NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: Monday (12/25)

This is always one of the most exciting slates of the season. The Christmas Day slate is one of the primer cards for the NBA, spreading five games throughout the day. It’s a basketball fans dream, especially since every matchup features some of the best teams in the NBA. That makes it difficult to narrow it down with so many All-Star players available, but we’ll do our best!

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

NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer:

Schedule and Odds

• MIL at NYK (MIL -4.5) O/U: 224.5
• GSW at DEN (DEN -4.5) O/U: 230
• BOS at LAL (BOS -1.5) O/U: 239.5
• PHI at MIA (PHI -1.5) O/U: 218
• DAL at PHX (PHX -5.5) O/U: 225

Check out our consensus game odds and the odds from each sportsbook at BettingPros.

Injury Report

• LeBron James (old) Questionable
• Anthony Davis (old) Questionable
• Draymond Green (suspension) OUT
• Joel Embiid (ankle) OUT
• Kyrie Irving (foot) OUT
• Jimmy Butler (calf) Questionable
• Kristaps Porzingis (ankle) Questionable
• Jusuf Nurkic (personal) OUT
• Bradley Beal (ankle) OUT
• Dereck Lively (ankle) OUT
• De’Anthony Melton (thigh) Questionable
• Andrew Wiggins (illness) Questionable

Core Plays

Devin Booker (PG/SG – PHX): $9,700 DraftKings, $10,100 FanDuel
DB has done an incredible job of taking over as the primary ball-handler in Phoenix, averaging nearly 50 DraftKings points per game. His floor is even more impressive, scoring at least 39 fantasy points in all but one game this year. That will continue with Bradley Beal out, especially since he faces a Dallas team with a 23rd OPRK against opposing guards. In their last matchup with Dallas, DB dropped 61 DK points!

Stephen Curry (PG – GSW): $9,100 DraftKings, $9,000 FanDuel
Chef Curry has been cooking recently, taking on more playmaking duties in the absence of Draymond Green. The former MVP has scored at least 46 DraftKings points in three of his last five fixtures, posting a 44-point average for the year. It’s also strange to see Curry sitting around $9K because he’s been a five-figure player for most of his career. Denver is a scary matchup, but Steph will be motivated in this highlight Christmas game.

Jamal Murray (PG – DEN): $7,400 DraftKings, $8,000 FanDuel
Murray has been in and out of the lineup all year, but he’s been a beast whenever he’s healthy. The versatile guard averages 37 DraftKings points per game, scoring at least 50 fantasy points in back-to-back outings. That’s an absurd total from a sub-$8K player, especially since Murray has averaged 50 DK points for weeks at a time in the past. The matchup is marvelous, too, with Murray scoring at least 50 DK points in both of their meetings last season.

Cash Game Considerations

Nikola Jokic (C – DEN): $10,900 DraftKings, $12,200 FanDuel
The Joker has been the best cash game option for five years now. The big man has established a 50-point floor while averaging over 60 DraftKings points in three straight seasons. That’s why he’s a two-time MVP, and we don’t want to avoid him in an Xmas Day matchup with the Warriors. He’s got 67 and 71 DK points in their last two matchups!

Luka Doncic (PG – DAL): $11,400 DraftKings, $12,500 FanDuel
Luka has been playing on another planet since Kyrie Irving went down. That’s guaranteed the MVP candidate 35-40 minutes, 20-30 shots, and a 40 percent usage rate on a nightly basis. He’s also scored at least 63 DraftKings points in nine of his last 11 outings, averaging 70 DK points per game in that span! He’s been known to slaughter the Suns because Booker is his biggest rival in the NBA.

Paul Reed (PF/C – PHI): $4,300 DraftKings, $4,800 FanDuel
With Joel Embiid sitting, everyone will be rostering Reed. It will be the free square of the slate because Reed should start at center in Embiid’s absence. We’re talking about a player averaging 14 DK points per game in a 13-minute role. We expect both totals to double or triple in this spot, meaning Reed should be at least $6K on both sites in this expanded role.

GPP Targets

Klay Thompson (SG/SF – GSW): $6,700 DraftKings, $7,000 FanDuel
Thompson was terrible through the opening month of the season, but his shot is starting to drop. The sharpshooter has scored at least 28 DraftKings points in six straight outings, scoring 38 or more fantasy points in four of those! That’s the stud we remember, and it’s encouraging since his price is still too low after a slow start to the season.

Khris Middleton (SF/PF – MIL): $6,400 DraftKings, $6,700 FanDuel
Middleton’s minutes were being capped through the opening month of the year, but he’s back to being a 30-minute player now. This former All-Star was an $8K player in a 35-minute role in the past and is showing glimpses of returning to that. Mid has scored at least 26 DK points in eight consecutive outings, posting a 33-point average in that span. We also don’t mind that NY posts a 17th OPRK against opposing forwards.

Isaiah Hartenstein (C – NYK): $5,800 DraftKings, $6,200 FanDuel
Mitchell Robinson will miss the remainder of the season, but Hartenstein has done an excellent job filling that void. Hartenstein has started the last two games, posting a 34-point average across 33 minutes a night over his last five fixtures. Those are unbelievable totals from a $6K player, but it should continue since he’s the only true center left on this roster.

Value Plays

Drew Eubanks (C – PHX): $4,800 DraftKings, $4,600 FanDuel
Eubanks was horrible in a start for Jusuf Nurkic over the weekend, but that’s a fluke. This big man has started over 40 games for Nurk over the last two years and is averaging nearly 30 DraftKings points per game in that expanded role. That’s what you’re looking for from a value play under $5K, especially since he plays a 24th-ranked Dallas defense.

Jonathan Kuminga (SF/PF – GSW): $5,600 DraftKings, $5,400 FanDuel
It’s about time that Kuminga has taken on a bigger role in Golden State. This talented youngster is finally starting in the absence of Green, taking on even more work with Andrew Wiggins struggling as well. That’s led to JK scoring 26, 33, and 32 DK points in his three most recent outings. He also plays 30 minutes a night when Green is out and needs a price bump if this continues.

De’Anthony Melton (PG/SG – PHI): $5,300 DraftKings, $6,000 FanDuel
Melton was already stepping up with James Harden out of town, but he should do even more with Embiid out here as well. This stat-stuffing machine is averaging 30 DraftKings points per game over the last month in this newfound role. That could be his floor here because Embiid’s 25 shots and 35 percent usage rate will need to be filled. All of that makes the $5,300 price tag laughable because all you need is 25 DK points for Melton to be a solid value.

Advantageous Pricing

• Nikola Jokic (C – DEN): $10,900 DraftKings, $12,200 FanDuel
• Luka Doncic (PG – DAL): $11,400 DraftKings, $12,500 FanDuel
• Joel Embiid (C – PHI): $11,100 DraftKings, $12,900 FanDuel
• Chris Paul (PG – GSW): $6,000 DraftKings, $6,900 FanDuel
• Trayce Jackson-Davis (PF/C – GSW): $5,300 DraftKings, $6,100 FanDuel
• Anthony Davis (PF/C – LAL): $10,100 DraftKings, $11,200 FanDuel
• Sam Hauser (SF/PF – BOS): $5,000 DraftKings, $4,200 FanDuel
• Kevin Love (PF/C – MIA): $4,900 DraftKings, $5,900 FanDuel
• Dante Exum (PG/SG – DAL): $5,800 DraftKings, $7,400 FanDuel
• Derrick Jones Jr.(SF – DAL): $4,900 DraftKings, $5,800 FanDuel

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