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

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NBA DFS & Props Shows w/ Shannon & Tyler

The NBA DFS & prop shows should be posted later this afternoon. View the latest LineStar YouTube content by clicking the link above!

DFS Main Slate Rundown 📰

Happy New Year’s Eve to everyone! It’s a fairly quiet day for the NBA -- there are a couple of early 3:00 ET tip-offs followed up by a four-game evening slate. Most teams on this small slate are not dealing with many injuries, however, the Grizzlies will have a laundry list of guys who will be out tonight, so they should likely be working with a short eight or nine-man rotation. Outside of Memphis, the three key players we’ll need to monitor are Anthony Davis, LeBron James, and Devin Booker -- all officially “questionable” at the time of this writing (and all play in the later games beginning at 9:00 ET). There is still time to close out 2024 with one more big night in the money so let’s dive in! Best of luck!

Today’s Key Injuries

• Clippers: T. Mann - Questionable

• Spurs: None

• Timberwolves: None

• Thunder: C. Holmgren - OUT, A. Caruso - OUT

• Cavs: I. Okoro - OUT

• Lakers: A. Davis - Questionable, L. James - Questionable, G. Vincent - Questionable

• Grizzlies: J. Morant - OUT, Z. Edey - OUT, S. Aldama - OUT, J. LaRavia - OUT, M. Smart - OUT, V. Williams Jr. - OUT, B. Clarke - OUT, Y. Kawamura - Questionable

• Suns: D. Booker - Questionable, J. Nurkic - OUT, R. O’Neale - OUT, G. Allen - Probable, B. Bol - 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 🏀

SG/SF Desmond Bane, MEM | DK: $7.5k, FD: $7.3k | at PHX

As mentioned in the intro, the Grizzlies will be extremely shorthanded this evening. Seven guys who have played at least a moderately large role in this rotation at some point this season are ruled out for this game versus the Suns. So, I don’t see many scenarios where Desmond Bane isn’t hoisting upwards of 20 shots while also taking on a primary ball-handling role. Memphis has been involved in several blowouts lately, so Bane hasn’t averaged huge minutes (28.7 Min/gm L5Games) but he has been extremely efficient from a DFS perspective, averaging a stellar 1.47 FPPM L5Games while scoring at least 39.75 DKFP/36.8 FDFP in four of those five games. Tonight’s match-up should be a competitive, high-scoring one (236.5 O/U, MEM +4.5) so, if Bane can garner low-to-mid 30s minutes, he should end up as an excellent option. The Suns have also ranked 26th versus starting SGs L5Games.

PG Darius Garland, CLE | DK: $7.2k, FD: $7.4k | at LAL

The 28-4 Cavs continue to steamroll their competition and probably aren’t talked about as much as they should be, given the outstanding season they’re putting together. Garland is a key cog in the machine and heads into tonight’s road game against the Lakers averaging a stout 1.44 FPPM L5Games. Cleveland is winning by double digits against just about everyone but Vegas has the line set for this game at 4.5 points so perhaps we’ll see a few additional minutes out of the Cavs’ starters. It’s a strong individual match-up for Garland as the Lakers have ranked 25th versus starting PGs over their last 10 games while also ranking bottom 10 in DEFRTG on the season.

SG/SF Luke Kennard, MEM | DK: $3.8k, FD: $4.1k | at PHX

Pending further injury news and developments, it will be difficult to get away from the Grizzlies' value. The rotation is just going to be so condensed and someone like Luke Kennard should be a primary option off of the bench while playing anywhere from 24 to 30 minutes. Kennard has averaged just over an FPPM across his last three games and is shooting an efficient 44.4% from three-point range on the season.

Other Guards to Consider

PG Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC vs. MIN

PG/SG Donovan Mitchell, CLE at LAL

PG Austin Reaves, LAL vs. CLE (Boost if AD and/or LeBron are out)

PG Scotty Pippen Jr., MEM at PHX

PG/SG Donte DiVincenzo, MIN at OKC

PG Kevin Porter Jr., LAC at SAS

PG/SG Kris Dunn, LAC at SAS

Small Forwards/Power Forwards to Consider 🏀

PF/C Evan Mobley, CLE | DK: $8k, FD: $8.4k | at LAL

I would imagine that much of the high-end forward ownership is going to fall on LeBron James (if he plays), Kevin Durant, and Jaren Jackson Jr., so Evan Mobley could represent some leverage tonight. Mobley is coming off of a dud against the Warriors last night, but he was also battling foul trouble; none of the Cavs’ starters played more than 28 minutes either in what was a comfortable 18-point win. But when Mobley manages to play 30+ minutes, he’s going to bring ample 50+ FP upside to the table, and he has two such games within his last four starts. The Lakers defend power forwards well but Mobley has excelled in less-than-optimal match-ups several times this season.

