NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Friday, January 9

Tonight’s DraftKings NBA DFS breakdown offers expert matchup data, injury alerts and value picks. RotoWire's Dan Bruno breaks down Friday's slate.
NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Friday, January 9

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Tonight's slate sets up as a prime environment for NBA DFS, with several trending offenses, shifting NBA starting lineups and a lengthy NBA injury report creating both opportunity and volatility. This breakdown blends matchup data, recent NBA news and evolving depth charts with updated NBA player projections to spotlight elite plays, likely chalk and salary-saving value options. With multiple teams missing key contributors, staying on top of player injuries, projected minutes and lineup construction is critical for building competitive rosters. Whether you're using a lineup optimizer, tracking fantasy basketball stats, or hunting for DFS value, this guide delivers a clear approach to attacking tonight's NBA DFS slate.

NBA Games Today

TOR at BOS: Raptors on three-game win streak; Celtics 8-2 in last 10 games, 11-6 at home

PHI at ORL: 76ers 6-4 in last 10 games; Magic 12-5 at home 

NOP at WAS: Pelicans on nine-game slide; Wizards 5-5 in last 10 games

LAC at BKN: Clippers 7-3 in last 10 games; Nets 5-5 in last 10 games 

OKC at MEM: Thunder 13-4 on road; Grizzlies 3-7 in last 10 games 

ATL at DEN: Hawks 3-7 in last 10 games; Nuggets on two-game win streak

NYK at PHX: Knicks 5-5 in last 10 games; Suns 7-3 in last 10 games

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.

NBA Injury Report Today

For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report       

TOR -  Brandon Ingram (thumb): Questionable; Scottie Barnes (knee): Doubtful; Jakob Poeltl (back): OUT

PHI -  Joel Embiid (knee): Probable

ORL -  Jase Richardson (ankle): Questionable; Jalen Suggs (knee), Franz Wagner (ankle): OUT 

NOP - Trey Murphy (back) : Questionable; Jose Alvarado (oblique), Saddiq Bey (hip), Herbert Jones (ankle): OUT 

WAS -  Trae Young (quadriceps): OUT 

LAC -  Kawhi Leonard (ankle): Questionable; Bogdan Bogdanovic (hamstring), Derrick Jones (knee): OUT 

OKC -  Alex Caruso (back): Questionable; Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (ankle), Isaiah Hartenstein (calf), Chet Holmgren (lower leg), Cason Wallace (toe), Jaylin Williams (heel): OUT 

MEM -  Cedric Coward (ankle), Vince Williams (knee): Questionable; Zach Edey (ankle), Ja Morant (calf): OUT

ATL -  Kristaps Porzingis (Achilles): Questionable; CJ McCollum (quadriceps), Corey Kispert (hamstring): OUT  

DEN -  Jamal Murray (ankle): Probable; Spencer Jones (ankle): Doubtful; Cameron Johnson (knee), Nikola Jokic (knee), Jonas Valanciunas (calf): OUT 

NYK -  Guerschon Yabusele (quadriceps): Questionable; Josh Hart (ankle): OUT

PHX - Jalen Green (hamstring): OUT

Elite NBA DFS Picks

Guards

Jalen Brunson, Knicks ($8,600) at Suns

Brunson has topped the 20-point mark in 16 straight games and is averaging 27.0 points, 3.2 rebounds and 4.8 assists over the last five. He has a good chance to pad his stats against the Suns, who are giving up the league's fifth-most free throws per game to opposing point guards. He is also averaging an additional 2.2 points, while shooting 4.0 percent better on the road, compared to at home this season. 

Devin Booker, Suns ($8,400) vs. Knicks

Booker is coming off a relatively quiet outing but is averaging 26.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.0 steals over the last 10 games, including a high of 56.8 DK points in that span. He has a good chance to shine against the Knicks, who are giving up the league's fourth-most points per game to opposing shooting guards, and the league's third-most three-pointers per game. 

Forwards/Centers

Jaylen Brown, Celtics ($9,500) vs. Raptors 

After a 14-point outing in the game before last, Brown bounced back with 33 points on 14-for-29 shooting on Wednesday. He faces a tough matchup against a solid Raptors defense, but he mustered 30 points, eight rebounds, five assists, a steal and a block in their last meeting. He is also averaging 29.7 points, 6.4 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.1 steals on the season. 

Zion Williamson, Pelicans ($8,000) at Wizards 

Williamson is averaging 24.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.0 steals over six consecutive starts, racking up a high of 56.0 DK points in that span. He has a great chance to keep up the production against the Wizards, who are giving up the league's fourth-most points and most rebounds per game to opposing power forwards. 

Joel Embiid, 76ers ($9,000) at Magic 

Embiid has played in each of the last five games, averaging 28.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.2 blocks over that span, including a high of 64.5 DK points. He is listed as probable for action and should do well against the Magic, who are giving up the league's third-most free throws and seventh-most blocks per game to opposing centers. They also give up the league's ninth-highest field-goal percentage. 

Expected NBA DFS Chalk 

Jalen Johnson, Hawks ($10,800) at Nuggets

With Trae Young officially traded, Johnson faces his first game as the bonafide face of the franchise. He is averaging 23.5 points, 9.8 rebounds, 8.5 assists and 0.8 steals over the last 10 games, including seven with more than 50 DK points and a high of 64.8. He should have room to flourish against the Nuggets, who are without three key frontcourt players. He is also shooting a better field-goal percentage on the road, compared to at home this season. 

Mid-Range NBA DFS Picks 

John Collins, Clippers ($6,100) at Nets 

Collins has picked up his play, averaging 15.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.3 blocks over his last 10 games, including a high of 43.0 DK points. He is up for a favorable matchup against the Nets, who are giving up the league's third-most rebounds and fourth-highest field-goal percentage to opposing power forwards. 

Onyeka Okongwu, Hawks ($7,100) at Nuggets 

Okongwu missed the last game but is expected back in action and should continue to see big minutes, especially with Kristaps Porzingis possibly sidelined. Okongwu is averaging 17.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.4 steals across his last 10 appearances, including five with more than 45 DK points. Additionally, he faces an advantageous matchup in the absence of Nikola Jokic, and Jonas Valanciunas

NBA DFS Value Picks

Bub Carrington, Wizards ($4,900) vs. Pelicans 

With the departure of CJ McCollum, and Trae Young not suiting up, Carrington faces a second straight start, after he delivered 18 points, three rebounds and seven assists in the last game. He has a good chance to thrive against the Pelicans, who are giving up the league's third-most points and second-most three-pointers per game.

Miles McBride, Knicks ($4,400) at Suns

Since returning from a nearly three-week absence, McBride is averaging 16.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 0.8 steals over six games, including a high of 34.8 DK points. He has a good opportunity to continue to fill in additional minutes in the absence of Josh Hart, and he should find room to get his shot going against the Suns, who are giving up the league's fourth-highest shooting percentage to opposing shooting guards. 

Zaccharie Risacher, Hawks ($4,900) at Nuggets 

Risacher is coming off a season-high 25-point effort, as he racked up 39.0 DK points in the last game. He is averaging 11.8 points, 4.5 rebound and 1.1 assists over 10 outings but has a chance to build on recent momentum against a significantly shorthanded Nuggets squad. 

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. Dan Bruno plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: duelingdan.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dan has been writing all things NBA for RotoWire since 2014. He is an active fantasy sports player, with a love for DFS. Dan is a certified Coach with the Ontario Basketball Association and is a recreation professional in his home city.
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