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

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DFS Main Slate Rundown 📰

After a week-and-a-half of wading through miniature slates, we have an absolutely loaded night of NBA action lined up tonight – 11 games on DraftKings and 12 games on FanDuel (with the late game addition of Kings/Trailblazers). This is just my preference, but I’d much rather take on a solid 6-8 game slate than a behemoth like this one, but I’ll also take this over a wimpy two-game slate like we’ve been getting across the NBA Cup scheduling. As you would imagine, the injury report is extensive… even though most of these teams have only played one or two games over the last week or so. That’s the NBA for ya. Injury news and confirmed lineups are going to be steadily streaming down the pipeline all night, so if you’re playing this massive slate, do your best to be available throughout all the chaos, as late swapping could open up some major advantages! There is much to dig into, so let’s get to work! 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 Be sure to stay up-to-date on all injury news leading up to tip-off as the list below may be a bit outdated by the time you’re reading this.}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.}

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

• Hornets: L. Ball - Questionable, C. Sexton - OUT, T. Mann - OUT, P. Connaughton - OUT

• Knicks: K. Towns - Questionable, J. Hart - Questionable, OG Anunoby - Questionable, M. McBride - OUT, L. Shamet - OUT, M. Robinson - Questionable

• Pacers: A. Nesmith - OUT, B. Sheppard - OUT

• Heat: T. Herro - OUT, P. Larsson - OUT, N. Jovic - OUT

• Nets: C. Thomas - OUT

• Wizards: K. Middleton - OUT, C. Kispert - OUT, M. Branham - Questionable

• Spurs: None

• Raptors: RJ Barrett - OUT, J. Poeltl - Questionable

• Bucks: G. Antetokounmpo - OUT, K. Kuzma - Questionable, AJ Green - Questionable, C. Anthony - Questionable

• Rockets: T. Eason - Questionable

• Pelicans: None

• Clippers: J. Harden - OUT, D. Jones Jr. - OUT, C. Christie - Questionable

• Thunder: I. Hartenstein - OUT, Jay. Williams - OUT

• Pistons: None

• Mavs: A. Davis - Questionable, N. Marshall - Questionable, B. Williams - Questionable, D. Russell - Questionable

• Lakers: A. Reaves - OUT, D. Ayton - OUT, G. Vincent - OUT

• Jazz: L. Markkanen - OUT

• Magic: F. Wagner - OUT, J. Suggs - OUT, T. da Silva - Questionable

• Nuggets: A. Gordon - OUT, C. Braun - OUT, P. Watson - Questionable, T. Hardaway Jr. - Questionable

• Warriors: P. Spencer - OUT, A. Horford - OUT

• Suns: J. Green - OUT, G. Allen - Questionable, I. Livers - Questionable

Late Game Injury Report (FanDuel Main Slate Only)

• Kings: D. Sabonis - OUT, Z. LaVine - OUT, D. Schroder - Questionable, D. Eubanks - OUT

• Trailblazers: J. Holiday - 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 Luka Doncic, LAL | DK: $12k, FD: $12.5k | at UTA

The Lakers will be down a pair of starters this evening, with Austin Reaves (calf) and Deandre Ayton (elbow) ruled out. That will have huge implications for Doncic. The workload spike is very real – with Reaves and Ayton off the floor this season, Doncic’s usage rate jumps from 29.9% to 46.9%, and his production climbs from 1.35 to 2.01 FPPM. His $12k+ salaries are lofty, but that level of control over the offense puts 70+ DKFP squarely in play if the game stays competitive. Utah is a favorable matchup – they represent a significant pace-up boost for the Lakers (UTA: 4th in pace, LAL: 21st in pace), and they also check in at 23rd in DvP versus starting point guards over their last ten games. The spread isn’t too crazy here (LAL -8.5), and the 242.5 over/under is the highest on the slate, which equates to the Lakers owning a 125.0 implied team total (2nd highest today). The Lakers are also well-rested, having played only one game since Dec. 10th, which removes any concerns related to minutes. If you’re paying all the way up on this slate, Doncic certainly stands out in terms of role certainty and raw-point ceiling. And, on an 11 (DK)/12 (FD) game slate, finding value to fit a guy like Doncic into lineups won’t be a problem.

