37.25 DKFP/36.6 FDFP in seven of his last ten starts. And perhaps we’ll see a more competitive game if one, or both of, LeBron and AD (both questionable) sit out tonight.

PF/C Onyeka Okongwu, ATL | DK: $5.1k, FD: $6k | vs. LAC

Okongwu should draw plenty of attention from DFS players today as he should be in line for a spot start in place of the injured Clint Capela (adductor/out), who will be missing just his third game this season. While he’s expected to play all of his minutes at center, Okongwu also has power forward eligibility on both sites. Okongwu is coming off of a huge 22-point, 16-rebound double-double performance (48.5 DKFP/47.2 FDFP) in an overtime win against the Warriors on Saturday. Okongwu ended that game with 36 minutes while Capela started and played 25 minutes. Okongwu has averaged 0.94 FPPM this season but if he’s in line to play mid-30s minutes in a presumably competitive game (ATL: +4), then he’ll have a fairly easy pathway to returning value. On paper, the match-up isn’t ideal, but the Clippers are on the second leg of a road back-to-back and they may be without starting center Ivica Zubac (calf/questionable).

SF/PF Cameron Johnson, BKN | DK: $5k, FD: $6.3k | vs. GSW

This will be another “DraftKings preferred” Nets player, but I wouldn’t be opposed to rolling with him on FanDuel either. Johnson provides a solid floor most nights and continues to carry modest DFS price points. He doesn’t excel in any one specific category and he has a moderate 19.4% USG% on the season. However, he does receive a slight usage bump with Ben Simmons and Dorian Finney-Smith (both out) off of the floor, and we’ll like the match-up against a Warriors team that ranks 23rd versus starting PFs L20Games. At a flat $5,000 on DraftKings, 6x value (or better) is firmly on the radar with Cameron Johnson tonight.

Other Forwards to Consider

PF/C Anthony Davis, LAL | DK: $9.9k, FD: $11.3k | @ CHA (Currently questionable - DK Preferred)

PF/C Miles Bridges, CHA | DK: $8.2k, FD: $8.5k | vs. LAL

SF/SG Brandon Ingram, NOP | DK: $7.7k, FD: $8.1k | vs. TOR (Boost if Z. Williamson is out)

SF/PF Tobias Harris, PHI | DK: $7.4k, FD: $8k | vs. DAL (Currently questionable)

PF Jalen Johnson, ATL | DK: $7.3k, FD: $8.4k | vs. LAC

SF/SG Mikal Bridges, BKN | DK: $7.2k, FD: $7.8k | vs. GSW

SF/PF Jonathan Kuminga, GSW | DK: $7k, FD: $7.5k | @ BKN

PF/C PJ Washington, CHA | DK: $6k, FD: $6.1k | vs. LAL

SF Taurean Prince, LAL | DK: $4k, FD: $5.6k | @ CHA (DK Preferred - Boost if LeBron and/or AD are out)

PF/C Trey Lyles, SAC | DK: $3.4k, FD: $4.5k | @ CLE (DK Preferred)

Centers to Consider 🏀

C Jonas Valanciunas, NOP | DK: $6.5k, FD: $7.3k | vs. TOR

I believe a sneaky injury impact to monitor today is Larry Nance Jr. (ankle/questionable). If Nance were to sit out, Valanciunas could end up logging a few extra minutes which further opens up the potential for a 40+ FP night — most of J-Val’s best fantasy performances have come when Nance has been out with injury this season. Valanciunas is an excellent per-minute fantasy scorer who has averaged 1.27 FPPM this season… but, unfortunately, he has only averaged 26.2 Min/gm. He’s up to an even more impressive 1.38 FPPM L5Games and he rarely disappoints on a DFS level whenever he plays 30+ minutes. I’d still be fine with Valanciunas as a tournament play even if Nance, and Zion Williamson, for that matter, are able to suit up tonight, but his DFS floor would take a hit in that scenario. The Raptors are on the back end of a B2B and they’ve been a positive match-up for starting centers, ranking 22nd versus the position L20Games.

C Bruno Fernando, ATL | DK: $3k, FD: $3.8k | vs. LAC

If you’re in need of a total punt play at center tonight, Bruno Fernando will make plenty of sense as he operates as the Hawks’ backup center with Okongwu sliding into the starting lineup in place of the injured Clint Capela. As mentioned in Okongwu’s spotlight above, Capela has missed just two games this season. In those two games, Fernando posted 21.75 DKFP/25.0 FDFP (Jan. 10th vs. PHI) and 26.5 DKFP/27.1 FDFP (Dec. 16th @ CLE). He’ll be a preferred target on DraftKings, where he is the stone minimum of $3,000. However, given that he also has power forward eligibility on FanDuel, and is still just $3,800, he’ll be in play there as well. As long as he plays 15-20 minutes, I doubt he completely burns any lineups and there is some obvious 6x (or better) upside to be had as well.

Other Centers to Consider

C Domantas Sabonis, SAC | DK: $10.1k, FD: $10.3k | @ CLE

C Nic Claxton, BKN | DK: $6.9k, FD: $7.7k | vs. GSW

C Nick Richards, CHA | DK: $5.7k, FD: $6.2k | vs. LAL

PF/C Maxi Kleber, DAL | DK: $4.1k, FD: $4.5k | @ PHI

C Larry Nance Jr., NOP | DK: $3.2k, FD: $4.8k | vs. TOR (DK Preferred - Currently questionable)

PrizePicks NBA Power Play of the Day ⚡

Here is a two-pick “Power Play” I’m liking for today's NBA action over on PrizePicks! Nothing is ever a guarantee to hit but I put my own money on these bets so I don't just lightly throw these out there without believing they'll cash! If it hits, it will return 3x the wager.

Brandon Podziemski MORE than 28.5 Fantasy Score

Lonnie Walker IV MORE than 15.5 Points + Assists

🔥 Props AI 🔥

In LineStar’s ongoing mission to improve, innovate, and help you reel in some cash, we are introducing Props AI for NBA – available for LineStar Premium users! This tool can help you find value and mispriced odds on player props from sportsbooks and, more specifically, for PrizePicks and UnderDog Fantasy!

Speaking of props, put the Props AI tool to use by signing up for PrizePicks (Promo code: LINESTAR) or Underdog (Promo code: LINESTAR). You'll receive a 100% match on first deposits up to $100 PLUS a free month subscription to LineStar Premium. Many people may not realize that you can legally place prop bets in most states using UnderDog (or PrizePicks) – it’s called Pick'Em, and it’s incredibly easy.

That will wrap us up with today’s “Daily Dribble” edition! Once again, you can find me on Twitter or in LineStar chat @Ryan_Humphries. Good luck everyone!