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Get winning NBA DFS lineup picks and player projections for tonight's games on DraftKings and FanDuel. Jamie's expert analysis helps you build optimal daily fantasy basketball lineups for December 23rd, 2025.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, RotoBallers! I hope Santa (and the staff at RotoBaller) can help bring you a little extra holiday cash tonight, as the NBA features a rockin' slate with 11 games (13 on FanDuel). Don't forget, there are tons of satellites on both sites for you to try and win big tickets for the Christmas Day slate, which should be jumping as well.
Today is a big day to watch for injuries, as teams could be able to help their players grab a little extra rest before some days off. The Knicks have already ruled out Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby, while big names such as Victor Wembanyama and Donovan Mitchell are carrying the dreaded questionable tags.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 12/23/25. Remember to monitor NBA injury news and our awesome NBA injuries report tool, as the slate can completely change before lineups lock at 7:00 p.m. EST on FanDuel and DraftKings. To keep up with all the latest developments and get access to updated projections, grab an NBA season pass and also gain access to our RotoBaller Premium Discord, where our experts are talking about the slate up until lineups lock!
NBA DFS Core Picks
Jalen Johnson, ATL - PF on DK ($9,700), SF/PF on FD ($10,800)
Hawks fans and DFS players alike were wondering if Trae Young's return was going to mean the end of Jalen Johnson's insane run, but it just hasn't happened. A shoo-in for Most Improved Player at this time, Johnson continues to post massive lines on an almost nightly basis. Dyson Daniels has been ruled out as well, which should boost Johnson's rates across the board.
JALEN JOHNSON OVER THE LAST NINE GAMES:
27.6 PPG
12.3 RPG
10.0 APG
49.1% FG
38.8% 3P
37.1 MPGCRAZY NUMBERS https://t.co/WK56ZDjJs8 pic.twitter.com/6NW1wyIlPj
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) December 21, 2025
Johnson has an elite 27% usage rate, 17% rebound rate, and 34% assist rate this season, and he's led the NBA in drives per game since Young's injury occurred. The Hawks are taking on the Bulls again, and these two teams combined for 302 points in a pace-up game. The Bulls are 25th in defensive efficiency, and Johnson had 64.8 DK points against them last game (with Trae also having a ceiling game).
Karl-Anthony Towns, NYK - PF/C ($8,500 DK/$8,700 FD)
Karl-Anthony Towns will lead the Knicks into Minnesota for a revenge game against the Timberwolves. It's not the greatest matchup in the world, as Minnesota has allowed the 10th-fewest FPPG to centers and ranks 13th in rebounding rate. However, Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby have been ruled out, which is going to render Towns far too cheap for his upside.
With those two off the court, Towns has a 30.9% usage rate and 16.1% rebound rate, and he already has a 71.5 DK game under his belt this year with Brunson out of the lineup. The Knicks are second in the NBA in offensive efficiency, and the $8,500 price tag for Towns is a complete misprice.
NBA DFS GPP Pivots
LeBron James, LAL - PF on DK ($9,500), SF/PF on FD ($9,000)
Luka Doncic is such a smash play for the Lakers that the requisite options aren't getting as much play when he's in. Doncic left the last game with a leg contusion and is a true game-time decision against Phoenix. The uncertainty is keeping LeBron James' ownership down, and King James is a high-enough usage play that he's fine to utilize even if Doncic plays.
The Lakers rank sixth in offensive efficiency, and LeBron has a shade under a 43% assist rate when Luka sits. He took 28 shots last game after Doncic left, and would have an insane role with Austin Reaves already out of the lineup.
UPDATE: Luka Doncic has been ruled OUT for this contest, but Austin Reaves has now been upgraded to questionable. Reaves being out would likely make James the chalkiest player on the slate and a cash must, but it doesn't change my approach to go heavy in GPP regardless of Reaves' status.
UPDATE #2: Austin Reaves is now expected to play. LeBron James is back in "GPP only" territory, as is Reaves himself.
