NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Thursday, December 21 - Main Slate

NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Thursday, December 21 - Main Slate

This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.

Slate Overview - Main Slate

UTA at DET: Jazz 2-13 on road and face second game of back-to-back; Pistons have dropped 24 games in a row 

NOP at CLE: Cavs on three-game win streak and face second game of back-to-back

SAS at CHI: Spurs on two-game slide and 2-10 on road; Bulls have won two straight and face second game of back-to-back

ORL at MIL: Magic on three-game slide and face second game of back-to-back; Bucks have won five straight and are 15-2 at home

LAC at OKC: Clippers on nine-game win streak and face second game of back-to-back; Thunder have won two in a row 

IND at MEM: Pacers face second game of back-to-back; Grizzlies are 1-11 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       

UTA - Jordan Clarkson (thigh), Keyonte George (foot) Lauri Markkanen (hamstring), Omer Yurtseven (illness), Talen Horton-Tucker (foot): OUT
Collin Sexton, Simone Fontecchio and Kris Dunn are expected to start.     

DET - Killian Hayes (illness): Questionable; Jalen Duren (ankle): OUT
Ausar Thompson, Marvin Bagley and Isaiah Livers are up for extra opportunity.  

NOP - Zion Williamson (illness), Jonas Valanciunas (illness), Herbert Jones (illness), Cody Zeller (ankle): Questionable; Larry Nance (Ribs): OUT
Naji Marshall could be up for big minutes in the frontcourt. 

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

SAS - Victor Wembanyama (ankle), Keldon Johnson (back): Probable; Devin Vassell (illness): Questionable
Tre Jones could get more opportunity if Vassell is out. 

CHI - Torrey Craig (heel), Zach LaVine (foot): OUT
Ayo Dosunmu and Jevon Carter are up for a boost in the absence of LaVine.   

ORL - Jalen Suggs (wrist), Joe Ingles (ankle): Questionable; Markelle Fultz (knee): OUT
Cole Anthony and Anthony Black would continue to get a boost in the backcourt. 

MIL - Giannis Antetokounmpo (foot): Probable 

LAC - Paul George (illness), Kawhi Leonard (hip): Questionable
Norman Powell and Amir Coffey could be up for more opportunity.  

IND - Myles Turner (hamstring), Andrew Nembhard (knee), Jalen Smith (heel): Questionable
Bennedict Mathurin and Obi Toppin remain in line for bigger roles.  

MEM - Marcus Smart (foot): Doubtful; Luke Kennard (knee), Derrick Rose (hamstring),  OUT
Xavier Tillman and David Roddy could continue to get a boost in the frontcourt. Jacob Gilyard and Vince Williams also remain in line for more opportunity.  

Elite Players

Guards

Ja Morant, Grizzlies ($9,500) vs. Pacers 

Morant shined in his season debut, as he totaled 34 points, six rebounds, eight assists, two steals and a block, in 35 minutes of action, including scoring the game-winner at the buzzer. He faces a great opportunity to thrive against the Pacers, who give up the league's second-most points per game, and who also face the second game of a back-to-back. 

Desmond Bane, Grizzlies ($8,500) vs. Pacers

Bane is coming off a couple of relatively quiet outings, as he was coming out of dealing with an illness. However, he is still averaging 24.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.0 steals over his last 10 appearances, including six games with more than 40 DK points and a high of 75. Bane should benefit from having Ja Morant in the lineup, and he should also excel against the Pacers, who allow opponents to shoot a league-high average of 50.9 percent from the field.

Forwards/Centers

DeMar DeRozan, Bulls ($8,400) vs. Spurs 

DeRozan has stepped up his play lately, averaging 24.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, 6.9 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.9 blocks in nine games since returning from a one-game absence. He also topped 50 DK points twice over that span, including 51.8 in the most recent outing. He is likely to keep up the strong play with a matchup against the Spurs, after he produced 49 DK points in their last meeting. 

Jaren Jackson, Grizzlies ($7,900) vs. Pacers 

Jackson delivered 37 DK points in the last game and is averaging 24.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.0 steals and 2.3 blocks over the last 10 outings. He also topped 50 DK points three times over that span, including a high of 65.8. Jackson will likely find easier scoring opportunities with Ja Morant back in the lineup, and he should also shine against the Pacers, who give up the league's most points and fourth-most rebounds to opposing power forwards. 

Nikola Vucevic, Bulls ($8,100) vs. Spurs 

Vucevic finished with 35 DK points in his last outing, which marked just the third time in the last 10 games that he finished with less than 40. He is averaging 18.8 points, 11.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.1 blocks over his last 10 appearances, going over 50 DK points three times in that span. He should be up for another solid outing, after he tallied 47.5 DK points in his previous meeting with the Spurs. The Spurs also give up the league's third-most points per game to opposing centers. 

Expected Chalk 

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks ($11,000) vs. Magic 

Antetokounmpo is listed as probable for action. He is on an incredible streak, averaging 31.8 points, 11.8 rebounds, 6.6 assists, 1.9 steals and 1.1 blocks over the last 10 games, including seven with more than 60 DK points and a high of 95.5. The Greek Freak has a great chance to keep rolling against the Magic, who are on a three-game slide, and who give up the league's eighth-most free throws per game. Antetokounmpo also logged 68.5 DK points in his last encounter with the Magic. 

Mid-Range Money 

Caris LeVert, Cavaliers ($6,500) vs. Pelicans 

LeVert has a chance to take the lead on offense in the absence of both Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland. LeVert totaled 41.3 DK points in the last game and is averaging 17.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.4 steals over his last five outings. 

Bojan Bogdanovic, Pistons ($6,700) vs. Jazz 

Bogdanovic is finding his groove, averaging 23.2 points, 1.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists over the last five games, including a high of 41.3 DK points. He faces a good opportunity to stand out against the Jazz, who are shorthanded, and who also give up the league's most three-pointers per game. 

Walker Kessler, Jazz ($6,600) at Pistons 

Kessler has started in three of the last four games and gone over 42 DK points twice in that span. He averages 8.9 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.7 blocks on the season, and he should do well against the Pistons, who remain shorthanded in the frontcourt. The Pistons also give up the league's fourth-most points to opposing centers. 

Value Picks

Craig Porter, Cavaliers ($4,700) vs. Pelicans 

After totaling 29.8 DK points in the last game, Porter is expected to pick up another start for the Cavs' shorthanded backcourt. Porter is averaging 12.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.5 blocks in six games this season where he has played at least 20 minutes. 

Ochai Agbaji, Jazz ($4,900) at Pistons 

Agbaji is averaging 8.4 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists over the last five games, and he should be up for a significant boost, while the Jazz deal with a handful of injuries. He also has a favorable matchup against the Pistons, who give up the league's sixth-most points 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. 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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