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

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NBA DFS & Props Shows w/ Tyler Wiemann

DFS Main Slate Rundown 📰

We’ve got a doozy of a slate ahead of us this evening with a dozen games on the schedule! DraftKings will exclude the three latest games from its main slate, while FanDuel will feature the full menu. Aside from the sheer size of the slate, there are a huge number of high-impact injury situations. A handful of star players have already been ruled out, while several others remain questionable. Nearly every NBA slate requires you to be available as news and starting lineups roll in, so adjustments can be made; however, that will be even more crucial today. Let’s lock and load! Best of luck!

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

Today’s Key Injuries 🚑

^{Note: NBA injury reports can be fickle and often update throughout the day. Be sure to stay up-to-date on all injury news leading up to tip-off as the list below may be a bit outdated by the time you’re reading this.}

^{Additional Note: Players who have yet to play this season will be excluded from the injury report, unless they have either a probable, questionable, or doubtful injury designation, with some amount of chance to make their season debut.}

**Indicates that this would be a player’s season debut if they are active.

• Bucks: G. Antetokounmpo - OUT, K. Porter Jr. - OUT, T. Prince - OUT

• Hornets: L. Ball - OUT, B. Miller - OUT, C. Sexton - Probable, R. Kalkbrenner - Questionable, KJ Simpson - Probable, P. Connaughton - Probable

• Bulls: J. Giddey - Questionable

• Pistons: C. Cunningham - Questionable, J. Duren - Questionable, A. Thompson - OUT, T. Harris - OUT, I. Stewart - Doubtful

• Magic: None

• Knicks: None

• Grizzlies: J. Morant - Questionable, **Z. Edey - Doubtful, J. Small - OUT

• Celtics: H. Gonzalez - Probable

• Cavs: D. Mitchell - OUT, E. Mobley - OUT, D. Garland - OUT, J. Tyson - OUT, L. Nance Jr. - Questionable

• Heat: B. Adebayo - OUT

• Warriors: J. Kuminga - Questionable, Q. Post - Probable

• Spurs: D. Harper - OUT

• Wizards: B. Coulibaly - OUT

• Rockets: None

• Trailblazers: B. Wesley - OUT, M. Thybulle - OUT

• Pelicans: Z. Williamson - OUT, J. Poole - OUT

• Suns: J. Green - OUT

• Mavs: A. Davis - OUT, D. Lively II - Questionable

Late Game Injury Report (FanDuel Main Slate Only)

• Lakers: G. Vincent - OUT

• Thunder: A. Wiggins - OUT, L. Dort - OUT

• Hawks: T. Young - OUT, N. Alexander-Walker - Questionable

• Kings: Z. LaVine - OUT, M. Monk - Questionable, D. Carter - Questionable

• Nuggets: None

• Clippers: K. Leonard - OUT, B. Beal - OUT

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 Devin Booker, PHX | DK: $9.4k, FD: $9.1k | at DAL

There will undoubtedly be a ton of value to choose from today, but there are a limited number of (healthy) high-end superstar players available to use those DFS salary savings on, particularly among the nine mutually shared games between DraftKings and FanDuel (which is what I try to focus on for these newsletters). So we’ll land on Devin Booker as a stud guard to consider. He’s coming off a down game where his services weren’t needed too much as Grayson Allen put on his best prime Steph Curry impression, scoring 42 points with 10 3PM, and the Suns coasted to a 23-point win over the Pelicans. But, for the most part, he has been a steady 45+ FP player and has popped for multiple 60+ DKFP ceiling games. With Jalen Green (hamstring/out) largely unavailable this season, Booker has taken on a huge 33.3% USG%. This is a significant pace-up spot for the Suns (23rd in pace), as the Mavs have ranked 8th in pace. And, despite the Mavs ranking 4th in DEFRTG, they have checked in at 25th in DvP versus starting point guards. This matchup is also essentially a pick ‘em, with Phoenix being narrow 1.5-point favorites.

