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It’s great to be back in the swing of things in the NBA, RotoBallers. In these articles, I focus on the top plays, traditionally geared toward cash games. However, with over a decade of NBA DFS experience under my belt—and as someone who rarely dives into cash formats—I'm selecting picks that also typically come with high upside. That means they offer the steady floor needed for cash games while packing the high ceiling we need for tournaments.
Well, what was once a tidy five-game slate has been turned into a small three-gamer due to the ongoing wildfires in California. We're left with an uninspiring set of matchups, though the Raptors-Pistons game should be fantasy-friendly, and the Grizzlies-Timberwolves game holds a high total and fast projected pace. The Heat-Blazers affair projects to be a slow-paced slugfest, but we will dig into every team to see if we can mine out any value.
The key to succeeding in NBA DFS is making adjustments during the day as injury information becomes available. But it's always essential to have a game plan and zero in on the best players and spots before making those adjustments. To keep up with all the latest developments and get access to updated projections, grab an NBA season pass and access our RotoBaller Premium Discord, where @chiefjustice6 is talking about the slate up until lineups lock!
This article will provide my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 1/11/25. Remember to monitor NBA injury news and our excellent NBA injuries report tool, as the slate can completely change before lineups lock at 7 p.m. EST on DraftKings and FanDuel. Good luck, RotoBallers!
Today's NBA DFS Core Picks
Here is a look at some of the higher-priced players we can use as building blocks for cash and GPP contests.
We will have to pay a premium price to get him in lineups, but I'm not scared of continuing to roll out Cade Cunningham as a staple of my lineups tonight. He's the most expensive player on the slate due to games of 59, 57, and 63.5 DK points over his last five, but it should be noted that he also put up lineup-killing duds of 26.75 and 37.25 DK points in that stretch. Regardless of his price, we must take shots at that ceiling in this glorious matchup. The Raptors have surrendered the most fantasy points per game to PGs over their last seven contests, so I'm firing the young star up as a core tournament option tonight.
Speaking of stars rounding into form, enter Anthony Edwards. Ant had averaged 60.2 DK points per game over three games before putting up 40.25 DK points in a blowout win over the Magic on Thursday. He's taking charge of the offense lately and hitting at a high rate from deep, and I can certainly see his hot streak continue in a game with the highest total and fastest pace projection on the slate. The Grizzlies allow the 10th-most fantasy points per game to SGs this season, so Ant looks like a premier play on this slate.
We'll cover Jaime Jaquez Jr. later (in the Small Forwards section).
I'll sprinkle a solid amount of Julius Randle, Anfernee Simons, Immanuel Quickley, and Jakob Poeltl, but none qualify as "core plays" on this slate.
- Cade Cunningham, DET vs. TOR - PG ($10,400 DK; $10,400 FD)
- Anthony Edwards, MIN vs. MEM - SG ($8,900 DK; $9,100 FD)
- Jaime Jaquez Jr., MIA @ POR - SF/PF ($5,900 DK; $5,800 FD)
Today's NBA DFS Value Picks
This is where we talk about saving salary. Whether it's a severely underpriced backup or even as simple as a guy playing like someone who should be priced higher, this is where you'll find guys who make lineups work.
Sorting the best value picks of the day by fantasy points per dollar:
Value will be challenging on a three-game slate unless we get injury news throughout the day. The cheap and mid-range options on the Wolves stand out, as Rudy Gobert is far too cheap, while Jaden McDaniels, Naz Reid, Donte DiVincenzo, Mike Conley, and even Nickeil Alexander-Walker see enough minutes to be interested in them at their salary. Gobert, in particular, has crushed value with a 35.3 DK point per game average over his last three games.
Jalen Duren is interesting for the same reasons Gobert is - he's exceeding value at his mid-range price. He has potential for a ceiling game against a Raptors team that allows the third-most fantasy points per game to centers this season. Nikola Jovic is an intriguing option at under $5,000 on DraftKings. He has seen a bump in minutes and usage rate with Jimmy Butler off the floor, and he has games of 32.25, 35.5, and 28.5 DK points over his last four contests. The Raptors can't defend PFs or Cs, so Jovic is firmly in play for me tonight.
Top Value Plays:
- Rudy Gobert, MIN vs. MEM - C ($5,400 DK; $6,200 FD) Prefer on DraftKings
- Jaime Jaquez Jr., MIA @ POR ($5,900 DK; $5,800 FD)
- Nikola Jovic, MIA @ POR - PF/C ($4,700 DK; $5,200 FD) Prefer on DraftKings
- Jalen Duren, DET vs. TOR - C ($5,500 DK; $6,100 FD) Prefer on DraftKings
- Jaden McDaniels, MIN vs. MEM - SF ($4,000 DK; $4,600 FD) Prefer on DraftKings
- Scoot Henderson, POR vs. MIA - PG ($4,300 DK) DraftKings Only
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Today's NBA DFS Picks: Point Guard
My approach at PG is slightly different depending on the site you're playing on. Cade Cunningham will be a priority on both sites, but I only want to get to Mike Conley and Scoot Henderson on DraftKings at their respective pricing. Both are too cheap for their 25-ish minute roles, and Henderson has a lovely 35+ DK point ceiling that we can't match at his salary spot. Donte DiVincenzo, Terry Rozier, and Immanuel Quickley can also be mixed in, but I will prioritize Cunningham and Henderson on this slate.
However, we want to get more Rozier on FanDuel, as he's too cheap for his new role sans Butler. He has been a bit disappointing lately, but a matchup with the team allowing the most fantasy points per game to guards on the slate should be the remedy he needs to crush value tonight. He has two games with at least 31.25 DK points over his last five; I'm calling a 40-burger out of him tonight.
