DraftKings and FanDuel Daily Fantasy Basketball Picks (12/19/22): NBA DFS Lineups

December 19, 2022

NBA DFS sleepers and values plays for DraftKings and FanDuel on December 19, 2022. Juan Carlos Blanco gives you his top NBA DFS picks and lineup targets.

We have a solid nine-game NBA slate on tap Monday night, offering us a robust player pool to work with across the salary spectrum.

There are some very good options in favorable matchups across each price point on the salary cap at each position, setting up what should be a fun night of lineup construction for both cash games and tournaments.

This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 12/19/22. Remember to monitor the NBA injury report as the slate can completely change before lineups lock, which is at 7:00 pm ET tonight. Good luck, RotoBallers.

DraftKings and FanDuel Guards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks

Damian Lillard - PG, POR at OKC ($10,700 DK; $10,000 FD)    

Lillard has been stellar since returning from his latest multi-game absence due to a calf injury, and he also could take the floor without Jerami Grant (back), who's listed as questionable. Lillard is shooting 50 percent, including 47.5 percent from three-point range, over his last six games while averaging 52.9 DK/48.9 FD points per contest in that span. Lillard also sports a 35.7 percent usage rate and averages over 52 DK points per 36 minutes with Grant off the floor, and he's facing a Thunder team that's allowed over 52 DK and over 50 FD points per game to PGs in the last seven contests.

James Harden - PG/SG, PHI vs. TOR ($9,900 DK; $10,400 FD) 

Harden is averaging a well-rounded 23.2 points, 11.8 assists, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.8 steals while shooting 42.9 percent from three-point range over his first five games since returning from a foot injury. The Beard has averaged over 50 DK points and over 49 FD points per game in that span as well, and he's now facing a Raptors team that's allowed 36.2 percent three-point shooting, as well as 38.8 percent over their last three contests overall. Toronto is also giving up the 12th-highest offensive efficiency rating to shooting guards (22.7), as well as the seventh-most made threes per game to the position (3.3)

Tre Jones - PG/SG, SAS at HOU ($6,700 DK; $6,300 FD)

Jones scored 38.3 DK/37.1 FD points against the Rockets in his one prior encounter with them, and Houston comes into Monday's matchup allowing an NBA-high 58.4 DK/56.3 FD points per game to point guards. Jones' erratic shooting has led to some inconsistent fantasy production lately, but he's still averaging over 30 fantasy points per game on either site over his last 10 games.

Despite some struggles from distance, he's shot 47.4 percent over that span, and the Rockets come in allowing the third-highest offensive efficiency rating to point guards (29.4) along with the 10th-most assists per game (25.7).

ALSO CONSIDER: Luka Doncic - PG, DAL at MIN ($12,500 DK; $11,900 FD)

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DraftKings and FanDuel Forwards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks

Scottie Barnes - SF/PG, TOR at PHI ($7,500 DK; $8,000 FD)

Barnes has averaged 32.3 DK/30.6 FD points per game in his first two meetings versus the 76ers this season, and he'll take the floor Monday night without O.G. Anunoby (hip). Barnes boasts a 22.6 percent usage rate while averaging 35.9 DK/35.2 FD points per 36 minutes with his teammate off the floor, and despite a couple of clunkers in his last seven games, he's still shooting 51.1 percent over that span.

Philly is also surrendering the ninth-highest offensive efficiency rating (27.0) and 48.7 percent shooting to power forwards on the season, along with the second-most rebounds (11.2) and fourth-most assists (4.2) per contest to the position.

Evan Mobley - PF/C, CLE vs. UTA ($6,900 DK; $7,400 FD)

Mobley has scored over 30 DK and FD points in 12 consecutive games, giving him an excellent recent floor for his very reasonable mid-range salaries. The big man is putting up an impressive 16.1 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.3 blocks per contest in that span while shooting 58.9 percent, including a respectable 35.0 percent from three-point range.

