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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.
The Thunder and Celtics are squaring off in the game of the day, but unfortunately, it's not on the main slate as the schedule-makers plopped it in the middle of Week 18 in the NFL. However, we get five other games on the hardwood to work with, including a high-total, high-paced showdown between the worst teams, the Pelicans and the Wizards. No defense will be played in that game, so there will be fantasy picks to mine out. Let's dig in and see what we can work out in a weird, small slate on a Sunday.
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 1/5/25. Remember to monitor NBA injury news and our excellent NBA injuries report tool, as the slate can completely change before lineups lock at 6 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 have several injury situations to monitor at the top of the salary board. LaMelo Ball, Dejounte Murray, Brandon Miller, and Jordan Poole are all true question marks tonight, while De'Aaron Fox has been deemed doubtful. Any of those players being ruled out would have massive implications, but for now, we will only assume that Fox misses tonight's action.
Fox being ruled out would be a massive boost for the star big man in Sacramento, Domantas Sabonis. The son of NBA legend Arvydas Sabonis has had a solid, steady season, averaging 50.1 DK PPG and a 20.5/13.7 double-double. Tonight, he faces an undermanned and undersized Warriors frontcourt that will try to use some combination of Draymond Green, Trayce Jackson-Davis, and Kevon Looney to slow him down. The Warriors allow the seventh-most fantasy points per game to centers this season, including the third-most assists and fourth-most rebounds per game to the position.
CJ McCollum is the next piece I want a big piece of. He's the last man standing in New Orleans as Zion Williamson remains out, Brandon Ingram is injured, and Murray got hurt last game and is in danger of missing tonight's action. CJ blasted off with 61.25 DK points in his previous game against the same team he's facing tonight, the putrid Wizards. He's going to get all of the usage and play as many minutes as he can handle, which is very notable, with Washington allowing the most fantasy points per game in the league this season (they also allow the second-most FPPG to PGs and SGs).
Evan Mobley is the final high-priced player I'll highlight here. He has been inconsistent this year, but his volatility should be embraced as he's a sub-$8,000 option who has exceeded 50 DK points in three of his last six games. However, the pristine matchup is what I'm genuinely interested in with this play. The Hornets rank middle-of-the-pack against centers this season, but they're allowing the second-most fantasy points per game to the position over their last seven games.
- Domantas Sabonis, SAC @ GSW - C ($9,000 DK; $9,400 FD)
- CJ McCollum, NOP @ WAS - PG/SG ($7,800 DK; $7,900 FD)
- Evan Mobley, CLE vs. CHA - PF/C ($7,700 DK; $8,300 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:
Fox isn't playing tonight, so we'll get a heavier dose of Keon Ellis at just $3,600 on DraftKings. Here's what Ellis has done when he gets at least 30 minutes this season: 30.5, 26.75, 33.5, and 50 DK points. That's an average of 35.2 DK PPG over four games, which would be almost 10x value at his salary tonight. He's the premier value option on the slate with Fox off the floor.
It's scary, but Cole Anthony is back in our lives. The Magic don't want to play him, but they're down to him, Anthony Black, Trevelin Queen, and the wily ol' vet Cory Joseph at the guard position after being ravaged by injuries. I'd feel much better about playing Anthony if Black were to miss another game, but both players are firmly in play at their respective salaries. Anthony produced 31.5 DK points over 34 minutes in his latest game, and tonight's matchup against the Jazz is favorable as they allow the second-most fantasy points per game and the most fantasy points per game to PGs.
We can also keep going to the Warriors for mid-range value, as long as Stephen Curry remains out. Trayce Jackson-Davis, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green, and Dennis Schroder are all underpriced given their current roles, and I'll even take shots on Buddy Hield again.
Malik Monk, Herbert Jones, Goga Bitadze, and Yves Missi are other value options I will rotate in, with Monk holding the highest appeal due to his potential upside with Fox out.
Top Value Plays:
- Keon Ellis, SAC @ GSW - SG ($3,600 DK) DraftKings Only
- Cole Anthony, ORL vs. UTA - PG/SG ($5,300 DK; $5,100 FD)
- Malik Monk, SAC @ GSW - PG/SG ($6,800 DK; $6,800 FD)
- Andrew Wiggins, GSW vs. SAC - SF/PF ($5,600 DK; $6,400 FD) Prefer on DraftKings
- Trayce Jackson-Davis, GSW vs. SAC - C ($5,000 DK; $6,100 FD)
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Today's NBA DFS Picks: Point Guard
My point guard pool is set in stone tonight, assuming Curry, Fox, and Murray all sit. It'll be a heavy dose of an underpriced Cole Anthony and CJ McCollum, with Monk, Schroder, Black, and Austin Reaves mixing in as mid-range and value pieces. Black and Reaves are the only players from that group who only qualify at PG, meaning we can mix and match these guys in at both spots tonight.
