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- Top NBA DFS Plays & Prop Picks 12/16 | Running Through Monday's Six-Game Slate!
Top NBA DFS Plays & Prop Picks 12/16 | Running Through Monday's Six-Game Slate!
Top DFS Plays & Pick 'Ems for Today's NBA Action!
Written By: Ryan Humphries on Twitter & LineStar chat @Ryan_Humphries
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DFS Main Slate Rundown 📰
A nice little six-game Monday slate will get us rolling this week! A few quality match-ups are featured on this slate, with two games pinned with huge 237+ over/unders and narrow two-point spreads. But we’ll of course find some worthy plays outside of those two more obvious spots. On the injury front, things aren’t too hectic at the moment. Most guys are either ruled out already or listed as probable, but there are two or three players pinned with “questionable” tags that we’ll need to monitor. Best of luck!
Note: There is only one game on the schedule tomorrow (NBA Cup Championship - Bucks vs. Thunder) then every team is off on Wednesday so the next NBA newsletter won’t come until Thursday!
Today’s Key Injuries
76ers: J. Embiid - OUT, C. Martin - OUT, J. McCain - OUT, A. Bona - OUT
Hornets: L. Ball - Questionable, T. Mann - OUT
Heat: N. Jovic - OUT, J. Richardson - OUT, P. Larsson - OUT
Pistons: T. Harris - OUT
Cavs: E. Mobley - Probable, C. Porter Jr. - Questionable, J. Tyson - OUT
Nets: C. Thomas - OUT, Z. Williams - OUT
Bulls: N. Vucevic - Probable, Z. LaVine - Questionable, L. Ball - Probable, D. Terry - Questionable, E. Liddell - OUT
Raptors: S. Barnes - OUT, I. Quickley - OUT, J. Battle - OUT
Nuggets: J. Murray - Probable, C. Braun - Questionable, D. Saric - OUT
Kings: T. Lyles - OUT, K. Huerter - OUT
Jazz: J. Clarkson - Probable, S. Mykhailiuk - OUT
Clippers: D. Jones Jr. - OUT, T. Mann - OUT, K. Brown - OUT
Main Slate Match-Ups w/ Game Totals & Point Spreads
Top DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Plays
Note: NBA position designations are never going to perfectly align between the major DFS sites. For the purposes of these newsletters, positional designations will default to DraftKings.
Point Guards/Shooting Guards to Consider 🏀
PG De’Aaron Fox, SAC | DK: $8.7k, FD: $8.9k | vs. DEN
Fox has hovered around 40 FP the last few games but you get the feeling that he is due for a spike performance soon, and it looks like a strong spot for that to happen tonight. The Nuggets rank 5th in pace, providing a significant pace boost to the Kings (18th in pace), and this game has a huge 237.5 over/under next to a narrow two-point spread in favor of Sacramento. Fox is also back at home where he is averaging 28.3 PPG and shooting 42.1% from three-point range (vs. 23.8 PPG and 24.1% 3P% on the road). The Nuggets also check in at 28th versus starting PGs L10Games. Even if he doesn’t come through with a ceiling game, it’s hard to imagine Fox putting up a dud in this spot.
SG/SF Malik Beasley, DET | DK: $4.6k, FD: $5.3k | vs. MIA
Beasley has quite a bit of volatility attached to him but he has had some strong games (mostly) off the Pistons bench recently, popping for at least 34.0 DKFP/30.3 FDFP in four of his last six games. He is averaging over an FPPM in his L5Games off of the bench so if the minutes are there, he sets up as a strong option at these current price points. It doesn’t hurt Beasley’s potential that Tobias Harris (hand) is out for tonight’s game. In over 300 minutes with Harris off the court this season, Beasley has seen a +3.4 percentage point boost to his usage rate and he has averaged +5.6 more FP per 32 minutes.
PG Kevin Porter Jr., LAC | DK: $4.4k, FD: $5.2k | vs. UTA
Over his last three games, Kevin Porter Jr. has averaged 17.3 PPG, 4.3 APG, 4.0 RPG, and 2.3 STL/gm while shooting 50% from the field and 45.5% from three-point range, surpassing 30 DKFP and 30 FDFP points in each contest. While they’re not marquee injuries, the Clippers will be without Derrick Jones Jr. (hamstring) and Terance Mann (finger) this evening. With those two players off the floor, Porter has handled a +5.3% USG% increase -- second-highest on the team only behind James Harden (+6.1% USG%). Despite limited minutes, Porter Jr. has been highly effective and gets a favorable matchup against the Jazz, who check in at dead last in DEFRTG. He’s a strong budget-friendly option at guard this evening.
