NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Thursday, January 25

NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Thursday, January 25

This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.

Slate Overview

PHI at IND: 76ers on six-game win streak; Pacers on three-game slide  

UTA at WAS: Jazz on three-game slide; Wizards on five-game slide 

BOS at MIA: Celtics 7-3 in last 10 games; Heat on four-game slide 

MIN at BKN: Timberwolves 6-4 in last 10 games; Nets on two-game slide 

DEN at NYK: Nuggets on three-game win streak; Knicks on four-game win streak

SAC at GSW: Kings 5-5 in last 10 games; Warriors 12-11 at home

CHI at LAL: Bulls 7-14 on road; Lakers 5-5 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.

Injuries to Monitor  

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

PHI - Tobias Harris (illness): Questionable; Marcus Morris (foot): Doubtful; Robert Covington (knee), De'Anthony Melton (back): OUT
Kelly Oubre and Nicolas Batum continue to get more responsibility.    

IND - Jalen Smith (back): Questionable; Tyrese Haliburton (hamstring): OUT
Aaron Nesmith and T.J. McConnell are up for more playing time without Haliburton. Obi Toppin could be up for a boost if Smith is out.    

MIA  - Kevin Love (illness): Questionable; Jaime Jaquez (groin): OUT 
Nikola Jovic and Caleb Martin likely get a boost.     

MIN - Mike Conley (illness): Questionable
Nickeil Alexander-Walker could continue to pick up more playing time.  

DEN - Reggie Jackson (toe): Probable

NYK - Isaiah Hartenstein (Achilles): Questionable 
Precious Achiuwa would get a bigger role.  

GSW - Moses Moody (calf), Chris Paul (hand): OUT
Brandin Podziemski and Jonathan Kuminga should each get more minutes. 

CHI - Patrick Williams (ankle): Probable; Zach LaVine (ankle): OUT
Alex Caruso is up for a bigger role without LaVine.   

LAL - Anthony Davis (Achilles), LeBron James (ankle) Questionable; Cam Reddish (ankle): OUT
Rui Hachimura, Austin Reaves and Christian Wood are in line to pick up more responsibility. 

Elite Players

Guards

Tyrese Maxey, 76ers ($8,600) at Pacers 

Maxey is averaging 24.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, 7.3 assists and 1.9 steals over the last 10 games, including four with more than 50 DK points and a high of 67. He has a great opportunity to keep up the strong play with a matchup against the Pacers, who are without their starting point guard, and who also give up the league's second-most points per game. 

Jaylen Brown, Celtics ($8,300) at Heat 

Brown topped 30 points twice and delivered one triple-double all within his last five outings, while averaging 22.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.0 blocks per game. He finished with 39.5 DK points in his previous encounter with the Heat on Oct. 27, and he must come up big once again in order to keep his side competitive. 

Forwards/Centers

Jayson Tatum, Celtics ($9,700) at Heat 

Tatum finished with 42 DK points in his squad's previous meeting with the Heat, and he is on a roll lately, averaging 26.9 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.0 steals across his last 10 appearances. Tatum is also coming off his second-highest DK-point performance of the season, as he totaled 72.8 in a road win over the Mavs on Monday. 

Lauri Markkanen, Jazz ($8,000) at Wizards 

Markkanen is coming off one of his quietest performances of the season in a high-scoring road loss against the Pelicans. Nonetheless, he has a great chance to bounce back against the Wizards' lackluster defense, while they give up the league's third-most rebounds per game to opposing power forwards. He also has an advantage as the Wizards face the second game of a back-to-back. 

Domantas Sabonis, Kings ($9,900) at Warriors 

Sabonis is on a streak of 25 consecutive double-doubles, averaging 20.9 points, 13.6 rebounds and 8.6 assists over that span. Additionally, he topped 50 DK points in each of the last four outings, including a high of 67.3. Sabonis should continue to stuff the stat sheet against the Warriors, who give up the league's seventh-most points per game to opposing centers. He is already averaging 17.0 points, 12.3 rebounds, 8.3 assists and 1.3 steals through three meetings with the Warriors this season. 

Expected Chalk 

Joel Embiid, 76ers ($11,600) at Pacers 

Embiid is coming off the game of the season, as he produced 105.5 DK points with a 76ers franchise-high 70 points on 24-for-41 shooting, to go with 18 rebounds, five assists, a steal and a block in a home win over the Spurs. The reigning MVP has another prime opportunity to fill it up against the Pacers, who give up the league's most points in the paint per game. Embiid already reached 68 DK points in both of back-to-back meetings with the Pacers in November this season. 

Mid-Range Money 

Alex Caruso, Bulls ($5,100) at Lakers 

Caruso topped 25 DK points in four of the last five games, including a high of 38.5, while averaging 10.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.8 steals and 2.0 blocks over that span. He will continue to see an increased role in the absence of Zach LaVine, and he will likely come out with an extra edge against his former squad. 

Collin Sexton, Jazz ($6,600) at Wizards 

Sexton faces a favorable matchup against the struggling Wizards, who give up a league-high 124.7 points per game. Sexton is also averaging  23.4 points, 2.2 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.0 steals over the last 10 games, including seven with at least 35 DK points. 

Value Picks

Aaron Nesmith, Pacers ($4,600) vs. 76ers 

Nesmith is up for his fourth consecutive start in the absence of Tyrese Haliburton. He is averaging 10.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.0 steals over the last three games, including a high of 24.3 DK points. He could also be up for a more favorable matchup if Tobias Harris is sidelined. 

Simone Fontecchio, Jazz ($4,100) at Wizards

Fontecchio is averaging 10.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists over 13 consecutive starts. He has a great chance to continue building his rhythm against the Wizards, who give up the league's most points and most rebounds per game to opposing small forwards. 

Kelly Olynyk, Jazz ($3,600) at Wizards 

Olynyk continues to deliver a solid boost off the bench, averaging 7.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 16.5 minutes per outing over the last 10 games. He also has a high of 34.5 DK points in that stretch, with two more games over 24. He should stand out against the Wizards, who give up the league's second-most points and most rebounds per game to opposing centers. 

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.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dan Bruno
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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