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DFS Main Slate Rundown 📰

We’ve got another mini NBA Cup quarterfinal slate on tap tonight, with just two games on the schedule: Suns at Thunder and Spurs at Lakers. With only four teams in play, there’s just one major injury domino that could truly impact the slate -- Devin Booker is questionable with a groin injury, and his status will impact the Suns’ rotation quite a bit. Fortunately, that’s the early tip-off, so we’ll know his availability (or lack thereof) before the slate gets underway.

Outside of Booker, tonight’s injury landscape is fairly light. The Thunder will be without Isaiah Hartenstein and Isaiah Joe, as they have been for the past several games, while the Spurs remain without Victor Wembanyama. The Lakers list Maxi Kleber as questionable, but his availability doesn’t impact much whatsoever, and they come in clean with their “big three” all available together for the seventh time this season.  Let’s dive into the plays. 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 Be sure to stay up-to-date on all injury news leading up to tip-off as the list below may be a bit outdated by the time you’re reading this.}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. Injured players who have been out for an extended period of time and/or are not expected to play for a month-plus will also be excluded.}

• Suns: D. Booker - Questionable, J. Green - OUT, I. Livers - OUT

• Thunder: I. Hartenstein - OUT, I. Joe - OUT

• Spurs: V. Wembanyama - OUT, C. Bryant - Questionable, J. McLaughlin - Questionable

• Lakers: M. Kleber - 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 Luka Doncic, LAL | DK: $12k, FD: $12.4k | vs. SAS

There are several high-end guard options on this two-game slate, but Luka Doncic still stands above the rest. He’s been in absolute top-notch form this season, averaging 1.72 FPPM with a massive 38.1% usage rate, and he’s topped 60 DKFP in seven of his last eight games. His DK salary dipping to $12,000 is actually a small discount compared to where he’s been priced most of the year. The matchup is also about as good as it gets. San Antonio’s defense has taken a major hit without Victor Wembanyama, and they’ve ranked 29th versus starting PGs over their last 20 games -- the Lakers own the highest implied total on the slate at 124. The environment is tailor-made for another big Luka outing.

One thing worth keeping in mind: when Luka shares the floor with both LeBron and Austin Reaves (157 minutes this season), his role naturally eases -- down to 24.8% usage and 1.19 FPPM. But the Lakers stagger their stars quite often, and Luka will get some minutes where he’ll clearly lead the offense while LeBron and/or Reaves rest on the bench. On a two-game slate, Luka’s raw scoring floor is even more valuable. As long as he gets his usual stretches of solo run, he remains the safest and most impactful spend-up on the board.

PG/SG Collin Gillespie, PHX | DK: $6.8k, FD: $6.9k | at OKC

If Devin Booker (groin/questionable) returns from a two-game absence, Gillespie probably shifts back to a bench role -- but that may actually help on a slate where Phoenix is a massive +14.5 underdog. As a reserve, he’s still likely to land in the 28-32 minute range while being a bit more insulated from potential blowout rotation fallout, since he’d reach his minutes cap early into the fourth quarter. Gillespie already showed he can succeed in this matchup, putting up 24 points, three boards, and four assists (36.75 DKFP) against OKC on Nov. 28th. That game came as a starter with Grayson Allen out, but he’s also flashed similar upside off the bench when he approaches 30 minutes. Whether Booker plays or not, Gillespie should hold a steady role tonight and remain one of Phoenix’s most reliable producers. If Booker is ultimately active, ownership should dip, giving Gillespie decent leverage on a two-game slate where differentiating is tough.

PG/SG Dylan Harper, SAS | DK: $4.7k, FD: $5.1k | at LAL

Dylan Harper has served an important role in San Antonio’s rotation, especially while they’ve dealt with several multi-game absences from some of their key players. The No. 2 pick from this year’s NBA Draft has delivered solid production in limited run, averaging 13.5 points, 3.9 assists, 3.1 boards, and a strong 1.16 FPPM across 21.8 minutes per game. The Spurs haven’t fully unleashed him yet, but he’s started to creep upward -- logging just under 26 minutes in his most recent outing and turning that into 34.25 DKFP. That marked his second game of 31+ DKFP in his last three. On this two-game slate, affordable guards who can fit into multiple roster spots hold extra value, and Harper checks that box with PG/SG eligibility on both sites. His role isn’t locked in -- he’s still a rookie playing behind much more established backcourt players -- but he’s shown enough scoring and playmaking juice to justify rolling the dice at these salaries. Against a star-heavy Lakers squad, it wouldn’t be surprising to see San Antonio lean into his high energy and let him run a bit more. He’s one of the better salary-saving guard options available tonight.

