NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Thursday, December 28

NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Thursday, December 28

This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.

Slate Overview

DET at BOS: Pistons on 27-game slide; Celtics have won three straight and are 14-0 at home

UTA at NOP: Jazz on three-game win streak; Pelicans on two-game slide 

IND at CHI: Pacers 4-6 in last 10 games; Bulls 6-4 in last 10 games

DAL at MIN: Mavericks 10-6 on road; Timberwolves 12-1 at home

MEM at DEN: Grizzlies on four-game win streak; Nuggets on five-game win streak

MIA at GSW: Heat on three-game win streak; Warriors 6-4 in last 10 games

SAS at POR: Spurs on five-game slide and 2-12 on road; Trail Blazers 4-10 at home 

CHA at LAL: Hornets on eight-game slide; Lakers 10-4 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       

DET - Killian Hayes (illness), Ausar Thompson (illness): Probable; Isaiah Stewart (toe): OUT
James Wiseman should pick up a few extra minutes. 

BOS - Jaylen Brown (back): OUT
Sam Hauser is expected to start.

UTA - Simone Fontecchio (illness): Questionable
Ochai Agbaji is in line for a boost. 

IND - Tyrese Haliburton (back): Questionable; Bruce Brown (knee): OUT
Andrew Nembhard is expected to start in place of Brown, while Bennedict Mathurin could also see more action. T.J. McConnell could get more responsibility if Haliburton is out. 

CHI - Nikola Vucevic (hip), Torrey Craig (heel), Zach LaVine (foot): OUT
Ayo Dosunmu and Jevon Carter are up for a boost in the absence of LaVine. Andre Drummond will see a bigger role without Vucevic.     

DAL - Kyrie Irving (heel), Maxi Kleber (toe), Luka Doncic (quadriceps): OUT
Derrick Jones, Dante Exum and Dwight Powell continue to see more opportunities.  

MIN - Karl-Anthony Towns (knee): Questionable
Naz Reid may continue to handle more responsibility.  

MEM - Santi Aldama (illness), Ja Morant (illness): Questionable
Marcus Smart and Jacob Gilyard are in line for more opportunities. David Roddy also gets a boost if Aldama is out. 

DEN - Reggie Jackson (abrasion): Questionable Aaron Gordon (face): OUT 
Christian Braun could get a boost if Jackson is out. Peyton Watson and Zeke Nnaji get more opportunity in the absence of Gordon. 

MIA - Josh Richardson (back); Doubtful; Kyle Lowry (undisclosed), Jimmy Butler (calf), Caleb Martin (ankle): OUT
Jaime Jaquez, Duncan Robinson and Kevin Love are in line for more opportunity.   

POR - Deandre Ayton (knee), Shaedon Sharpe (groin): OUT
Scoot Henderson and Malcolm Brogdon get a boost in the backcourt. Duop Reath is line for a bigger role without Ayton. 

CHA - Brandon Miller (ankle): Questionable; Mark Williams (back): Doubtful; LaMelo Ball (ankle), Gordon Hayward (calf): OUT
Ish Smith and Bryce McGowens are line for more responsibility in the backcourt. Nick Richards is also likely up for another start.  

LAL - Jarred Vanderbilt (heel): Probable; Anthony Davis (ankle), LeBron James (knee), Cam Reddish (groin): Questionable 
Austin Reaves could have a greater role on offense. Jaxson Hayes and Christian Wood would have to step up in the frontcourt. 

Elite Players

Guards

Anfernee Simons, Trail Blazers ($8,200) vs. Spurs 

Simons is averaging 28.0 points, 3.2 rebounds and 5.4 assists over the last 10 games, including five games with more than 40 DK points and a high of 58.5. He has a great opportunity to continue to thrive with a matchup against the Spurs, who give up a league-high 30.0 points per game to opposing point guards. 

Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves ($9,300) vs. Mavericks

Edwards is averaging 29.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 1.6 steals over the last five games, including a high of 60 DK points. He was relatively quiet with just 29.5 DK points in his last encounter with the Mavericks, but he should bounce back this time, as they are giving up the league's sixth-highest field-goal percentage to opposing shooting guards. The Mavs also give up the league's fifth-most offensive rebounds per game. 

Forwards/Centers

DeMar DeRozan, Bulls ($8,300) vs. Pacers 

DeRozan topped 40 DK points in five of the last 10 games, including a high of 62, while averaging 23.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game. He finished with 31.8 DK points in his previous meeting with the Pacers early in the season, but he has found a better offensive rhythm since then and should shine against the Pacers' uninspired defense. The Pacers give up the league's second-most points per game. 

Jayson Tatum, Celtics ($9,900) vs. Pistons

Tatum continues to lead the way for the Celtics, averaging 25.3 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.6 assists over the last 10 games, including nine with more than 40 DK points and a high of 59.5. He faces an ideal opportunity to stuff the stat sheet against the struggling Pistons. Tatum also has to step his game up a notch to help cover for the absence of Jaylen Brown

Bam Adebayo, Heat ($8,800) at Warriors 

Adebayo delivered 57.8 DK points in the last game and has averaged 21.0 points, 9.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks over four games since returning from a two-week absence. He has a good opportunity to excel against the Warriors' shorthanded frontcourt. The Warriors give up the league's ninth-most points and the most free throws per game to opposing centers. 

Expected Chalk 

Nikola Jokic, Nuggets ($11,300) vs. Grizzlies 

Jokic continues to dominate the stat sheet, averaging 21.6 points, 11.2 rebounds, 7.9 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.9 blocks per game, including seven games with more than 50 DK points and a high of 67.8. He will likely shine against the Grizzlies, who give up the league's seventh-most free throws per game to opposing centers and remain shorthanded in the frontcourt. 

Mid-Range Money 

CJ McCollum, Pelicans ($6,800) vs. Jazz 

McCollum has averaged 18.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.4 steals over the last 10 games, including seven with more than 30 DK points and a high of 41.5. He has a chance to succeed against the Jazz, who give up the league's 10th-most assists per game to opposing point guards. The Jazz also give up the league's second-most three-pointers per game. 

Marcus Smart, Celtics ($5,400) at Nuggets 

Smart amassed 30.3 DK points in the last game, which marked his first game back from a five-week absence. He is averaging 12.5 points, 2.3 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 2.3 steals through 12 appearances on the season, and he may have to take a lead role in the backcourt if Ja Morant is sidelined. 

Zion Williamson, Pelicans ($7,700) vs. Jazz 

Williamson has averaged 19.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.0 steals over his last 10 outings, including three with more than 40 DK points. He has a great opportunity to stand out against the Jazz, who give up the league's third-most points per game to opposing power forwards. 

Value Picks

Taurean Prince, Lakers ($4,800) vs. Hornets 

Prince continues to provide well-rounded supporting play for the Lakers star-studded starting lineup, as he has averaged 13.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.0 steals over the last 10 games, including three with more than 30 DK points. He faces a favorable matchup against the shorthanded Hornets, who give up the league's sixth-most points per game. 

Dario Saric, Warriors ($4,300) vs. Heat 

Saric remains up for additional opportunities for the Warriors' shorthanded frontcourt. He totaled 23.3 DK points in the last game and has averaged 11.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists over the last 10 outings. He should also find room to knock down a few shots from long range, as the Warriors give up the league's sixth-most threes per game to opposing power forwards. 

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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