NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Friday, December 19

RotoWire's Dan Bruno analyzes Friday's NBA slate and provides insights and picks for fantasy basketball players making a DFS lineup on DraftKings.
NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Friday, December 19

Slate Overview

MIA at BOS: Heat 5-8 on road; Celtics on two-game slide but 7-3 in last 10

PHI at NYK: SIxers 6-4 on road; Knicks on six-game win streak and 13-1 at home

SAS at ATL: Spurs on four-game win streak; Hawks 5-6 at home

CHI at CLE: Bulls 2-8 in last 10 games; Cavs 3-7 in last 10 games but 9-7 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       

MIA - Andrew Wiggins (back): Questionable; Tyler Herro (toe), Pelle Larsson (ankle): OUT

PHI - Joel Embiid (illness), Kelly Oubre (knee): OUT

NYK - Miles McBride (ankle): OUT

ATL - Kristaps Porzingis (illness), Trae Young (knee): OUT 

CLE - Donovan Mitchell (illness): Questionable; Evan Mobley (calf): OUT

Elite Players

Guards

Josh Giddey, Bulls ($9,100) at Cavaliers 

Giddey is coming off his sixth triple-double of the season, with 23 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists, two steals and a block for a total of 64.8 DK points. He is averaging 17.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, 7.6 assists and 1.0 steals over the last five games and should do well against the Cavaliers, who are dealing with a bit of injury trouble. The Cavs also give up the league's sixth-highest field-goal percentage to opposing point guards. 

De'Aaron Fox, Spurs ($7,900) at Hawks 

Fox is coming off his first single-digit scoring performance of the season, as he finished with just 19.8 DK points in the game. He had scored at least 20 points in 12 of the previous 14 games, averaging 24.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 1.6 steals over that span. He is up for a good chance to get back on track against the Hawks, who remain shorthanded and are giving up the league's third-most three-pointers per game. 

Forwards/Centers

Jalen Johnson, Hawks ($10,000) vs. Spurs 

After back-to-back outings with fewer than 20 points for the first time this season, Johnson turned it up with 43 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists in the last game, just one assist shy of a fifth straight triple-double. He faces a tough matchup against the Spurs, who do a good job containing opposing frontcourts, but his role as the dominant aspect of his squad's offense should ensure that he continues to stuff the stat sheet. 

Karl-Anthony Towns, Knicks ($8,900) vs. 76ers 

Towns is back in action after missing two of the last four games. He is averaging 23.6 points, 10.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists over his last 10 appearances, including two with over 60 DK points and a high of 71.5. He should stand out with an advantageous match against the Sixers the absence of Joel Embiid.

Expected Chalk 

Jaylen Brown, Celtics ($9,500) vs. Heat 

Brown has reached the 30-point mark in five consecutive appearances and is averaging 33.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 5.4 assists over that span. He faces a favorable matchup against the Heat, who are giving up the league's fourth-most points per game to opposing small forwards. The Heat could also be without their top wing defender, Andrew Wiggins (back), who is listed as questionable for action. 

Mid-Range Money 

Jaylon Tyson, Cavaliers ($6,300) vs. Bulls

Tyson is on a roll, scoring in double digits in the last eight games and averaging 17.9 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists over that span. He is up for a great chance to shine against the Bulls, who  are giving up the league's fourth-most points per game to opposing small forwards. He is also likely to see a few extra touches in the absence of Evan Mobley

Matas Buzelis, Bulls ($5,700) at Cavaliers

Buzelis finished with nine points in each of the last two games but has topped the 20-DK point mark in six of the last 10 games, including three with more than 30 and a high of 45.5. He faces a favorable matchup against the Cavaliers, who are shorthanded in the frontcourt, and who give up the league's second-most rebounds to opposing power forwards. 

Value Picks

Dylan Harper, Spurs ($4,800) at Hawks 

Harper topped the 20-point mark twice in the last four games and is averaging 16.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists over that span. He should prosper against the Hawks, who are giving up the league's ninth-most points per game, along with the sixth-highest field-goal percentage to opposing point guards. 

Isaac Okoro, Bulls ($3,500) at Cavaliers 

Okoro is averaging 10.7 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.0 assists over three games since returning from a two-week absence. He has a chance to step up against his former squad, as they are dealing with injury trouble and also giving up the league's sixth-highest field-goal percentage to opposing small forwards. 

Luke Kornet, Spurs ($4,200) at Hawks 

Victor Wembanyama is back in action but is likely to remain limited in his playing time, which means Kornet should continue to handle an increased role in the frontcourt. Kornet is averaging 6.9 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.9 blocks over his last 10 appearances, with a high of 29.5 DK points through that stretch.

Kel'el Ware, Heat ($4,700) at Celtics 

After coming off the bench in six of the previous eight games, Ware was back in the starting lineup in the last game and racked up 22 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks for a total of 48.5 DK points in 30 minutes of action. He faces a tough matchup against the Celtics, but he is likely to pad his stats at the foul line, as the Celtics are giving up the league's third-most free throws per game to opposing centers. 

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.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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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