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The top daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on December 25, 2023. Mike Barner provides NBA DFS analysis and sleeper picks for building optimal DFS rosters.
The highly-anticipated NBA Christmas Day slate is finally here! The league is set to play five games Monday, with each of them featuring an exciting matchup. Things will start off with the Knicks hosting the Bucks, and wrap up with the Mavericks taking on the Suns.
In terms of injuries, we do have some names to monitor. One of the biggest is Jimmy Butler (calf), who is listed as questionable for the Heat.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 12/25/23. Remember to monitor NBA injury news and our awesome new NBA injuries report tool, as the slate can completely change before lineups lock at 12:00 pm EST. Good luck, RotoBallers!
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DraftKings and FanDuel Guards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Jalen Brunson, NY vs. MIL – PG ($8,400 DK; $8,300 FD)
The Knicks and Bucks just played each other Saturday. Brunson went off, scoring 36 points on 15-for-26 shooting from the field. He also chipped in three rebounds and seven assists. The Bucks have played at the fourth-fastest pace in the league, so with Brunson already being one of the Knicks’ leading scorers, he should get plenty of opportunities to stuff the stat sheet again.
Jamal Murray, DEN vs. GS – PG ($7,400 DK; $8,000 FD)
Murray took advantage of a favorable matchup against the Hornets on Saturday to record 20 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, and three steals over 33 minutes. That marked his fourth straight game with at least 20 points. Maybe even more encouraging is that it was his third straight game in which he logged at least 32 minutes. Injuries have limited him to 17 games, but he’s healthy now and is shooting a career-high 44.1 percent from behind the arc.
Grayson Allen, PHX vs. DAL – SG/SF ($5,400 DK; $5,500 FD)
Allen is currently averaging career-highs in points (12.2), rebounds (4.6), and assists (2.7) per game. Part of the reason for his success is that he has been playing a ton, logging an average of 33 minutes. With the Suns’ lack of depth, don’t expect that number to decline anytime soon. The Mavericks have played at the eighth-fastest pace and they have the eighth-worst defensive rating in the league, so Allen has the potential to provide value.
ALSO CONSIDER: Luka Doncic, DAL at PHX – PG ($11,400 DK; $12,500 FD), Brandin Podziemski, GS at DEN– PG/SG/SF ($5,500 DK; $6,200 FD)
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DraftKings and FanDuel Forwards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Kevin Durant, PHX vs. DAL – SF/PF ($9,600 DK; $10,200 FD)
Durant only scored 18 points in the Suns’ season opener against the Warriors. He has scored at least 25 points in every game since and is averaging 30.9 points for the season. He’s doing it all for the Suns, also contributing 6.2 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game. The Mavericks don’t have much size up front, so don’t expect them to be able to slow down Durant.
Dante Exum, DAL at PHX – SF/PG/SG ($5,800 DK; $7,400 FD)
Talk about an unlikely contributor. Exum had appeared in a total of just six games over the last three seasons. He wasn’t expected to have a significant role with the Mavericks this season, but injuries left the team with no choice but to play him. He has responded by averaging 18.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 0.8 steals, and 2.1 three-pointers over his last eight games. Until the Mavericks’ health situation improves, Exum should continue to play significant minutes.
Trayce Jackson-Davis, GS at DEN – PF/C ($5,300 DK; $6,100 FD)
The suspension to Draymond Green has left the Warriors in a tough spot in terms of their front court. They already didn’t have much size, so losing Green was a difficult blow. Jackson-Davis barely saw the floor earlier this season, but he has logged an average of 22 minutes over his last four games. He didn’t disappoint, averaging 11.8 points, 10.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.3 blocks during that span. They’ll need his size against the Nuggets, so if he can avoid foul trouble, he could spend a lot of time on the floor.
ALSO CONSIDER: Tim Hardaway Jr., DAL at PHX – SF/SG ($6,500 DK; $6,500 FD), Jonathan Kuminga, GS at DEN – SF/PF ($5,600 DK; $5,400 FD)
DraftKings and FanDuel Centers - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Nikola Jokic, DEN vs. GS – C ($10,900 DK; $12,200 FD)
After a recent cold streak that saw Jokic average just 18.9 points over seven games, he enters this matchup with back-to-back performances in which he scored at least 31 points. The last time he took on the Warriors, he produced 35 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, and three steals. With their size issues up front, Jokic could feast in their rematch.
Isaiah Hartenstein, NY vs. MIL – C ($5,800 DK; $6,200 FD)
Hartenstein has a clear path to a lot of playing time with Mitchell Robinson (ankle) and Jericho Sims (ankle) out. Over the last eight games, he has averaged 8.1 points, 11.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.8 blocks. He has also logged at least 30 minutes in five straight games. That trend should continue in this matchup.
Bobby Portis, MIL at NY – C ($5,400 DK; $5,700 FD)
The Bucks’ bench scored 39 points in their win over the Knicks on Saturday. Portis scored 23 of those points. He also grabbed 11 rebounds over his 27 minutes. Despite playing just 24 minutes per game this season, he has averaged 12.9 points and 6.9 rebounds. The Bucks don’t have a lot of quality scoring options among their second unit, so Portis should continue to be the leader of the group.
ALSO CONSIDER: Anthony Davis, LAL vs. BOS – C/PF ($10,100 DK; $11,200 FD)
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