Top PG Options:
- Cole Anthony, ORL vs. UTA ($5,300 DK; $5,100 FD)
- CJ McCollum, NOP @ WAS ($7,800 DK; $7,900 FD)
- Malik Monk, SAC @ GSW ($6,800 DK; $6,800 FD)
- Dennis Schroder, GSW vs. SAC ($5,400 DK; $6.200 FD) Prefer on DraftKings
- Anthony Black, ORL @ WAS ($4,700 DK; $4,500 FD)
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Shooting Guard
As stated, most of the options I'll be using at PG also qualify at SG. Keon Ellis and Buddy Hield are the exceptions, though Ellis is the clear priority of the two. Ellis has thrived when given starter-level minutes this season, and he should see at least 30 minutes tonight with Fox doubtful and Keegan Murray questionable. The matchup isn't ideal, but it's a solid game environment with a fast projected pace of play.
Hield is a bit of an enigma. He only played 24 minutes and scored 21.5 DK points last night, and while that got the job done at his low salary, it's not what we're looking for in a tournament lineup. He's worth rolling the dice on again if Curry is out, but I won't get crazy with my exposure until he starts rounding back into form.
Top SG Options:
- Keon Ellis, SAC @ GSW ($3,600 DK) DraftKings Only
- Cole Anthony, ORL vs. UTA ($5,300 DK; $5,100 FD)
- CJ McCollum, NOP @ WAS ($7,800 DK; $7,900 FD)
- Malik Monk, SAC @ GSW ($6,800 DK; $6,800 FD)
- Dennis Schroder, GSW vs. SAC ($5,400 DK; $6.200 FD) Prefer on DraftKings
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Small Forward
Here's where we need to get a little creative. Andrew Wiggins, Herbert Jones, and DeMar DeRozan are my top picks at SF tonight, with Wiggins and Jones being higher priorities due to their mid-range pricing. They're both going to see around 33 minutes and while Jones has the better matchup on paper, Wiggins is in better form and holds the higher ceiling between the two forwards. The former 1st overall pick took 17 shots and scored 39.5 DK points in his last game, and I expect similar production from him tonight if Curry remains out.
Top SF Options:
- Andrew Wiggins, GSW vs. SAC ($5,600 DK; $6,400 FD)
- Herbert Jones, NOP @ WAS ($5,500 DK; $5,600 FD)
- DeMar DeRozan, SAC @ GSW ($7,000 DK; $7,200 FD) Prefer on FanDuel
- Kevin Huerter, SAC @ GSW ($3,800 DK) DraftKings Only
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Power Forward
Wiggins and Jones qualify at PF, but I would also like to get to Draymond Green at his mid-range salary. He has an all-around game that isn't scoring-dependent, so I'm willing to gamble that he spikes for another 40-ish DK points in a matchup against a Kings team that could be missing Keegan Murray down low.
Evan Mobley doesn't project particularly well, but I love his upside in this spot. As stated in the "Core Plays" section, Mobley has put up at least 50 DK points in three of his last six games, and he has a golden opportunity to keep it going against a Hornets frontcourt that can't defend bigs recently.
Top PF Options:
- Andrew Wiggins, GSW vs. SAC ($5,600 DK; $6,400 FD)
- Herbert Jones, NOP @ WAS ($5,500 DK; $5,600 FD)
- Draymond Green, GSW vs. SAC ($5,700 DK; $6,200 FD)
- Evan Mobley, CLE vs. CHA ($7,700 DK; $8,300 FD) Prefer on DraftKings
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Center
Center is a pretty straightforward position for me tonight. Sabonis is the core piece I'll be building around, while Trayce Jackson-Davis is still underpriced, considering his current role and recent production. He's averaging 26.2 minutes and 33.4 DK points per game over his last six contests, thriving as a starter for the new-look Warriors frontcourt. Jonathan Kuminga was injured in their previous game, so TJD's minutes and role should be solidified for the foreseeable future.
Goga Bitadze, Yves Missi, and Mark Williams are three mid-range options who project well at their salaries, but I will be focusing most of my exposure on Sabonis and TJD tonight.
Top C Options:
- Domantas Sabonis, SAC @ GSW ($9,000 DK; $9,400 FD)
- Trayce Jackson-Davis, GSW vs. SAC ($5,000 DK; $6,100 FD)
- Goga Bitadze, ORL vs. UTA ($7,100 DK; $7,600 FD)
Today's Top NBA DFS Game Stacks
- Pelicans @ Wizards (o/u 233.5; 104.5 projected pace)
Today's Top NBA DFS Avoids
The studs on the Lakers: Anthony Davis and LeBron James. I'm not interested in playing the top two most expensive options on the slate tonight, even though we have a lot of value to work with. We haven't seen a mega-ceiling game from James since 12/6/24, and while Davis has a great shot at hitting 5x value at his salary, I'm skeptical about what his ceiling looks like in this spot.
The Rockets are one of the stingiest defenses in the NBA, allowing the fourth-least fantasy points per game while ranking second in defensive rating. Additionally, they're allowing the fifth-least fantasy points per game to centers. I'll take the salary savings by not getting to these Lakers tonight.
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: Domantas Sabonis
- My favorite CASH play on the slate: Cole Anthony
- My favorite GPP play on the slate: Evan Mobley
- My favorite value play: Trayce Jackson-Davis / (Keon Ellis - DraftKings Only)
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