NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Lineup Strategy for Saturday, January 4

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Published on January 4, 2025

DraftKings is offering up a seven-game lineup for its Main slate, although there are also partial slates and single-game contests available for Saturday as well. We will tackle every game on the docket, with the first contest tipping off at 7:00 p.m. ET.

SLATE OVERVIEW

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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 for Saturday. Keep in mind that this is not a complete list. Use your best judgment when evaluating ongoing injury scenarios elsewhere on the slate.

DET Jaden Ivey (leg) - OUT

It's too early to say who will benefit the most from Ivey's extended absence. Considering the matchup, I will take a wait-and-see approach before considering anyone as a worthwhile pivot.

PHX Bradley Beal (hip) - QUESTIONABLE

PHX Jusuf Nurkic (suspension) - OUT

PHX Royce O'Neale ankle) - OUT

I expect Beal to play, but Mason Plumlee ($4,700) is the logical pivot during Nurkic's three-game suspension.

MIA Jimmy Butler (suspension) -OUT

The next time we see Butler, it could be in another uniform. The Heat have experience in dealing with a Butler absence, but this is a volatile situation that could have a lot of moving pieces while Miami decides what to do moving forward. I will fade any replacement pivots for him for the time being.

MEM Ja Morant (shoulder) - OUT

MEM Santi Aldama (ankle) - OUT

Scotty Pippen ($6,300) will continue in Morant's place at point guard, but Desmond Bane ($8,000) is finally starting to show up with consistent nightly numbers. Next to Jaren Jackson ($9,300), he's my favorite pick for Memphis.

GSW Stephen Curry (knee) -OUT

I'll take Dennis Schroder ($5,200) in a spot start for Curry.

ELITE PLAYERS

We have four players above $10k for Saturday's slate, and I'm giving Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,500) the top endorsement among the quartet. He has a favorable matchup against Portland, and I'd rather hit this spot over the Nikola Jokic-Victor Wembanyama matchup. I also feel that Karl-Anthony Towns' salary is getting too high.

Among the six players available in the $9k range, I am singling out Kevin Durant ($9,600) against the Pacers. Honorable mention at this level goes to Damian Lillard ($9,200), who has risen to the occasion when facing his former team.

In the $8k range, Tyler Herro ($8,700) is usually a high-impact play, and I'm finally warming to Tyrese Haliburton ($8,300), who is registering more customary numbers.

Also consider: Anthony Edwards, MIN ($8,600) @ DET

EXPECTED CHALK AND VALUE PLAYS

Josh Hart, NYK ($7,500) @ CHI

I tend to endorse Hart in almost every column, and he's rarely disappointed me. As long as DraftKings keeps his salary below $8k, he's a plus-EV spot due to his upside and multi-position eligibility.

Julius Randle, MIN ($7,400) @ DET

Rudy Gobert will line up opposite Jalen Duren, but Randle's battle against Tobias Harris is one he could easily win. He only has a one-inch height advantage over Harris, but Randle is the more skilled rebounder and should find enough shooting opportunities to be relevant at this salary.

Jonathan Kuminga, GSW ($6,400) vs. MEM

Although Kuminga's eligibility is limited to PF, he's shown incredible upside relative to his salary. Andrew Wiggins' potential return doesn't bother me much, as I'm still confident in his ability to log significant minutes regardless of his spot in the rotation.

Keyonte George, UTA ($5,700) @ MIA

George beat 5x value at this salary with 30 DKFP in his second game back from a four-game absence, and he will have no minute restriction against Miami. We lack sufficient metrics since the two teams will meet for the first time this season, but I think Utah's backcourt should have some success here. We also need a few players below DraftKings' median salary of $6,250 to balance our spending.

Scoot Henderson, POR ($4,800) @ MIL

I have no issue with Anfernee Simons or Shaedon Sharpe, but you will have to pay up for them, and the former first-round pick is getting plenty of time in the rotation. Henderson will also have the chance to square off against the player he was meant to replace, and he played pretty well against Lillard when he had the chance last season.

I'll now list some quality players for each position, emphasizing values below $6,250 to keep our costs down.

PG/SG Andrew Nembhard, IND ($5,100) vs. PHX

SG/PG Terry Rozier, MIA ($4,900) vs. UTA

SF/PF Harrison Barnes, SAS ($3,500) vs. DEN

PF/SF Haywood Highsmith, MIA ($4,100) vs. UTA

C Stick with Mason Plumlee ($5,000) for value

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.