NBA DFS Picks, Projections, Lineups, Injuries & More Today: Saturday Playbook
Published: Dec 28, 2024
Happy holidays to everyone as we near the end of the year! We've got a seven-game main slate on DraftKings and FanDuel for the final Saturday of 2024.
We again have a lengthy list of injuries that will impact our roster decisions up to and even through lock.
So, let's have some fun, build some winning lineups and dive into today's NBA DFS playbook!
Before actually diving into the meat and potatoes, welcome to the NBA DFS season. If this is your first time reading our column on NBA DFS picks, I just want to welcome you and give you a few tips and tricks on what you should be looking for each night.
- News outlets: reliable sources that give us injury news & starting lineups
- Pace of play: who's playing fast vs. who's playing slow. Which teams get a pace-up spot (more possessions) vs. pace-down (fewer possessions)
- Usage rates: is a percentage of how many plays that player is being used in
- NBA DFS Projections
- Lineup Generator
- NBA Ownership
NBA DFS Picks & Daily Fantasy Playbook Today, December 28th
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Pre-Lock Update
This section will be used for anything that changes from the morning until right up to roster lock.
Injury updates, players we’re higher on than we were in the morning and so much more.
The lengthy list of injury news that still needs to be sorted out includes many stars like Jalen Brunson, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, Joel Embiid, Domantas Sabonis, Anthony Davis, and LeBron James.
UPDATE 4:45 PM ET
- Giannis Antetokounmpo - OUT
- Damian Lillard and Bobby Portis added to Core Plays
- P.J. Washington and Naji Marshall - OUT (suspension)
- Dereck Lively - OUT
- Daniel Gafford is a solid value option who should be locked in for at least 25 minutes
- Spencer Dinwiddie and Quentin Grimes should have secure roles and are solid values as well
- Jusuf Nurkic - OUT (suspension)
- Mason Plumlee or Oso Ighodaro (whoever starts) becomes a solid value option
UPDATE 6:30 PM ET
- Jalen Brunson - IN
- Jordan Poole - OUT
- Boost for Malcolm Brogdon
- Josh Giddey, Matas Buzelis, Lonzo Ball - IN
- Jalen Smith - OUT
NBA Injuries, News & Updates Today, 12/28
- Jalen Brunson - Q
- Jordan Poole - Q
- Giannis Antetokounmpo - Q
- Damian Lillard - Q (expected to play)
- Josh Giddey - Q
- Matas Buzelis - Q
- Lonzo Ball - Q
- Ayo Dosunmu - D
- Devin Booker - OUT
- Aaron Gordon - OUT
- Joel Embiid - Q
- Andre Drummond - Q
- John Collins - Q
- Keyonte George - OUT
- Luka Doncic - OUT
- Domantas Sabonis - Q
- Anthony Davis - Q
- LeBron James - Q
- Rui Hachimura - Q
- Jaxson Hayes - Q
NBA DFS Slate & Game Overviews
We've got a lot of games with either lower game totals or spreads suggesting blowout for tonight's matchups. That said we do have a handful of games where we are expecting close, competitive and high scoring which is where the majority of the ownership tonight is going when building out our DFS lineups and those games are below.
New York Knicks vs. Washington Wizards
- Total: 226
- Spread: Knicks -12
Milwaukee Bucks vs. Chicago Bulls
- Total: 232.5
- Spread: Bucks -3
Phoenix Suns vs. Golden State Warriors
- Total: 219.5
- Spread: Warriors -6.5
Detroit Pistons vs. Denver Nuggets
- Total: 235
- Spread: Nuggets -5.5
Philadelphia 76ers vs. Utah Jazz
- Total: 225
- Spread: 76ers -6
Dallas Mavericks vs. Portland Trail Blazers
- Total: 222.5
- Spread: Mavericks -4.5
Sacramento Kings vs. Los Angeles Lakers
- Total: 221.5
- Spread: Lakers -1
NBA DFS Core Player Pool & Lineup Picks
Here are the core players I’m looking at for my NBA DFS picks tonight. You can see the full analysis of tonight’s NBA DFS projections and player pool below or skip ahead to building the best lineups possible by locking these into the aforementioned lineup generator now.
High
- Nikola Jokic, Anthony Davis (if active), Cade Cunningham, Damian Lillard, LeBron James (if active), Kevin Durant
Mid
- Tyrese Maxey, Kyrie Irving, Bobby Portis, Jalen Brunson (if active), Jamal Murray, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Malcolm Brogdon
Value
- Spencer Dinwiddie, Quentin Grimes, Daniel Gafford, Trayce Jackson-Davis, Miles McBride, Mason Plumlee (if starting)
Stacks
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