Kevin Porter Jr., MIL - PG on DK ($8,700), PG/SG on FD ($8,900)
The thought of paying $8,700 for Kevin Porter Jr. is a bit nauseating, especially when he's more than the likes of Jamal Murray, Scottie Barnes, and Towns. However, it's a warranted price tag given the fact that Porter has taken on an immense rate boost. He's a nightly triple-double threat with Giannis Antetokounmpo off the court.
In six games without Giannis, Porter has a 26.7% usage rate and has four games with either double-digit rebounds or double-digit assists. Indiana has allowed the fifth-most FPPG to opposing guards and has been slipping in the half-court defense over the last five games.
NBA DFS Value Picks
Nikola Vucevic, CHI - C ($6,300 DK/$6,600 FD)
Zach Collins has started to get more and more minutes for the Bulls, which has capped Nikola Vucevic's upside. However, the market has overcorrected for this. Vuc is still a good bet for 30 minutes, and his price tag of $6,300 is just too cheap. Vuc's game logs over the last three have been 34.2, 53.8, and 43.8 while averaging 30.6 MPG.
He wasn't able to grab a ceiling game in his recent matchup against the Hawks, but the matchup remains excellent. Atlanta has given up the 10th-most FPPG to opposing centers while ranking 27th in rebounding rate. The double-double bonus and the ability to play two centers on DraftKings make Vucevic especially valuable.
Mitchell Robinson, NYK - C ($4,500 DK/$4,400 FD)
Mitchell Robinson has made ten straight free throws! If you ask me, they should hang a banner of that in Madison Square Garden instead of the NBA Cup. Over the past three games, Robinson has averaged 11.3 PPG and 12.7 RPG with an increasing minutes floor in every game.
The absence of Brunson and Anunoby should stabilize Robinson's minutes in the low- to mid-20s, especially against a Timberwolves team that plays big most of the time.
Tyler Kolek, NYK - PG ($3,800 DK/$4,100 FD)
Tyler Kolek season is upon us! The Marquette product burst onto the scene in the NBA Cup semifinals and finals with impact games, and he seems to have earned more playing time going forward (it will be interesting to see how it shakes out when McBride returns.
Two absolute sickos going at it in 1v1
Look up gym rats and you will see a picture of Tyler Kolek and Ty Jerome
— Hoop Herald (@TheHoopHerald) December 19, 2025
For the short term, we get to see a full game from Kolek, where he should start and play a ton with McBride, Brunson, Anunoby, and Landry Shamet all out. Kolek has gained a 7.5% usage rate when those guys sit, and his assist rate balloons all the way up to an elite 40%. He's a cash lock at his price tags.
Branden Carlson, OKC - C ($3,000 DK/$3,700 FD)
Braden Carlson is an intriguing value if Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein continue to sit. He's minimum priced on DraftKings and only a shade above the minimum on FanDuel, which opens up a ton of salary for stud players. Carlson started last night and played 24 minutes. While his box score wasn't overwhelming, it doesn't have to do much to pay off that price tag.
In limited minutes, Carlson is averaging 0.97 FPPM, and the Spurs are a totally different team without Wembanyama patrolling the paint (the Spurs' big man is on the doubtful side of questionable tonight for injury maintenance). If Carlson starts again, he should be good chalk.
UPDATE: Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein are both off the injury report. Carlson is no longer a viable option in any format.
Today's Top Game Stacks
Bulls at Hawks (252.5 O/U)
Pelicans at Cavaliers (244.5 O/U)
Wizards at Hornets (234.5 O/U)
My Favorite NBA DFS Picks for Today
Here is where I leave you with some of my favorites.
- My favorite OVERALL play on the slate: Jalen Johnson
- My favorite CASH play on the slate: Karl-Anthony Towns
- My favorite GPP play on the slate: LeBron James
- My favorite VALUE play: Tyler Kolek
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