This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
Tuesday's six-game slate offers an ideal DFS environment, with every matchup carrying a 232-plus total. Our latest NBA DFS breakdown uses current NBA injury reports, matchup data and player projections to highlight top FanDuel targets, expected chalk and key value plays. With several questionable stars and rotating starting lineups, staying on top of NBA news, depth charts and usage trends is critical for building competitive rosters.
Try our FanDuel NBA Lineup Optimizer to discover more expert recommendations, customize the player pool, set exposure percentage and mass-enter DFS lineups.
NBA Games Today
For the latest spreads and over-unders, visit RotoWire's NBA Odds page. There, you can also find player props, futures, picks articles and sportsbook bonus codes.
Listed spreads/totals are from FanDuel Sportsbook and current as of Tuesday, Jan. 6 @12:00 p.m. ET:
Cleveland Cavaliers (-5.5) at Indiana Pacers (O/U: 236.5)
Orlando Magic (-7.5) at Washington Wizards (O/U: 234.5)
San Antonio Spurs (-6.5) at Memphis Grizzlies (O/U: 239.5)
Miami Heat at Minnesota Timberwolves (-6.5) (O/U: 239.5)
Los Angeles Lakers (-6) at New Orleans Pelicans (O/U: 243.5)
Dallas Mavericks (-5.5) at Sacramento Kings (O/U: 232.5)
As already alluded to, the betting metrics point toward a very conducive environment for DFS on Tuesday. It's not often we have a mid-size slate where each game sports projected totals north of 232 points, and the fact all spreads are 7.5 points or smaller is the ideal complement to that.
NBA Injuries Today
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
Victor Wembanyama, SAN (knee): QUESTIONABLE
If Wembanyama can't suit up, Luke Kornet and Kelly Olynyk should handle the majority of center minutes, while De'Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle should be among those to see the biggest boosts in usage.
Donovan Mitchell, CLE (rest): OUT
With Mitchell unavailable, Darius Garland and Evan Mobley should be among the biggest beneficiaries.
Ja Morant, MEM (calf): QUESTIONABLE
If Morant can't play, Cam Spencer is likely to draw a start at point guard, while the rest of the first unit will see significant boosts in opportunity.
Other notable injuries:
Austin Reaves, LAL (calf): OUT
Jalen Suggs, ORL (knee): OUT
Franz Wagner, ORL (ankle): OUT
Saddiq Bey, NOP (hip): OUT
Jaime Jaquez, MIA (ankle): OUT
Kyshawn George, WAS (hip): OUT
Cedric Coward, MEM (ankle): OUT
Jarrett Allen, CLE (illness): QUESTIONABLE
Elite NBA DFS Picks
We have three players with five-figure salaries on Tuesday's slate – Luka Doncic ($12,400), Paolo Banchero ($10,400) and Victor Wembanyama ($10,000).
Doncic has scored over 53 FD points in three of the last four games and has an excellent matchup against the Pelicans that could result in one of his higher-percentile returns.
Banchero is matched up against the thin Wizards frontcourt and has scored 51.9 FD points or more in four straight, leading to a well-deserved bump in salary.
Wembanyama's status will have to be monitored, but if he's announced as available following a two-game absence, he'll be very appealing in his matchup against the Grizzlies frontcourt.
Expected NBA DFS Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Anthony Edwards, MIN ($9,700)
Edwards has scored 45.1 FD points or more in three straight and carries a ceiling well north of 50 FD points, which makes him very popular in what projects as a high-scoring, competitive matchup against the Heat.
LeBron James, LAL ($9,000)
LeBron has had a nice surge with tallies of 46.8 and 51.4 FD points in his last two games, and the Lakers will continue without Austin Reaves on Tuesday.
Zion Williamson, NOP ($8,600)
Zion had a rare down game last time out against the Heat (19 FD points), but he'd scored 42.9 to 59.6 FD points in the three games prior and should remain very popular Tuesday.
De'Aaron Fox, SAN ($8,300)
Fox may be taking the floor without Victor Wembanyama again and has eclipsed 41 FD points in three of the last five games, which ensures he's on plenty of rosters at his salary.
Evan Mobley, CLE ($8,100)
Mobley will see enhanced usage with Donovan Mitchell sitting out and checks in having scored 35.4 FD points or more in four straight, factors that should ensure he's very popular Tuesday.
Key NBA DFS Values
Deandre Ayton, LAL at NOP ($5,900)
Bigs have thrived against the Pelicans frontcourt defense this season, so Ayton particularly stands out on a rare night where he carries a sub-$6k salary. The veteran has had a couple of duds in recent games, but he's still averaging 29.4 FD points in his last 14 games, a sample where he's shooting 71.6 percent. Ayton's second- and third-best fantasy performances of the season have come at the expense of the Pelicans as well, as he's lit them up for 47.2 and 49.9 FD points while averaging 21.0 points and 14.0 rebounds per game in that sample. New Orleans continues to be highly targetable, allowing 57.5 FD points per game to centers in the last 15 contests, as well as the second-most rebounds per home game (58.1).
Wendell Carter, ORL at WAS ($5,600)
Carter is in about as good a spot as Ayton, considering the Wizards are right up (down) there with the Pelicans in terms of porous frontcourts. The Wizards are allowing the second-most FD points per game to centers in the last 15 games (60.9), as well as the fourth-most rebounds per home game (57.1) for the season. Carter has back-to-back double-doubles and is averaging 31.4 FD points per contest in the last 12 games while shooting 52.9 percent. The veteran big man has eclipsed 31 FD points on seven occasions in that span, so the upside at his salary is very much above average. The fact Carter can also space the floor effectively only adds to his appeal and ceiling.
Cam Spencer, MEM vs. SAN ($5,500)
Ja Morant was downgraded to doubtful Tuesday afternoon, setting Spencer up for a likely spot start. The second-year guard is averaging 37.6 FD points per 36 minutes without Morant and Cedric Coward (ankle) on the floor this season, and he's averaging 28.0 FD points over his first five starts this season despite shooting an abysmal 31.5 percent in that span. Spencer's matchup isn't bad positionally Tuesday, either, as the Spurs, despite their stingy overall defense, are allowing the sixth-most FD points to point guards on the season (51.7), including 53.3 in the last seven. San Antonio is also surrendering 47.5 percent shooting, including 38.6 percent from three-point range, and a Western Conference-high offensive efficiency rating to ones (31.1).
ALSO CONSIDER: Jaden McDaniels, MIN vs. MIA ($6,100)
