FanDuel Daily Fantasy Basketball Helper: Friday 1/13/23

Since it's much simpler to predict than baseball or football, daily fantasy basketball would get plenty of votes as the best sport to play on FanDuel. Players usually stick to the same minutes and produce at roughly the same rate. Sounds easy, right?

As a result, NBA daily fantasy is highly reliant on a player's opportunity, so you'll need to ensure that you're up-to-date with key injuries. Our projections update up until tip-off to reflect current news, we have player news updates, and the FanDuel Scout app will send push notifications for pressing updates regarding your players.

With so much changing so quickly, we're here with plenty of tools to help you. We have daily projections, a matchup heat map, a lineup optimizer, and a bunch of other great resources to help give you an edge.

We'll also come at you with this primer daily, breaking down a few of the day's top plays at each position.

Let's break down today's main slate on FanDuel.

The Slate and Key Injuries

Friday's injury report news starts right at the top of the FanDuel player pool.

Nikola Jokic (injury management) and Jamal Murray (ankle) are both questionable to play tonight for Denver. They're in Los Angeles to battle the Clippers, who have already ruled out Paul George (hamstring) and Luke Kennard (calf).

It doesn't stop there. Indiana's Tyrese Haliburton was lost to a knee injury on Wednesday. The Pacers also have Myles Turner (back) and Aaron Nesmith (illness) listed as questionable tonight when hosting Atlanta.

The Wizards have a trio of starters listed as questionable. Kristaps Porzingis (ribs), Daniel Gafford (ankle), and Monte Morris (hamstring) are all potentially joining Bradley Beal (hamstring) on the shelf.

DeMar DeRozan (quad) is listed as doubtful for the Bulls' matchup with the Thunder, who could rest key players themselves on the back-to-back.

In one of the games of the day in Sacramento, the Rockets will be without Kevin Porter Jr. (foot). The Kings have Kevin Huerter (illness) listed as questionable, too.

The Phoenix-Minnesota clash is an injury-riddled disaster. The Timberwolves have Anthony Edwards (hip), Kyle Anderson (illness), and Taurean Prince (ankle) listed as questionable. The Suns' M*A*S*H unit will roll on without Devin Booker (groin), Chris Paul (hip), Cameron Payne (foot), and Landry Shamet (hip), but the good news is that Deandre Ayton (ankle) is at least questionable to return.

In addition to Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, Herbert Jones (back) could miss another game for the Pelicans tonight. They're in Detroit, and the Pistons have already ruled out Jalen Duren (ankle). Isaiah Stewart (shoulder) is questionable.

Finally, Jalen Suggs (ankle) is questionable for Orlando tonight as they visit Utah.

Guards

He's back.

Stephen Curry ($9,300) returned to 31 minutes on Wednesday for the Warriors, which was a bit of a surprise after the extended layoff. He's objectively undersalaried given a 30.7% usage rate and 50.8 FanDuel points per 36 minutes in his work so far, and the Spurs' league-worst defensive rating (118.9) doesn't inspire much hope they'll lock down anyone.

Our projections shine favorably on Curry and Atlanta's Dejounte Murray ($8,700) at the top. Murray, as a stat-stuffer, is an easy sell for a game with a 238.5-point total, and we'll have plenty of Indiana value plugs on the other side.

Though the peripheral stats were still a bit empty, De'Aaron Fox ($8,500) still scored 24 points against Houston on Wednesday. In an immediate rematch, Jalen Green ($7,000) is a high-floor play on the other side for Houston, too. He's got a team-best 32.4% usage rate with KPJ off the floor.

The Pacers and Bulls will be our key sources of value on this slate. With DeRozan out, all of Coby White ($4,500), Alex Caruso ($4,400), and Ayo Dosunmu ($4,300) are seeing big-time minutes for tiny salaries. FanDuel got out in front of Haliburton's injury a bit, but Andrew Nembhard ($5,300) and T.J. McConnell ($5,000) are still viable value pieces.

In addition to those guys, D'Angelo Russell ($6,900), Jordan Clarkson ($6,800), and Jaden Ivey ($5,900) are also floating near the top of the projections. Russell would deserve extra love if Anthony Edwards sits.