Mobley's matchup makes him all the more appealing, as the Jazz are allowing an NBA-high 54.1 DK and a Western Conference-high 52.3 FD points per game to power forwards in the last seven. Utah is also surrendering an NBA-high 55.9 points in the paint per game, an area of the floor where 71.2 percent of Mobley's points emanate from this season.

Moritz Wagner - PF/C, ORL at ATL ($5,700 DK; $5,800 FD) 

Wager has been often outperforming his current salaries over the last nine games, eight in which he's drawn starts. Wagner is averaging 14.2 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in that span while shooting 55.2 percent, as well as 88.5 percent from the free-throw line. The big man has eclipsed 40 fantasy points on each site twice apiece during that sample, and Wagner draws a matchup that could facilitate another strong showing.

The Hawks have already allowed 71.4 percent shooting to Wagner in two prior encounters, including 50.0 percent from three-point range. Wagner has averaged over 27 fantasy points per game on either site in that pair of contests, and the Hawks are giving up the third-highest offensive efficiency rating to centers (34.5). Atlanta is also conceding over 53 fantasy points per game to centers on either site, furthering Wagner's case.

ALSO CONSIDER: Zion Williamson - PF, NOP vs. MIL ($10,200 DK, $10,100 FD)

DraftKings and FanDuel Centers - NBA DFS Lineup Picks

Domantas Sabonis - SAC vs. CHA ($9,600 DK; $9,200 FD)

Sabonis draws what is arguably the most appealing matchup in the league for centers, with the Hornets having just allowed a 40-point, 27-rebound, 10-assist triple-double to Nikola Jokic on Sunday night. Charlotte is also giving up an NBA-high 35.3 offensive efficiency rating to centers, along with over 60 fantasy points per game to the position on either site. The Hornets are also surrendering the third-most points in the paint per road game (54.1), making it a great matchup down low all the way around.

Sabonis also comes into the contest running very hot, as he's averaged 20.3 points, 13.4 rebounds, and 6.5 assists while shooting 73.2 percent over his last eight games. The big man has comfortably eclipsed 50 DK points on five occasions during that span as well, an outstanding ceiling at his high-four-figure salaries in such an inviting matchup.

Alperen Sengun - HOU vs. SAS ($6,000 DK; $6,300 FD) 

Sengun is in an advantageous spot in his own right, as he's already put up 32.8 DK/29.2 FD points across 28 minutes in one prior game against the Spurs this season. San Antonio also checks into Monday's contest allowing a Western Conference-high 35.1 offensive efficiency rating to centers, along with 55 fantasy points per game to the position on either site.

The Spurs are also allowing the third-most points in the paint per game (54.4), while Sengun is scoring over 75 percent of his points in that part of the floor this season. Then, he's also generated four double-doubles in his last 11 contests alone, and considering San Antonio also allows the fourth-most rebounds per game to centers (15.0), he would seem to have a solid chance of accomplishing the feat again Monday.

Thomas Bryant - LAL at PHX ($4,200 DK; $5,800 FD) 

Bryant is set for an extended run as the starting center with Anthony Davis (foot) out for up to a month, and he's already produced over 30 DK points and 34.7/29 FD points over his first two games in that role. The big man has demonstrated an ability to generate solid numbers in previous starting stints with the Wizards, and he also recently had a two-game stretch (December 6 and 7) where he averaged 17.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.0 steal, and 1.0 block while shooting 64.7 percent.

The Suns have yielded over 54 DK and over 52 FD points per game to centers on the season, and Phoenix could once again be without Deandre Ayton  (ankle) down low Monday. It's also worth noting Phoenix is a lot more susceptible to allowing blocks without Ayton patrolling the paint, as the Suns are surrendering 5.7 blocks per contest in the last three, compared to just 4.2 per game for the season.

ALSO CONSIDER: Jarrett Allen, CLE vs. UTA ($6,500 DK; $7,400 FD)

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