NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: Monday (12/19)

It’s been a wild weekend of sports. We had NFL and NBA on Saturday and Sunday, which makes things chaotic from a DFS perspective. It led to one of my best days of the season on Sunday, though, riding a Washington-Los Angeles stack to one of my better lineups of the year. Capitalizing on the right games is crucial in this racket, and we have a few sensational spots here. With that in mind, let’s look at some of those!

View the best player prop bets for tonight’s slate with our NBA Prop Bet Cheat Sheet

Schedule and Odds

• UTA at CLE (CLE -5.5) O/U: 222.5
• TOR at PHI (PHI -6.5) O/U: 219.5
• ORL at ATL (ATL -7.5) O/U: 228.5
• MIL at NOP (NOP -1) O/U: NA
• SAS at HOU (HOU -3.5) O/U: 228.5
• DAL at MIN (NA) O/U: NA
• POR at OKC (POR -7) O/U: 228
• LAL at PHX (PHX -8.5) O/U: NA
• CHA at SAC (SAC -8.5) O/U: 239.5

Check out our consensus game odds as well as the odds from each sportsbook at BettingPros

Injury Report

• Anthony Davis (foot) OUT
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (back) OUT
• Karl-Anthony Towns (calf) OUT
• Dejounte Murray (ankle) Questionable
• Keldon Johnson (back) Questionable
• Brandon Ingram (toe) OUT
• Tyrese Maxey (foot) OUT
• Deandre Ayton (ankle) Questionable
• Rudy Gobert (ankle) Questionable
• OG Anunoby (hip) Questionable
• Wendell Carter Jr.(foot) OUT
• Jerami Grant (back) Questionable
• Josh Giddey (illness) Questionable
• Clint Capela (calf) OUT
• Khris Middleton (knee) OUT
• John Collins (ankle) Questionable
• Collin Sexton (hamstring) OUT

Core Plays

Damian Lillard (PG – POR): $10,700 DraftKings, $10,000 FanDuel
Dame should be in the MVP running, carrying Portland to one of the best records in the NBA when he’s in the lineup. The perennial All-Star has scored at least 40 DraftKings points in 14 of 18 games this season, averaging 49 DK points per game in those outings. That’s no surprise since he’s playing 35-40 minutes a night while posting a usage rate north of 30 percent. OKC certainly won’t slow him down, ranked 28th in defensive efficiency.

Donovan Mitchell (PG/SG – CLE): $8,900 DraftKings, $9,000 FanDuel
Mitchell has been feeling it recently, and you know he’ll be motivated against his former team. The former Utah standout has at least 35 DraftKings points in 12 of his last 13 games, posting a 45-point average in that span. His motivation against Utah is enough incentive to use him, but the Jazz are also surrendering the second-most fantasy points to opposing shooting guards as well.

Luguentz Dort (SF – OKC): $5,500 DraftKings, $6,100 FanDuel
It feels crazy to have Dort in this section, but he will be the focal point of OKC’s offense with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey both missing this game. Without those two over the weekend, Dort dropped a season-high 42 DK points while running most of the offense. That’s incredible from a $6K player, especially since Portland sits 23rd in defensive efficiency ratings.

Cash Game Considerations

Luka Doncic (PG – DAL): $12,500 DraftKings, $11,900 FanDuel
Luka has been the best cash game option in fantasy all season. The Slovenian has scored at least 52 DraftKings points in all but two games this year. That has him leading the NBA with 62 DK points per game, thanks to his league-leading 38 percent usage rate. Getting to face Minnesota is magical, too, with the T’Wolves ranked second in pace and 23rd in points allowed.

Trae Young (PG – ATL): $10,300 DraftKings, $9,800 FanDuel
Young has really struggled with his shot this season, but he’s tough to fade as long as Dejounte Murray remains sidelined. With Murray off the floor, Young has a 42 percent usage rate while averaging 1.6 DK points per minute. Those are some of the best rates you’ll ever see, and it should give Trae a 50-point floor in that sort of role. The matchup with Orlando is outstanding, too, with Trae totaling a 51-point average against them in their two matchups this year.

De’Aaron Fox (PG – SAC): $8,300 DraftKings, $8,400 FanDuel
Fox has quietly had an All-Star season in Sacramento, and it’s hard to understand why he’s so far below $9,000. The speedster has scored at least 29 DraftKings points in all but three games, with two of those being shortened due to injury. That has his season average north of 40 fantasy points per game, and he should keep that going against a 27th-ranked Charlotte defense. This is expected to be the highest-scoring game of the night, and Fox will surely be one of the primary beneficiaries of that blistering pace.

