NBA DFS Picks: FanDuel Plays and Lineup Strategy for Sunday, December 15

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Published on December 15, 2024

The NBA Sunday slate will tipoff at 6:00 p.m. EST right after countless NFL fantasy playoff pursuits are decided. What better way to lick your wounds of elimination than a six-game NBA offering from FanDuel? Win or lose, we've got you covered with my best endorsements.

SLATE OVERVIEW

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.

Vegas is leaning toward POR/PHX and WAS/BOS with elevated paces and totals, and we could have given a bit more love to Portland. Their top playmakers fell just outside my recommendations, though I'd give them a look if you're searching for more value. I think the nightcap between the Lakers and Grizzlies could be the most interesting matchup with the highest pace and total of the night.

INJURIES

For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report. Below are some of the most recent and relevant injuries for Sunday. Keep in mind that this is not a complete list. Use your best judgment when evaluating ongoing injury scenarios elsewhere on the slate.

LAL LeBron James (foot) - QUESTIONABLE

James is at risk of missing his third consecutive game, but there's a possibility for a return against Memphis. Rather than utilizing Max Christie, I'd keep an eye on James' status and pivot to other starters if he's out.

GSW Stephen Curry (neck) - QUESTIONABLE

GSW Andrew Wiggins (ankle) - QUESTIONABLE

Curry has played through various injuries the past couple of weeks, yet has missed a couple of back-to-backs. He had a few days to rest, but is still listed as questionable. Wiggins practiced, though could miss a third consecutive outing if the ankle doesn't cooperate. Brandin Podziemski ($5,200) would be Curry's direct replacement, and I like Jonathan Kuminga ($6,000) regardless of Wiggins' status.

PHX Bradley Beal (knee) - QUESTIONABLE

The Suns are happy to have Kevin Durant and Jusuf Nurkic back, but Beal is still on the shelf. Most of the output will slide to the starters and Royce O'Neale ($5,500) could end up filling the gap alongside Durant.

PHX Deandre Ayton (illness) - OUT

Donovan Clingan ($4,300) will likely start in place of Ayton, whose status isn't expected to change as the day progresses.

ELITE PLAYERS

Four players sit atop the player pool with $10k-plus salaries. Anthony Davis ($11,200) would become the most valuable premier asset if James misses out again, though Jayson Tatum ($10,100) is valued nicely against a weak Washington squad. Luka Doncic and Victor Wembanyama will post big numbers, but I don't have strong feelings about either player relative to their salaries.

Among the four available in the $9k range, Karl-Anthony Towns ($9,600) stands out in a favorable spot against Orlando while the successful return of Kevin Durant ($9,000) should yield solid value. We also have a few great options in the $8k range with Kristaps Porzingis ($8,300) getting a full load against the Wizards while Al Horford gets a rest day.

Also consider: Jalen Brunson, NYK ($8,300) @ ORL, Jaren Jackson, MEM (8,100) @ LAL

EXPECTED CHALK AND VALUE PLAYS

Jalen Suggs, ORL ($7,600) vs. NYK

Suggs' superb play helped the Magic earn a berth in the NBA Cup bracket, and he's recently compiled some of his best all-time totals. He set a career-high with 32 points against the Bucks in the elimination game and has averaged 26.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.7 steals and 2.0 assists over a three-game span.

Julius Randle, MIN ($7,100) @ SAS

Rudy Gobert will have his hands full with Victor Wembanyama while Randle should be able to power his way to a decent total. Randle posted a 21/5/2 line when he faced the Spurs back in early November, so we'll need a few more rebounds this time around for him to achieve optimal fantasy reliability. He's still valued decently in this spot.

Bilal Coulibaly, WAS ($6,000) vs. BOS

It may be a challenging matchup against the Celtics, but Coulibaly has enjoyed a substantial bump in production the last two games and matched a career-high with 27 points last time out. He may not score as much against Boston, though he's displayed decent metrics in secondary categories to overcome a mediocre shooting night. Coulibaly's FDFP results over the last three games have ranged from 32.0 to 44.7, all beating 5x value at this salary.

Buddy Hield, GSW ($5,100) vs. DAL

I'll wait and see about Stephen Curry before giving Hield the green light. He's still been a darling of GPP lineups since becoming a Warrior based on upside sharpshooting and the ability to quickly take over a game during the right scenario. Hield can burn you if he isn't dialed in, though Doncic and the Mavs may press him to take his skills out into deep space where he can inflict swift damage with his perimeter skill set. The salary is very reasonable when you consider the potential upside.

I'll identify some additional spots to consider below, with a preferred option for each position:

PG/SG Derrick White, BOS ($7,200)

SG/SF Desmond Bane, MEM ($7,000)

SF/PF OG Anunoby, NYK ($6,900)

PF Jeremy Sochan, SAS ($6,500)

C/PF Goga Bitadze, ORL ($6,400)

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.