Top PG Options:
- Cade Cunningham, DET vs. TOR ($10,400 DK; $10,400 FD)
- Terry Rozier, MIA @ POR ($5,100 DK; $5,000 FD)
- Scoot Henderson, POR vs. MIA ($4,300 DK) DraftKings Only
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Shooting Guard
Shooting guard is a little sparse on this small slate, but there are a few key guys I will be getting to. Edwards, as explained in the "core" section, is one of them. A former Minnesota guard in Malik Beasley is another option, as he's at an affordable salary and in great form as of late. Beasley is averaging 29.7 DK PPG over his last four games, and that includes a 14.25 DK point stinker against the Blazers on 1/6/25. We know he's going to fire away shots at will, and that's going to play up against a Raptors team allowing the seventh-most fantasy points per game overall.
Donte DiVincenzo, Terry Rozier, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Shaedon Sharpe can also be mixed in, but my interest will be focused on Edwards and Beasley on DraftKings.
Top SG Options:
- Anthony Edwards, MIN vs. MEM - SG ($8,900 DK; $9,100 FD)
- Malik Beasley, DET vs. TOR ($5,600 DK; $5,700 FD)
- Terry Rozier, MIA @ POR ($5,100 DK; $5,000 FD)
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Small Forward
We have to get a little creative at small forward, which is generally the case on smaller slates. Jaden McDaniels is a value play in the optimizers, as he's just $4,000 on DraftKings and is projected to play around 31 minutes. His 0.8 FPTS/min rate doesn't inspire confidence, but two things should boost his fantasy production in this matchup. First, the game environment is the best on the slate, with a high implied total and fast projected pace. Second, the Grizzlies have allowed the third-most fantasy points per game to SFs this season.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. is my other favorite selection at the position. His salary continues to increase, but he's earning it as he has produced games with 61 and 43.25 DK points over his last three contests. Yes, you read that correctly. In case you missed it, Jaquez Jr. scored 61 DK points over 46 minutes against the Kings on Monday, notching his first triple-double with five steals and a block. He has a great shot to continue his successful run against the Blazers tonight, who allow the sixth-most fantasy points per game and rank poorly against opposing SFs.
Top SF Options:
- Jaden McDaniels, MIN vs. MEM ($4,000 DK; $4,600 FD) Prefer on DraftKings
- Jaime Jaquez Jr., MIA @ POR ($5,900 DK; $5,800 FD)
- Nickeil Alexander-Walker, MIN vs. MEM ($3,200 DK) DraftKings Only
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Power Forward
Julius Randle stands out at the power forward position. He's at a modest salary where he only needs 36 DK points to hit 5x value, and while he hasn't been consistent this season, he's fully capable of putting up 50+ DK points on any given night. He has finished with 41.5 and 50 DK points in two of his last five games, and now he gets a Grizzlies frontcourt that has allowed the fifth-most fantasy points per game to PFs this season.
Jaquez is eligible at both SF and PF, so we'll use him in both spots tonight. Naz Reid, Santi Aldama, and Nikola Jovic are other mid-range options to consider, and I will likely base my interest on who is the least popular of the group. All three have shown a propensity for occasionally hitting the 35-ish DK point game, but I'd like to prioritize Jovic as he projects to see the most minutes of the trio.
Top PF Options:
- Julius Randle, MIN vs. MEM ($7,200 DK; $7,200 FD)
- Jaime Jaquez Jr., MIA @ POR ($5,900 DK; $5,800 FD)
- Nikola Jovic, MIA @ POR ($4,700 DK; $5,200 FD) Prefer on DraftKings
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Center
There are several routes we can take at the center position tonight. Jalen Duren and Rudy Gobert are my top two picks, as they're both wildly underpriced, given their recent production and projected roles tonight. Duren's minutes can be volatile, but he's averaging a superb 1.25 FPTS/min over his last nine games and gets a soft matchup against the Raptors tonight. He hasn't hit a ceiling game in a while, but his opportunity will be there as Toronto has allowed the third-most fantasy points per game to Cs this season.
Gobert's matchup isn't as favorable, but it's worth noting that Memphis has allowed the 10th-most fantasy points per game to Cs over their last seven games. The big man out of France finally seems to have found his footing recently, averaging 35.3 DK points, 14.7 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game over his last three contests.
Donovan Clingan and Isaiah Stewart are worthy dart throws on a tiny slate, but I will limit my exposure to them as they're projecting for less than 20 minutes tonight.
Top C Options:
- Jalen Duren, DET vs. TOR ($5,500 DK; $6,100 FD)
- Rudy Gobert, MIN vs. MEM ($5,400 DK; $6,200 FD)
Today's Top NBA DFS Game Stacks
- Grizzlies @ Timberwolves (o/u 231.5; 105.1 projected pace)
- Raptors @ Pistons (o/u 229.5; 103.5 projected pace)
Today's Top NBA DFS Avoids
Jaren Jackson Jr. He's the second-most expensive player on the slate, and he deserves the salary as he has produced games of 52, 67.75, and 66 DK points over his last five contests. The issue with playing him is two-fold. Prioritizing Jackson Jr. over Cunningham and Edwards sacrifices too much upside elsewhere, especially given his tough matchup. Second, the Wolves are the worst matchup an opposing power forward can face. They allow the least fantasy points per game to PFs this season, Ja Morant being back in the lineup caps his potential ceiling.
My Favorite NBA DFS Picks for Today
Here is where I leave you with some of my favorites.
- My favorite overall play on the slate: Anthony Edwards
- My favorite CASH play on the slate: Cade Cunningham
- My favorite GPP play on the slate: Jaime Jaquez Jr. / Scoot Henderson
- My favorite value play: Jaime Jaquez Jr.
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