Tuesday’s NBA matchups are full of intrigue and uncertainty, with a myriad of key players holding a questionable designation. The seven-game featured slate tips off at 7 p.m. ET on both DraftKings and FanDuel. There are several options in the player pool worth analyzing to find the top NBA DFS building blocks and NBA DFS picks for DraftKings and FanDuel lineups, including Damian Lillard.
21+ and present in OH. Gambling Problem? Call or text 1-800-GAMBLER
NBA DFS Picks: Tuesday, Jan. 10
Core Play of the Day — Damian Lillard: Portland Trail Blazers-Orlando Magic
- Stokastic’s Preliminary Point Projections: DraftKings: 47.46 | FanDuel: 44.81
- Stokastic’s Preliminary Rostered Projections: DraftKings 23.2% | FanDuel: 28.1%
- DFS Salary: DraftKings: $9,500 | FanDuel: $9,100
Tonight the Trail Blazers are hosting the Orlando Magic, who are on a back-to-back, having lost 136-111 last night to the Kings in Sacramento. This is also the third road game in four days for Orlando, with two more stops remaining on their Western Conference barnstorming tour. The Magic are finally at full strength, but this team is still a defensive sieve, allowing 117.4 points per 100 possessions across their last 10 tilts.
Damian Lillard stands out among the top options tonight, as he is one of the few stars without an injury designation. Joel Embiid (foot), Luka Doncic (ankle) and Deandre Ayton (ankle) are all game-time decisions. Plus, there is a chance of Stephen Curry (shoulder) returning to action after a three-week absence.
Lillard almost always will flirt with 20 field goal attempts, with nearly half of them coming from beyond the arc. He also contributes with assists, and he is a decent rebounder for a 6-foot-2 guard. Though he does have a lowish 30-fantasy-point floor, the upside is there, as evidenced by three 50-fantasy-point outings in his last five appearances.
Detroit Pistons-Philadelphia 76ers
The Pistons are in Philadelphia tonight, and they will be without Bojan Bogdanovic, Jalen Duren and Marvin Bagley III. This means that there is a major void in the scoring department and the frontcourt. Jaden Ivey, Alec Burks and Killian Hayes should see secure minutes and an increase in their offensive responsibilities. Isaiah Stewart should be able to log as many minutes as his six-foul limit allows, and for those who are feeling bold, Saddiq Bey and Hamidou Diallo are worthy of our consideration.
Do keep in mind that the Pistons will have plenty of players available, so they are not going to have to run anyone into the ground. However, the DFS salary algorithms have not accounted for the absence of two key contributors, which secures a normal workload for the remaining players, at a discounted price tag.
Embiid has missed the last couple of games with a sore foot, and there is no reason to rush him back for tonight’s action. Ideally he is out, which will mean elevated duties for James Harden, Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris. If Embiid is available, then the 76ers are relegated to tournament options only.
Latest NBA DFS Content
- PrizePicks, Sleeper & Underdog Cheat Sheet: Best More/Less Picks Today for NBA, MLB & NHL (April 28)
- NBA DFS Picks & Building Blocks: Tightrope Time for the Phoenix Suns! (April 28)
- FanDuel Fantasy Basketball Cheat Sheet: Best Picks From NBA DFS Contest Sims | Karl-Anthony Towns (April 28)
- DraftKings Fantasy Basketball Cheat Sheet: Best Picks From NBA DFS Contest Sims | Kevin Durant (April 28)
- NBA DFS Late Swap Advice: How to Use Our New Tool to Improve Your Process and Profit
- Stokastic DFS on Youtube
Additional NBA DFS Building Blocks Picks Today – Sports Betting Opportunities
Ivey is having a solid rookie campaign and is someone to consider in the betting market, with a 12.5 total for his points prop against the 76ers tonight in Philadelphia. The 20-year-old is averaging 18.4 points in the 19 games where he has played 30 or more minutes, with 15 or more points in all but one appearance.
The NBA Bet Pro projections have Ivey for 31.1 minutes and scoring 17.8 points for a 58% likelihood of surpassing this milestone and a decent 8% expected return on investment at -115 on BetMGM.
Did you know that you can get two free months of Stokastic+ Platinum for signing up and making your first bet at BetMGM? Claim here today!
Dallas Mavericks-Los Angeles Clippers
Luka Doncic (ankle) sat out the second leg of a back-to-back, but there is a good possibility that was less of an actual injury concern and more about rest after he played a lot of minutes this season. Dorian Finney-Smith and Maximilian Kleber remain out, so that means Christian Wood is likely to remain in the starting lineup and approach 30 minutes in the rotation, with the upside of a few more if coach Jason Kidd does not get too annoyed by his lack of defense. Speaking of defense, the Clippers really are not playing much, and over the last two weeks they are in the bottom quartile of the league, allowing 117.1 points per 100 possessions. Spencer Dinwiddie is a neutral option on the main slate if Doncic is a go, and he moves into the mix as a secondary tournament option on the late slate.
Paul George and Luke Kennard have been ruled out already, and John Wall and Reggie Jackson have been struggling mightily over the last fortnight. That means Terance Mann should see additional responsibilities and minutes while being assigned a salary far more appropriate for a back-of-the-rotation player.
Kawhi Leonard should see mid-30s minutes, and he has logged 35 or more in four of his last five appearances. That means we are getting close to a 15% discount on his salary, and he is a strong option at the small forward position tonight. Ivica Zubac has seen his production take a mercurial turn this season, as it is heavily driven by matchup. Tonight he should benefit from the slower pace of the Mavericks, and upper-20s minutes is in play, which would grant him access to 30 fantasy points — with potential for a 40-fantasy-point outburst.
Final Thoughts on NBA DFS Picks Building Blocks Today
Tonight is a bifurcated slate with three games tipping off in the first half hour, one game getting under way at 9 p.m. ET and then three games starting at 10 p.m. ET or later. Be sure to tune into the Stokastic Live Deeper Dive and Before Lock shows at 5 p.m. ET on YouTube, courtesy of No House Advantage.
Thanks for reading to the end of this article! If you appreciate this free content and want to see more of it every day, you can help us out by sharing this article on social media!
