NBA Daily Fantasy Picks & Playbook: January 11
Published: Jan 11, 2024
We have a four-game NBA DFS main slate on Thursday, January 11, on DraftKings and FanDuel and it's an NBA on TNT slate of games. The biggest news of the night is that Luka Doncic is out and that opened the floodgates of ownership in Dallas. We have two teams on a back-to-back and the stars are out as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum, Kyrie Irving, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander take the floor.
NBA DFS Tools to dominate tonight's NBA DFS slate!
Make sure to check out today's NBA DFS projections and NBA DFS ownership projections before finalizing your lineups today. We also have the NBA Consistency Report to help identify players that have exceeded value based on their current price tag this season and of course our NBA DFS Lineup Generator!
Here's the NBA DFS Podcast for today's slate. Like the video and subscribe to our channel!
Notable NBA Injury Updates
QUESTIONABLE
- LeBron James
- Deandre Ayton – DOUBT
- Dereck Lively II – DOUBT
- Rui Hachimura – DOUBT
- Jabari Walker
- Cam Reddish
- Grant Williams
OUT
PROBABLE
Back-to-Backs
Pace Up Spots (Last 15 Games)
Pace definition: Pace is the total number of possessions a team uses in a game.
*key* Green is elite pace of play, Blue is decent pace of play, & Red is slow pace of play.
Green = Fast Paced team
Blue = Neutral Paced team
Red = Slow Paced team
- Celtics: 18th vs. Bucks 2nd
- Trail Blazers: 15th vs. Thunder: 5th
- Knicks: 14th vs. Mavericks: 6th
- Suns: 19th vs. Lakers: 7th
Defensive Ratings (Last 15 Games)
- Portland Trail Blazers: 24th
- Phoenix Suns: 21st
- Los Angeles Lakers: 20th
- Milwaukee Bucks: 18th
- Oklahoma City Thunder: 14th
- Dallas Mavericks: 12th
- New York Knicks: 9th
- Boston Celtics: 5th
NBA Game Totals
- Boston Celtics @ Milwaukee Bucks - 242.5 (MIL -4.5)
- Phoenix Suns @ Los Angeles Lakers - 238.5 (LAL -1.5)
- Portland Trail Blazers @ Oklahoma City Thunder - 235.5 (OKC -12.5)
- New York Knicks @ Dallas Mavericks - 233.5 (NYK -4.5)
Top Tier Core Plays
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
For just the second time over his last 12 games, SGA didn’t put up at least 50 DKP on Wednesday. That goes to show how HOW consistent he’s been. Portland ranks 24th in DRtg over the last 15 games, which is the worst mark on the board. This game has to stay close in order for SGA to pay off his price. OKC is 14-5 ATS at home, the best mark on the year.
Anthony Davis & LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
It’s hard to pick one or the other and ultimately, If you’re playing one of the stars, just choose the lower owned guy. Davis is at 1.49 FP/min and a 27% USG player this year and James is at 29.5% USG and 1.45 FP/min. Both are elite options against a bottom-10 defense.
Kyrie Irving, Dallas Mavericks
Without Luka Doncic and Dante Exum this year, Kyrie Irving has a 26% USG and averages 1.27 FP/min. He’s on a heater right now posting four straight games of 50+ DKP which has included 24+ points, 8+ rebounds, 4+ assists, and 2+ steals. He’ll be one of the highest rostered plays of today’s slate.
Mid-Tier Core Plays
Julius Randle, New York Knicks
The Knicks are have been amazing over his last five games coinciding with the OG Anunoby trade. Randle has been great during that span and in general this year. He has put up 48+ DKP in five of his last seven games. Without Barrett, Quickley, and Mitchell Robinson this year, Randle has a 32% USG and averages 1.32 FP/min.
Anfernee Simons, Portland Trail Blazers
If Portland is going to keep this close at all it’s because of Anfernee Simons. He’s a bucket. Without Ayton and Williams this year, he’s averaged 1.15 FP/min and 30.7% USG, which leads the team in both categories. It’s also a big pace-up spot for Portland, too. It’s a GPP play only, but one that will pay off in a close game.
Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder
This dude, y’all. I know everyone loves SGA and Chet, and same, but Williams has been incredible of late. He’s played 34+ minutes and 35+ DKP in four straight games. He’s sitting at 22% USG and is sitting at 1.02 FP/min this season.
I know we think about the Suns and think “big 3” but what if I told you during the 94 minutes that Nurk has been on the floor with them, he LEADS them in FP/min at 1.44? Again, not a big sample, but that speaks to how good he can be in the fantasy space. The Lakers have not been great defensively lately ranking 20th in DRtg and this is also a nice pace up spot for the Suns.
Isaiah Hartenstein, New York Knicks
Another ceiling rebounding game on the way? He is facing off against a smaller front court with Dwight Powell starting at center. Hartenstein has had 14+ rebounds in three of four games and has been incredibly consistent from a FP perspective putting up 34+ DKP in five straight games.
Value Tier Core Plays
Shaedon Sharpe, Portland Trail Blazers
It looks like Portland is going to make a lineup change and that could result in Shaedon Sharpe drawing a start once again according to Chauncey Billups after the Knicks game. If that’s the case, and Sharpe isn’t limited, he’s an elite value because this is a player we were paying nearly 8K earlier this year. Sharpe has a 22.9% USG and .98 DK/min this year without Ayton and Rob Williams. In a competitive setting, Sharpe can play upwards of 40 minutes.
Hardy has started for Luka Doncic in each of the last three games he’s missed and in their last game, he nearly triple-doubled. He’s a very high-usage player and gets a 4.2% USG bump without Doncic and Exum. He has a 28.5% USG and averages 1.2 FP/min this year without those guys. Hard to get away from him at his price. He’ll be the HIGHEST owned play of the slate. Plug and play.
Tim Hardaway Jr. & Derrick Jones Jr., Dallas Mavericks
Both guys are firmly in play without Luka Doncic and they couldn’t be more different from one another. THJ is a high usage guy, LEADING the team without Doncic and Exum at 30.5% along with 1.18 FP/min. The price has really dipped to a comfortable price. Jones is playing big minutes and although he’s a streaky fantasy producer, he does have a 30+ FP ceiling.
Slate Thoughts:
- It's plausible to think despite how good the Thunder are, that there is a little less in the tank tonight after a big road win IN Miami last night. Portland could keep this game more competitive and if they do, this game has the chance to be the best of the night.
- It looks as if Portland will make a lineup change (or two) with Shaedon Sharpe at the forefront. We could also see Jabari Walker possibly start at the 5 over Duop Reath if he returns from injury.
- Dallas is super popular. Obviously. I'm not fading most of them in cash, but in tournaments, let's not lose site in high usage guys and guys that benefit from a fantasy standpoint when Luka Doncic and Dante Exum are off the floor.
Late-News Core Play Section
*Section for players we are considering “core plays” based on late-breaking news & research
- Dwight Powell, Dallas Mavericks (posting late, but .99 FP/min this year without Doncic, Exum, Lively)
- Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
- Taurean Prince, Los Angeles Lakers
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Player Pool
| $ Tier | PG | SG | SF | PF | C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High |  Shai Gilgeous-Alexander  $11,300 |  Jayson Tatum $10,400 |  Giannis Antetokounmpo $12,300 |  Anthony Davis $11,400 | |
| Kyrie Irving $10,100 |  LeBron James $10,000 | ||||
| Medium |  Jalen Brunson $9,000 |  Anfernee Simons $8,000 | Jalen Williams $7,800 |  Julius Randle $8,900 | Isaiah Hartenstein $7,700 |
| Scoot Henderson $6,400 |  Khris Middleton $7,200 | Jerami Grant $7,400 |  Jusuf Nurkić $6,700 | ||
 Tim Hardaway $6,300 | |||||
| Low |  Grayson Allen $5,400 | Donte DiVincenzo $5,200 | Christian Wood $5,000 | Dwight Powell $4,800 | |
 Derrick Jones $5,600 | Grant Williams $4,300 |
Player News
Kristaps Porzingis (illness) said after Wednesday’s Game 2 loss to the Knicks that his current stamina issues may be related to the problem that sidelined him for eight games late in the regular season.
