NBA Daily Fantasy Picks & Playbook December 15
![NBA Daily Fantasy Picks December 15](https://d29m18w01sxjzp.cloudfront.net/thumbnails/source/fatest/Jayson_Tatum_DraftKings_DFS_December_15-1000x600.jpg)
Published: Dec 15, 2023
Eight games on tonight's NBA DFS main slate and it is shaping up to be a fun one at that. Tonight we have a game with a 259.5 game total featuring the Pacers and Wizards. We also will have the Boston Celtics tonight on the second leg of a back-to-back that has already ruled out Al Horford while listing Kristaps Porzingis as doubtful and Jaylen Brown as questionable in their matchup against the Magic. The slate also features some matchups where teams are running it back with the Pistons/76ers, Hawks/Raptors, Grizzlies/Rockets and Lakers/Spurs all playing for the second time in as many games.
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!
Join Today's Listener League: https://www.draftkings.com/draft/contest/156044972
Check out today's NBA DFS Playbook Preview Show
Notable NBA Injury Updates
Out
- Anthony Davis
- D'Angelo Russell
- Cam Reddish
- Al Horford
- Wendell Carter Jr.
- Josh Okogie
- Marvin Bagley
- Mark Williams
- De'Andre Hunter
- P.J. Washington
Questionable
- Taurean Prince
- Desmond Bane
- Kristaps Porzingis (Doubtful)
- Eric Gordon
- Markelle Fultz
- Jae'Sean Tate (Doubtful)
Teams on Back-to-Backs
2nd Leg
1st Leg
Pace Up Spots
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
- New Orleans Pelicans 10th vs Charlotte Hornets 16th
- Detroit Pistons 7th vs Philadelphia 76ers 12th
- Indiana Pacers 1st vs Washington Wizards 2nd
- Orlando Magic 14th vs Boston Celtics 22nd
- Atlanta Hawks 3rd vs Toronto Raptors 21st
- Los Angeles Lakers 9th vs San Antonio Spurs 4th
- Houston Rockets 28th vs Memphis Grizzlies 17th
- New York Knicks 29th vs Phoenix Suns 27th
Notable NBA Game Totals
- New Orleans Pelicans vs Charlotte Hornets +8.5 Total: 232.5
- Detroit Pistons vs Philadelphia 76ers -16 Total: 234.5
- Indiana Pacers vs Washington Wizards +8.5 Total: 260.5
- Orlando Magic vs Boston Celtics -4.5 Total: 224.5
- Atlanta Hawks vs Toronto Raptors -1.5 Total: 241.5
- Los Angeles Lakers vs San Antonio Spurs +7.5 Total: 234
- Houston Rockets vs Memphis Grizzlies +3.5 Total: 212
- New York Knicks vs Phoenix Suns -5 Total: 232.5
Top Tier Core Plays
Tyrese Haliburton, PG Indiana Pacers
The game total in this one is up to 260.5 now and while Haliburton just let us down in a similar game total matchup the opponent here is far superior in the Washington Wizards compared to the Milwaukee Bucks. I look for Haliburton to really have his way in this matchup as one of the top overall spend up plays on the main slate.
LeBron James, SF/PF Los Angeles Lakers
With news that BOTH D'Angelo Russell and Anthony Davis are out tonight for the Lakers it is a full systems go for LeBron James here this evening. With AD and Russell off the floor James has a 33.8% usage rate and averages 1.57 FP/Min.
Scottie Barnes, SF/PG Toronto Raptors
On Wednesday we were all over this matchup with the Hawks and Raptors and told you that one of of Scottie Barnes or Pascal Siakam were in for a monster night. It turned out that there was no wrong answer as both players dominated. They now run it back against the same opponent in a 240+ game total. There's a lot to love with Barnes as he fills the stat sheet and can bring the defensive stats as well.
Trae Young, PG Atlanta Hawks
The Raptors had been good against opposing point guards this season but Trae Young heard that and said “hold my beer” as he dropped 35 points with 17 assists over 39 minutes on Wednesday. In another fast paced game with a high game total it's not inconceivable to think that Young goes out here and takes another 25 shots and finishes with 60+ fantasy points as he goes up against Dennis Schroder.
Victor Wembanyama, PF/C San Antonio Spurs
The move to center has been a dream for us DFS players as Wemby is putting up elite rebounding numbers while hanging around the rim to collect blocks and steals. Yes, he fouled out against the Lakers on Wednesday but not before finishing with 30 points, 13 rebounds, two assists, six blocks and three steals.
Mid-Tier Core Plays
Terry Rozier, PG Charlotte Hornets
Rozier has been a menace since LaMelo Ball has been out of the lineup, averaging 51.5 fantasy points over the last four games. He has three games of 13 assists over the last six and has just one game with less than seven assists since he returned from his injury.
Pascal Siakam, PF/C Toronto Raptors
Siakam finished with 33 points, seven rebounds and seven assists against the Hawks on Wednesday and he again finds himself in a great matchup against Atlanta. The price tag really didn't move on Siakam and while we love everyone in this game, Siakam presents one of the better point per dollar values.
Austin Reaves, SG/SF Los Angeles
Something about 40 Lakers being on the injury report which included a late add D'Angelo Russell makes me feel like at least a few of these guys end up sitting out tonight against the Spurs which in that case I'm going to get me some Austin Reaves who is capable of filling any role the team asks while filling out the stat sheet. The price is on the rise but we know he is capable giving us 40+ fantasy points when called upon.
Value Tier Core Plays
Tari Eason, SF/PF Houston Rockets
If you've followed us since last year you know that we are not new to the Tari Eason train but maybe the original riders. He is one of those monster fantasy point per minute players that we always hope to see get more playing time and over the last two games we've gotten 27 minutes and in return for the playing time we've gotten nearly two 10x returns. The price is up but I'm not shying away from our guy here who averages 1.19 FP/Min when on the floor this season and 1.4 FP/min when on the floor with Alperen Sengun, Dillon Brooks and Jabari Smith off the floor which is when most of his playing time comes during the early quarters of the game.
Bilal Coulibaly, SG/SF Washington Wizards
I was already in on Coulibaly before the Jordan Poole injury designation but if Poole was to be ruled out we may see Coulibaly as one of the highest rostered players on the entire slate. He is already impressing right now, averaging 28 fantasy points over the last four games with an increased role in the Wizards rotation.
Neemias Queta, C Boston Celtics
With Al Horford and Luke Kornet out and Kristaps Porzingis doubtful we are likely looking at Neemias Queta starting tonight for the Celtics here against the Magic at min-price. Queta has had limited playing time this season for obvious reasons but the last two times he was on the floor he did impress, scoring five points with five rebounds in 10 minutes against the 76ers and then against the Hawks he had seven points with 10 rebounds in 15 minutes. Now, extended playing time doesn't always mean certain production but as a min-price play we can bet that Queta is the highest rostered player on the slate.
Don't Miss Today's Livestream at 5pm ET
Roster Lock Updates
- PJ Washington and Mark Williams ruled out
- Jaylen Brown on track to play
- Desmond Bane on track to play
- Jordan Poole on track to play
- Anthony Davis OUT
- D'Angelo Russell OUT
- Cam Reddish OUT
The grid below will be updated prior to today's livestream and updated based on breaking news!
Player Pool
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Stacks
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