Other Guards to Consider

PG Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC vs. PHX

PG De’Aaron Fox, SAS at LAL

SG Austin Reaves, LAL vs. SAS

PG/SG Cason Wallace, OKC vs. PHX

SG Luguentz Dort, OKC vs. PHX

Small Forwards/Power Forwards to Consider 🏀

SF Jalen Williams, OKC | DK: $8k, FD: $8.4k | vs. PHX

The Thunder look like a juggernaut again this season, ripping off a 23–1 record with a league-best +15.9 Net Rating -- meaning OKC is outscoring its opponents by nearly 16 points per 100 possessions. What makes that even scarier is that they’ve only had Jalen Williams available for five games. His recent return to the lineup adds another high-efficiency scorer and secondary playmaker to an offense that already overwhelms teams. Williams hasn’t needed huge minutes because OKC keeps blowing teams out, but he’s been extremely productive when he’s on the floor, averaging 1.31 FPPM. In the two games where he’s hit the 30-minute mark, he’s delivered nicely, and even in limited run, he has shown real ceiling -- like the 45.25 DKFP he dropped in just 25 minutes last game. The Suns aren’t typically the most imposing matchup right now, especially if Devin Booker sits. However, Phoenix did force a competitive game when these teams faced each other a couple of weeks ago on Nov. 28th, which was also Jalen Williams’ season debut. The Thunder still won, of course, but it was only by a slim margin of four points with a 123-119 final score. Regardless of how the game shapes up, Williams fits perfectly as an upper-mid-range spend who offers both stability and decent upside, especially if he ends up playing 30+ minutes tonight.

SF/PF Keldon Johnson, SAS | DK: $5.2k, FD: $5k | at LAL

Forward is thin on this slate, which puts someone like Keldon Johnson firmly in play. Even with Castle back and his projected minutes sitting in the low-20s, Johnson represents a steady option. His recent game log is filled with outputs in the 23-30 DKFP range, with a couple of spike performances around 40 DKFP, and that alone keeps him viable at these low-$5k salaries. Johnson has averaged a strong 1.12 FPPM for the year, and he gets a +4.7% usage bump with Wembanyama off the floor. So even if the playing time doesn’t spike, the efficiency is there. On a slate where forward options thin out rapidly once you get past the top two or three guys, a reliable 25-30 DKFP is absolutely enough to land in the optimal build. He is one of the safer mid-tier anchors and has dual forward eligibility on both sites.

SF/SG Alex Caruso, OKC | DK: $3.9k, FD: $3.9k | vs. PHX

Caruso will return from a four-game injury absence, and he is one of the more appealing true punt options on this two-gamer. He’s averaged a respectable 0.86 FPPM this season, and his defensive activity always gives him a path to spiking a ceiling score -- he’s generated a strong 3.5 steals per 100 possessions. The Suns don’t turn it over at an extreme rate, but their 8.6 opponent steals per game is the 12th-highest in the NBA. Caruso is not projected for big minutes, but even low-20s run is enough for him at this $3,900 price tag on both sites. Despite his bench role, he typically sees more minutes in competitive games, so if Phoenix can keep things close, as they did in this matchup a couple of weeks back, Caruso will have a better chance of reaching minutes in that 20-24 range. On a slate where cheap value is thin, Caruso offers one of the cleaner ways to save salary and has decent 6x upside potential.

Other Forwards to Consider

PF LeBron James, LAL vs. SAS

PF Chet Holmgren, OKC vs. PHX

SF Dillon Brooks, PHX at OKC (Preferred if Booker remains out)

SF Devin Vassell, SAS at LAL

PF Harrison Barnes, SAS at LAL

SF/SG Jordan Goodwin, PHX at OKC

PF/C Kenrich Williams, OKC vs. PHX

Centers to Consider 🏀

C Deandre Ayton, LAL | DK: $6.3k, FD: $6.1k | vs. SAS

As you’d expect on a slate this small, center is extremely thin, and Ayton sits at the top of the board in the low-$6k range. His outcomes have been volatile in his first season with the Lakers, but the underlying production has been solid -- 1.11 FPPM with more than a handful of 40+ DKFP spike games. He has also been far more consistent at home, where he’s averaged +17.6% more FPPG. Tonight’s home matchup puts him in a strong spot for another potential ceiling game. With Wembanyama sidelined, the Spurs have been bleeding production to opposing centers… especially lately. Over their last five games, they rank 29th in DvP against starting centers and have allowed 1.33 FPPM to the position. Ayton posted a 22-point, 10-rebound double-double with two blocks and a steal (42.0 DKFP) the last time these teams met (Nov. 5th) -- and that was with Wemby active before his calf injury, which has kept him out of the Spurs’ lineup since Nov. 16th. Ayton’s usage will naturally be capped with all three Lakers stars healthy, but he’s converting an excellent 70.6% of his shots this season and remains a strong bet for a double-double in a plus matchup.

C Oso Ighodaro, PHX | DK: $3.6k, FD: $3.8k | at OKC

There aren’t any truly “safe” value centers on this slate, but Ighodaro is at least worth a look as a contrarian tournament option. He’s been playing reasonably steady minutes lately -- 23.4 minutes per game over his last five -- and has cleared 20.75 DKFP in three of those contests. One of those outings came as a spot starter with Mark Williams sidelined, but even in his bench role, he’s been involved enough to provide a path to value. One of his better recent games came in this same matchup on Nov. 28th, when he posted 23.5 DKFP in 22 minutes, contributing across all five categories (6 points, 6 boards, 4 assists, a block, and a steal). If Mark Williams struggles in a tough interior matchup or picks up early fouls (OKC scores the 10th-most points in the paint), Ighodaro could again push into that 22-24 minute range. At these sub-$4k salaries, that’s all he needs to be viable on a slate with extremely limited center value.

Other Centers to Consider

C Mark Williams, PHX at OKC

C Luke Kornet, SAS at LAL

🔥 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!