Other Guards to Consider
PG Cade Cunningham, DET vs. MIA
PG Tyrese Maxey, PHI at CHA
PG Tyler Herro, MIA at DET
PG/SG Malik Monk, SAC vs. DEN
PG Josh Giddey, CHI at TOR (Boost if LaVine is out)
SG Gradey Dick, TOR vs. CHI
PG/SG Shake Milton, BKN vs. CLE
PG Dru Smith, MIA at DET
PG Bones Hyland, LAC vs. UTA
Small Forwards/Power Forwards to Consider 🏀
SF/PF RJ Barrett, TOR | DK: $9.1k, FD: $8.8k | vs. CHI
While Scottie Barnes (ankle) and Immanuel Quickley (elbow) remain out, the Raptors’ offense will continue to run through RJ Barrett. Barrett is coming off his second triple-double of the season and is now averaging over 1.30 FPPM across his last six games. In over 450 minutes with Barnes and Quickley off the floor, Barrett has led the team with a +2.9% USG% increase. The match-up also does not get much better. The Bulls check in at 2nd in pace and 26th in DEFRTG. While Barrett is eligible at both forward positions in the land of DFS, he’s essentially operating as the starting point guard at the moment, which also bodes well in this game as the Bulls have ranked dead last versus starting PGs L20Games. We’ll probably want quite a bit of exposure to this overall match-up that features a slate-high 240.5 over/under and close spread (TOR +2).
SF/PF Keegan Murray, SAC | DK: $5.7k, FD: $5.8k | vs. DEN
Keegan Murray can be a frustrating player for DFS but he does own a nice ceiling and typically plays big minutes. While it’s not a huge bump, Murray has seen the second-highest usage increase with Kevin Huerter (shoulder/out) off the floor, and in all three games that Huerter has missed this season, Murray has logged no fewer than 38 minutes. He’s a volatile option but I do like his chances of returning value at these sub-$6k salaries and I doubt he takes on much ownership on this slate -- potentially < 5%.
PF Simone Fontecchio, DET | DK: $3.2k, FD: $3.7k | vs. MIA
We’re scraping the bottom of the barrel here but, with Tobias Harris sidelined, Fontecchio should pick up a few additional minutes off of the bench. The only other game Harris has missed this season was back on November 27th. In that game, Fontecchio played 22 minutes and put up a season-high 24.5 DKFP/22.9 FDFP. I would imagine he’ll receive similar run tonight and, at these price points, it’ll be hard for him to put up a complete dud and there is plenty of potential for 6x (or better) value.
Other Forwards to Consider
SF/PF Paul George, PHI at CHA
PF/C Evan Mobley, CLE at BKN
SF/PF Cameron Johnson, BKN vs. CLE
SF/SG Norman Powell, LAC vs. UTA
PF Miles Bridges, CHA vs. PHI
PF/C Jonathan Mogbo, TOR vs. CHI (Preferred if starting again)
SF/SG Ricky Council IV, PHI at CHA
SF/PF Matas Buzelis, CHI at TOR
PF/C Noah Clowney, BKN vs. CLE
SF Ron Holland II, DET vs. MIA
Centers to Consider 🏀
C Nikola Jokic, DEN | DK: $12.2k, FD: $12.5k | at SAC
Even though he’s coming off his worst performance of the season, I don’t believe many folks will need to be convinced to squeeze Jokic into their lineups on a small slate. In the five games prior to his recent dud, Jokic was averaging 39.4 PPG, 14.8 RPG, 8.8 APG, and nearly 80 FPPG! I highly doubt the three-time MVP disappoints in back-to-back games so, if you can find some value you’re comfortable with, get the Joker in those lineups.
C Jakob Poeltl, TOR | DK: $7.3k, FD: $7.8k | vs. CHI
Poeltl’s last game was a little bizarre as he was scratched from the starting lineup just minutes before tip-off due to back spasms, but then he ended up entering the game anyway off of the bench in the first quarter while going on to play 27 minutes. He is not on the injury report today and, considering he was still able to play significant minutes, the back spasms do not appear to be a significant issue. So Poeltl should be sliding back into his traditional starting role tonight and expect to play his usual mid-30s minutes. He is averaging over 40 FPPG in his L5Starts so we’ll like him in this spot at a sub-$8k price point. Chicago has also been one of the best match-ups for opposing bigs and they rank 29th versus starting centers L20Games, so Poeltl sets up as a strong floor play with plenty of potential for a ceiling game.
Other Centers to Consider
C Domantas Sabonis, SAC vs. DEN
C Bam Adebayo, MIA at DET
C Ivica Zubac, LAC vs. UTA
C Walker Kessler, UTA at LAC
C Andre Drummond, PHI at CHA
PrizePicks NBA Power Play of the Day ⚡
Here is a two-pick “Power Play” I’m liking for today's NBA action over on PrizePicks! Nothing is ever a guarantee to hit but I put my own money on these bets so I don't just lightly throw these out there without believing they'll cash! If it hits, it will return 3x the wager.
Nikola Jokic MORE than 20.5 FG Attempted
Keegan Murray MORE than 10.5 FG Attempted
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That will wrap us up with today’s “Daily Dribble” edition! Once again, you can find me on Twitter or in LineStar chat @Ryan_Humphries. Good luck everyone!