SG Stephon Castle, SAS | DK: $7.6k, FD: $7.5k | vs. WAS

Stephon Castle continues to operate as a central offensive piece for San Antonio and draws one of the cleanest matchups on the slate at home against Washington. Since returning from his nine-game hip injury absence, Castle has produced 1.32 FPPM over his last four games, with steady involvement as a scorer, facilitator, and rebounder. Washington plays fast and ranks dead last in DvP versus starting shooting guards this season, while the Spurs lead the slate with a 128.0 implied team total. The primary concern is the game environment – San Antonio is a 15.5-point favorite, which introduces some blowout risk. That said, if this game remains even moderately competitive, Castle’s minutes and usage profile set him up for strong raw-point production at his current salaries.

PG/SG Jase Richardson, ORL | DK: $3k, FD: $3.6k | at DEN

This isn’t the safest value play on the slate, but there’s a clear path for Jase Richardson to pay off his rock-bottom DFS salaries. Orlando has already been without Franz Wagner for about a week and a half, and now starting PG Jalen Suggs will also be sidelined with a hip injury. That opens the door for additional minutes for the rookie 25th overall selection. While his playing time has been sparse and inconsistent, Richardson has been excellent from a per-minute standpoint, averaging 1.33 FPPM over his last five games. On the season, he’s shooting 52.6% from the field and 47.1% from three-point range. The last time Suggs missed a game (Nov. 29 at BOS), Richardson logged a season-high 21 minutes and produced 28.75 DKFP. If he lands in the 15–20 minute range again, he’s well-positioned to return strong value at these salaries.

Other Guards to Consider

PG Cade Cunningham, DET at DAL

PG Steph Curry, GSW at PHX

PG Jalen Brunson, NYK at IND (Potential boost pending NYK injury news)

PG Jamal Murray, DEN vs. ORL

PG Kevin Porter Jr., MIL vs. TOR

PG Keyonte George, UTA vs. LAL

SG Cooper Flagg, DAL vs. DET (Boost if A. Davis is out)

PG/SG Anthony Black, ORL at DEN

PG/SG Marcus Smart, LAL at UTA (Preferred if he starts again)

PG Ryan Nembhard, DAL vs. DET (Preferred if B. Williams is out)

PG/SG Dylan Harper, SAS vs. WAS

PG/SG Bogdan Bogdanovic, LAC at OKC (Boost if starting)

SG Terance Mann, BKN vs. MIA

SG/SF Vit Krejci, ATL at CHA (Preferred if T. Young remains out)

PG Isaiah Collier, UTA vs. LAL

PG/SG Jaden Ivey, DET at DAL

PG Nick Smith Jr. LAL at UTA

FanDuel Main Slate Only

PG Russell Westbrook, SAC at POR

PG/SG Shaedon Sharpe, POR vs. SAC

Small Forwards/Power Forwards to Consider 🏀

PF/C Alperen Sengun, HOU | DK: $9.6k, FD: $10.1k | at NOP

Alperen Sengun has been operating at an elite level in his recent starts, averaging 28.2 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 7.4 APG, and 3.8 STL+BLK/gm over his last five, while producing 1.68 FPPM across 35.0 minutes per game. That efficiency represents a meaningful jump from his 1.41 FPPM season-long mark and reinforces his current form as a high-end raw-points option. The matchup lines up well, as New Orleans ranks 25th in DvP versus starting centers, allows the seventh-most points in the paint, sits bottom-10 in Rebounding%, and gives up the second-most opponent blocks per game. Sengun’s ability to contribute across scoring, rebounding, facilitating, and defensive stats makes him an excellent floor and ceiling option. Houston is favored by 9.5 points, so game flow is worth monitoring, but a competitive script would lead to another monster Sengun performance. His PF/C eligibility on both sites also adds valuable roster flexibility.

SF Michael Porter Jr., BKN | DK: $8.6k, FD: $8.8k | vs. MIA

Michael Porter Jr. continues to shoulder a heavy offensive workload for Brooklyn and lands in a notable pace-up spot against Miami. The Nets rank 27th in pace, while the Heat sit 1st, creating a significant boost to overall possession volume on the Brooklyn side of things. Porter has been productive when available this season, averaging 25.6 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 3.2 APG, and 42.7 DKFP across 21 games. Since the Nets have been without Cam Thomas, dating back to Nov. 5th, Porter has taken on a steady 30.4% USG% and has averaged a quality 1.30 FPPM. Miami has also been vulnerable against the position, allowing the third-most FPPG to starting small forwards over their last 20 contests.

