NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Friday, December 8

NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Friday, December 8

This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.

Slate Overview

DET at ORL: Pistons have lost 18 straight games. 

ATL at PHI: Hawks on two-game slide; Sixers 7-3 at home.

TOR at CHA: Both sides have dropped two in a row. 

NYK at BOS: Celtics are 9-0 at home. 

WAS at BKN: Wizards on three-game slide; Nets have won two in a row. 

CLE at MIA: Cavs on two-game win streak. 

GSW at OKC: Warriors 4-6 in last 10 games; Thunder 7-3 in last 10 games. 

MIN at MEM: Timberwolves on five-game win streak; Grizzlies 1-8 at home. 

CHI at SAS: Bulls on three-game win streak; Spurs on 15-game slide. 

HOU at DEN: Rockets 0-8 on road; Nuggets 9-0 at home. 

SAC at PHX: Kings 6-4 in last 10 games; Suns 7-3 in last 10 games. 

DAL at POR: Mavs 6-4 on road; Trail Blazers 3-7 in last 10 games. 

LAC at UTA: Clippers on two-game win streak but are 3-7 on road; Jazz 3-7 in last 10 games. 

For the latest spreads and over/unders, visit RotoWire's NBA Odds page. There you can also find player props, futures, picks, articles and sportsbook bonus codes.

Injuries to Monitor  

For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report       

DET - Jalen Duren (ankle): OUT
Ausar Thompson and James Wiseman could pick up extra minutes without Duren. 

ORL - Jonathan Isaac (ankle), Jalen Suggs (ankle), Wendell Carter (finger), Markelle Fultz (knee): OUT
Cole Anthony and Anthony Black continue to get a boost in the backcourt. Goga Bitadze also continues to start in place of Carter.  

ATL - Trae Young (illness), Jalen Johnson (wrist): OUT
Bogdan Bogdanovic is up for a boost without Young. Saddiq Bey and Onyeka Okongwu continue to step up in the frontcourt.    

CHA - Mark Williams (back): Questionable; LaMelo Ball (ankle): OUT
Terry Rozier and Brandon Miller have to lift the backcourt. Ish Smith is also likely to see more time. 

WAS - Daniel Gafford (ankle): Questionable; Landry Shamet (ribs): OUT
Mike Muscala could face a bigger role if Gafford is out. Bilal Coulibaly should also continue to see more opportunities. 

BKN - Lonnie Walker (hamstring), Ben Simmons (back): OUT
Cam Thomas and Dorian Finney-Smith are in line for more playing time.   

CLE  - Evan Mobley (knee): Questionable; Caris LeVert (knee): OUT
Isaac Okoro is up for more opportunity in the absence of LeVert. Georges Niang must step up in the frontcourt, if Mobley is out. 

MIA - Bam Adebayo (hip), Tyler Herro (ankle), Haywood Highsmith (back): OUT
Caleb Martin, Orlando Robinson and Jaime Jaquez are in line for more opportunity. 

MIN - Jordan McLaughlin (knee): Questionable; Jaden McDaniels (ankle): OUT
Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Kyle Anderson and Troy Brown are in line for added responsibility. 

MEM - Luke Kennard (knee), Marcus Smart (foot): OUT
Derrick Rose and David Roddy are expected to start.  

CHI - Zach LaVine (foot): OUT
Jevon Carter, Ayo Dosunmu and Patrick Williams should all see extra opportunity. DeMar DeRozan must carry the offense.  

SAC - Chris Duarte (knee): Questionable; Alex Len (ankle): OUT
Malik Monk and Sasha Vezenkov are up for extended action.    

PHX - Grayson Allen (groin), Kevin Durant (ankle), Bradley Beal (back): OUT
Eric Gordon, Josh Okogie and Keita Bates-Diop up for more responsibility.   

DAL - Grant Williams (knee), Josh Green (elbow), Maxi Kleber (toe): OUT
Jaden Hardy, Derrick Jones and Seth Curry are in line for more action. 

POR - Malcolm Brogdon (knee): Questionable; Deandre Ayton (knee): Doubtful; Jerami Grant (concussion): OUT
Toumani Camara and Duop Reath are expected to start in the frontcourt. Scoot Henderson should get a boost if Brogdon is out. 

