NBA DFS Picks: Wednesday 1/1/25

If you're looking to have some fun this basketball season, NBA DFS on FanDuel has you covered.

With NBA DFS, you can put your hoops knowledge to the test and ride with players you think will go off in a given night.

To help you along the way, we've got a bunch of tools here at FanDuel Research. Specifically, our NBA DFS projections, powered by numberFire, update throughout the day to reflect current news.

On top of all that, here at FanDuel Research, we'll come at you each day with this NBA DFS primer, which breaks down some of the day's top plays at each position.

Let's dive into today's main slate on FanDuel.

Betting lines via the NBA odds at FanDuel Sportsbook. Projections and betting odds may change after this article is published.

NBA DFS Picks for Today

Guards

Top Priorities

Trae Young ($9,300) -- There are some top-notch DFS environments on tonight's eight-game slate, but one game stands out from the pack -- Atlanta Hawks-Denver Nuggets, a bout that holds a 246.5-point total and 5.5-point spread. Trae Young is one of the top plays from said game, and he can thrive in what should be a track meet between two sides that rank in the top five in pace. Our NBA DFS projections have the Hawks' star guard forecasted to score 46.0 FanDuel points (4.95 per $1,000).

Josh Giddey ($7,000) -- The Chicago Bulls-Washington Wizards matchup is another great spot to zero in on as the game boasts a 237.5-point total and 5.5-point spread. These teams sit in the top four in pace and bottom seven in defensive rating. Yes, please. Regardless of the status of Zach LaVine (questionable), Josh Giddey profiles as a solid midrange play. His ability to contribute across the board makes him an appealing target. We project him for 37.6 FanDuel points (5.37 per $1,000). If LaVine sits, Giddey's outlook would be even rosier.

Others to Consider

Tyrese Maxey ($8,700) -- Joel Embiid is out tonight, which opens the door for Tyrese Maxey to have a big game against the Sacramento Kings. With Embiid out but Paul George in, Maxey records a team-best 30.0% usage rate, per Fantasy Labs' on/off tool.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope ($4,600) -- As of early in the day, there isn't a lot of value at guard. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope stands out as a low-salaried starter who has seen at least 30 minutes in 11 straight games. He brings decent stocks (steals plus blocks) upside to the table, as well.

Wings

Top Priorities

Jalen Johnson ($9,000) -- I think I lean Jalen Johnson over Young tonight, although I like both of them and you can justify using them in the same lineup. Denver is an elite matchup for forwards, with the Nuggets permitting the fifth-most FanDuel points per game to PFs (50.2). Johnson has games of 58.0 and 57.1 FanDuel points over his past three outings. The ceiling is sky-high in a dream DFS environment.

Jimmy Butler ($7,900) -- The drama is in full force with Jimmy Butler. But he's playing tonight, and it would be very Jimmy Butler of him to nuke a bad New Orleans Pelicans team while everyone is speculating on his future with the Miami Heat. Narratives aside, this is a smash spot as the Pels surrender the fourth-most FanDuel points per game to SFs (44.8).

Others to Consider

OG Anunoby ($6,300) -- The New York Knicks have the night's second-highest implied total (121.75) for their clash with the Utah Jazz. New York is a 13.0-point favorite, so there's gobs of blowout risk. But OG played 34 minutes last time out in a 20-point win. We project him to post 32.5 FanDuel points (5.16 per $1,000).

Jabari Smith ($5,300) -- The Houston Rockets are a little short-handed today due to the suspension of Amen Thompson. While Thompson being out doesn't open up a ton of shots, Smith could see more run. Our model really likes him as we see Smith scoring 29.5 FanDuel points (5.57 per $1,000).

Bigs

Top Priorities

Nikola Jokic ($12,800) -- Nikola Jokic's salary keeps climbing, and it may end up over $13,000 after tonight's game. Jokic is the night's clear-cut top play. We project him for 63.6 FanDuel points (4.97 per $1,000) -- no one else carries a projection above 46.7. Hopefully we get some value throughout the day, making it easier to get to Jokic, but even if we don't, he'll be a priority for me as he offers 80-FanDuel-point upside against Atlanta.

Nic Claxton ($6,000) -- Nicolas Claxton is a projections darling tonight, with our numbers pegging him to score 33.4 FanDuel points (5.76 per $1,000). The issue is that he's center-only eligible just like Jokic. But if you want to get your Nugs exposure elsewhere and fade Jokic, Claxton is an excellent point-per-dollar play.

Others to Consider

Nikola Vucevic ($7,200) -- Similar to Claxton, Nikola Vucevic is a quality option tonight, but using him means you can't plug in Jokic. Vucevic is taking on a Washington squad that has been torched by centers, giving up the third-most FanDuel points per game to the position (60.0).

Goga Bitadze ($7,000) -- Goga Bitadze can be deployed at PF, and he's been cooking lately for the short-handed Orlando Magic. With the night's lowest implied total (105.5), Orlando is probably going to go overlooked, but Goga has topped 45.0 FanDuel points in two of his past three games.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author’s advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.