FanDuel Daily Fantasy Basketball Picks and Helper: Friday 12/15/23

Since NBA DFS is easier to predict than baseball or football, it would likely get plenty of votes as the best sport to play on FanDuel. Basketball players usually stick to the same minutes and produce at roughly the same rate. Sounds easy, right? Trust me -- it's not!

As a result, NBA daily fantasy is highly reliant on a player's opportunity, so you'll need to ensure that you're up to date with key injuries. numberFire's projections update up until tip-off to reflect current news. numberFire also has player news updates, and the FanDuel Scout app will send push notifications for pressing updates regarding your players.

In addition to daily projections, numberFire also offers a matchup heat map and lineup optimizer to help give you an edge.

On top of all that, here at FanDuel Research, we'll come at you each day with this NBA DFS primer, which breaks down a few of the day's top plays at each position.

Let's dive into today's main slate on FanDuel.

NBA DFS Picks

Guards

Top Plays

Tyrese Haliburton ($10,900) -- We have a clear top DFS game environment tonight, and once again, the Indiana Pacers are in it. The Pacers are at the Washington Wizards in a game with a 258.5-point total and 8.5-point spread. While that spread is a little bigger than we'd like, the over/under is 16.0 points higher than any other game's. These two teams sit first and second in pace and are also both in the bottom three in defensive rating. Yes, please! The Wiz have surrendered the second-most FanDuel points per night to point guards (52.4). Tyrese Haliburton could go crazy.

Trae Young ($9,800) -- The Atlanta Hawks and Toronto Raptors gave us a fantasy-friendly game on Wednesday (135-128 win for Toronto), and they tangle again today in a clash with a 242.5-point total and 2.5-point spread. If the Pacers-Wizards game blows out, Raps-Hawks might wind up being the best spot of the day. Trae Young popped off for 63.3 FanDuel points in Wednesday's meeting, and he is capable of another big game today.

Devin Vassell ($6,100) -- Devin Vassell has been immune to the San Antonio Spurs' wonky rotations as he's logged at least 31 minutes in four straight. He'll see the Los Angeles Lakers in another rematch from Wednesday. LA has permitted the 12th-most FanDuel points per night to two-guards (42.8), and numberFire projects Vassell for 31.6 FanDuel points (5.18 per $1,000).

Others to Consider

Fred VanVleet ($7,900) -- We've got another Wednesday rematch as the Houston Rockets face the Memphis Grizzlies once more. Fred VanVleet has projected well pretty often lately but hasn't hit for a big game. It could come today. numberFire has him generating 41.0 FanDuel points (5.18 per $1,000), and Memphis has given up the fifth-most FanDuel points per game to point guards (51.9).

Dennis Schroder ($6,600) -- Several Raptors had nice outings against Atlanta on Wednesday, and Dennis Schroder was one of them, finishing with a solid 35.1 FanDuel points. Atlanta is an excellent matchup for DFS as they're third in pace and own the fourth-worst defensive rating. It's a big pace-up spot for Toronto (21st in pace). I want exposure to the Raptors, and Schroder will be one of the ways I get it.

Wings

Top Plays

LeBron James ($10,000) -- LeBron James sat on Wednesday. Assuming he's good to go today, he's in a sweet spot versus the Spurs. San Antonio is 4th in pace and 24th in defensive rating. LA and the Spurs teamed up for a 122-119 game the first time around. This one has a 234.0-point total. James projects for 48.5 FanDuel points and would get a big lift if Anthony Davis ($11,300) -- who is questionable -- sits out.

Scottie Barnes ($9,200) -- Scottie Barnes went for 48.0 FanDuel points versus Atlanta on Wednesday, and the Hawks have struggled all year to defend small forwards, allowing the seventh-most FanDuel points per night to the position (43.0). Barnes has shown elite upside of late, with games of 62.0 and 61.8 FanDuel points this month. In what should be an excellent game environment, Barnes is a top-tier play.

Kyle Kuzma ($8,300) -- Early Friday, Kyle Kuzma looks like the logical way to get Wizards exposure in the Washington-Indiana game, especially with Jordan Poole ($6,300) questionable. Kuzma can thrive in a fast-paced, open affair against a Pacers team that has allowed the sixth-most FanDuel points per night to small forwards (43.3).

Others to Consider

Jayson Tatum ($10,100) -- Between blowout risk and the Boston Celtics having so many weapons, I haven't used Celtics all that often this season. Although Jayson Tatum doesn't project super well (as of early Friday), I'm intrigued by him in a matchup with the Orlando Magic. The upstart Magic are just 6.0-point 'dogs, and I think Tatum could go completely overlooked today given the other elite game environments available to us.

Deni Avdija ($6,000) -- Deni Avdija is a modest-salaried way to get in on the Pacers-Wizards shootout. The ceiling is usually lacking, but that could change today if Poole is out. With that said, even if Poole suits up, Avdija is a player whose already solid floor gets a lift thanks to the matchup with Indiana.

Bigs

Top Plays

Joel Embiid ($12,600) -- One more Wednesday rematch. The Philadelphia 76ers are 16.0-point favorites over the Detroit Pistons. Yes, 16.0. There's obviously a lot of blowout concern with Joel Embiid tonight. We saw this play out on Wednesday as Embiid was tracking for a truly massive output but played only 31 minutes in a rout. However, he still totaled 65.7 FanDuel points in that one and can do something similar tonight. If you could guarantee me that Embiid got at least 35 minutes, he'd be my number-one priority today.

Alperen Sengun ($8,400) -- Alperen Sengun's fantasy outputs have been trending down, and he produced just 22.0 FanDuel points against these same Grizzlies on Wednesday. I hope that keeps the masses away, because Sengun has big-time upside every time out. numberFire's model projects Sengun for 41.2 FanDuel points (4.90 per $1,000), and he could rack up a few swats versus a Memphis team that has surrendered the second-most blocks per game to centers (3.16).

Pascal Siakam ($8,300) -- Pascal Siakam is my favorite piece from the Toronto-Atlanta matchup. He went for 49.9 FanDuel points in the Wednesday game, and he's played at least 33 minutes in 10 consecutive games. numberfire has him forecasted for 43.4 FanDuel points (5.23 per $1,000). My lone worry is popularity as Siakam could be chalk.

Others to Consider

Myles Turner ($7,700) -- A Haliburton-Kuzma-Myles Turner stack is a high-upside way to load up on the DFS game of the night. Turner is projecting really well, with numberFire putting him at 41.3 FanDuel points (5.36 per $1,000). He's topped 44.1 FanDuel points in two of his past three games (not counting the In-Season Tournament final), and the Wizards have been bulldozed by centers all season long, giving up the most FanDuel points per night to bigs (63.4).

Nick Richards ($5,400) -- With Mark Williams (back) doubtful, Nick Richards profiles as one of the slate's better point-per-dollar options (as of early Friday). numberFire projects him to score 31.0 FanDuel points, which comes out to 5.75 per $1,000. The matchup is legit, too, as he'll see a New Orleans Pelicans squad that has allowed the fifth-most FanDuel points per game to centers (57.6). The big negative is that Richards takes up your center slot on a night when a few bigs offer eye-catching upside.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author’s advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.