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.

The Slate and Key Injuries

COVID-19 Protocol Update
Due to the advanced number of players in COVID-19 protocols, I want to provide just a manual list of those players moving forward and then discuss the other injury news separately. Only players that significantly impact the slate are listed:

Both stars in a game that might not happen are questionable. Welcome to NBA DFS in December 2021.

Philadelphia and Boston are one of the marquee matchups of the night, but COVID-19 protocols plus injuries may put the contest at risk. Specifically, the Celtics have five players in protocols, and Jayson Tatum (ankle), Dennis Schroder (non-COVID illness), and Romeo Langford (neck) On the Philadelphia side, Joel Embiid (ankle), Ben Simmons (personal), Tyrese Maxey (quad), Danny Green (hip), and Furkan Korkmaz (non-COVID illness) may join four on the shelf in protocols. It would likely be Philadelphia that just lacks the bodies to play as they did Sunday.

In addition to their COVID woes, Sacramento will be missing Richaun Holmes with an eye injury once more.

The Clippers are one of few that can just boast a normal injury bug. They're only down one to COVID-19 protocols, but Paul George (elbow) is questionable to miss a sixth straight game, and productive big man Isaiah Hartenstein is already ruled out with his ankle injury.

Finally, the Rockets could be missing starting guard Armoni Brooks for another game; he's still fighting the ankle he tweaked on Thursday.

Guards

Stephen Curry ($9,700): Stars comfortably projected for a value score over 5.00? It must be a COVID-19 protocol wave. Curry's workload without Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole is likely very similar to his role when he anchors the second unit this season. In 288 minutes of floor time without the pair this season, Curry has averaged 1.55 FanDuel points per minute on a 35.5% usage rate. It's therefore no shock why he's comfortably numberFire's top guard option of the day.

Tyrese Haliburton ($7,700): His 27-point, 11-assist performance against the Spurs is likely on the high end of his outcome range considering he shot 63% from the field. Still, seeing 37 minutes in a heavy role without De'Aaron Fox and Davion Mitchell is more than secure at this salary considering Haliburton does have that upside to fill it up. The risk with Sacramento is always their rotational flux, but when forced to the bare bones of their roster, Haliburton is an incredibly attractive option.

Alex Caruso ($5,400): The theme of today's slate is solely just seeking minutes. There are some gaudy totals due to the shorthanded nature of most teams, and "The Carushow" was no exception in Chicago's return game from two straight cancellations. Caruso logged 38 minutes, and while averaging 0.87 FanDuel points per minute this season when the Bulls have all hands on deck, his role and his ability to score are just too solid for this salary.

Others to Consider:
Lonzo Ball ($7,700): Team-high 39 minutes for the shorthanded Bulls with triple-double potential? Salary isn't too high for that despite the increase.
Josh Christopher ($4,600): If Brooks is out again, a decent value plug, but he pales in comparison to others on this slate.
Gary Payton II ($4,200): The Warriors' value options will be a game of luck today with a lineup after lock, but he can score even in limited court time (0.99 FanDuel points per minute).
Damion Lee ($3,900): Started for Wiggins yesterday and is likely the betting favorite to do so again today. Well-projected by numberFire.

Wings

DeMar DeRozan ($8,900): This slate doesn't have the Nikola Jokic superstar at $11,000-plus, but the four-digit studs are arguably the best ones of the year. That includes DeRozan, who has a solid opportunity to pad an MVP candidacy with Zach LaVine still in protocols. DeMar had a ridiculous 40.0% usage rate in the Bulls' first game back, and that included 24 shots and 17 free-throw attempts. He's going to fire balls at the basket against a terrible Houston defense tonight, as well.

Buddy Hield ($5,100): Again, the drawback on the Kings is perpetually the rotation. With solid playing time, there's virtually no risk at their respective salaries, and this tag makes Hield clearly the top value option of the day. Buddy Buckets dropped in 29 against the Spurs on Sunday, and that ceiling to exceed FanDuel value on just his real-life scoring is very real. Hield is capable of some playmaking in his new role, as well. His 18.3% usage rate the past two games is higher than normal.

Javonte Green ($4,000): As of now, Green isn't popping in numberFire's projections. I'm guessing he will as tweaks are made today. He played 35 minutes with the Bulls' starters on Saturday, and his 28.8 FanDuel points were closer to a floor performance shooting just 33.3% from the field. At a near-minimum salary, a full-time role is almost always hard to pass up but especially against a Houston team that's tops in the league in terms of pace.

Others to Consider:
Paul George ($8,900): We have so much value, I'd happily welcome the star back. Would likely face no restriction if he can go.
Jaylen Brown ($7,300): Would have spotlighted him on a slate lighter on value. Solid play at a low salary but feels like this game will not happen, personally.
Harrison Barnes ($6,100): 38.0 minutes per game in the last two contests. An insane floor on the court that much.
Otto Porter ($3,900): A dark horse to start for Wiggins. Missed yesterday with a "foot" injury as three other Warriors rested. He may see plenty of minutes.

Bigs

Rudy Gobert ($9,400): The salary here is too high, but there's so much value that Gobert is the clear top big of the day in his matchup. Gobert scores nearly entirely on offensive rebound putbacks and defensive rebounds, and Charlotte allows plenty of both. They're ceding the second-most rebounds per game (47.6) overall, and the fifth-most per game on the offensive end (11.1). My one concern here is the 12-point spread, but it's within the range of outcomes Gobert has 20 boards in three quarters.

Christian Wood ($8,200): Knowing Gobert (and the following target) will occupy most of my pivot spots, the forward eligibility wins out in a tiebreaker with Nikola Vucevic. We've talked at length about stacking the Bulls just about every way to Sunday, and Wood is the one Houston player I'm comfortable bringing it back with. Ever since relegating Daniel Theis to the bench on November 23rd, Wood is averaging a solid 1.25 FanDuel points per minute. He'll likely be unpopular with a slow first game back from injury.

Chimezie Metu ($6,000): With a path to playing time, Metu can deliver. Metu has started and played at least 31 minutes with Holmes, Marvin Bagley III, and Alex Len all out at the moment for various reasons. He hasn't posted lower than 28 FanDuel points in those two games, and it's no surprise with a strong season-long, per-minute production rate (0.99 FanDuel points) entering this shorthanded stretch. He's notably athletic enough to stay on the floor against the Warriors -- a key edge he has over Tristan Thompson.

Others to Consider:
Nikola Vucevic ($8,800): Speculative play if DeRozan cedes more of his offensive role to his fellow co-star. I'll definitely get here in tournaments.
Draymond Green ($7,200): Green's usage just never increases, so he doesn't see a ball-handling bump without Wiggins. He could take more shots, though.
Robert Williams ($5,600): He would be my favorite power forward of the day if this game happens. Huge "if."
Nemanja Bjelica ($4,100): Could see a playing time bump without Wiggins, and he's got an outside shot (40.5% from three-point land) to make it count.