PG Ryan Rollins, MIL | DK: $6.1k, FD: $6.4k | at CHA

The Bucks are giving Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee/out) what appears to be a maintenance day off against the shorthanded Hornets. This will be the Greek Freak’s second missed game of the season. In the first, which came on October 30th versus the Warriors, Ryan Rollins popped for a season-high 32 points on a 27.6% USG% and ended with 49.75 DKFP/46.6 FDFP across 36 minutes. Rollins has averaged a solid 1.00 FPPM and 19.9% USG% with Giannis on the floor this season. However, that has increased to 1.26 FPPM and a team-leading 24.9% USG% with Giannis off the floor. He also goes from a 19.6% Assist Rate to a 36.1% Assist Rate in those same splits. With this elevated role, Rollins will make for an excellent mid-range option versus a Hornets team that plays at the 4th-fastest pace and ranks 24th in DEFRTG.

SG Sam Merrill, CLE | DK: $4.5k, FD: $4.3k | at MIA

The Cavs will provide several value options today as they’ll be sitting their “big three” of Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Darius Garland. Jaylon Tyson, who has started in seven of Cleveland’s 11 games this season, has also been ruled out. That should thrust Sam Merrill into a primary offensive role for the shorthanded Cavs. He’s been a clutch three-point shooter this season, sinking 47.8% of his shots from beyond the arc. And, although it’s a very small sample size, Merrill has averaged a solid 1.21 FPPM with Mitchell, Mobley, Garland, and Tyson off the floor this season. Despite all of the absences for Cleveland tonight, they’re currently only a 5.5-point underdog. And this game versus Miami (1st in pace) owns a slate-high 239.5 over/under.

Other Guards to Consider

PG Cade Cunningham, DET vs. CHI (Currently questionable)

PG Jalen Brunson, NYK vs. ORL

PG Amen Thompson, HOU vs. WAS

SG Stephon Castle, SAS vs. GSW

PG Jrue Holiday, POR at NOP

PG Derrick White, BOS vs. MEM

SG Norman Powell, MIA vs. CLE

PG Tre Jones, CHI at DET (Preferred if Giddey is out)

PG Jeremiah Fears, NOP vs. POR

SG Ayo Dosunmu, CHI at DET (Preferred if Giddey is out)

PG Brandon Williams, DAL vs. PHX (Boost if starting again)

PG/SG Lonzo Ball, CLE at MIA

PG/SG Reed Sheppard, HOU vs. MIA

PG Daniss Jenkins, DET vs. CHI (Boost if Cunningham is out)

PG/SG Jordan Clarkson, NYK vs. ORL

PG Craig Porter Jr., CLE at MIA

PG/SG Tyrese Proctor, CLE at MIA

FanDuel Main Slate Only

PG Luka Doncic, LAL at OKC

PG Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC vs. LAL

PG/SG James Harden, LAC vs. DEN

PG/SG Dyson Daniels, ATL at SAC

PG Russell Westbrook, SAC vs. ATL (Boost if starting)

PG/SG Ajay Mitchell, OKC vs. LAL

SG/SF Alex Caruso, OKC vs. LAL

Small Forwards/Power Forwards to Consider 🏀

PF Deni Avdija, POR | DK: $8.7k, FD: $8.7k | at NOP

Portland’s trade for Avdija keeps looking smarter by the day, as he’s blossomed into a legit star in his new home. He’s been a steady all-around force, posting excellent offensive numbers and solid peripherals while averaging 1.30 FPPM. He has been particularly effective lately, scoring 43+ DKFP in four straight -- including a pair of 58+ DKFP performances. At $8,700 on both sites, he’s still fairly priced in a great matchup against a Pelicans team ranking 28th in defensive rating.

SF/SG Kon Knueppel, CHA | DK: $6.6k, FD: $6.2k | vs. MIL

Knueppel caught plenty of buzz ahead of this year’s NBA, and he’s already paying dividends for the Hornets, who took him with the 4th overall pick. The rookie has topped 40+ DKFP in four straight while averaging 1.25 FPPM in that span, and he’s flashing a polished offensive game that’s translating fast at the NBA level. With LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller both out once again, and with multiple other Hornets role players carrying injury designations, Knueppel should keep seeing heavy usage. The rookie has also been fairly immune to blowouts, as the Hornets have plenty of incentive to give him plenty of work even when a game is out of hand. That said, the Hornets are only 2.5-point underdogs against the Giannis-less Bucks tonight, and if they pull off the slight upset, Knueppel will likely be a big reason for it.

