Happy Sunday in the NBA everyone. We have a small three-game NBA DFS main slate today with the NFL Conference Championships headlining the day in sports. The NBA still has some good matchups with some terrific star power. It's an early tip-off slate beginning at 6:00 PM Eastern time with Kevin Durant Devin Booker and Phoenix Suns taking on Paolo Banchero and the Orlando Magic. We also have the Toronto Raptors taking on the Atlanta Hawks. Then later on we have the Chicago Bulls traveling out west to take on the Portland Trail Blazers. Let's dive into the NBA DFS main slate for Sunday, January 28th.

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 off their current price tag this season and of course our NBA DFS Lineup Generator!

 

Notable NBA Injury Updates

OUT

Questionable

Teams on Back-to-Backs

1st leg

Pace Up Spots

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

Notable NBA Game Totals

Top Tier Core Plays

Devin Booker, PG/SG, Phoenix Suns

Devin Booker is coming off a massive performance in the Suns last game. He finished with 62 game points on 37 shot attempts finishing with over 80 fantasy points. That game had one of the best game environments in the NBA going against the Indiana Pacers who play at one of the highest paces in the NBA. This game environment will be much different taking on the Orlando Magic. The Magic are a very good defense ranking 5th in the NBA in defensive rating. But Booker is definitely in play tonight more so than Kevin Durant who will be matched up against Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.

Trae Young, PG, Atlanta Hawks

Trae Young is back from a few-game absence with a concussion. He was part of the Luka Doncic historic night on Friday but on the bad side of it. Trae was still very solid finishing with 30-11 double-double and going over 55 fantasy points. He is part of the game with the highest game total on the slate, which we like. They are taking on the new-look Toronto Raptors, who are still trying to get to know each other on the defensive end of the court. With Trae sitting under 10K on DraftKings I can absolutely see him finishing with over 5X his value tonight.

Scottie Barnes, PG/SF Toronto Raptors

I absolutely love this matchup for Scottie Barnes tonight, and that is why he is the cover of the playbook today. It is a massive pac-up for him and the Raptors, and the Hawks are ranked in the bottom five in defensive efficiency.  With Pascal Siakam now in Indiana, there is no doubt that Scottie Barnes is the alpha in this offense especially with Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett out with injury. I believe Barnes has a massive ceiling tonight and that is why I am riding with him as my top-tier play of the night.

Mid-Tier Core Plays

Anfernee Simons, PG/SG, Portland Trail Blazers

The matchup isn't great going against the Chicago Bulls, because they play at such a slow pace. We are also unsure of who is going to play for Portland tonight with Simons, Malcolm Brogdon, Scoot Henderson, and Jerami Grant are all questionable. Simons is coming off back-to-back games in which he got over 20 shot attempts, and he has had massive games. He combined for 73 points during those two games. If Simons is a go tonight, and anyone else is out for Portland, I am in on Simons. I will be here to update who is ruled out tonight, once we get the news.

Nikola Vucevic, C, Chicago Bulls

Vuc is about as steady as it comes for the Bulls and for us for fantasy purposes as well. He is going to give you 30 fantasy points because of the rebounding floor he possesses. Whatever he gives you on the offensive end is a bonus, which is great, because he is a good offensive player. Vuc has scored at least 17 points in five of his last six games while scoring over 50 fantasy points in three of those games. Getting someone with that type of ceiling for under 8K on DraftKings is outstanding value.

Saddiq Bey, SF/PF, Atlanta Hawks

Saddiq Bey goes as his shot falls each night. He does a solid job rebounding the ball playing mostly at the power forward position. He has grabbed at least seven rebounds in four straight games. In those four games, Bey has also gotten up at least 11 shot attempts in each. Unfortunately, in one of those games, he went 0-12 from the field just obliterating your lineup. In a good game environment against Toronto,  I am taking Saddiq Bey tonight.

Bruce Brown, SG/SF, Toronto Raptors

Brown is still trying to get his feet wet with this Raptors team. But with the Raptors being down two of their top scorers RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley out of the lineup Bruce Brown will need to step up. Brown also showed some signs of life scoring nine points and grabbing nine rebounds in the last game finishing with 24 fantasy points. He should see much more than 30 minutes tonight with them being short-handed, so I may be riding with Bruce Brown tonight.

Value Tier Core Plays

Gary Trent, SG, Toronto Raptors

With Toronto being short-handed tonight, there is so much value in their role players tonight. If Gary Trent gets hot tonight, in a spot start would anyone really be surprised? I don't think so, we have seen Trent just go nuclear at times throughout his career. It could happen again today in a great matchup against Atlanta, it will most likely be the chalk play.

Thaddeus Young, C, Toronto Raptors

Thaddeus Young continues to start for the injured Jakob Poeltl and he continues to produce. In his last two games, he has finished with 12 points, grabbed six rebounds, and dished out four assists finishing with 29 and 31 fantasy points. He is still priced nicely under 5K on DraftKings, making him an auto-lock for me tonight if you are paying down at the center position. 

Ayo Dosunmu, PG/SG, Chicago Bulls

With Patrick Williams being ruled out in this one, Ayo Dosunmu could get the nod in the starting lineup. Even if he doesnt get the start, he will play close to 30 minutes tonight either way. Ayo really thrives in transition and off his energy should be able to handle this bad Portland defense. Dosunmu has a 30-point ceiling tonight, and getting that under 5K is great value, you should look to attack it, even in a low game total.

Onyeka Okongwu, C, Atlanta Hawks

I am going to keep this short and sweet. This is a solid game environment for Onyeka Okongwu and he will get 20-28 minutes tonight. If you want to pivot off of Thad Young who will most likely be highly owned tonight, Okongwu is your next best option at a slightly cheaper price.

Roster Lock News & Notes

  • Jusuf Nurkic has been ruled out for the Suns. This opens up value with Drew Eubanks a bit.
  • Dejounte Murray has been ruled out for the Atlanta Hawks. I look for Bogdan Bogdanovic to be more involved. Trae Young is in the must-play territory.

Player Pool

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Stacks

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