Welcome back for another Monday slate! The fun doesn’t stop tonight thanks to more additions to the NBA’s health and safety protocols, but we’ll work our way through the top studs, values, and other players to consider.
Let’s dive into some of the top plays using the FantasyLabs Tools and metrics.
Also, don’t forget that for large-field tournaments, you can utilize our Lineup Optimizer to effortlessly create up to 150 lineups, or use our Lineup Builder if you like to hand-build your lineups.
Note: Projections and Leverages Scores/Ratings may change throughout the day after this article is posted. The NBA DFS landscape changes quickly. Consult the Player Models directly for any updates as we get closer to lock.
Point Guard
Stud
James Harden delivered plenty of Christmas cheer Saturday with a 36/10/10 line that included four stocks. With Kevin Durant out and the lineup severely limited, Harden and Patty Mills combined for 70 points in Brooklyn’s win over Los Angeles.
Brooklyn will once again be without Durant and a number of key rotational pieces in tonight’s matchup with the Clippers. It’s a pace-down spot for the Nets, but the Opponent Plus/Minus is positive. Harden has at least a 68-point ceiling on both sites.
Value
Payton Pritchard ($4,300 DraftKings, $4,900 FanDuel) has averaged 13.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.8 triples over his last four games and scored in double figures three times in that span.
Dennis Schroder and Jayson Tatum are both in the health and safety protocols tonight, and Pritchard should see an increase in the 25.8 minutes he’s averaged over the last week. He’s instant offense, and Boston will need him to provide that scoring spark in tonight’s matchup with Minnesota.
Fast Break
Mike Conley and Jordan Clarkson should both get a boost tonight with Donovan Mitchell (back) out of action. Conley is a little pricier ($6,400 DraftKings, $6,200 FanDuel) than Clarkson ($5,300 DraftKings, $5,200 FanDuel), but both are very clearly in play. Spida has averaged five dimes and 20.5 shot attempts, and Conley and Clarkson should absorb a large part of that production.
Shooting Guard
Stud
Jalen Brunson has averaged 21.1 points, 7.3 dimes, 3.4 boards across his last seven games with Luka Doncic out of the lineup. That includes one double-double and three games with at least 25 points.
Brunson gets a solid Opponent Plus/Minus and a huge Pace Differential against Portland, putting him in a great spot tonight. He’s got a 50-point ceiling on both sites.
Value
With Dillon Brooks in the health and safety protocols, John Konchar started his first game Sunday and excelled. He posted a double-double with an 11/14/3 line that included two blocks and two steals across 28 minutes.
Our model loves him on tonight’s slate, giving him at least a 15.1 Plus/Minus and 7.9 Points/Salary on both sites. He’s got a 40-point ceiling after eclipsing that mark Sunday.
Fast Break
It will be a total shock if Atlanta and Chicago play tonight, but if they do, Bogdan Bogdanovic and Cam Reddish are firmly in play. Trae Young, John Collins and Kevin Huerter are among the players out, leaving Bogy and Reddish to log heavy minutes.
Somehow, Lance Stephenson is also in play here as one of the Hawks’ available options. Our model likes him quite a bit as a value option. Pay close attention to lineup reports throughout the day.
Small Forward
Stud
As I was writing my blurb for Jayson Tatum, I got the alert on my phone that he entered health and safety protocols. Seriously, you can’t make this stuff up. Jaylen Brown now becomes my lock of the night as Boston’s primary scorer in a great spot.
Brown has averaged 26.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.8 triples, 3.4 assists and 2.0 stocks over his last five games and is priced very reasonably at $9,300 on DraftKings and $8,000 on FanDuel.
The matchup with Minnesota provides a very strong Pace Differential and highly favorable Opponent Plus/Minus. I’ll have a ton of exposure to Brown on tonight’s slate.
Value
The loss of Donovan Mitchell won’t just benefit Mike Conley and Jordan Clarkson. It should benefit Joe Ingles as well.
Jingles ($3,700 DraftKings, $4,200 FanDuel) is quite a bargain on both sites, and there’s a chance he finds his way into the starting lineup tonight. He averaged 11.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 3.3 triples across 29.8 minutes in six previous starts.
Fast Break
Nassir Little and Norman Powell are on the DFS radar tonight, especially if Damian Lillard is ruled out. Powell comes in at $6,600 on DraftKings and $6,200 on FanDuel, while Little is priced at $4,200 on DraftKings and $5,700 on FanDuel. Little is a tremendous value on DraftKings (97% Bargain Rating). Little has a ceiling of at least 39 on both sites, while Powell’s is a little higher at 45.
Power Forward
Stud
Christian Wood ($8,200 DraftKings, $7,900 FanDuel) has scored at least 20 in each of his last three games and double-doubled in two of them. Tonight’s matchup with Charlotte presents a huge opportunity for a guy with a 50-point ceiling on both sites.
Charlotte gives Wood a huge Opponent Plus/Minus and a small positive Pace Differential. Charlotte is second in pace and Houston is fourth. Charlotte is 30th in defensive rating, and Houston is 28th. It’s a matchup made in heaven for Wood, who can score, rebound, and block shots with authority. The game sports the highest over/under on the slate at a whopping 236.0.
Value
Perhaps no player finds himself in a more advantageous spot than Larry Nance Jr. Priced at just $5,200 on DraftKings and $5,700 on FanDuel, he’s a huge bargain who could provide some massive value.
Our model projects him for 34 minutes tonight, and he’s got a ceiling of over 40 fantasy points on both sites. All of Jusuf Nurkic, Cody Zeller and Robert Covington are out tonight due to health and safety protocols, leaving Nance Jr. as the proverbial last man standing in Portland’s frontcourt.
He’s averaged 7.5 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.7 steals over his last six games, though he’s averaged just 29.7 minutes in that span. Expect Nance Jr. to see a huge bump in minutes and production tonight, and lock him into lineups.
Fast Break
Jaden McDaniels ($5,100, $5,400) has averaged 13.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.0 stocks over his last two starts, filling in for Jarred Vanderbilt, who’s currently in the NBA’s health and safety protocols.
Karl-Anthony Towns and Naz Reid are also in protocols, meaning McDaniels should be in line for as many minutes as he can handle for Minnesota’s bare-bones frontcourt. McDaniels has a 45-point ceiling on both slates and could return a ton of value.
Center
Stud
Rudy Gobert comes in at $9,100 on both sites, and he’s in a great spot to smash tonight. San Antonio has surrendered the second-most fantasy points on DraftKings and the fifth-most fantasy points on FanDuel to opposing centers this season.
Gobert is averaging 15.4 points (second-most of his career), a career-high 14.9 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per contest in what’s been a remarkable campaign thus far.
Value
Nathan Knight averaged 5.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.0 blocks over 14.0 minutes in his last two games but he could be in for a much larger role tonight. Naz Reid and Karl-Anthony Towns are both out due to health and safety protocols meaning Knight should see an uptick in playing time and production. Jake Layman is a name to consider as well.
Note: Knight is eligible at PF on FanDuel and C on DraftKings
Fast Break
Alperen Sengun has averaged 10.3 points, 5.2 boards, 3.0 dimes and 2.0 stocks in 12 December appearances. That includes one double-double and seven games with at least two stocks. Sengun’s playing time and production have been wildly unpredictable this season, but if you want to take a flier, he’s playing in a highly favorable game environment and costs just $5,400 on both sites.