GPP Targets

Jalen Williams (SF – OKC): $4,700 DraftKings, $5,200 FanDuel
Oklahoma City will be missing its two primary ball handlers, and it should force Williams into a career role. That’s awesome since this rookie has already established himself as one of the key players on this team, averaging 23 DK points per game across 30 minutes a night over the last month. He’s shown flashes of brilliance in that span, and it’ll be fun to see what he does with OKC missing its two best players.

Naz Reid (PF/C – MIN): $4,700 DraftKings, $6,000 FanDuel
With Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns both nicked up, it’s finally time for Reid to take over this center job. This talented youngster has consistently shown the ability to be a great per-minute producer, and he showed that with 52 DK points across 37 minutes in a start over the weekend. That’s ridiculous from a player in this price range, and he’d be impossible to fade if both of those centers remain out.

Onyeka Okongwu (C – ATL): $5,200 DraftKings, $5,200 FanDuel
The Hawks frontcourt has been obliterated by injuries, playing without John Collins and Clint Capela. The absence of Capela is the big one for Onyeka, with Okongwu getting the starting center job in his absence. The Uconn product is averaging over 30 fantasy points per game when starting for Cap over the last two years, and he’s simply one of the best bets for a double-double from a $5K player. Atlanta will need him to play 30 minutes to oppose this huge Orlando frontcourt, which only adds to his value.

Value Plays

Alperen Sengun (C – HOU): $6,500 DraftKings, $6,300 FanDuel
Sengun has the talent to be an elite center, and it’s encouraging to see Houston finally give him a full allotment of minutes. The big man is averaging 31 DK points per game across 27 minutes a night over his last 11 games played. We have to assume he’ll be a 30-minute player from here on out, and he has the best matchup in fantasy here. The Spurs sit dead last in both defensive efficiency and points allowed. In their last matchup, Sengun scored 33 DK points across just 28 minutes!

Thomas Bryant (C – LAL): $4,200 DraftKings, $5,800 FanDuel
With Anthony Davis out for the next month, TB will start at center in LA. He got that role on Sunday, collecting 14 points and 10 rebounds. That’s his second straight game with at least 33 DK points, and it’s clear he will be asked to play a considerable role with AD sidelined. That makes it hard to believe that he’s still just $4,200, especially since he’s proven to be an elite per-minute player throughout his career.

Bismack Biyombo (C – PHX): $3,900 DraftKings, $5,200 FanDuel
This is another strange price by DraftKings. Biyombo is another center filling in for an injured stud, with Bismack starting in the absence of Deandre Ayton. He’s been doing that for two years now, averaging 25 DK points per game in his five starts since the start of last year. All you need is 20 fantasy points to be a good value at this sub-$4K price tag, and he truly has a 40-point upside if he dominates the paint in this profitable matchup. Facing a Lakers team without Davis is fantastic, with LA owning a 26th OPRK against opposing centers.

Advantageous Pricing

• Naz Reid (PF/C – MIN): $4,700 DraftKings, $6,000 FanDuel
• Thomas Bryant (C – LAL): $4,200 DraftKings, $5,800 FanDuel
• Bismack Biyombo (C – PHX): $3,900 DraftKings, $5,200 FanDuel
• Fred VanVleet (PG/SG – TOR): $8,500 DraftKings, $9,500 FanDuel
• Thaddeus Young (PF/C – TOR): $3,600 DraftKings, $5,000 FanDuel
• Bol Bol (C – PHX): $5,300 DraftKings, $6,400 FanDuel
• Markelle Fultz (PG – ORL): $5,100 DraftKings, $6,300 FanDuel
• Aleksej Pokusevski (PF – OKC): $4,300 DraftKings, $5,500 FanDuel
• Larry Nance (PF/C – NOP): $4,600 DraftKings, $5,800 FanDuel
• LeBron James (SF/PF – LAL): $10,000 DraftKings, $11,100 FanDuel
• Russell Westbrook (PG – LAL): $7,300 DraftKings, $8,300 FanDuel
• Austin Reaves (SG/SF – LAL): $4,100 DraftKings, $5,500 FanDuel

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