UTA - Lauri Markkanen (hamstring): OUT
Ochai Agbaji and Omer Yurtseven are in line to pick up more playing time. 

Elite Players

Guards

Kyrie Irving, Mavericks ($9,100) at Trail Blazers

Irving bounced back from a one-game absence by totaling 43.3 DK points in the last outing. He is averaging 25.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.0 steals over his last 10 appearances, including seven games with more than 40 DK points and a high of 58. He should also fare well against the Trail Blazers, who are allowing opponents to shoot an average of 47.9 percent from the field.   

Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves ($9,300) at Grizzlies 

Edwards delivered 38.3 DK points in his return from a two-game absence. He averaged 25.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.4 steals through the 10 games prior to his absence, including three games with more than 50 DK points. Edwards faces a good chance to shine against the Grizzlies, who are allowing opponents to shoot a league-high 39.5 percent from long range. 

Forwards/Centers

Scottie Barnes, Raptors ($8,800) at Hornets 

Barnes went over 50 DK points in two of his last 10 outings, while averaging 17.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.7 steals and 0.9 blocks over that span. He faces a great opportunity to continue to excel against the Hornets, who give up the league's fifth-most points and sixth-most rebounds per game.

DeMar DeRozan, Spurs ($8,400) at Spurs

DeRozan topped 40 DK points in each of the last two games and must continue to carry the offense in the absence of Zach LaVine. DeRozan is averaging 21.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 5.4 assists over his last 10 appearances, and he has a fantastic opportunity to thrive against the Spurs, who are giving up the league's third-most points per game. 

Pascal Siakam, Raptors ($8,100) at Hornets 

Siakam is averaging 22.4 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.2 assists through the last 10 games, including a high of 59 DK points. Additionally, while averaging 3.9 three-point attempts on the season, Siakam is up for a great chance to stand out against the Hornets, who are giving up the league's third-most points and second-most three-pointers per game to opposing power forwards. 

Expected Chalk 

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder ($10,600) vs. Warriors 

Gilgeous-Alexander continues to shine, averaging 30.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 3.1 steals and 1.0 blocks over the last 10 games, including seven outings with more than 50 DK points and a high of 73.3. He also topped 45 DK points in two prior meetings with the Warriors this season, including a high of 65.3. Gilgeous-Alexander should continue to stand out offensively against the Warriors, who are giving up the league's fourth-most free-throw attempts to opposing point guards. 

Mid-Range Money 

James Harden, Clippers ($7,900)  at Jazz 

Harden topped 40 DK points in four of the last five games, including a high of 50.3. He faces an excellent opportunity to stand out against the Jazz, who give up the league's second-most assists per game to opposing point guards. The Jazz are also giving up the league's sixth-most points per game. 

Anfernee Simons, Trail Blazers ($6,800) vs. Mavericks 

Simons dropped 28 points in his return to action after a five-week absence. He should be up for another solid offensive performance against the Mavericks, who are allowing opponents to shoot an average of 48.5 percent from the field. Simons averaged 21.1 points, 2.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game last season. 

Michael Porter, Nuggets ($7,400) vs. Rockets 

Porter is on a roll, averaging 18.7 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists over his last 10 games. He surpassed 35 DK points on three occasions during that span, including a high of 57, in his previous meeting with the Rockets. Porter is averaging 23.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 blocks through three meetings with the Rockets this season. 

Value Picks

Cedi Osman, Spurs ($4,700) vs. Bulls 

Osman reached a minimum of 24 DK points in each of the last two games and is up for his second consecutive start. He faces a good opportunity to keep the momentum going against a Bulls team that is giving up the league's most three-pointers per game.

Moritz Wagner, Magic ($4,800) vs. Pistons

Wagner continues to step up for the Magic's shorthanded frontcourt, averaging 14.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists over the last 10 games, including six outings with more than 20 DK points. He also faces an advantageous matchup against a shorthanded Pistons frontcourt. 

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Dan Bruno plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: duelingdan.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dan Bruno
Dan has been writing all things NBA for RotoWire since 2014. He is an active fantasy sports player, with a love for DFS. Dan is a certified Coach with the Ontario Basketball Association and is a recreation professional in his home city.
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