NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Thursday, December 29

NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Thursday, December 29

This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.

Slate Overview

CLE at IND
Cavs on two-game slide.
OKC at CHA
Thunder have won four of last five games. 
LAC at BOS
Celtics 14-5 at home. 
MEM at TOR
Grizzlies on two-game slide. 
NYK at SAS
Knicks on four-game slide. 
HOU at DAL
Mavs on four-game win streak. 

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Injuries to Monitor  

For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report   

IND - Tyrese Haliburton (knee): Questionable 

OKC - Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (ankle), Aleksej Pokusevski (leg): OUT  

CHA - Dennis Smith (ankle): Questionable 
Kelly Oubre (hand): Doubtful 
Nick Richards (ankle), Cody Martin (knee): OUT 

TOR - Precious Achiuwa (ankle), Fred VanVleet (back), Christian Koloko (knee): Questionable 
Otto Porter (toe): OUT   

NYK - Jalen Brunson (hip): Questionable
Obi Toppin (leg), RJ Barrett (finger): OUT 

SAS - Keldon Johnson (back), Devin Vassell (knee), Doug McDermott (knee): Questionable 

HOU - Eric Gordon (groin): Questionable 

DAL - Reggie Bullock (illness): Questionable
Dorian Finney-Smith (hip), Maxi Kleber (hamstring), Josh Green (elbow): OUT 

Elite Players

Guards

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder ($10,100) at Hornets

GIlgeous-Alexander surpassed 50 DK points in six of his last 10 games, with a high of 73.5. He averages 10.3 free-throw attempts per game and has a favorable matchup against the Hornets, who give up the league's sixth most free throws per game. The Hornets also give up the league's third most points per game and allow opponents to shoot an average of 48.0 percent from the field. 

Josh Giddey, Thunder ($6,900) at Hornets 

Giddey is averaging 14.9 points, 9.2 rebounds and 5.8 assists in his last 10 outings, with more than 43 DK points in three and a high of 55.5. He has a good chance to keep up the strong play and pad his stats against the Hornets, who struggle defensively and give up the league's second-most rebounds per game. 

Forwards/Centers

Kawhi Leonard, Clippers ($7,800) at Celtics 

Leonard is averaging 19.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.0 steals through nine games played in December, including one meeting with the Celtics, where he totaled 47.3 DK points. He played more than 30 minutes in his last five outings and should be up for another substantial effort coming in off a day's rest.  

Julius Randle, Knicks ($9,500) at Spurs

Randle topped 52 DK points in four straight games, including a high of 60.5 in the last outing and is averaging 27.3 points, 11.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists over the last 10. He should excel against the Spurs, who give up a league-high 120.5 points per game, including the second-most points in the paint. 

Mason Plumlee, Hornets ($5,800) vs. Thunder

Plumlee is averaging 11.6 points, 9.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.0 steals over the last 10 games, including seven with more than 30 DK points and high of 40. He should prosper against the Thunder, who are shorthanded in the frontcourt and give up the league's most rebounds per game. 

Expected Chalk 

Luka Doncic, Mavericks ($12,000) vs. Rockets 

Doncic is coming off a historic performance, where he finished with 60 points, 21 rebounds, 10 assists, two steals and a block, for a total of 110.8 DK points. He is averaging 34.2 points, 9.1 rebounds, 9.2 assists and 1.4 steals across his last 10 games, including an encounter with the Rockets, where he went off for a total of 82 DK points. He should find continued success, as the Rockets give up a league-high 14.1 three-pointers per game and the second most points per game to point guards.

Value Picks

Kevin Love, Cavaliers ($4,100) at Pacers

Love is averaging 8.2 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists over the last five outings, with a high of 28.8 DK points. He should do well against the Pacers, who give up the league's third most rebounds per game and also the sixth most points per game to centers. 

Cedi Osman, Cavaliers ($3,500) at Pacers

With a high of 31.5 and a low of 9.5 DK points in the last five games, Osman is a high-risk, high-reward selection. However, he logged 20.8 DK points in the last meeting with the Pacers and should benefit from the fact that they give up the league's third most free throws per game.  

Kenyon Martin, Rockets ($4,400) at Mavericks

Martin is averaging 10.6 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists through 10 games, with a high of 31.3 DK points. He tallied 21.8 DK points in the last meeting with the Mavericks and should benefit once again, as they allow opponents to shoot an average of 47.9 percent from the field. 

Gary Trent, Raptors ($4,900) vs. Grizzlies 

Trent continues to provide a boost off the bench, averaging 17.7 points, 1.5 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.5 steals in 30 minutes per outing. He should flourish against the Grizzlies, who give up the league's fourth most three-pointers per game. 

Andrew Nembhard, Pacers ($4,500) vs. Cavaliers

Nembhard surpassed 20 DK points in five of the last 10 games, while he averaged 7.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.2 steals. He has a tough matchup against the Cavs but could be up for added responsibility if Tyrese Haliburton is sidelined. 

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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