We have a medium five-game NBA DFS main slate on DraftKings and FanDuel on Tuesday, December 12th. Although, we only get five games, they are five really good games as we have no shortage of star-power on this slate which is filled with Luka Doncic, Anthony Davis, Nikola Jokic, and one of my favorite value spend ups of the night - De'Aaron Fox against the Los Angeles Clippers, and MORE! Let's dive in!

NBA DFS Tools to dominate tonight's NBA DFS slate!

Make sure to check out today's NBA DFS projections and NBA DFS ownership projections before finalizing your lineups today. We also have the NBA Consistency Report to help identify players that have exceeded value based off their current price tag this season and of course our NBA DFS Lineup Generator!

Here's the NBA DFS Podcast for today's slate. Like the video and subscribe to our channel!

Notable NBA Injury Updates

QUESTIONABLE

OUT

 

PACE:

Pace definition: Pace is the total number of possessions a team uses in a game.

*key* Green is elite pace of play, Blue is decent pace of play, & Red is slow pace of play.

Green = Fast Paced team

Blue = Neutral Paced team

Red = Slow Paced team

NBA Game Totals

Teams on Back-to-Back (Second Leg):
- Dallas Mavericks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets, Sacramento Kings, Los Angeles Clippers.

 

Top Tier Core Plays:

Luka Doncic (PG), Dallas Mavericks (PLAYING)

Luka is getting my top spot tonight over Jokic and I have zero regrets in this decision (as long as he plays!). The PACE that we should see for the Nuggets and Bulls BOTH being on a back-to-back here on the second leg should be turtle speed for one, and for two, that game has the lowest total on the board by a good margin. The only thing that would change would be if Murray were to sit for some reason (he is now QUEST). The news we are waiting on is for Kyrie Irving though, and even if he plays, Luka is still my top play here. Luka gets the Lakers at home in a game with a single bucket spread and a modest 232.5-point total. Luka continues to play hefty minutes, 41 and 44 minutes in his last two games, while topping 60 fantasy points in his last five-straight contests. No better team to play against than the Lakers in front of his home crowd! 

Nikola Jokic (C), Denver Nuggets

Jokic still hasn't fully returned to the god-mode he was in earlier this season, but that is likely due to a couple of factors. Murray being back does lower his usage a smidge, and the fact that he has slumped a bit over the last few games. Now, Murray is questionable to play… The bad thing is when we talk about slumps for Jokic, it still results in 50+ fantasy points. Regardless, this game has two teams in the dead-ranks of PACE and just a 220-total. Not a great recipe for monster fantasy games, but again - this is Jokic and the Bulls have been generous to the center position this season. Don't love the price and would rather play Luka at a smidge cheaper, but will fault no one if they want to run Joker. Even with Murray back over the last four games, Jokic is still hoisting a 31.7% usage rate.

Devin Booker (PG/SG), Phoenix Suns 

Booker is now without Kevin Durant, but he will get Bradley Beal back tonight against the Warriors on his home floor. We likely will not know if Beal is on any kind of minutes restriction as he has not played hardly at all this season due to his back injury. With that said, this moves Booker up my ladder just a smidge more and I really like him and AD closely to the same amount tonight. Davis has an absolute nut match up tonight against the Mavericks and Booker's match up is not as ideal. However, Booker has 60+ fantasy point upside and this game has just a 1-point spread and a nice total still at 231 even though it has dropped a couple points with the Durant news. In the last 5 head-to-head games between these two, Booker has scored at least 25 actual (30.0 PPG average), while averaging 4.5 rebounds and 7.0 assists per game in those as well. The spot is great and he may only really have Beal to compete for usage with other than Nurkic. Grayson Allen is also OUT here, so that even further helps Booker.

Anthony Davis (C), Los Angeles Lakers

I really see no reason both AD and LBJ sit tonight. They have had four days of rest now since winning the inaugural in-season tournament on Saturday over the Pacers and now travel into Dallas to take on Luka Doncic and the Mavericks. I fully expect both to play. Davis has been an absolute force lately, dropping 81 fantasy points against the Pacers to fuel the Lakers in the championship for the regular season tournament, but has also consistently been putting up 50+ fantasy points a night over his last six-to-seven games in a row. Tonight, he gets a very nice spot against a Mavericks team that has allowed the 9th most fantasy points to the Center spot on the season currently.

De'Aaron Fox (PG), Sacramento Kings

The Clippers are set to host the Kings tonight in which both teams are also on a back-to-back set on their second leg. However, the Kings starters only played around 32-34 minutes due to them getting a late lead and basically not having to put forth much late effort to put away the Nets at home, while the Clippers starts all played heavy minutes in the 37+ range as the Portland Trail Blazers gave them all the wanted and more going into the literal final seconds of the game. I expect Fox to make an immediate impact here in this game, and he is my favorite play for his price in terms of points per dollar on this slate. This game has a nice spread of three points, with a hefty total of 234. Looking back at Fox in this head-to-head match up with the Clippers, he has played them five times dating back to 2022. In those five games - Fox recorded 36, 14, 42, 33, and 40 actual, while averaging 5.5 rebounds per game, and 6.0 assists per game as well. 

 

Mid-Tier Core Plays:

Donovan Mitchell (PG/SG), Cleveland Cavaliers

Generally do not love fading Boston at home, but Mitchell is without Mobley once again and even though Garland has stepped up nicely as of late with his absence as well, we know that Mitchell has the de-facto alpha personality and he is off a sub-par game against the Magic. Mitchell lives for the big stage, and what bigger stage than in TD Gardens in Boston. Only thing missing is prime-time television spot here. However, Mitchell has a nice track record vs the Celtics in his career. In his four meets, Mitchell has recorded 41, 25, 44, and 40 actual, while averaging 5.8 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game. Mitchell still leads the team in usage rate at roughly 32%, and we know he has the ability to go for 60 on any slate.