PF/C Bobby Portis, MIL | DK: $5.4k, FD: $5.4k | vs. TOR

Giannis Antetokounmpo has effectively missed the last five games due to a calf injury, aside from a three-minute appearance on Dec. 3, which has led to more consistent run for Bobby Portis. Over that stretch, while not starting, Portis has been productive off the bench, averaging 15.8 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.2 STL+BLK per game, and 30.75 DKFP across 23.3 minutes per game. That production equates to a strong 1.32 FPPM. Milwaukee has a few additional questionable tags to monitor, but the key one for Portis is Kyle Kuzma (illness). Kuzma has been picking up starts with Giannis out, so his absence would likely either push Portis into the starting lineup or elevate his minutes into the low-30s. When Portis reaches the 30-minute mark, he’s rarely going to disappoint when he’s priced under $6k like he is today. At $5,400 on both sites, he’s a solid option as things stand, and he’ll have a greater chance to pop for a ceiling performance if Kuzma is ultimately ruled out.

Other Forwards to Consider

PF Jalen Johnson, ATL at CHA (Preferred if T. Young remains out)

PF LeBron James, LAL at UTA

PF Paolo Banchero, ORL at DEN

SF Kawhi Leonard, LAC at OKC

SF/SG Kevin Durant, HOU at NOP

PF Miles Bridges, CHA vs. ATL

SF/PF PJ Washington, DAL vs. DET (Preferred if A. Davis is out)

PF OG Anunoby, NYK at IND (Currently questionable)

PF/C Kyle Filipowski, UTA vs. LAL (Assuming he starts for Markkanen)

PF Noah Clowney, BKN vs. MIA

PF Tobias Harris, DET at DAL

PF/C Danny Wolf, BKN vs. MIA

SF/PF Simone Fontecchio, MIA at BKN

SF/SG Brice Sensabaugh, UTA vs. LAL (Preferred if starting)

SF/PF Taylor Hendricks, UTA vs. LAL

FanDuel Main Slate Only

PF/SF Jerami Grant, POR vs. SAC

Centers to Consider 🏀

C Nikola Jokic, DEN | DK: $12.8k, FD: $12.9k | vs. ORL

Nikola Jokic remains the slate’s premier raw-points option and continues to justify his top-end salary through unmatched consistency and ceiling. He’s producing 1.95 FPPM this season and has cleared 50 DKFP in every one of his 25 games, averaging 68.2 DKFP overall. Jokic is coming off an 85.75 DKFP performance against Houston, posting 39 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists in another offense-driving effort. His ceiling games tend to show up more frequently at home, where he’s averaging 72.1 DKFP per game – a noticeable bump compared to his road production (65.1 DKFP/gm). Orlando presents a tougher defensive matchup on paper, but Jokic’s role and usage make him matchup-proof. If you’re able to make the salary work, he again offers the strongest combination of floor and ceiling on the slate.

C Jaxson Hayes, LAL | DK: $3.5k, FD: $3.8k | at UTA

With Deandre Ayton sidelined, Jaxson Hayes steps into a much larger role and stands out as one of the clearest salary-relief options on the slate. With both Ayton and Austin Reaves off the floor this season, Hayes has averaged 0.98 FPPM, and he’s projected for around 26 minutes with a realistic path to pushing toward the 30-minute mark, if the game environment dictates it. He’s already shown the ability to produce when given extended run, averaging 27.7 DKFP across two games without Ayton this season while logging 31 minutes per game. Hayes was also efficient in limited action last time out, posting 25.2 DKFP on 12 points and nine rebounds in just 18 minutes against Phoenix. Utah is a favorable matchup, ranking 26th in DvP versus starting centers this season. At his near-minimum salaries, Hayes doesn’t need to do much to pay off, and the minutes upside gives him a strong blend of floor and ceiling in this spot.

Other Centers to Consider

C Onyeka Okongwu, ATL at CHA

C Nic Claxton, BKN vs. MIA

C Mark Williams, PHX vs. GSW

C Mitchell Robinson, NYK at IND (Currently questionable - Boost if KAT is out)

C Day’Ron Sharpe, BKN vs. MIA

C Branden Carlson, OKC vs. LAC

FanDuel Main Slate Only

C Donovan Clingan, POR vs. SAC

C Maxime Raynaud, SAC at POR

🔥 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!