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 compact four-game NBA slate tonight, but it’s a good one. All four matchups are expected to be competitive, with the largest spread sitting at just 5.5 points and three games carrying lines under a field goal. That alone sets the stage for a fun night of NBA DFS, but injuries will also play a major role -- several teams have key starters listed as out or questionable, so keeping up with news as it drops will be crucial, as usual. Let’s get right into it and tackle this small slate! 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 Be sure to stay up-to-date on all injury news leading up to tip-off as the list below may be a bit outdated by the time you’re reading this.}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.}

• Clippers: K. Leonard - OUT, D. Jones Jr. - OUT, J. Miller - OUT

• Magic: P. Banchero - OUT

• Hawks: T. Young - OUT, K. Porzingis - Questionable, Z. Risacher - Questionable

• Spurs: V. Wembanyama - OUT, S. Castle - OUT, D. Harper - OUT, J. McLaughlin - OUT

• Kings: D. Sabonis - OUT, K. Murray - No injury designation & will be making his season debut

• Grizzlies: J. Morant - OUT, J. Jackson Jr. - Doubtful, J. Small - OUT

• 76ers: T. Maxey - Probable, J. Embiid - OUT, K. Oubre Jr. - OUT, A. Bona - OUT

• Bucks: G. Antetokounmpo - OUT, K. Porter Jr. - OUT, G. Harris - Questionable

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 James Harden, LAC | DK: $10k, FD: $9.6k | at ORL

Harden checks in as the top projected guard on the slate for both LineStar and consensus projection models, and it’s easy to see why. With Kawhi out for eight straight, Harden has had to carry everything for this Clippers offense -- and he’s answered with 28.9 PPG, 8.4 APG, 7.3 RPG, and 55.3 DKFP per game in that eight-game stretch. With the Clippers dealing with more injuries to guys like Bradley Beal and Derrick Jones Jr., Harden just keeps pumping out big fantasy lines. He’s coming off a monster run that includes an 87 DKFP triple-double in Dallas and another pair of 48+ FP outings on the road -- he’s up to 1.59 FPPM with a massive 35.1% USG% over his last five. Orlando hasn’t been overly stout versus PGs, so Harden is firmly in play again tonight as one of the safest high-end options on the board.

SG Desmond Bane, ORL | DK: $7.5k, FD: $7.1k | vs. LAC

Bane had some duds early on, but he’s taken a step forward with Banchero out for the last 3 1/2 games -- topping 40 DKFP in three of his last four while filling up every statistical category. Tuesday’s win over the Warriors was the latest example, where he posted 23 points, six boards, five assists, and five steals across 39 minutes on his way to 47.5 DKFP. His usage is considerably higher than it was to start the season (25.9% USG% L5Games), and the results have shown it. Shooting guard is thinner at the top than most positions tonight, and Bane clearly stands out as the safest high-end option with real ceiling. Between his scoring bump and his reliable peripheral stat production, he’s one of the easiest plays to feel good about on this slate.

SG/SF Kobe Sanders, LAC | DK: $4k, FD: $4k | at ORL

Sanders moved into the starting lineup on Monday with Derrick Jones Jr. out and immediately delivered, scoring 17 points and logging 30 minutes. He’s still just $4,000 on both sites, which puts him firmly in the value conversation, assuming he continues to start for the shorthanded Clippers. He’s scored 11 and 17 points over his last two outings, posting 24.0 and 22.8 DKFP despite doing almost nothing in the non-scoring categories on Monday. If he can stumble into a few extra rebounds or assists, there’s clear upside, but even without that, his current role is enough to justify the price.

