NBA DFS Picks: Yahoo Plays and Strategy for Tuesday, December 20

NBA DFS Picks: Yahoo Plays and Strategy for Tuesday, December 20

This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.

Tuesday brings a modest five-game schedule in the NBA. Jimmy Butler will take on one of his former teams in the Bulls, who are off to a disappointing 11-18 start that could make them surprise sellers at the trade deadline. The Warriors will once again be in action without Stephen Curry (shoulder) when they travel to New York to take on the red-hot Knicks. The marquee matchup of the evening features two Western Conference teams with championship aspirations with the Nuggets taking on the Grizzlies. Let's delve into some of the more appealing options on Yahoo, as well as some players to possibly avoid.

GUARDS

Tyler Herro, MIA vs. CHI ($31): This is a matchup to attack given the Bulls' problems on defense. Their issues on that end of the floor are the main reason why they have lost seven of their last nine games. They particularly struggle defending the three-point line, allowing the second-highest shooting percentage in the league from behind the arc. Enter Herro, who is averaging a career-high 3.3 three-pointers per game. He's been providing great overall production, too, with 21.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game.

Quentin Grimes, NY vs. GS ($13): Grimes has settled into the Knicks' starting five, which has left him to average 32 minutes over their last 14 games. While his numbers don't jump off the page, he's scored at least 21.2 Yahoo points in six straight games. That at least makes him worth considering at such a cheap salary.

Guard to Avoid

Zach LaVine, CHI at MIA ($27): LaVine doesn't look right this season. Coming off offseason knee surgery, he hasn't shown the same explosiveness that has been the calling card of his career. He's shooting 44.3 percent from the field and 36.5 percent from behind the arc, both of which would be his lowest marks since the 2017-2018 season, when he only played in 24 games. The Heat have the seventh-best defensive rating in the league, which doesn't exactly help LaVine's chances of getting back on track.

FORWARDS

Lauri Markkanen, UTA at DET ($29): In what was a very difficult matchup Monday against a Cavaliers team that has the best defensive rating in the league, Markkanen finished with 24 points, six rebounds and two steals. Now he'll be playing a team at the opposite end of the spectrum, as the Pistons have the second-worst defensive rating. As one of the scoring leaders for the Jazz, look for Markkanen to exploit this favorable matchup.

Bojan Bogdanovic, DET vs. UTA ($22): There could be plenty of scoring on both sides of this game with the Jazz having the sixth-worst defensive rating. Bogdanovic has stepped up on a young Pistons team to average a career-high 21.3 points per game. Not only has his usage rate shot up to 25.5 percent, but he is shooting 49.7 percent from the field.

Forward to Avoid

Deni Avdija, WAS at PHO ($20): Avdija has stepped up his production when Bradley Beal has missed time this season. During a recent stretch in which Beal missed six straight games, Avdija scored at least 29.2 Yahoo points five times. However, he only scored 15.1 Yahoo points over 21 minutes in Beal's return Sunday. Expect him to remain in that limited role for as long as Beal can stay healthy.

CENTERS

Nikola Jokic, DEN vs. MEM ($56): Talk about a monster stat line. Jokic put up one for the ages Sunday against the Hornets, finishing with 40 points, 27 rebounds, 10 assists and two steals across 40 minutes. He has picked up his scoring production lately, averaging 29.6 points over the last 13 games. The Grizzlies have played at the 10th-fastest pace in the league, which should afford Jokic with plenty of opportunities to stuff the stat sheet.

Jalen Duren, DET vs. UTA ($14): It didn't take long for the rookie Duren to take over the starting center job for the Pistons. He may not relinquish the role for years to come, given that he's averaged 8.6 points, 13.8 rebounds, 0.8 steals and 0.8 blocks over five games as a starter. For those who want to fade Jokic and spend down at the center spot, Duren and his cheap salary stand out.

Center to Avoid

Steven Adams, MEM at DEN ($19): The Grizzlies don't ask for much offense from Adams, resulting in his 14.3 percent usage rate. They want him to play defense and gobble up rebounds, which could be a problem in a matchup against Jokic. Add in the potential for foul trouble and it's difficult to justify rolling with him in DFS, especially when Duren is available at a cheaper salary.

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. Mike Barner plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: mbarner, DraftKings: mbarner51.
RotoWire Community
Join Our Subscriber-Only NBA Chat
Chat with our writers and other RotoWire NBA fans for all the pre-game info and in-game banter.
Join The Discussion
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mike Barner
Mike started covering fantasy sports in 2007, joining RotoWire in 2010. In 2018, he was a finalist for the FSWA Basketball Writer of the Year award. Mike also won the 2022-23 FSGA NBA Experts Champions league. In addition to RotoWire, Mike has written for Sportsline, Sports Illustrated, DK Live, RealTime Fantasy Sports, Lineup Lab and KFFL.com.
Best NBA Bets Today: Free Picks and Player Props for Sunday, November 24
Best NBA Bets Today: Free Picks and Player Props for Sunday, November 24
NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Sunday, November 24
NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Sunday, November 24
NBA DFS Picks: FanDuel Plays and Strategy for Sunday, November 24
NBA DFS Picks: FanDuel Plays and Strategy for Sunday, November 24
NBA DFS: FanDuel Plays and Strategy for Saturday, November 23
NBA DFS: FanDuel Plays and Strategy for Saturday, November 23
NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Saturday, November 23
NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Saturday, November 23
Best NBA Bets Today: Free Picks and Player Props for November 23
Best NBA Bets Today: Free Picks and Player Props for November 23