NBA DFS Picks Today (12/15): DraftKings & FanDuel Top Plays, Sleepers
It’s been nice to have a balanced NBA schedule all week, right? We’re back on a fine Friday with a nice 8-game NBA DFS slate, which isn’t too tiny but also isn’t too massive that it’s overwhelming.
Below, you’ll find a few NBA DFS picks that stand out on DraftKings and FanDuel as of the early afternoon hours. If you’re looking for more in-depth analysis, sign up for RG Premium.
Top NBA DFS DraftKings Lineup Optimizer Value
SG/SF Brandon Miller ($6,000)
The Hornets have no shortage of injuries these days. LaMelo Ball is out with his annual ankle injury, while Mark Williams is doubtful with the back injury that’s kept him out for the past few games. PJ Washington has also popped up on the injury report as questionable for tonight’s clash with the Pelicans with a shoulder injury.
Brandon Miller hasn’t been the most consistent player in the league, but such is life with most rookies. His overall numbers are solid, however. Miller is shooting better than 40% from 3-point country, and his 0.78 FP/min. rate is decent enough despite limited 19.7% usage. The real source of intrigue here is the playing time. Miller’s logged at least 35 minutes in 4 of the last 5 games, including a 39-minute effort the last time out.
The on-paper matchup against New Orleans isn’t great, but Miller remains a useful midrange value on DK ($6,000) with guard/forward eligibility. Washington missing this game certainly wouldn’t hurt Miller’s minutes upside, either.
Top NBA DFS FanDuel Lineup Optimizer Value
PF Pascal Siakam ($8,300)
For the second time in 3 days, the Hawks will take on the Raptors north of the border. Atlanta has been a team to target all season. They enter tonight’s rematch ranked just 27th in the league in defensive rating and third in pace. In related news, the Raptors’ 121.75 implied team total is well above their season average and among the highest on the slate.
Pascal Siakam has been a bit overshadowed by the exploits of Scottie Barnes this season, but the former is still averaging 1.12 FP/min. on a team-best 25.9% usage rate. Nick Nurse isn’t in Toronto anymore, but Siakam is still playing heavy minutes. He stuffed the stat sheet in 36 minutes the other night, and we should see more of the same in the same spot this evening.
I’m not a fan of Siakam’s lack of MPE on FanDuel, but the $8,300 salary is still cheap enough to make him one of the better-projected midrange spends on the board at any position.
NBA DFS Sleepers
SF/PF Deni Avdija ($6,200 DK, $6,000 FD)
Wizards-Pacers looks like the best fantasy environment on the slate. Indiana and Washington are 27th and 30th, respectively, in D-rating on the year. Washington is a healthy 9.5-point home underdog…yet their 125.5 implied team total is the second-highest on the slate. The Pacers’ 134 total is the highest we’ve seen all year, and possibly ever. You’ll want some exposure to this game.
Deni Avdija makes for an easy way to get it. He’s not at the top of the Wizards’ usage totem pole (18.2%), but he’s still averaging 1.00 FP/min. thanks to his ability to contribute ancillary stats. Avdija’s 20.1% assist rate is the third-best on the team, while his 11.3% rebound rate ranks second. His minutes have been a little wonky, but the Wiz have also been on the losing end of a fair number of blowouts.
There’s blowout risk here given the Pacers’ ability to put the ball in the bucket, but Avdija is reasonably priced for the role he’ll play in this one.
SF Tari Eason ($5,200 DK, $6,100 FD)
There might be some sticker shock with Tari Eason at these premium salaries, but the second-year forward is quickly playing his way into a bigger role. Eason was a terrific per-minute producer as a rookie, but he’s been even better (1.19) so far this season. He’s still coming off the bench for Houston, but we’ve seen him close the past couple of games over the dreadful Jalen Green.
Eason’s played a season-high 27 minutes in back-to-back games. It’s hard to project him for that much considering he’s only averaging around 19 minutes per game for the season, but I’m not sure the Rockets can afford to keep him on the bench. His ultra-efficient shooting over the past couple of games may be due for some regression, but he’s been absolutely dominant on the boards.
After beating the Grizzlies in Houston on Wednesday, the two teams will square off again tonight in Memphis. $6,100 on FD with SF-only eligibility makes Eason a tough sell outside of large-field GPPs, but there’s slate-breaking upside here at a reasonable $5,200 DK price point.
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