NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Monday, December 18

NBA DFS Picks: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Monday, December 18

This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.

Slate Overview

HOU at CLE: Rockets 2-9 on road; Cavaliers 7-6 at home

LAC at IND: Clippers on seven-game win streak; Pacers have dropped three in a row 

CHI at PHI: Bulls 3-10 on road; 76ers on six-game win streak 

DET at ATL: Pistons on 23-game losing streak; Hawks 3-7 at home

MIN at MIA: Timberwolves have won two in a row; Heat 7-5 at home

CHA at TOR: Hornets on four-game losing streak; Raptors 3-7 in last 10 games. 

MEM at OKC: Grizzlies on four-game slide; Thunder 8-4 at home

DAL at DEN: Mavs 9-4 on road; Nuggets 10-2 at home

BKN at UTA: Nets on two-game slide; Jazz 7-5 at home

WAS at SAC: Wizards 2-13 on road; Kings 9-3 at home

NYK at LAL: Lakers 10-2 at home

For the latest spreads and over/unders, visit RotoWire's NBA Odds page. There you can also find player props, futures, picks, articles and sportsbook bonus codes.

Injuries to Monitor  

For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report       

HOU - Amen Thompson (illness): OUT 
Tari Eason could pick up additional minutes.  

CLE - Darius Garland (jaw), Evan Mobley (knee): OUT
Caris LeVert must step up in place of Garland. Dean Wade is expected to start in place of Mobley. Georges Niang should also see a boost.   

LAC - Bones Hyland (knee) Questionable
Norman Powell could be up for more opportunity. 

IND - Tyrese Haliburton (knee): Questionable; Andrew Nembhard (knee), Jalen Smith (heel): OUT
Bennedict Mathurin and Obi Toppin remain in line for bigger roles. T.J. McConnell could be up for a major boost if Haliburton is out.  

CHI - Alex Caruso (ankle): Questionable; Torrey Craig (heel): Doubtful; Zach LaVine (foot): OUT
Ayo Dosunmu is expected to start. Jevon Carter could also pick up more responsibility.  

PHI - Joel Embiid (hamstring): Questionable
Paul Reed could be up for a bigger role.

DET - Isaiah Stewart (shoulder), Jalen Duren (ankle): OUT
Ausar Thompson, Marvin Bagley and Isaiah Livers are up for extra opportunity.  

ATL - Bogdan Bogdanovic (ankle), De'Andre Hunter (knee), Clint Capela (knee): Questionable; Jalen Johnson (wrist): OUT
Saddiq Bey and Onyeka Okongwu are up for more responsibility.      

MIN - Anthony Edwards (hip), Jaden McDaniels (back): Questionable
Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Kyle Anderson remain in line to step up.   

MIA - Kyle Lowry (undisclosed): OUT
Caleb Martin and Josh Richardson could get more opportunities.  

CHA - Terry Rozier (thumb): Probable; Miles Bridges (not injury related), Gordon Hayward (illness), P.J. Washington (shoulder): Questionable; Mark Williams (back): Doubtful; LaMelo Ball (ankle): OUT
Nick Richards would be up for the start in place of Williams. Brandon Miller and Ish Smith continue to get a boost, while JT Thor could also see more action if Washington is out.   

MEM - Bismack Biyombo (back): Doubtful; Luke Kennard (knee), Derrick Rose (hamstring), Marcus Smart (foot): OUT
Jacob Gilyard, Vince Williams, Xavier Tillman and David Roddy are expected to start alongside Desmond Bane. Jaylen Nowell and John Konchar could also get a boost.

DAL - Maxi Kleber (toe), Josh Green (elbow), Kyrie Irving (heel), Dereck Lively (ankle): OUT
Dante Exum could pick up more playing time. Jaden Hardy and Dwight Powell are also up for more responsibility.   

DEN - Aaron Gordon (heel), Jamal Murray (ankle): Probable; Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (concussion): OUT
Christian Braun and Peyton Watson should pick up more action.    

BKN - Dennis Smith (back), Lonnie Walker (hamstring), Ben Simmons (back): OUT
Cam Thomas and Royce O'Neale remain up for more playing time.       

UTA - John Collins (illness): Questionable; Jordan Clarkson (thigh), Keyonte George (foot), Omer Yurtseven (illness): OUT
Kelly Olynyk is line to pick up more playing time in the frontcourt. Collin Sexton and Talen Horton-Tucker have to step up in place of Clarkson and George.   

SAC - De'Aaron Fox (shoulder): Questionable
Davion Mitchell and Keon Ellis may have to step up.  

