NBA DFS Picks for December 27
There are 10 games in the NBA on Wednesday, leaving you with plenty of players to choose from for your DFS entry. With the Cavaliers, Warriors, Thunder and Timberwolves among the teams in action, there are plenty of elite choices. With injuries abound across the league, it also means there are plenty of viable options across the price scale. Consider using some of the players below and plugging them into our NBA Lineup Optimizer to hopefully help you craft a winning entry.
POSITIONS
Point Guard
John Wall at Hawks (FD: $8,700, DK: $8,900)
Projected Points: FD: 43.52, DK: 43.43
Wall appears to be rounding into form after missing extended time with a knee injury, posting a double-double in four of his last five games. He played at least 30 minutes in all four of those games, which is an encouraging sign moving forward. His 28.2% usage rate ranks inside the top 25 in the league, so expect him to have plenty of chances to contribute against a bad Hawks defense that has allowed the seventh-most points per game (108.7) in the league.
Kris Dunn, vs. Knicks (FD: $7,900, DK: $7,200)
Projected Points: FD: 38.97, DK: 37.89
Dunn is coming off one of his best games of the season Tuesday against the Bucks when he scored 20 points to go along with two rebounds, 12 assists, four steals and two blocks in 34 minutes. This will be his second game of the season against the Knicks, the first of which he scored 17 points to go along with seven rebounds, nine assists and three steals. The Knicks allow the second-most points per game to opposing point guards on FanDuel and the third-most on DraftKings, making Dunn an excellent option Wednesday.
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Shooting Guard
Tyreke Evans, at Lakers (FD: $8,500, DK: $8,400)
Projected Points: FD: 39.38, DK: 40.18
Averaging the second-fewest points per game (97.1) in the league, the Grizzlies need all the scoring they can get from Evans. He’s been up to the task lately, averaging 22.5 points and three three-pointers over his last six games. His 27.6% usage rate is the highest of his career, which is great news for Wednesday’s game against the Lakers, who play at the fastest pace (104.3 possessions per game) in the league. Look for Evans to provide big numbers again in this game.
Jordan Clarkson, vs. Grizzlies (FD: $5,500, DK: $5,600)
Projected Points: FD: 30.8, DK: 31.81
Clarkson started and played 35 minutes Monday in place of the injured Lonzo Ball (shoulder), who will also be out Wednesday. Clarkson cashed in the opportunity, scoring 17 points to go along with six rebounds, seven assists and four steals against the Timberwolves. Not only do the Lakers play at the fastest pace in the league, but Clarkson’s 27.8% usage rate is also the highest on the team. With added minutes on tap Wednesday, Clarkson looks to be a bargain at this price.
Small Forward
Jimmy Butler, vs. Nuggets (FD: $8,900, DK: $8,000)
Projected Points: FD: 38.17, DK: 37.72
Coach Tom Thibodeau continues to count on Butler for all the playing time he can handle, giving him at least 35 minutes in all 12 games in the month of December. Butler has excelled over that stretch, averaging 26.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.2 three-pointers per game. His usage rate has increased in each month since joining the Timberwolves, peaking at 26.2% in December. It’s important to note that Butler is small forward eligible on FanDuel, but he is only shooting guard eligible on DraftKings. Regardless of position, he can provide value on both sites again Wednesday.
Harrison Barnes, at Pacers (FD: $6,300, DK: $6,600)
Projected Points: FD: 30.76, DK: 31.49
Barnes is the main offensive weapon on a bad Mavericks team, resulting in a 25.1% usage rate that ranks inside the top 45 in the league. With so little talent around him, Barnes gets plenty of playing time, logging at least 31 minutes in 12 straight games. He’s been excellent lately, averaging 21.8 points over his last five games. The Pacers score the seventh-most points per game (107.9) in the league, so the Mavericks will need all the scoring they can get from Barnes to keep this game close.
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Power Forward
Kristaps Porzingis, at Bulls (FD: $9,200, DK: $8,600)
Projected Points: FD: 42.82, DK: 42.56
Porzingis has thrived as the focal point of the Knicks’ offense this season, posting the fourth-highest usage rate (33.7%) in the league. While he’s clearly an elite scoring option, he can provide value on the defensive end as well, averaging 2.1 blocks per game. He scored 23 points to go along with four rebounds, two assists and one block earlier this month against the Bulls, but he could have put up even better numbers if he didn’t shoot 1-for-7 from behind the arc. While he won’t be cheap, Porzingis is someone you should consider for your entry Wednesday.
Kyle Kuzma, vs. Grizzlies (FD: $7,400, DK: $7,400):
Projected Points: FD: 36.93, DK: 37.78
Kuzma has played at least 40 minutes in four of the last five games since starting center Brook Lopez (ankle) was injured. He’s put up excellent numbers, averaging 27.8 points, 7.4 rebounds and 4.4 three-pointers over those five contests. His usage rate is up to 22% for the season, which is higher than starters Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball. Although his price is climbing, it’s still reasonable Wednesday based on his upside.
Center
DeMarcus Cousins, vs. Nets (FD: $11,400, DK: $11,500)
Projected Points: FD: 51.56, DK: 54.09
The Nets are a mess at center, with newly acquired Jahlil Okafor deemed not ready to play yet due to conditioning issues. Cousins will be battling with Tyler Zeller and Jarrett Allen on Wednesday, which almost doesn’t seem fair. Both the Pelicans and Nets are in the top-seven in the league in pace of play, which is great news for Cousins and his 33.8% usage rate. Don’t be afraid to spend the big bucks to get Cousins into your entry.
Enes Kanter, at Bulls (FD: $6,000, DK: $6,800)
Projected Points: FD: 31.1, DK: 32.93
Kanter dominated the Sixers on Monday, scoring 31 points and grabbing 22 rebounds. He took a whopping 21 shot attempts in the game, but a lot of that was because he grabbed a season-high 11 offensive rebounds. While it will be hard to duplicate that kind of scoring again Wednesday, Kanter does have a double-double in each of his last three games. The Bulls don’t have much size outside of Robin Lopez, so Kanter could be in for a big night on the boards again. If you can’t afford to pay up for Cousins, Kanter is an option with upside at this price.
