NBA DFS Picks: FanDuel Plays and Lineup Strategy for Monday, December 26

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Published on December 26, 2022

FanDuel's main slate is a seven-game offering that tips off at 7:00 p.m. EST with the Nets taking on the Cavaliers. Let's get right to the action with our list of 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.

The Hornets-Trail Blazers matchup has the highest over/under on the slate, and we've responded with a couple of endorsements there, but our biggest recipient of praise is directed at the Bulls, who are 7.5-point favorites in Houston. While heightened salaries kept us away, you should be able to find value within the Pacers-Pelicans game, although none made our top list.

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 on today's slate. Keep in mind that this is not a complete list. Use your best judgment for long-term and ongoing injury scenarios.

MIA Jimmy Butler (ankle) - QUESTIONABLE
MIA Bam Adebayo (shoulder) - QUESTIONABLE

If Bulter can't go, expect Victor Oladipo ($5,300) to see more time. In Adebayo's case, Nikola Jovic seems to have fallen out of the rotation, leaving Orlando Robinson ($4,100) as the team's backup option.

LAC Kawhi Leonard (injury management) - OUT

Leonard will sit out the front end of the back-to-back. Norman Powell ($5,200) and Nicolas Batum ($5,200) will see increased run in his absence.

ELITE PLAYERS

I like all three players above $10k on Monday's slate, but I'm more inclined to take Kevin Durant ($10,800) and Zion Williamson ($10,500) over Tyrese Haliburton ($10,000). Durant against Cleveland and Zion against Indiana are fundamentally better matchups, and Haliburton would need 50 FDFP or more to be viable at this salary. While he's hit that mark 10 times this season, he fell short of it when he played the Pelicans back in early November.

With Kawhi sitting for rest, Paul George ($9,500) looks to be a solid option, especially given his dual eligibility. I also favor Anthony Edwards ($9,100), as Miami may be without Butler and Adebayo.

LaMelo Ball ($8,900) is still under $9k and may be my favorite play of the night in a high-scoring matchup against Portland. There's plenty of guard talent available in this game, and I will be inclined to go cost-conscious for a key value play featured later in the article.

Also consider: DeMar DeRozan, CHI ($8,500) vs. HOU

EXPECTED CHALK AND OTHER TARGETS

Nikola Vucevic, CHI ($7,900) vs. HOU

I like the Bulls a lot for Monday's slate, and the battle between Vucevic and Alperen Sengun is a soft spot to target. Although double-doubles have been a little more difficult to come by for Chicago's big man, scoring has not been a problem at all. He just posted an 18/6/4 line against the Rockets a few days ago, and the Bulls will have a game plan drawn up to get Vucevic the ball more frequently after seeing how Houston's defense operates. I also think Zach LaVine ($7,400) will benefit after missing the aforementioned game against Houston.

D'Angelo Russell, MIN ($7,200) @ MIA

I would rather diversify and stay away from a Russell/Edwards stack, but Russell is still a perfectly suitable play, especially given his four-slot eligibility. Over the past four games, he is hovering right at 33 FDFP, leaving him just a couple of points and assists short of 5x value relative to this salary. He didn't do much in his last game against Miami, but the Heat may be short-handed tonight and Russell has been exceeding projections recently.

Evan Mobley, CLE ($6,900) vs. BRO

Although Jarrett Allen is fine, I think the more exploitable spot for Cleveland is at the four unless the Nets use Durant to guard Mobley. Ben Simmons has a hyped defensive pedigree, but it hasn't translated well this season. I've avoided matchups opposite Simmons based on reputation alone, only to get burned by the outcome. I'll try not to let that happen this time around, and bank on a potential double-double from Mobley.

Also consider: Myles Turner, IND ($7,000) @ NOR, Jordan Clarkson, UTA ($7,500) @ SAS

VALUE PLAYS

Anfernee Simons, POR ($6,200) vs. CHA

Although there's nothing wrong with spending up for Damian Lillard, Simons is the value play I mentioned earlier, and you can often find Simons posting similar numbers to his All-Star counterpart in the backcourt. Simons had 19 points and six assists against the Hornets back in November, and although his stat lines have seen a slight dip over the past week, Lillard could find some difficulty with LaMelo Ball all over him. Simons has a two-inch height advantage over Terry Rozier and will likely find himself open more often when Lillard elects to dish it off. The Trail Blazers are a good call overall, but we can't be 100 percent certain of tonight's lineup yet due to some questionable tags. Simons and Lillard, however, are good to go.

Patrick Williams, CHI ($4,300) vs. HOU

I think Williams can generate north of 20 FDFP against the Rockets, and he's a good play if you elect to spend less at center and avoid Vucevic. Williams is not without risk, but he's played 37 minutes in two consecutive games and has plenty of opportunity to put up a good line. His secondary numbers have also shown up recently, and his dual eligibility is also a plus.

Also consider: Mason Plumlee, CHA ($6,300) @ POR, Jalen Duren, DET ($5,800) vs. LAC

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.