Wings

As he's returned to a no-doubt role for the Clips, Kawhi Leonard ($9,000) is a steal at his salary.

"The Klaw" averages 48.5 FanDuel points per 36 minutes with Paul George off the floor, created from a 28.6% usage rate. If anything, the potential injuries to Jokic and Murray (who is more likely to sit of the two) could help L.A. avoid a repeat of their 31-point loss to Denver eight days ago.

Norman Powell ($5,600) also sees a sizable increase in shooting volume without PG13, and Terance Mann ($4,800) tops our projections at wing given his new point-guard role for the team.

It feels odd, but Lauri Markkanen ($8,200) has a stellar floor at his mark, posting at least 37 FanDuel points in nine straight. The Magic allow the sixth-most FanDuel points per game to small forwards, so the matchup checks out, as well.

Zach LaVine ($8,600) is a decent play in DeRozan's absence, but it should speak volumes he needed 38 points on Wednesday just to hit 50.0 on FanDuel. In fact, he averages just 40.4 FanDuel points per 36 with DeRozan off the floor this year. He's a bucket, but you need more than that to carry upside in the $9,000 range.

Keldon Johnson ($6,900) is a great mini-stack with Curry. He surprisingly returned to 35 minutes on Wednesday, and Johnson's 30.9% usage rate with Devin Vassell off the floor is hefty for this salary.

We've got injury-based value here, too. Buddy Hield ($6,700) and Bennedict Mathurin ($5,600) are high-upside ways to target the Haliburton injury. Mathurin's my favorite play of the day given a whopping 30.6% usage rate (and 34.3 FanDuel points per 36) with Tyrese off the floor. In Sactown, Kenyon Martin Jr. ($3,900) will likely start for KPJ.

Beyond those guys, Saddiq Bey ($5,100), Patrick Williams ($5,000), and Josh Okogie ($4,500) are grading out well in our projections. I'd add Michael Porter Jr. ($5,700), Rui Hachimura ($5,400), Deni Avdija ($5,300), and Trey Murphy III ($5,100) to that list if news breaks their way.

Bigs

I don't know if the Nuggets are serious about resting Nikola Jokic ($11,600), but I'd consider exposure if he plays. The Clippers allow the ninth-most FanDuel points per game to centers, and Jokic does see a bump of 0.7 percentage points in usage rate with Murray -- who is in some doubt -- off the floor.

Realistically, I'll be building around Domantas Sabonis ($10,000) up here tonight. Sabonis posted 25 points, 14 boards, and 9 assists against the lowly Rockets on Wednesday, and honestly, his FanDuel scoring was a bit muted just due to no blocks or steals. His floor is tremendously high with a 238.0-point total on deck.

We're still waiting to get back Kristaps Porzingis ($8,700) at his low salary. It's possible tonight's game against his former team, the Knicks, brings him off the pine.

My key priority at the one center spot will be Nikola Vucevic ($8,100). Unlike LaVine, Vucevic's production (49.0 FanDuel points per 36) is dramatically higher with DeRozan off the floor. Plus, the Thunder allow the sixth-most FanDuel points per game to the pivot spot.

Alperen Sengun ($6,400) and Jabari Smith ($5,200) actually see the two largest boosts in per-minute FanDuel production for Houston without Porter Jr. on the floor. As mentioned Wednesday, though, they rarely hit in conjunction. Smith might be the tournament pivot of the two after just 19.8 FanDuel points on Wednesday.

If Myles Turner ($7,900) plays, he's a great option with Atlanta yet another squad that's bottom 10 in FanDuel points per game allowed to centers. If he sits, Jalen Smith ($5,500) and Isaiah Jackson ($4,400) will be key value options there.

Rudy Gobert ($7,500), Wendell Carter Jr. ($6,500), Onyeka Okongwu ($6,200), and Walker Kessler ($5,600) are also grading out well in our projections. If Edwards sits, Vucevic, Gobert, and Okongwu will likely be my three main choices at the pivot.