SF/SG John Konchar, MEM | DK: $4.2k, FD: $4.6k | at PHX

More Grizzlies value here with Konchar. They’re going to be very chalky but it’d be a real surprise if at least two or three Grizzlies’ players aren’t in the optimal lineup by the end of the night. Konchar should be a candidate to start tonight and play a similar role as his last game. Konchar got the start on Sunday and went on to supply 33.75 DKFP/37.50 FDFP while playing a team-high 34 minutes. He only scored four actual points off of a 10.0% USG%/2-for-8 shooting, but he brought down 15 boards and combined for five blocks/steals. It was an odd stat line for sure, but if Konchar is going to play 30+ minutes again tonight, that would be plenty of time to contribute some combination of stats that would result in him returning value.

SF/PF Dean Wade, CLE | DK: $4.1k, FD: $4.1k | at LAL

Wade has represented some nice value since re-entering the starting rotation earlier this month in place of the injured Isaac Okoro (shoulder/out). He’s generally playing mid-20s minutes and, while he is far from a top-scoring option in this Cavs’ offense, Wade has done enough to average 1.07 FPPM over his last five starts. His size will be useful versus the Lakers’ frontcourt and he was in for 26 minutes as a starter the last time these two teams faced in late October.

Other Forwards to Consider

PF LeBron James, LAL vs. CLE (Currently questionable)

PF/C Kevin Durant, PHX vs. MEM (Boost if D. Booker remains out)

PF/C Jaren Jackson Jr., MEM at PHX

PF/C Julius Randle, MIN at OKC

SF/SG Norman Powell, LAC at SAS

SF/PF Rui Hachimura, LAL vs. CLE (Boost if AD and/or LeBron are out)

SF/SG Max Christie, LAL vs. CLE (Boost if AD and/or LeBron are out)

SF/PF Keldon Johnson, SAS vs. LAC

Centers to Consider 🏀

C Victor Wembanyama, SAS | DK: $11.6k, FD: $11.7k | vs. LAC

Given the value available on this small slate, it won’t be too difficult to get up to one of the three players that reside in the five-figure range (Wemby, SGA, AD). Wembanyama is coming off of a couple of down games, by his standards, but the Spurs are back at home for the first time in 10 days, which tends to be a positive for the Spurs’ big man. Wemby has been a more efficient shooter at home, draining nearly 40% of his threes, and he has averaged a mammoth 1.71 FPPM on his come court, versus 1.61 FPPM on the road. On paper, this may not be an ideal match-up -- the Clippers are allowing the 8th fewest points in the paint per game, they’re 9th in Rebounding%, and they rank 2nd versus starting centers L20Games. However, it doesn’t hurt [Wemby’s chances of success] that LAC is on the second leg of a back-to-back with all of their starters having played at least 31 minutes last night, including 36 minutes from starting center Ivica Zubac. Wembanyama also dropped 70.25 DKFP/78.1 FDFP against the Clippers earlier this season while nearly posting a points/rebounds/BLOCKS triple-double, ultimately falling one block shy of the extremely rare feat.

C Jay Huff, MEM | DK: $3.8k, FD: $3.9k | at PHX

Is anyone sick of cheap Grizzlies players yet? It may be repetitive, but Memphis is particularly thin on big men heading into this game, so Jay Huff should see a good chunk of minutes at the backup center position tonight. He has averaged a rock-solid 1.14 FPPM on the season while playing 15.1 Min/gm across 29 games. I’d imagine he has a good chance to play closer to 20-24 minutes tonight and he could even mix in alongside the starters at times while Jaren Jackson Jr. spends some time at power forward. However it shakes out, it’ll be difficult for him to put up a dud at these sub-$4k price points.

Other Centers to Consider

C Anthony Davis, LAL vs. CLE (Currently questionable)

C Ivica Zubac, LAC at SAS

C Jarrett Allen, CLE at LAL

C Mason Plumlee, PHX vs. MEM

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.

Desmond Bane MORE than 39.0 Fantasy Score

Darius Garland MORE than 34.5 Fantasy Score

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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!