SF De’Andre Hunter, CLE | DK: $6.5k, FD: $6.1k | at MIA

Hunter has missed a few games, but when he’s been out there, he’s been one of Cleveland’s most reliable producers of late, clearing 36 DKFP in four of his last five while averaging 1.14 FPPM in that stretch. With Garland, Mitchell, Mobley, and Tyson all sidelined, Hunter is locked into a major offensive role tonight and continues to show strong upside in extended minutes. He has posted a team-leading 34.0% USG% with those four players off the court this season, and the ball should be flying in this game, which features the 1st (MIA) and 7th (CLE) fastest-paced offenses in the NBA. Hunter is not quite as cheap as some of the Cavs’ other value plays, but he remains one of the most appealing mid-range options on the slate.

Other Forwards to Consider

PF Karl-Anthony Towns, NYK vs. ORL

PF Miles Bridges, CHA vs. MIL

SF Jaylen Brown, BOS vs. MEM

SF Franz Wagner, ORL at NYK

SF/SG Jaime Jaquez Jr., MIA vs. CLE

SF/PF Josh Hart, NYK vs. ORL

PF/C Bobby Portis, MIL at CHA

SF/PF Kyle Kuzma, MIL at CHA (Assuming he starts for Giannis)

PF/C Derik Queen, NOP vs. POR

SF/PF Tari Eason, HOU vs. WAS

SF/SG Javonte Green, DET vs. CHI (Boost if Cunningham and/or Duren are out)

SF/PF Dean Wade, CLE at MIA

PF/C Larry Nance Jr., CLE at MIA (Currently questionable)

FanDuel Main Slate Only

SF/PF Jalen Johnson, ATL at SAC

PF/C Chet Holmgren, OKC vs. LAL

PF/C John Collins, LAC vs. DEN (Preferred if starting again)

Centers to Consider 🏀

C Alperen Sengun, HOU | DK: $9.3k, FD: $9.6k | vs. WAS

Sengun opened the season with a monster 71.25 DKFP/67.7 FDFP performance. He hasn’t put up a ceiling game since, but he’s been a consistent supplier of around 50 FP per night. The dynamic big man has been posting almost Jokic-like numbers over his last five games, averaging 22.0 PPG, 11.4 RPG, and 7.4 APG. He lands in an absolute smash spot versus the Wizards, who rank 29th versus starting centers, allow the 2nd most PPG in the paint (55.8), rank 27th in Rebounding%, and play at the 3rd-fastest pace. Of course, the only real concern here will be the blowout factor, as Houston is a massive 16.5-point home favorite tonight. But if Washington can manage to keep things fairly competitive and force the Rockets starters into playing full minutes, Sengun could be in line for another ceiling performance.

C Moussa Diabate, CHA | DK: $4.5k, FD: $4.8k | vs. MIL

On a slate with so many injury implications, the status of Ryan Kalkbrenner may fly a bit under the radar. Kalkbrenner isn’t technically injured, but he was a late addition to the injury report and is listed as questionable due to “personal reasons.” If the rookie center is unavailable to play tonight, that would put Moussa Diabate into a starting role. And, even if Kalkbrenner is active, Diabate is still an appealing value option. He’s been great off the Hornets’ bench, averaging 10.1 PPG, 6.9 RPG, and 1.5 BLK/gm across 20.9 Min/gm, resulting in a rock-solid 1.14 FPPM average. He’s currently projecting for 25.0 minutes, but if Kalkbrenner is out of the picture, that will likely bump up to around 32.0 minutes. The Bucks have been stout versus centers this season, but obviously not having Giannis Antetokounmpo available tonight would have a sizable negative impact on their interior defense and rebounding ability.

Other Centers to Consider

C Victor Wembanyama, SAS vs. GSW

C Jalen Duren, DET vs. CHI (Currently questionable - Boost if Cunningham is out)

C Kel’el Ware, MIA vs. CLE

C Jarrett Allen, CLE at MIA

C Myles Turner, MIL at CHA

C Jalen Smith, CHI at DET

C Steven Adams, HOU vs. WAS

C Paul Reed, DET vs. CHI (Major boost if Duren is out + Reed starts)

FanDuel Main Slate Only

C Nikola Jokic, DEN at LAC

C/PF Domantas Sabonis, SAC vs. ATL

C/PF Kristaps Porzingis, ATL at SAC

🔥 Props AI 🔥

In LineStar’s ongoing mission to improve, innovate, and help you reel in some cash, we have rolled out 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, UnderDog Fantasy, and other prop apps/sites!

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