Daily Fantasy NBA News and Injury Updates - 1/7/18

Welcome to the News and Injury Updates for Sunday's NBA slate. With just four games there isn't a lot hanging up in the air for tonight's set, but we are monitoring the news as it comes in, while providing our systems top plays for you at the end of the piece.

Now’s your chance to get DFSR PRO, which will give you access to our NBA optimizer, our NFL Optimizer, and our new player lab! Get started for free by clicking the button below.

First time with NBA or NFL? Be sure to read our free NBA and NFL Ebooks on building lineups, general strategy and more. We've got you completely covered.

What We Know

Kawhi Leonard, Tony Parker, and Rudy Gay are out. Danny Green is questionable for San Antonio tonight.
Leonard played 28 minutes against Phoenix on Friday and turned in another solid performance, but the Spurs have held him back tonight with a shoulder strain. With Gay still out look for Kyle Anderson to draw the start at the three and see a boost in minutes. Patty Mills and Dejounte Murray will also see added minutes with Parker ruled out for rest while Green is questionable with a groin injury that has held his out of two straight games already.

What We're Waiting to Know

T.J. Warren is questionable with an illness, while Isaiah Canaan has been ruled out.
Warren missed Friday night's game against the Spurs with an illness and it seems to be lingering enough to throw his status for tonight against the Thunder into question. Josh Jackson got the start for Warren on Friday and will become an exciting play if called upon once again. Canaan meanwhile has been ruled out after being originally listed as questionable with a strained groin. This should mean plenty of run for Tyler Ulis.

Every Lineup Guys

Russell Westbrook FD - $11800 DK - $11900
Opponent - PHO
Proj Pts FD - 60.82 DK - 64.2
The universal play without question tonight is Russell Westbrook. Russell is the top priced play on both FanDuel and DraftKings and it isn't even close. The next most expensive play is over $2K cheaper on both sites and Russ will outscore the field by a mile. Not only is he leading the raw point projections, but he even ranks among the top PPD projections in the mother of all matchups for point guards, the Phoenix Suns. This game has the highest O/U projection from Vegas and also has the largest spread, but at 8.5 points, I'm not too concerned, particularly on such a short slate. You practically have to have Westbrook in cash and I think it would be well advised to at least keep some exposure in tournaments or else you might be looking at a long night.

Devin Booker FD - $7500 DK - $7900
Opponent - OKC
Proj Pts FD - 38.04 DK - 40
Kyle Anderson FD - $5900 DK - $4800
Opponent - POR
Proj Pts FD - 21.76 DK - 20.9
After Russ, we split things up a bit, on FanDuel we have Devin Booker joining Russ in the top lineups being generated by our optimizer. Booker hasn't been quite the same since returning from that groin injury that sidelined him for a month, but he has shown flashes, most recently against a Hawks team that ranks similarly to the Thunder as shooting guard matchups go. There's still that large spread to consider, and unlike Westbrook, Booker is not for the faint of heart, but if Phoenix can stay competitive his price on FanDuel presents a reasonably obtainable floor. On DraftKings, where Bookers price leaves something to be desired, the system is loving some Kyle Anderdson, and rightfully so. With no Leonard, and no Gay, Kyle Anderson will be the starting small forward for San Antonio in Portland and is priced entirely too low on the DraftKings side for the minutes he should see in a slight pace up contest against a Blazers team that has been overly generous to opposing PF's this season. While Booker is a little too pricey for me to consider on DK, Anderson is someone I will consider across the industry, but will have 100% exposure to on DraftKings.

GRAB A FREE TRIAL OF OUR PROJECTION SYSTEM, AND CHECK OUT DFSR PRO!