NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Saturday, December 16

NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Saturday, December 16

This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.

Slate Overview

PHI at CHA: Sixers on five-game win streak; Hornets on three-game slide. 

ATL at CLE: Cavs on three-game slide. 

CHI at MIA: Bulls 3-9 on road; Heat 6-5 at home. 

IND at MIN: Pacers on two-game slide; Timberwolves 10-1 at home. 

BKN at GSW: Nets 7-3 in last 10 games; Warriors on three-game slide. 

DEN at OKC: Thunder 7-4 on road Nuggets 10-1 at home and have won three in a row. 

DAL at POR: Mavs 8-4 on road; Trail Blazers on five-game slide.

UTA at SAC: Jazz have won two in a row but are 2-11 on road; Kings 8-3 at home.

NYK at LAC: Clippers have won six in a row and are 10-3 at home. 

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       

CHA - P.J. Washington (shoulder), Mark Williams (back): Questionable; LaMelo Ball (ankle): OUT
Nick Richards would be up for the start in place of Williams. Brandon Miller and Ish Smith continue to get a boost in the backcourt. JT Thor could also see more action, if Washington is out. 

ATL - De'Andre Hunter (knee): Questionable; Jalen Johnson (wrist): OUT
Bogdan Bogdanovic, Saddiq Bey and Onyeka Okongwu will likely pick up more responsibility.     

CLE - Darius Garland (jaw), Evan Mobley (knee): OUT
Caris LeVert must step up in place of Garland. Dean Wade is expected to start. Georges Niang should also see a boost.  

CHI - Alex Caruso (ankle): Questionable; Zach LaVine (foot): OUT
Ayo Dosunmu is expected to start. Jevon Carter could also pick up more responsibility. 

MIA - Bam Adebayo (hip), Tyler Herro (ankle): OUT
Caleb Martin, Orlando Robinson and Jaime Jaquez remain up for more opportunity. 

IND - Tyrese Haliburton (knee): Questionable; Andrew Nembhard (knee), Jalen Smith (heel): OUT
Bennedict Mathurin and Obi Toppin remain in line for bigger roles. T.J. McConnell could be up for a major boost, if Haliburton is out. 

MIN - Anthony Edwards (hip): Questionable
Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Kyle Anderson remain in line to step up.  

BKN - Dorian Finney-Smith (knee): Probable; Dennis Smith (back), Lonnie Walker (hamstring), Ben Simmons (back): OUT
Cam Thomas and Royce O'Neale remain up for more playing time.       

GSW - Draymond Green (suspension): OUT
Jonathan Kuminga and Chris Paul are likely to see more playing time. 

DEN - Aaron Gordon (heel), Jamal Murray (ankle): Probable; Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (concussion): OUT
Christian Braun and Peyton Watson should pick up more action.   

DAL - Seth Curry (ankle): Questionable; Maxi Kleber (toe), Josh Green (elbow), Kyrie Irving (heel): OUT
Dante Exum could pick up more playing time. Jaden Hardy and Dwight Powell are also up for a boost.  

POR -  Jerami Grant (concussion): Probable

UTA - John Collins (illness), Jordan Clarkson (thigh), Keyonte George (foot): OUT
Kelly Olynyk is line to pick up more playing time in the frontcourt. Collin Sexton and Talen Horton-Tucker have to step up in place of Clarkson and George.  

SAC - De'Aaron Fox (shoulder): Questionable
Davion Mitchell and Keon Ellis may have to step up. 

NYK - Mitchell Robinson (ankle): OUT
Jericho Sims is expected to start in place of Robinson. Isaiah Hartenstein also gets more responsibility.  

LAC - Paul George (groin): Questionable
Norman Powell would be up for more opportunity. 

Elite Players

Guards

Anfernee Simons, Trail Blazers ($8,000) vs. Mavericks 

Simons was relatively quiet in the last game, finishing with 21.3 DK points against the Jazz. However, Simons topped 35 DK points in the previous three outings and is shooting 41.3 percent from long range this season. He faces a tough matchup against the Mavericks' backcourt, but he also has a great chance to get back on track, as the Mavs give up the league's sixth-most points per game to opposing point guards. 

Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers ($9,400) vs. Hawks 

Mitchell tallied 31 points, eight rebounds, six assists and a steal, for 51.5 DK points in the last game. He is also averaging 25.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.8 steals over the last 10 games, including five games with more than 45 DK points and a high of 69.3. Mitchell faces a favorable matchup against the Hawks, who face the second game of a back-to-back and who give up the league's fourth-most points per game to opposing shooting guards. Mitchell must also step up offensively in the absence of Darius Garland

Forwards/Centers

Jimmy Butler, Heat ($8,800) vs. Bulls 

Butler is averaging 18.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 7.0 assists across the last five games, including a high of 43 DK points. This marks his second of back-to-back meetings with the Bulls, after he totaled 20 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in their previous meeting on Thursday. Butler should do well again, as the Bulls give up the league's ninth-most points per game to opposing small forwards. 

Karl-Anthony Towns, Timberwolves ($8,700) vs. Pacers

Towns continues to make his mark on the offensive end, averaging 21.7 points, 10.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists across the last 10 games, including four with more than 45 DK points and a high of 59.3. Towns should thrive against the Pacers, who give up a league-high 30.1 points per game to opposing power forwards. Towns is also shooting an impressive, 42.3 percent from deep this season, while the Pacers are giving up the league's second-highest three-point field-goal percentage to opposing power forwards. 

Nikola Vucevic, Bulls ($8,100) at Heat

Vucevic is on a roll lately, averaging 21.0 points, 13.2 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.0 blocks through the last five outings, including totaling 58 DK points in each of the last two games. He faces another favorable matchup against the Heat, who remain shorthanded in the frontcourt, without Bam Adebayo

Expected Chalk 

Joel Embiid, 76ers ($11,700) at Hornets

Embiid has gone over 60 DK points in nine consecutive appearances, including three with more than 70, and a high of 79.8. The reigning MVP is averaging a whopping 39.6 points, 12.4 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.6 steals and 2.0 blocks over the last five games. He could also find a great opportunity to continue his dominance against the Hornets, who have been dealing with injuries in the frontcourt and who give up the league's sixth-most points and second-most rebounds per game to opposing centers. 

Mid-Range Money 

Collin Sexton, Jazz ($6,200) at Kings

Sexton should continue to see an extended role in the absence of Jordan Clarkson. Sexton has come up large, topping 35 DK points in back-to-back starts, and he is shooting an average of 49.6 percent from the field over the last 10 games. He could also face an easier matchup, if De'Aaron Fox is sidelined. 

Klay Thompson, Warriors ($6,400) vs. Nets 

Thompson stepped up for 30 points on 9-for-15 shooting, totaling 46.8 DK points in the last outing. He has not been off to an excellent start to the season, but he continues to remind that he can step up and shine on just about any night. Thompson has a good opportunity to keep the momentum going against the Nets, who give up the league's third-most points per game to opposing small forwards and who give up the league's ninth-most threes per game. 

Value Picks

Christian Braun, Nuggets ($4,200) vs. Thunder 

Braun has recorded 22 DK points in each of his last two outings and is averaging 7.4 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.7 assists over the last 10 games. He is likely to continue to see added playing time in the absence of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and he has a good chance to flourish against the Thunder, who give up the league's fifth-most points per game to opposing shooting guards. 

Harrison Barnes, Kings ($4,900) vs. Jazz

Barnes is coming off a couple of quieter outings, but he topped 20 DK points in six of the last 10 games, while averaging 11.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists over that span. He has a good chance to get back on track with a solid game, as he faces a favorable matchup against a shorthanded Jazz squad.

Daniel Theis, Clippers ($3,900) vs. Knicks 

Theis continues to provide a solid frontcourt presence off the bench, averaging 6.2 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.3 blocks over the last 10 games. He also has a good chance to stand out against the Knicks, who are shorthanded in the frontcourt and facing the second game of a back-to-back. 

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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