NYK - Mitchell Robinson (ankle): OUT
Jericho Sims is expected to start in place of Robinson. Isaiah Hartenstein should also get more responsibility.   

LAL - D'Angelo Russell (head), Jarred Vanderbilt (back): Probable; Anthony Davis (hip), LeBron James (calf), Christian Wood (illness): Questionable 
Rui Hachimura would be first up for a boost. 

Elite Players

Guards

James Harden, Clippers ($8,500) at Pacers  

Harden is coming off back-to-back double-doubles with points and assists, and he has averaged 18.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 8.6 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.0 blocks over the last 10 games while helping lead the Clippers to seven straight wins. Harden should thrive against the Pacers, who are giving up the league's sixth-highest field-goal percentage to opposing point guards, and he could also be up for a favorable matchup if Tyrese Haliburton remains sidelined. 

Dejounte Murray, Hawks ($8,700) vs. Pistons 

Murray continues to make an impact across the stat sheet, averaging 19.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and 6.4 assists over the last five games, including a high of 41.3 DK points. He has a great chance to keep delivering with a favorable matchup against the Pistons, who are giving up the league's sixth-most points and second-most turnovers per game.  

Forwards/Centers

Kawhi Leonard, Clippers ($8,600) at Pacers 

Leonard is on a roll, averaging 33.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.4 steals over the last five games, including three with more than 55 DK points and a high of 58.8. He has a great opportunity to keep the momentum going against the Pacers, who give up 126.0 points per game, which is second-most in the NBA. 

Pascal Siakam, Raptors ($8,500) vs. Hornets 

Siakam has averaged 21.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.1 steals over the last 10 games, including two with more than 45 DK points and a high of 53.8. He has a good chance to shine against the Hornets, who give up the league's third-most points per game to opposing power forwards, and who are dealing with a handful of injuries in the frontcourt. 

Domantas Sabonis, Kings ($9,800) vs. Wizards 

Sabonis continues to deliver dominant play in the interior, averaging 16.1 points, 12.1 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 1.2 steals over the last 10 games, including seven with more than 40 DK points and a high of 67.3. He also faces a great chance to stand out against the Wizards, who give up the league's most points and rebounds to opposing centers. 

Expected Chalk 

Nikola Jokic, Nuggets ($11,700) vs. Mavericks 

Jokic topped 50 DK points in four of the last five games, including a high of 65.8 over that span. He is averaging 27.0 points, 12.5 rebounds, 9.5 assists and 1.2 steals on the season, and he also totaled 68.5 DK points in his previous encounter with Dallas. Jokic has another great chance to excel against the Mavericks, who are giving up the league's sixth-most points per game to opposing centers, and who are shorthanded in the frontcourt. 

Mid-Range Money 

Mike Conley, Timberwolves ($6,200) at Heat 

Conley continues to deliver solid numbers from the point, averaging 12.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, 7.4 assists and 1.0 steals over the last 10 games, including five with more than 30 DK points. He should have an opportunity to keep up the strong play against the Heat, who are shorthanded in the backcourt.

Caris LeVert, Cavaliers ($6,600) vs. Rockets 

LeVert has looked good, averaging 17.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.0 blocks over three appearances since returning from a four-game absence. He should also have an extended role in the absence of Darius Garland, and he should find opportunities to pad his stats against the Rockets, who give up the league's most rebounds per game to opposing shooting guards.  

Value Picks

Josh Richardson, Heat ($4,700) vs. Timberwolves 

Richardson totaled 14 DK points in Saturday's win over Chicago, which marked his return from a two-game absence. He is likely to pick up extra responsibility in the absence of Kyle Lowry, and Richardson is averaging 10.6 points, 2.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists in games where he plays at least 20 minutes. 

David Roddy, Grizzlies ($4,900) at Thunder 

Roddy continues to carry significant responsibility for the shorthanded Grizzlies, and despite coming off the bench in the last game, he extended his streak to three consecutive games with at least 20 DK points. Roddy should continue to find room to make his mark against the Thunder, who give up the league's second-most rebounds per game.

Dwight Powell, Mavericks ($4,200) at Nuggets

Powell totaled 14.3 DK points in Saturday's win over the Trail Blazers and remains in line for an extended role in the absence of Dereck Lively. Powell faces a tough matchup against the Nuggets' frontcourt, but he is averaging 5.9 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists in games where he played at least 15 minutes this season. 

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Dan Bruno plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: duelingdan.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dan Bruno
Dan has been writing all things NBA for RotoWire since 2014. He is an active fantasy sports player, with a love for DFS. Dan is a certified Coach with the Ontario Basketball Association and is a recreation professional in his home city.
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