Kawhi Leonard (SF/PF), Los Angeles Clippers

Once again, my biggest concern tonight with the Clippers big three is the fact they all played heavy minutes last night. This could potentially put them in a spot to play closer to 30 minutes on a second leg. We have seen most of the guys continue to play every game this season as Kawhi mentioned before the season, but we have seen two occasions recently with them on back-to-backs. One set Leonard played 35 minutes in game 2, in the latter set, he played 29. Obviously, if this game stays competitive, we should see them for 35 or more. Kawhi's price has me scratching my head though, won't lie about that. Kawhi is fresh off back-to-back 55+ fantasy games, and he has had some monster games vs the Kings prior to this season. Kawhi is one of my favorite plays of the slate tonight.

Darius Garland (PG), Cleveland Cavaliers

Over the last two games with Mobley on the shelf, it has been more of the Garland show and you can get him for almost $1K cheaper tonight compared to Mitchell. It is actually Garland who has the higher usage rate over the last two games without Mobley at a clip of 30.7% to Mitchell's 28.4%. Garland has been good. Putting up 37+ fantasy points in four-straight, with three of those eclipsing 40, and just went for 55 vs the Magic last night.

Jaylen Brown (SG), Boston Celtics

I likely won't have more than two or three players in this game, but I don't mind that as the usage is so concentrated on just a couple of players on both sides of the ball for this game. Before getting a petty ejection after playing 27 minutes last time out vs the Knicks, Brown had put up some pretty nice games beforehand. He had recorded four-straight games of 36 or more fantasy points with a couple in between 45-to-50 fantasy points. This spot is not the greatest against a stout Cav's backcourt, but it is on his home floor, where he has averaged nearly three more fantasy points per game at this season so far.

James Harden (PG), Los Angeles Clippers

Back in on Harden at his current price. Hard not to like him in this pace-up spot vs the Kings tonight at home. The Kings can give up fantasy points to the PG spot and Fox isn't the greatest defender. Harden has arguably played just as well in terms of fantasy point performances as Paul George, putting up 43 fantasy points in three of his last four games played, and he is $1.6K or so cheaper. Like this spot for Harden tonight and think he is a nice value at this price.

Jusuf Nurkic (C), Phoenix Suns 

Nurkic is actually quite the beneficiary of fantasy points with Durant OFF the floor this season so far. Nurk is seeing 1.1 fantasy points per minute in a 133-minute sample so far this year with Durant off the floor. Pretty solid number there and we know that the Warriors tend to run small-ball and this should benefit Jusuf nicely. Nurk has recorded 33+ fantasy points in six of his last seven contests played.

 

Value Tier Core Plays:

Draymond Green (PF/C), Golden State Warriors

Since Draymond has returned after serving his five-game suspension, he has played extremely well. Over his last three games, Green has played 31 or more minutes, while also accruing 39 or more fantasy points in all three games to boot. We know that Draymond can do a little bit of everything, so as long as he is on the floor he has paths to 40 fantasy points in counting stats and this game should be a good game in Phoenix tonight.

Derrick White (PG/SG), Boston Celtics

White has been excellent lately simply put. Recording 37 or more fantasy points in three of his last four, with all four going for at least 33. Again, not an ideally match up here facing the Cavaliers, but it is on the Celtics home floor in TD Gardens. White, much like Draymond Green, does just a little bit of everything when he is on the floor and can hit the three-ball, as well. He is definitely in play tonight.

Austin Reaves (SG/SF), Los Angeles Lakers

Reaves was nothing short of amazing while helping the Lakers secure the in-season tournament championship trophy. Reaves has consistently been living in the ~30 fantasy point range and fully expect him to also be there once again tonight against the Mavericks in this pace-up spot. Reaves has been over 30 fantasy points in four-straight games and the Mavericks are dealing with a plethora of injuries in their backcourt.

Dante Exum (PG/SF), Dallas Mavericks

Speaking of that depleted backcourt for the Mavericks, it has allowed Exum to see very nice run as of late and Kyrie is without a timetable to return as reported earlier today. Exum has taken full advantage of gaining the SF starting role over the last two games, playing 33 and 35 minutes and recording 35 and 41 fantasy points in those two, as well. The Mavericks are even more thin with Derrick Jones Jr. going down last night, and even though they will likely have Grant Williams back, they will still need someone who can score alongside Luka tonight, and that is where Exum will come in once again.

Dario Saric (PF/C), Golden State Warriors 

Get a little bit of a revenge narrative here with Saric heading back to Phoenix where he played for three seasons before essentially being shipped to Golden State. Saric continues to be a staple in this Warrior rotation and I think they will likely need him off the bench again tonight. Saric is fresh off a 33-fantasy point effort on the road against the Thunder last time out, and we have seen him put up multiple games of 25+ fantasy points and flash that ceiling. 

Jaden Hardy (PG/SG), Dallas Mavericks

The Mavericks could once again be without Irving AND Hardaway Jr. tonight in the backcourt. With these two OUT last game, Hardy picked up meaningful minutes in the amount of 34, which led to a nice fantasy performance on the night adding up to 28.5 on 19 points, four assists, and a steal on the night against the Grizzlies. If Hardaway Jr. can't go tonight, Hardy could pick up another huge set of minutes of action against the Lakers.

 

Check out our NBA DFS Livestream tonight at 5pm ET 

Remember to like the video and subscribe to our channel!

Player Pool

$ Tier {{pos.alias}}

Stacks

{{stack.team.name}} {{player.name}}
DraftKings {{player.fantasy.price.value[8]}}-
Fanduel {{player.fantasy.price.value[6]}}-