NBA DFS Picks: FanDuel Plays and Lineup Strategy for Monday, January 2

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Published on January 2, 2023

After kicking off 2023 with three games, the NBA gets into full swing with a packed slate, and FanDuel's main offering will have 10 of the 11 games available for its DFS contests. The first game of the slate will tip off at 7:00 p.m. EST.

SLATE OVERVIEW

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With 20 teams in play, there's no shortage of action and several games are showing up with high projected totals. The only game I would consider fading would be the Heat-Clippers matchup, which has the lowest over/under on the slate. We only mentioned one target for that game, but we loaded up on considerations for Dallas, Golden State and Brooklyn.

INJURIES

For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report. Below are some of the most recent and relevant injuries on today's slate. Keep in mind that this is not a complete list. Use your best judgment for long-term and ongoing injury scenarios. For example, the injury situations for the Warriors are ongoing, so we will not spend time repeating the pivots for that scenario.

DET Killian Hayes (suspension) - OUT

Hayes' suspension will affect him until Wednesday. Alec Burks ($5,700) should be the beneficiary during his absence.

POR Jusuf Nurkic (illness) - QUESTIONABLE

If Nurkic remains out, Drew Eubanks ($4,600) would garner another start. He posted 23.4 FDFP during his start Friday.

CLE Darius Garland (thumb) - DOUBTFUL

CLE Evan Mobley (ankle) - QUESTIONABLE

Production spikes for Donovan Mitchell ($8,900), Kevin Love ($5,500) and Caris LeVert ($6,200) are likely amid these absences.

ELITE PLAYERS

Luka Doncic ($12,400) is a bit more expensive than Nikola Jokic ($11,600) at the top of Monday's player pool, and since we have no metrics on Jokic against the Timberwolves yet, I'll favor Luka against the Rockets after his two scintillating stat lines against them last week.

The usual combo of Kevin Durant ($10,400) and Kyrie Irving ($8,800) are in play tonight against the Spurs, but if you're looking for a less expensive pivot off Durant, I would take Paul George ($9,000) and his recent history against the Heat without hesitation. It's also difficult to slide past Tyrese Haliburton ($9,800), who is averaging close to 50 FDFP over his past five games,

We can still glean a lot of value with the Warriors led by Jordan Poole ($8,100), who will continue to provide great upside against the Hawks.

Also consider: Dejounte Murray, ATL ($8,700) @ GSW

EXPECTED CHALK AND OTHER TARGETS

Klay Thompson, GSW ($7,600) vs. ATL

I like the pace of this matchup. Since a tepid showing against the Knicks two weeks ago, Thompson has strung together five great performances. As one might expect, his scoring has been bolstered with a lot of volume beyond the arc. He hurled up 15 attempts from long range in his last game against Portland, which contributed to his 31-point showing.

Myles Turner, IND ($7,400) vs. TOR

Turner is playing stellar ball recently, and I'm not beyond considering a stack of Turner and Halliburton against the Raptors. Turner had an excellent 19/10 double-double against Toronto in November, and there's no reason to expect a radically different outcome in the rematch.

Jerami Grant, POR ($7,300) vs. DET

Could this be a fun revenge scenario for Grant? His former team will visit Portland, and I'd expect the Trail Blazers will want to give Grant the opportunity to stick it to them. I especially like Grant if Jusuf Nurkic is out, as his rebound numbers would almost certainly benefit in a short-handed frontcourt.

Terry Rozier, CHA ($6,900) vs. LAL

Rozier has been ice-cold recently, and his salary has dipped severely as a result. He has a decent history against the Lakers, and this might be the game where gets back on track. Getting Rozier would normally be a steal below $7k but his shooting issue is a bit concerning. Still, the Hornets are without Kelly Oubre and they'll be no shortage of opportunities for him to get his stroke back.

Draymond Green, GSW ($6,200) vs. ATL

Green should put up another one of his unique stat lines against the Hawks, who are still piecing together a frontcourt without Clint Capela. Although John Collins should still be accounted for in this matchup, Green has been on a nice tear, and without Jonathan Kuminga to shore up the defensive duties for the Warriors, we should see Green on the floor for most of the game.

VALUE PLAYS

Tim Hardaway, DAL ($5,600) @ HOU

It looked like Hardaway's numbers were headed south earlier this season, but he's recently put together some decent production that's well worth his salary. This should be a fairly easy matchup against the Rockets, who don't have the necessary defensive presence to fend off Luka Doncic, and Hardaway would definitely play a bigger role if the game got out of hand.

Isaiah Stewart, DET ($5,500) @ POR

We should pay attention to a frontcourt guy for Detroit in the event that Nurkic doesn't play, and Stewart fits the bill. He's out-performed his salary in recent weeks, and although he had a regression game against Minnesota, he enjoyed a double-double in a tussle with Nikola Vucevic last week. There's definitely variance to contend with here, but I would get Stewart involved if the injury report shows a scratch for Nurkic.

Jabari Smith, HOU ($5,000) vs. DAL

Sometimes, you end up reconsidering decisions you make mid-article. I didn't mention Alperen Sengun's potential absence because I didn't think there was a worthy pivot, but Smith's salary gives me pause. Bruno Fernando is the direct replacement in the lineup, but I think Smith has upside potential at this salary. The rookie's floor isn't as consistent as we would like, but he doesn't have to do much to be viable at $5k. Smith can pop well into the 30-FDFP range in the right matchup.

Royce O'Neale, BRO ($4,900) vs. SAN

I've been high on O'Neale for most of the season, as he's the kind of player the Nets need in the frontcourt. Nic Claxton is an adequate big man but his output can be shaky and he's often too expensive relative to his production. Not only can he generate rebound support, but he's able to stretch the floor with a sharp mid-range jump shot. He's also enjoyed an increase in long-range opportunities to help out his bottom line.

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire.