NBA

FanDuel Daily Fantasy Basketball Helper: Saturday 2/4/23

In a rematch versus a Houston Rockets' team ranked 28th in defensive rating, Oklahoma City's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is third overall with 51.6 expected FanDuel points. Who else is a main target for Saturday's seven game slate?

If you're new to daily fantasy basketball -- maybe you started your DFS journey during the MLB or NFL seasons, or maybe basketball is your sport and this will be your first year giving it a shot -- you're in for a treat. The NBA scene changes on a week-to-week, day-to-day, and -- depending on injury news -- even a minute-to-minute basis, making every slate a unique one that requires an ever-changing approach.

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

Daily fantasy basketball is very reliant on a player's opportunity, so you'll need to make sure 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.

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

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

TeamOppO/USpreadImplied TotalInjuries
MIAMIL2215.5107.75Lowry OUT / Oladipo doubtful / Vincent questionable
DALGS22610108Doncic, Wood, Kleber OUT / Dinwiddie available
NYLAC220.53.5108.5Brunson questionable
DETPHX2264.5110.75Joseph questionable
HOUOKC2329.5111.25Gordon, Tate OUT, Green questionable
LACNY220.5-3.5112Wall OUT
MILMIA221-5.5113.25Antetokounmpo probable
ATLDEN2346114Young questionable
PORCHI2344.5114.75Nurkic OUT, Payton II probable
PHXDET226-4.5115.25Johnson expected to play
GSDAL226-10118Green, Thompson questionable/ Curry probable
CHIPOR234-4.5119.25Vucevic probable / Caruso, Williams questionable
DENATL234-6120Jokic, Gordon questionable
OKCHOU232-9.5120.75Dort, Robinson-Earl, Pokuveski OUT

Guards

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($10,200): Despite a great matchup versus a Houston Rockets' team allowing the most fantasy points to his position, Gilgeous-Alexander's FanDuel salary has dropped by 4.6%. In 375.0 minutes with today's current inactives, Oklahoma's All-Star is averaging 1.64 FanDuel points per minute and an eye-popping 38.9% usage rate.

Damian Lillard ($10,100): In his last six appearances, Lillard has been carrying Portland's offense, recording 1.07 real-life points and 1.50 fantasy points per minute. The 32-year old is ranked second among guards with 49.3 expected FanDuel points.

Stephen Curry ($9,900): Since January 10th, Curry leads his team in fantasy production (1.25 FanDuel points per minute) and usage (30.3%) while his FanDuel salary has increased by 5.3%. In a matchup versus a Dallas Mavericks' defense ranked 13th in opposing three point percentage, Golden State's lead guard is sixth overall with 45.8 expected fantasy points.

Trae Young ($9,400): At his lowest salary point in 2023, Young is projected for 42.8 FanDuel points versus a Denver Nuggets' unit ranked 22nd in fantasy production (48.6 FanDuel points) allowed per game to points guards.

Paul George ($8,300): In the past week, George's FanDuel salary has decreased by 3.4% to his second lowest point in the last two months while the Clippers' shooting guard produced 1.00 FanDuel point, 0.20 rebounds, and 0.13 assists per minute during this time period.

Jamal Murray ($8,200): If Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon are unable to suit up on Saturday's, Murray's fantasy output increases by 0.06 to 1.12 FanDuel points per minute with a 31.3% usage rate.

Chris Paul ($8,100): Phoenix's veteran point guard rates fifth among his position with 40.4 FanDuel points against a Detroit Pistons' defense allowed the second most fantasy points (51.5) to point guards this season.

Josh Giddey ($7,800): Since the start of January, the Thunder's second-year guard is averaging 1.23 FanDuel points, 0.24 rebounds, and 0.21 assists per minute while his FanDuel salary has moved up by 4%.

RJ Barrett ($6,600): The 22-year old sees a 0.06 increase to 0.94 FanDuel points per minute if Jalen Brunson is inactive versus a Los Angeles Clippers' unit ranked seventh in opposing true shooting percentage and eighth in defensive rating.

Tim Hardaway Jr. ($5,300): With today's current injuries, Hardaway Jr.'s fantasy production is boosted by 0.06 to 0.84 FanDuel points per minute with a 24.5% usage rate. The veteran stands sixth overall in value with a 5.71 rating and a 30.3 fantasy projection versus a Golden State Warriors' team ranked 20th in opposing three point shooting percentage.

Josh Green ($4,500): Even at his highest salary this season, the Mavericks' third year guard ranks second overall in value with a 6.3 rating and a 28.4 FanDuel point projection.

Gabe Vincent ($3,900): After Kyle Lowry was ruled out, Vincent is numberFire's top value option (6.49 value rating / 25.3 fantasy production) despite a tough matchup against a Milwaukee Bucks' unit ranked tenth in FanDuel points allowed per game to point guards.

Forwards

Giannis Antetokounmpo ($12,000): Milwaukee's superstar is averaging 1.93 FanDuel points, 0.46 rebounds, and 0.12 assists per minute since his return on January 23rd while his FanDuel salary has moved up 5.2% to his second highest point this season. Despite a tough matchup against a Miami Heat squad ranked first in points allowed in the paint, "The Greek Alphabet" is rated second overall with 56.9 expected FanDuel points.

Kawhi Leonard ($10,000): At his second highest salary point this season, Leonard is third among forwards with 44.3 FanDuel points against a New York Knicks allowing small forwards to score 23.7 real-life points and 42.7 fantasy points per game.

Julius Randle ($9,200): New York's forward has seen a 8% salary decrease in the past week despite recording 1.13 FanDuel points, 0.28 rebounds, and 0.16 assists per minute. Randle has a sneaky matchup on Saturday versus a Clippers' defense ranked 27th (46.3) in fantasy production allowed to power forwards.

Jimmy Butler ($8,500): In 142.7 minutes with Saturday's expected rotation, Butler's fantasy production increases by 0.19 to 1.43 FanDuel points per minute with a 23.5% usage rate. At his second lowest salary in the last two months, Butler is projected for 38.8 FanDuel points versus a Bucks' team allowing 39.1 fantasy points to his position.

DeMar DeRozan ($8,400): Even in a difficult matchup versus a Portland Trail Blazers' team ranked fourth in FanDuel points allowed (38.5) per game to his position, DeRozan stands fifth among forwards with 41.9 expected FanDuel points. Chicago's leading scorer has recorded 1.12 FanDuel points, 0.10 rebounds, and 0.14 assists per minute since the start of 2023.

Bam Adebayo ($8,400): At his lowest salary since the start of January, Adebayo could be underrated option on Saturday after his fantasy output jumps by 0.30 to 1.45 FanDuel points per minute with today's injuries.

Mikal Bridges ($7,500): In his past four starts, Bridges has scored at least 23 real-life points while averaging 1.07 FanDuel points per minute with a 26.5% usage rate.

Dorian Finney-Smith ($5,400): The Mavericks' forward is seventh among his positions in value with a 5.17 rating and a 27.9 fantasy projection even at highest salary point this season.

Caleb Martin ($4,700): Despite a 12.7% usage rate with Saturday's expected rotation, Martin's fantasy output increases by 0.12 to 0.88 FanDuel points per minute.

Centers

Nikola Jokic ($11,700): After producing consecutive triple-doubles in his past two appearances, Jokic's FanDuel salary has increased by 2.6% to his second highest point in 2023. If "The Joker" can play through his questionable designation, Denver's all-purpose center is numberFire's top option with 58.0 expected FanDuel points against an Atlanta Hawks ranked 21st in fantasy production (54.0) allowed to his position.

Alperen Sengun ($8,300): In a great spot against an Oklahoma City Thunder defense allowing 55.5 FanDuel points per game to centers this season, Sengun is fourth among his position with a 43.3 fantasy projection. The 20-year old is averaging 51.3 FanDuel points in two previous meetings versus the Thunder.

Drew Eubanks ($4,800): With Jusuf Nurkic sidelined with a calf injury, Eubanks should see an expanded role at the center position, producing 0.92 FanDuel points per minute with Saturday's projected inactives.

Dwight Powell ($4,600): The 31-year old is third overall in value with a 6.04 rating and a 27.8 fantasy projection despite a 14.7% usage rate with Saturday's current injuries.