After an illness limited him to 13 first-half minutes in Boston’s series-opening defeat on Monday, Porzingis came off the bench in Game 2. Unfortunately, he could only give the Celtics 14 minutes. Following the game, Porzingis said his current problem may be related to the upper respiratory ailment that sidelined him for eight games late in the regular season. “Probably, probably,” Porzingis said. “I’ve had like ups and downs throughout until this point. Just now, had a big crash. Now, my energy, my everything, hasn’t been good, but who cares? Have to move forward and it will get better from this point.” While Boston’s shot selection was the focus following its two home defeats, Porzingis’ limited availability has also been a factor. He’ll hope to return to full health in time for Game 3 on Saturday afternoon.
Nikola Jokic finished with 17 points (6-of-16 FGs), eight rebounds, six assists, one steal, one block, two three-pointers and six turnovers in Game 2 against the Thunder on Wednesday.
This was Jokic’s worst performance of the postseason, and it came to an end in the third quarter. He fouled out with 1:17 left in the third, which brought his night to a close after he played 32 minutes. OKC was up 41 points when Jokic fouled out, so his night may have been close to over anyway. Jokic dominated Game 1, and the Thunder adjusted. Denver will need other players to step up if they want to have a chance of winning this series, but Jokic will also need to be better than he was in this game.
Michael Porter Jr. struggled on Wednesday and finished with just eight points (2-of-10 FGs), five rebounds, one steal and two three-pointers in Game 2 against the Thunder.
MPJ was slightly better in the second half, as all eight of his points came in the third quarter. However, the game was already out of hand at that point after a terrible first half for both Porter Jr. and the Nuggets. MPJ shot 1-of-8 in Game 1, and they’ll need him to be much better moving forward. The series will now shift back to Denver, and MPJ will look to get back on track during the two home games before the series heads back to Oklahoma City.
Russell Westbrook provided a boost off the bench with 19 points (5-of-11 FGs, 8-of-10 FTs), one rebound, five assists and one three-pointer in a 149-106 loss to the Thunder in Game 2 on Wednesday.
Despite an ugly first half for Denver, Westbrook was productive and entered the break with 15 points. He didn’t add much in the second half, though he sat the entire fourth quarter, still it was enough to lead the Nuggets in scoring. Russ has been awesome over Denver’s last five games, and his continued success will be key to the Nuggets winning this series. Though this game was ugly, they still have homecourt advantage in this series. They’ll look to keep it in Game 3 on Friday.
Chet Holmgren recorded a double-double on Wednesday with 15 points (3-of-8 FGs, 7-of-7 FTs), 11 rebounds, two assists, two steals, two blocks and two three-pointers in Game 2 against the Nuggets.
After struggling in Game 1, Holmgren bounced back and recorded the fourth postseason triple-double of his career, with three of those coming this season. Aside from Game 3 against Memphis, Holmgren has swatted at least two shots in every game during these playoffs, which was a trend that continued in this game despite him only playing 26 minutes. Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein (14/8/5/1/1) will look to continue to limit Nikola Jokic (17 points) in Game 3 on Friday.
Jalen Williams bounced back on Wednesday with 17 points (6-of-11 FGs), four rebounds, seven assists and two blocks in Game 2 against the Nuggets.
Williams was criticized for his poor performance in the Thunder’s Game 1 loss, but he responded well in OKC’s blowout victory. He was on pace for a bigger night, but he only played 26 minutes and sat the entire fourth quarter due to the lopsided score. He shot the ball much better after shooting 5-of-20 in Game 1, and he’ll need that success to carry over into Game 3 in Denver on Friday.