NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Thursday, December 18

RotoWire's Joe Mayo analyzes Thursday's NBA slate and provides insights and analysis to help build your DraftKings DFS lineup.
NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Thursday, December 18

Slate Overview

ATL at CHR: Hawks 10-6 on road; Hornets 5-8 at home

NY at IND: Knicks on five-game winning streak in regular-season action, 4-6 on road; Pacers 5-9 at home

MIA at BRO: Heat on five-game slide, 4-8 on road; Nets 3-10 at home

TOR at MIL: Raptors 8-5 on road; Bucks 8-7 at home

WAS at SAN: Wizards 2-11 on road; Spurs 9-2 at home

HOU at NOR: Rockets 8-5 on road; Pelicans 3-12 at home

LAC at OKC: Clippers on four-game slide, 3-12 on road; Thunder 12-0 at home

DET at DAL: Pistons on four-game winning streak, 9-3 on road; Mavericks 7-9 at home

GS at PHO: Warriors 6-10 on road; Suns 8-5 at home

LAL at UTA: Lakers 11-3 on road; Jazz 7-7 at home

ORL at DEN: Magic 5-6 on road; Nuggets on five-game winning streak, 7-4 at home

SAC at POR: Kings on three-game slide, 3-12 on road; Trail Blazers 4-6 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 

ATL - Kristaps Porzingis (illness): OUT

CHR - LaMelo Ball (ankle): Probable; Tre Mann (knee), Collin Sexton (quadriceps), Grant Williams (knee), Pat Connaughton (calf): OUT

NY - Karl-Anthony Towns (knee), OG Anunoby (knee), Josh Hart (abdomen), Mitchell Robinson (ankle): Questionable; Miles McBride (ankle), Landry Shamet (shoulder): OUT

IND - Ben Sheppard (calf), Aaron Nesmith (knee): OUT

MIA - Tyler Herro (toe), Pelle Larsson (ankle), Nikola Jovic (elbow): OUT

BRO - Cam Thomas (hamstring): OUT

TOR - Jakob Poeltl (rest): Questionable; RJ Barrett (knee): OUT

MIL - Kyle Kuzma (illness), Cole Anthony (neck), AJ Green (shoulder): Questionable; Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee): OUT

WAS - Malaki Branham (thumb): Questionable; Khris Middleton (knee), Corey Kispert (thumb): OUT

SAN - None

HOU - Tari Eason (oblique): Questionable; Dorian Finney-Smith (ankle): OUT

NOR - Dejounte Murray (Achilles): OUT

LAC - Cam Christie (foot): Questionable; James Harden (calf), Derrick Jones (knee): OUT

OKC - Isaiah Hartenstein (rest), Jaylin Williams (heel): OUT

DET - None

DAL - Anthony Davis (calf), D'Angelo Russell (illness), Naji Marshall (illness), Brandon Williams (Achilles): Questionable

GS - Pat Spencer (personal), Al Horford (back): OUT

PHO - Grayson Allen (knee), Isaiah Livers (hip): Questionable; Jalen Green (hamstring): OUT

LAL - Deandre Ayton (elbow), Austin Reaves (calf), Gabe Vincent (back): OUT

UTA - Lauri Markkanen (groin): OUT

ORL - Tristan da Silva (shoulder), Jonathan Isaac (hip): Questionable; Jalen Suggs (hip), Franz Wagner (ankle): OUT

DEN - Tim Hardaway (illness), Peyton Watson (side): Questionable; Aaron Gordon (hamstring), Christian Braun (ankle): OUT

SAC - Dennis Schroder (ankle): Questionable; Domantas Sabonis (knee), Zach LaVine (ankle): OUT

POR - Jrue Holiday (calf), Scoot Henderson (hamstring), Matisse Thybulle (thumb): OUT

Elite Players

Guards

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder ($10,500) vs. Clippers 

Gilgeous-Alexander has yet to post fewer than 39.0 DK points through 25 regular-season appearances and will have another prime opportunity to contribute against a struggling Clippers squad. The reigning MVP has tallied 41.5-plus DK points in each of his four games this month, during which he has averaged 32.0 points, 5.8 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.6 combined steals-plus-blocks per game. In a 19-point win over the Clippers on Nov. 4, the superstar recorded 61.5 DK points, posting 30 points, 12 assists, four rebounds and three blocks across just 29 minutes. 

