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Max Kulish's top DraftKings NBA DFS picks for today, Tuesday, 1/14/25. His favorite daily fantasy basketball lineup sleepers and value picks for DraftKings DFS.
Welcome back, Rotoballers! Tonight, we have a seven-game main slate, headlined by a matchup of the #4 and #5 seeds in the West, as the Mavericks host the Nuggets. These articles focus on the best plays, typically more suited for cash games. However, some exceptions may apply, depending on the size of the slate.
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 you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 1/14/25. Remember to monitor NBA injury news and our excellent NBA injuries report tool, as the slate can completely change before lineups lock at 7:00 p.m. EST on DraftKings. Good luck, RotoBallers!
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DraftKings NBA DFS Core Picks
Nikola Jokic, DEN - C ($12,200)
The best player in basketball is also the best player in fantasy. Although he "only" had a 19/18/9 stat line for 60.5 fantasy points on Sunday against the Mavericks, he did so while tying his season-low in made FGs (six) and only had a 21% usage rate which is a huge decrease from his season average of 30% usage.
A typical game for Jokic is a career game for most others, so I'm willing to test the water again considering the smash matchup (DAL is 28th in the NBA against Centers) and hope he has a more typical night of usage.
Jokic this season:
— 2nd in PPG
— 3rd in RPG
— 2nd in APG
— 1st in 3P%Averaging the most PPG + RPG + APG since Kareem. pic.twitter.com/59yliF2Tt6
— StatMuse (@statmuse) January 13, 2025
De'Aaron Fox, SAC - PG ($8,300)
Fox has been one of the most consistent and underrated players of this NBA season thus far. He hasn't scored under 40 fantasy points since November and is noticeably underpriced at only $8,300 while averaging 45.6 fantasy PPG on the season.
It's also worth noting that Malik Monk (who has been playing great over the last few weeks) appears to be on the wrong side of questionable as of Monday night. If Monk sits, that would put Fox into potential "must-play" territory.
Others Under Consideration: Tyrese Maxey, PHI - PG ($9,600), Zach LaVine, CHI - SG/SF ($8,600)
DraftKings NBA DFS Tournament Pivots
Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL - PF/C ($11,500)
Giannis hasn't played his best basketball since returning from a short absence at the end of 2024, failing to exceed his season average of 60.5 fantasy PPG in five of his last seven games. However, the Kings coming to town might be exactly what he needs to break through his slump. Giannis has averaged 31.8/12.4/7.4 and 2 stocks per game in his last five home games against the Kings. Funny enough, the last time he played the Kings at home was exactly one year ago today when he finished with a 27/10/10 triple-double.
Magical performance from Giannis.
41 PTS | 14 REB | 4 AST | 3 STL | 2 BLK | 66% FG pic.twitter.com/YPqw7wlCCf
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) January 11, 2025
Donovan Mitchell, CLE - SG ($8,300)
Mitchell is another player who hasn't been at his best since the calendar changed; he hasn't scored 20 real points or 30 fantasy points in four games since the new year. Unfortunately, I don't have any fun stats for Mitchell like I did for Giannis, this is simply wanting to take a chance on a proven scorer with minimal ownership who has the offensive skills necessary to outscore his contemporaries in this price range.
Others Under Consideration: Domantas Sabonis, SAC - C ($9,800), Pascal Siakam, IND - PF ($7,100)
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DraftKings NBA DFS Value Picks
T.J. McConnell, IND - PG ($4,700)
This one is as straightforward as it comes; Tyrese Haliburton has been ruled out for the first time this season. McConnell might not start, but there's no doubt he'll see additional minutes. McConnell averaged 11/3/8 in 22.5 minutes per game when Haliburton was absent last season, and is averaging 1.16 fantasy points per minute this year. McConnell is a great salary-saving option for cash games, but in tournaments, it might make more sense to fade him and look elsewhere due to his high projected ownership.
Tosan Evbuomwan, BKN - SF/PF ($3,500)
The Nets are an absolute mess right now. They've only won two of their last ten games, are dealing with numerous injuries, and have a couple more players whose status is still undetermined for tonight. This has led to fresh faces, including Evbuoman, getting a chance to show what they can do at the NBA level.
Evbuomwan has made the most of his opportunity, to say the least; he's played 20+ minutes in five straight games since signing with the team and led the Nets in scoring during their loss on Sunday. Anyone playing 20+ minutes consistently at this price range is worth considering, especially someone who is reportedly impressing his coaching staff.
Others Under Consideration: Tyrese Martin, BKN - SG/SF ($5,200), Ryan Dunn, PHX - SF/PF ($4,300)
Today's Top NBA DFS Game Stacks
Pelicans at Bulls (238 O/U)
On a slate full of lofty implied totals, this game stands out above the rest. With the highest implied total, no players priced at $9k or higher, soft defenses on both sides, and the Bulls potentially missing two key pieces there's a lot to like in this game when building lineups.
Kings at Bucks (229 O/U)
Tapping into history again here for this recommendation; these two teams play shootouts in Milwaukee. In the last five matchups in Milwaukee, the lowest combined score was 234, and last year they played one of the best games of the season; a 143-142 overtime win for the Bucks.
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: Nikola Jokic
- My favorite CASH play on the slate: T.J. McConnell
- My favorite GPP play on the slate: Giannis Antetokounmpo
- My favorite VALUE play: Tosan Evbuomwan / Nets
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