Other Guards to Consider

PG Tyrese Maxey, PHI at MIL

PG De’Aaron Fox, SAS vs. ATL

PG Dyson Daniels, ATL at SAS

SG VJ Edgecombe, PHI at MIL

PG/SG Anthony Black, ORL vs. LAC

PG/SG Bogdan Bogdanovic, LAC at ORL

Small Forwards/Power Forwards to Consider 🏀

PF Jalen Johnson, ATL | DK: $9.8k, FD: $9.8k | at SAS

On a slate loaded with value and mid-range fill-ins, you’re probably going to need a true spend-up who can still beat his tag, and Johnson fits that perfectly. He has been on an absolute tear for the Hawks while Trae Young (knee/out) has been unavailable, clearing 50 DKFP in four straight and smashing in five in a row overall. The highlight, of course, was his absurd 92 DKFP explosion against Utah when he went 31/18/14 with seven steals and completely nuked the slate. He’s a nightly triple-double threat at this point, and he draws a solid matchup against a short-handed Spurs team (their defensive numbers drop considerably with Wemby off the floor) in one of the better game environments on the board. Even with the salary pushing $10k on both sites, Johnson remains one of the strongest top-end options you can build around tonight.

PF/C Santi Aldama, MEM | DK: $5.8k, FD: $5.5k | vs. SAC

Aldama has been one of the few steady pieces Memphis can count on right now, and he’s still sitting at very manageable price points. He’ll need to take on an even bigger role this evening with Jaren Jackson Jr. (ankle/doubtful) looking unlikely to suit up. With Jackson presumably out, Aldama should elevate to a starting role. This matchup with the Kings sets up nicely, as they have ranked 28th versus starting power forwards this season. Zach Edey's return may take away some rebounding chances, but with Morant out once again and Jaren Jackson Jr. doubtful, Aldama should still see plenty of run while playing a primary role offensively. He will be very popular tonight, but he also has a real shot at 40+ FP production, which would likely land him in the optimal lineup.

SF/PF Tristan da Silva, ORL | DK: $5k, FD: $4.6k | vs. LAC

There isn’t a ton of forward value at the moment, so we won’t dip too low for the final spotlight in this section. Tristan da Silva has been starting in place of the injured Paolo Banchero, and he’s now played 29+ minutes in all three starts. da Silva has scored 0.95 FPPM across these last three games, so if he keeps that pace, he is a good candidate for 6x value at his current price points. He projects for 31.0 minutes tonight and, while it is a tougher matchup (LAC: 3rd vs. PFs), he has managed to return value in similarly tough matchups recently.

Other Forwards to Consider

SF Franz Wagner, ORL vs. LAC

SF Cedric Coward, MEM vs. SAC

SF/PF Keldon Johnson, SAS vs. ATL

SF/PF Vince Williams Jr., MEM vs. SAC

PF Harrison Barnes, SAS vs. ATL

PF Jeremy Sochan, SAS vs. ATL

SF/PF Nic Batum, LAC at ORL

Centers to Consider 🏀

C Wendell Carter Jr., ORL | DK: $5.4k, FD: $5.4k | vs. LAC

Center is a good spot to save some salary on this slate, as there are no true stud options to consider. Wendell Carter Jr. can be a volatile DFS play, but he has a higher chance to pop for a big game with Banchero out of the mix. He has stepped up in his last two games, turning in a pair of strong back-to-back performances. Carter went for 36 DKFP on Sunday against Houston, then followed it up with 17 points, 12 boards, and 38.5 DKFP vs. Golden State on Tuesday. The matchup is also sneaky-good tonight as the Clippers rank 27th in DvP versus starting centers and have allowed 1.30 FPPM to the position this season. For reference, Carter has averaged 0.93 FPPM this season, so it’d just be a bonus if he can boost his standard per-minute production due to the matchup. With the Clippers also ranking 22nd in Rebounding%, I like Carter’s chances of putting up another double-double in this spot.

C Kelly Olynyk, SAS | DK: $4k, FD: $4.3k | vs. ATL

Olynyk sits further down from WCJ as another worthy value center option. He’s played just five games with the Spurs so far, but with Wemby out, his role will be expanded in the short term. Even in limited minutes, he’s been productive -- posting 24.0 and 24.75 DKFP in his last two while logging only 18 and 19 minutes. He’s at an excellent 1.21 FPPM on the season, albeit across a small sample size. If he can push into the low-20s in minutes tonight against Atlanta, he has clear value upside, and there’s a real ceiling if he inches closer to an even split with Luke Kornet.

Other Centers to Consider

C Onyeka Okongwu, ATL at SAS (Preferred if Porzingis is out again)

C Ivica Zubac, LAC at ORL

C Myles Turner, MIL vs. PHI

C Zach Edey, MEM vs. 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!