Cade Cunningham, Pistons ($10,300) at Mavericks

Cunningham has contributed at least 33.8 DK points in each of his last 12 outings, averaging 26.8 points, 8.5 assists, 6.7 rebounds and 2.4 combined steals-plus-blocks per contest over that stretch. The star guard has logged two double-doubles in his last four games and has been elite at stuffing the stat sheet, producing 52.0-plus DK points in three of those four matchups.

Forwards/Centers

Nikola Jokic, Nuggets ($12,800) vs. Magic 

Jokic is expected to put up monster numbers on a nightly basis, which explains his sizable salary. The three-time MVP has recorded 55.5-plus DK points in six consecutive contests, including two outings with at least 83.3. Over that stretch, he has averaged 32.7 points, 12.2 rebounds, 10.5 assists and 2.0 combined steals-plus-blocks per tilt. 

Jalen Johnson, Hawks ($10,000) at Hornets

Johnson has elevated his game both this entire season and of late, logging four consecutive triple-doubles and five in his last seven appearances. The rising star has tallied at least 50.0 DK points in each of those seven games, including four with at least 70.5. While Trae Young's (knee) return could slightly eat into his production, Johnson should remain an elite contributor. 

Paolo Banchero, Magic ($8,600) at Nuggets

The Magic are down multiple key players and will look for Banchero to lead the way against the Nuggets. Banchero appears to be off his minutes restriction and has tallied at least 34.0 DK points in back-to-back games. Additionally, the star forward could see increased playmaking duties with Jalen Suggs (hip) sidelined.

Expected Chalk 

Luka Doncic, Lakers ($12,000) at Jazz 

Doncic is coming off a lackluster performance in Sunday's win over Phoenix, albeit by his inflated standards. Still, he posted 41.8 DK points Sunday and had tallied 55.3 or more in each of his 10 outings prior. The superstar will have a golden opportunity to bounce back against a lackluster Jazz squad. He has averaged 35.0 points, 9.0 assists, 8.0 rebounds and 3.5 steals per tilt in two outings against the Jazz this season, providing 64.8 DK points in each of them.

Mid-Range Money 

Trey Murphy, Pelicans ($7,900) vs. Rockets 

Murphy has racked up 37.5-plus DK points in six straight games and remained productive with Zion Williamson back in the lineup during Sunday's win over Chicago. During that six-game stretch, Murphy has averaged 25.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.5 steals in 35.5 minutes per tilt. 

Noah Clowney, Nets ($5,500) vs. Heat

Clowney has been a mainstay in the starting lineup since early November and is on pace to average several career-high numbers. The third-year power forward has tallied at least 26.5 DK points in five of his last six outings, averaging 17.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.2 blocks in 30.5 minutes per contest during that span.

Value Picks

Ryan Nembhard, Mavericks ($4,800) vs. Pistons 

Nembhard has been a regular in the starting five of late and should continue to see increased burn, especially if multiple Dallas players who are listed as questionable are ultimately held out Thursday. The undrafted rookie has tallied at least 20.3 DK points in five of his last six outings, during which he has averaged 13.0 points on extremely efficient shooting, 8.3 assists and 3.0 rebounds in 29.2 minutes per game.

Dylan Harper, Spurs ($4,700) vs. Wizards 

Harper has totaled 17.5 or more DK points in seven of his last eight regular-season appearances and just dropped 32.2 against the Knicks in Tuesday's NBA Cup Championship loss. Now, he'll have a favorable matchup against a lackluster Wizards defense Thursday. In his last eight regular-season games, the rookie has averaged 13.1 points, 3.8 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 21.5 minutes per tilt. 

Danny Wolf, Nets ($4,400) vs. Heat 

Wolf has impressed recently, earning significant rotational minutes after rarely seeing the court to begin the season. The rookie first-rounder has supplied 18.0-plus DK points in six of his last seven appearances, during which he has averaged 12.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 24.6 minutes per game.

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.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Joe is a University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate who has covered the NBA, WNBA and MLB for RotoWire since early 2024.
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