It’s Friday, December 12. The National Basketball Association (NBA) heads into the eighth weekend of the regular season, and we have a total of seven games on today’s NBA DFS slate. While FanDuel includes all seven games, DraftKings splits up the evening, excluding the 10 p.m. Minnesota-Golden State game on NBA TV.
We have an NBA TV doubleheader, as the Atlanta Hawks and Detroit Pistons meet at 7:00 p.m. ET, while the Timberwolves and Warriors round out the night.
Here are our top NBA DFS picks and advice for tonight’s slate.
View the best player prop bets for tonight’s slate with our NBA Prop Bet Cheat Sheet
NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer
NBA DFS Core Plays
Tyrese Maxey (PG – PHI)
- DraftKings: $10,000
- FanDuel: $10,600
You’ll have to pay a pretty penny for Tyrese Maxey, but he is worth every DFS dollar you spend. He is tied with Detroit’s Cade Cunningham ($10,800 DK) at with 54.1 Fantasy Points Per Game (FPPG), but Cunningham faces an Atlanta defense which has the 18th OPRK, while Maxey faces an Indiana defense which is 29th in OPRK.
Maxey was good for 28 points, nine assists, seven rebounds, two blocks, and two steals in 39 minutes in a 112-108 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, while knocking down five 3-pointers on eight attempts. He is averaging 27.5 points (PPG), 5.3 assists (APG), 4.5 rebounds (RPG), 3.3 3-pointers (3PT), 3.0 steals (SPG), and 1.3 blocks (BPG) in four games in the month of December.
Anthony Davis (PF – DAL)
- DraftKings: $9,500
- FanDuel: $10,400
Anthony Davis has a very favorable matchup against the Brooklyn Nets, a team which allows 117.3 PPR, while teams are hitting 49.5 percent from the field against them. Teams are also hitting 38.8 percent from behind the three-point line against Brooklyn. Both of those marks are 28th in the NBA, so Davis and his fellow teammates should put up some huge offensive totals.
After going for just two points in an absolutely disastrous game at Oklahoma City last Friday, Davis rebounded in a big way. The Brow dropped 29 points, eight rebounds, two assists, and two steals with zero turnovers on 14-of-19 shooting in a win over Houston Saturday in his most recent showing. His production can be rather erratic, but he’s a strong play when the matchup is right.
Evan Mobley (PF, C – CLE)
- DraftKings: $8,700
- FanDuel: $9,000
Mobley and the Cavaliers have an ultra-favorable game against the Washington Wizards, and you’re going to want to cobble together a nice Cleveland stack. Washington is atrocious on defense, conceding 128.3 PPR, which is dead-last in the NBA. The Wizards are also allowing 48.8 percent from the field (25th in the NBA), and 38.3 percent from behind the three-point arc, which is 27th in the league.
The 24-year-old is good for 17 or more points in each of his past three games, and he has exactly 10 rebounds in each of those games, as well. He has eight blocked shots and three steals in the three-game span, too. In his first meeting with Washington on Nov. 7 in an NBA Cup Group Play game, he posted 18 points with 10 rebounds, so expect a double-double at the minimum.
NBA DFS Cash Game Targets
Miles Bridges (PF – CHA)
- DraftKings: $7,500
- FanDuel: $8,000
There is little reason to look at most Charlotte players, but Miles Bridges is certainly an exception for DFS purposes. He is a good player on a bad team. After a couple of stinkers to open the month in Brooklyn and New York, he has bounced back with 19.5 PPG, 9.0 RPG, and 6.5 APG in the past two outings.
Bridges gets a crack at a Chicago Bulls defense coughing up 122.6 PPG, while ranking 19th in the NBA in both defensive field-goal percentage (47.5%) and 3-pointer percentage (36.7%). The last time he faced the Bulls on Nov. 28 in NBA Cup Group Play, Bridges went for 22 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, and two blocks with a three-pointer.
Cooper Flagg (SG – DAL)
- DraftKings: $7,000
- FanDuel: $7,600
Cooper Flagg and his Dallas teammates also have a very favorable matchup against the Brooklyn Nets, who allow 117.3 PPG while ranking 28th in The Association in both defensive field-goal percentage (49.5%) and 3-pointer percentage (38.8%). There is plenty of room for Flagg to not only meet his DFS salary expectations, but exceed them.
The 18-year-old has been sensational since flipping the calendar from November to December, hitting 53.4% (31-for-58) from the field, while averaging 20.3 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.3 SPG, and 1.0 BPG in four games in the month.
Nic Claxton (C – BKN)
- DraftKings: $6,900
- FanDuel: $7,300
Nic Claxton is a solid mid-tier play if you don’t want to spend a ton of salary for your center, but still want a guy with upside. The Brooklyn-Dallas game might not look like a banger on the surface, but it should provide plenty of fantasy points on both sides.
The 26-year-old Claxton, no relation to the Christmas fruitcake company in Georgia by the same name, has been consistent in December, going for at least 12 points in all four games, but no more than 14 points in any of the outings. He is averaging 9.8 RPG and 7.3 APG, and he posted a triple-double last time out against the New Orleans Pelicans, finishing with 14 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assist in 29 minutes. Claxton has two triple-doubles in the past nine outings.
NBA DFS GPP Targets
Brandon Miller (SF – CHA)
- DraftKings: $6,700
- FanDuel: $6,500
We circle back around to the Hornets. Like the Brooklyn-Dallas game, on the surface, the Chicago-Charlotte matchup doesn’t look like must-see TV, either. Still, we should have plenty of statistical production.
The Bulls have an OPRK of 26th, and Miller is averaging 27.9 FPPG. He should be able to exceed expectations in a potentially high-scoring game. In his first meeting against the Bulls, Miller poured in a season-high 27 points on 10-of-19 shooting, including five triples, also a season-best. Add in the fact he had three blocks, which, you guessed it, was also a season-best, and Miller looks awfully attractive at this low price.
Darius Garland (PG – CLE)
- DraftKings: $6,400
- FanDuel: $6,600
A player of Garland’s magnitude will not remain this cheap for long. Take advantage, especially in a matchup against Washington, the team with the 30th OPRK against opposing point guards.
Garland has missed time with his toe injury, but he is starting to ramp up. He went for 17 points, five rebounds, four assists, and two steals in 32 minutes against the Golden State Warriors on Saturday. His 3-point shooting has been a little shoddy, and he has three or more turnovers in five of the past six games, posting some minus points, but he’s too good of a bargain to pass up. In his first meeting with Washington in an NBA Cup game, he went for 20 points, nine assists, and four 3-pointers in 28 minutes on Nov. 7.
De’Andre Hunter (SF – CLE)
- DraftKings: $5,900
- FanDuel: $5,600
It’s one-stop shopping, as we’ll go for a member of the Cleveland frontcourt, too. He has been a little erratic with his scoring, and he is shooting just 37.8% (14-for-37) from the field in four games in December, so this play does come with some risk.
However, the Wizards have that 30th OPRK, and Hunter has posted 27.0 FPPG overall this season. He has two or more successful 3-pointers in six of the past nine games, and at least three rebounds in 11 straight outings. This is a bit of a leap of faith play, but it’s worth it at this price level, too.
NBA DFS Value Plays
Jaylen Wells (SF – MEM)
- DraftKings: $4,400
- FanDuel: $5,200
Wells has been tremendous in the scoring department, posting at least 13 points in each of his past seven outings. In December, Wells is averaging 17.7 PPG while hitting a very impressive 60.7% (17-for-28) from the floor, and he has two or more 3-pointers in four straight games, and six of the past seven games.
Cam Spencer (PG, SG – MEM)
- DraftKings: $4,700
- FanDuel: $5,700
Cam Spencer has been super productive lately, particularly in the past three games in December. He is averaging 16.7 PPG, 6.3 APG and 3.0 RPG in the past three outings, while hitting 50.0% (7-for-14) from behind the arc.
Spencer is also hitting 60.7% (17-for-28) from the field, while posting a total of five steals, in three outings in December. The only drawback with Spencer is his occasional high rate of turnovers, as he has four or more miscues in three of his past five outings.
Julian Phillips (SF, PF – CHI)
- DraftKings: $3,200
- FanDuel: $3,700
The Bulls have some injury issues, as swingmen Ayo Dosunmu (thumb) and Kevin Huerter (thigh) are each sidelined for Friday’s game. With Dalen Terry (calf) fresh off a calf injury, Phillips is likely to see a little more run and production, which is expected to be well in excess of his DFS salary.
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