Tuesday offers a brief breather with a compact four-game slate, setting the stage for sharper decision-making in NBA DFS contests. With fewer games on the board, lineup construction leans heavily on matchup analysis, expected NBA starting lineups, and the latest NBA injury report to uncover leverage and value. This breakdown uses updated NBA projections and recent NBA player stats to identify elite spends, likely chalk, and salary-saving options capable of differentiating tournament builds.
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, Dec. 30 @12:00 p.m. ET:
Philadelphia 76ers (-1) at Memphis Grizzlies (O/U: 233.5)
Boston Celtics (-8.5) at Utah Jazz (O/U: 241.5)
Detroit Pistons (-2.5) at Los Angeles Lakers (O/U: 232.5)
Sacramento Kings at Los Angeles Clippers (-10) (O/U: 220.5)
We have what could be considered a relatively encouraging betting picture Tuesday, as on paper, there's only one spot in particular that stands out as less than optimal for DFS purposes. That's the Kings-Clippers nightcap that features the dreaded combination of a double-digit favorite and lowish total, and even that game could exceed expectations. Meanwhile, the 76ers-Grizzlies and Pistons-Lakers clashes could certainly evolve into buzzer-to-buzzer battles, and the Celtics-Jazz clash could still produce plenty of DFS scores, especially on Boston's side.
NBA Injuries Today
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report.
Keyonte George, UTA (illness): QUESTIONABLE
If George can't suit up, plenty of usage will open up for the rest of the first unit, while Isaiah Collier and Walter Clayton could handle the majority of point guard minutes.
Joel Embiid, PHI (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
If Embiid can't play, Andre Drummond and Adem Bona will handle the majority of center minutes.
Other notable injuries:
Austin Reaves, LAL (calf): OUT
Ivica Zubac, LAC (ankle): OUT
Zach LaVine, SAC (ankle): OUT
Kelly Oubre, PHI (knee): OUT
Zach Edey, MEM (ankle): OUT
Keegan Murray, SAC (calf): QUESTIONABLE
John Collins, LAC (illness): QUESTIONABLE
Elite NBA DFS Players
We have three players with five-figure salaries on Tuesday's slate – Luka Doncic ($12,200), Cade Cunningham ($10,600) and Kawhi Leonard ($10,000).
Doncic will see even more usage than usual due to the ongoing absence of Austin Reaves, and he checks in having scored 44.5 and 57.5 FD points in his last two games.
Cunningham draws an appealing matchup against the Lakers and has scored over 58 FD points in two of his last three games, giving him even more appeal than usual.
Leonard is coming off a career-best 55-point performance that netted a jaw-dropping 92.2 FD points on Sunday against the Pistons, and he's exceeded 54 FD points in four consecutive games.
Expected NBA DFS Chalk
Other likely chalk plays include:
Tyrese Maxey, PHI ($9,900)
Maxey could be set to play another game without Joel Embiid and has exceeded 44 FD points in four of the last five games, factors that should lock in a high roster rate.
Jaylen Brown, BOS ($9,500)
Brown has been flashing a fantasy floor in the low-to-mid 40s and has a highly appealing matchup against the Jazz, which should ensure his popularity on the small slate.
James Harden, LAC ($9,300)
Harden has been playing second fiddle to Kawhi Leonard in recent games, but he's still exceeded 40 FD points in four straight and should find himself in plenty of lineups Tuesday.
Lauri Markkanen, UTA ($8,400)
Markkanen is always a popular option and has the ability to overdeliver on his current salary, and there's also the possibility he takes the court without Keyonte George on Tuesday.
Jaren Jackson, MEM ($7,900)
Jackson has tallies of 52.3 and 54.1 FD points in his last two games, production that makes him a great value at his current salary, and he also figures to be a key figure in what could be the best game environment of the night.
Key NBA DFS Values
Maxime Raynaud, SAC at LAC ($5,800)
Raynaud has been one of the few bright spots for the Kings, who are double-digit underdogs Tuesday. The second-year big is in a particularly good matchup on paper despite his team's depressed outlook, as the Clippers will continue to operate without Ivica Zubac due to his ankle injury. The rookie seven-footer is putting the finishing touches on a breakout December, a month in which he's averaged 31.3 FD points via 15.8 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists per contest across 11 games. Raynaud has exceeded 31 FD points on four occasions during that span, including a pair of tallies of more than 41 FD points. That's excellent upside at his current salary, and the Clippers also check in surrendering 48.9 FD points per game to centers in the last seven.
Tobias Harris, DET at LAL ($5,400)
Harris had a bit of a clunker in his most recent game, but he's been delivering solid returns overall and finds himself in a solid on-paper matchup Tuesday. Harris put up just five shots against the Clippers on Sunday on his way to 14.5 FD points, yet he'd averaged 26.3 across his previous seven games. The veteran forward has delivered over a 5x return on his current salary in 11 of his 22 games overall, and Los Angeles comes into Tuesday allowing NBA-high 50.1 percent shooting at home, and a 38.1 percent success rate overall from behind the arc.
Neemias Queta, BOS at UTA ($5,000)
Queta's play has been a pleasant development for the Celtics, as the fifth-year big is averaging a career-high 10.0 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.3 blocks per contest. Queta is averaging 27.3 FD points across his last 12 games, and his matchup against the Jazz plays right to his strengths. Utah checks in ranked just outside the bottom 10 in rebounds per game allowed (54.1), and the Jazz are also conceding an NBA-high 6.2 blocks per home contest. Additionally, Utah is surrendering the ninth-most points in the paint per home game (53.6), while Queta is scoring 86.5 percent of his points in that part of the floor.
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