Kevin Durant’s been taking over offensively with Devin Booker sidelined with injury.
It’s Friday, Dec. 27, right after the holiday break and we have eight NBA games scheduled, so there is a solid array of games to choose from for DFS purposes.
NBA DFS Core Plays
- DraftKings: $9,300
- FanDuel: $9,800
Durant has been on an offensive tear lately as he steps up his play on the offensive end with Devin Booker (groin) out for the past three games due to a strained groin. Book will miss a fourth consecutive game Friday, so K.D. should be able to continue his feverish scoring pace as the unquestioned No. 1 offensive option. He is averaging an insane 32.5 PPG with 7.0 RPG, 5.0 APG, 1.8 SPG, and 2.3 3PT per game across the past four outings, which is all in excess of his already strong seasonal averages.
- DraftKings: $9,900
- FanDuel: $10,400
Tatum missed the Orlando game earlier this week due to what he called “a little virus,” but he was back in action on Christmas Day, putting a lump of coal in the stocking of the Philadelphia 76ers. He had 32 points on 11-of-20 shooting, 15 rebounds, four assists, a blocked shot, and a steal while making four 3-pointers.
He has exceeded his seasonal averages in December, going for 29.5 PPG, 11.8 RPG, 5.3 APG, and 3.9 3PT per game in eight December outings. Indiana is 22nd in OPRK, so it should be another strong showing for the Boston star.
- DraftKings: $11,000
- FanDuel: $11,900
Wembanyama will cost you a pretty penny…err, Euro…but he is absolutely worth the extra investment. Wemby dropped 42 points, 18 rebounds, and four blocked shots with six 3-pointers against the New York Knicks on Christmas Day. It was a literal Fairytale in New York, as he became the first NBA player in history to record 40+ points, 15+ rebounds, and 5+ 3-pointers in a game on the holiday.
Wembanyama is working on a streak of four straight games with four or more 3-pointers and four or more blocked shots. In NBA history, Wembanyama is the only player to record at least four 3-pointers and four blocked shots in consecutive games. He is now working on a streak of four in a row. That’s the definition of generational talent, and he is just getting started.
NBA DFS Cash Game Targets
- DraftKings: $6,800
- FanDuel: $7,300
Bane has been a superhero in the past three games, averaging 21.0 PPG with 6.3 RPG and 5.7 APG to go along with 2.0 SPG and 3.3 3-pointers per game. He just keeps piling up solid stats at a mid-tier price, so strike while the iron is hot. He won’t be bothered much by the Pelicans, who have an OPRK of 26th.
- DraftKings: $7,000
- FanDuel: $7,300
Garland has been playing with a lot of confidence lately, and he is averaging 24.5 PPG with 6.0 APG and 4.0 RPG in the past two outings while making 20 3-pointers in his past six games. He’ll be up against a Nuggets defense with an OPRK of 24th, so expect another solid effort from Garland in the Mile High City.
- DraftKings: $8,600
- FanDuel: $8,800
Morant will be up against a New Orleans Pelicans defense that has allowed 117.6 PPG, a defensive field-goal percentage of 48.5%, a defensive 3-pointer percentage of 37.2%, and an OPRK of 26th. Morant is going to get his on Friday night in the Big Easy.
Morant is coming off a couple of poor performances. He has managed 15 or fewer points in two of the past three outings while missing more shots than he has made in five in a row. However, he will face very little resistance from the Pelicans. The last time he faced them on Nov. 29 in a NBA Cup group play game, he scorched New Orleans for 27 points on an efficient 10-of-18 shooting while adding seven assists, three rebounds, and three steals.
NBA DFS GPP Targets
Trey Murphy III (SG, SF – NOP)
- DraftKings: $6,900
- FanDuel: $6,800
Murphy has been filling up the basket lately, scoring 21 or more points in four consecutive outings. He has also hit at least two 3-pointers in each of his 18 games this season and posted three or more rebounds in three in a row and seven of the past eight contests.
Murphy and Herbert Jones have been holding down the fort with a multitude of injuries in the Crescent City, including that of Brandon Ingram (ankle). The opportunity has been there all season for Murphy to step up, and he has done just that, carving out a big piece of the offensive role for himself.
- DraftKings: $5,900
- FanDuel: $5,800
Let’s look at the aforementioned Jones, too. He has been a little bit erratic in the month of December. He started out with five games of 12 or more points in the first six outings, but he has fallen off a bit in the past three contests, making just nine of his 28 field-goal attempts (32.1%). He is more than capable, and he can be a weapon from the perimeter when he is dialed in. He’ll also contribute in the peripheral stats, going for 4.9 RPG and 4.0 APG in nine games in December while adding 2.0 SPG.
Dennis Schröder (PG, SG – GSW)
- DraftKings: $6,000
- FanDuel: $6,300
Schröder is expected to see a larger role with Brandon Podziemski as Stephen Curry manages his knee ailment and takes a day off. It isn’t a particularly easy matchup against the Clippers, but it isn’t bad, either.
Schröder looked comfortable in his fourth game since being acquired from the Brooklyn Nets, going for 11 points with five assists and three 3-pointers against the Los Angeles Lakers on Christmas Day last time out. If he can replicate that production, he’ll more than pay for himself.
NBA DFS Value Plays
- DraftKings: $5,000
- FanDuel: $5,300
Grimes is expected to see some additional runs in the extended absence of Luka Dončić (calf). Grimes stepped up in the Christmas Day game when the superstar exited, posting 10 points, seven rebounds and two assists with a blocked shot and a pair of 3-pointers in 24 minutes off the bench. He isn’t Luka, but he will work with Spencer Dinwiddie and Jaden Hardy to fill the void. At this price, he is a solid flier at the bottom of your roster, freeing up more salary to spend up top.
- DraftKings: $5,300
- FanDuel: $5,500
With Devin Booker set to miss a fourth straight game, both O’Neale and Ryan Dunn will be counted upon to fill the void. On Christmas Day against the Nuggets, Dunn was part of the starting five, but he managed just five points, three boards, and an assist in 21 minutes, while O’Neale had eight points, eight rebounds, six assists, two steals and a blocked shot in 30 minutes off the bench.
Dunn was more accurate with his shot, but O’Neale contributed way more counting stats with more runs. Even if O’Neale isn’t tabbed to start, he is a solid play at this price point.
Brandin Podziemski (SG, SF – GSW)
- DraftKings: $4,000
- FanDuel: $4,900
Podziemski and Schröder are expected to see some extended minutes as Curry rests due to his ongoing knee issues. Pods is working on a streak of nine straight games with at least one 3-pointer, and he has averaged 9.0 PPG, 4.7 RPG, and 2.8 APG with 1.3 SPG in 10 games in December. With some extra playing time, a double-double is certainly within reach.
