NBA Fantasy Projections & Optimizer Picks for DraftKings & FanDuel 12/14

Tuesday delivers a three-game slate, and even with only six teams competing, NBA fantasy lineups on DraftKings and FanDuel will be flush with high-level talent and value plays. The Awesemo NBA Starting Lineups page will provide breaking news when starters are announced as well as a full injury report on players who might be missing in action. Below are some NBA daily fantasy options that stand out for tonight’s slate using Awesemo’s Boom/Bust Tool and NBA DFS projections.

NBA Fantasy Projections & Optimal Lineup Picks Tonight

Boom: Damian Lillard: $9,700 DraftKings/$8,700 FanDuel

10.9% DraftKings Boom/22.5% FanDuel Boom

Lillard (abdominal) returned from a five-game absence Sunday and was not limited in anyway, finishing with 47.25 DraftKings points across 36.6 minutes against the Timberwolves. C.J. McCollum (lung) missed this game and will remain sidelined for Tuesday’s meeting against the Suns. Since the start of last season, Lillard has scored 1.4 DraftKings points per minute with McCollum off the floor, thanks to his usage and assist rates rising 3.6 and 3.3 percentage points, respectively. Furthermore, in the 25 games McCollum has missed over the last two seasons, Lillard has contributed 52.6 DraftKings points per game.

Phoenix ranks second in defensive efficiency, but they also are sixth in pace and are playing their second game in two nights. This matchup boasts the highest total on the slate (219.5 points) and also presents the smallest spread, with the Suns only favored by 1.5 points. Lillard is vastly underpriced for his upside tonight and is an excellent high-end spend on both sites.

With all of the late-breaking injury updates and news, check out Adam Scherer and Greg Ehrenberg as they break down the NBA DFS Injury Report Today, with all of the information you need regarding Kevin Durant, the rest of the Nets and the Knicks.

Boom: Derrick Rose: $5,000 DraftKings/$6,200 FanDuel

43.1% DraftKings Boom/26% FanDuel Boom

With the Knicks depleted Sunday, Rose got the spot start at point and recorded 37 DraftKings points in 36.3 minutes against the Bucks. Tonight both R.J. Barrett and Obi Toppin will remain inactive for the second straight game due to health protocols, and while the Knicks will get Alec Burks (personal) back, rookie Quentin Grimes, who started and logged 39.3 minutes Sunday, has also been ruled out due to health protocols. The Knicks should once again use a tight eight-man rotation like they used Sunday, with Rose playing big minutes as the team’s starting point guard. This season Rose is producing one DraftKings points per minute and has a 23.1% usage rate and a team-high 26.4% assist percentage. Awesemo is projecting Rose for 32.5 minutes tonight against the Warriors, and in the nine games he has logged at least 25 minutes this season, he has averaged 34.3 DraftKings points per game.

While Golden State leads the league in defensive efficiency, they rank eighth in pace, compared to the Knicks, who are 25th. Combine his large role with this uptempo matchup, and Rose is a no-brainer for this short slate.

Boom: Nicholas Claxton: $3,100 DraftKings/$4,400 FanDuel

46.1% DraftKings Boom/25.5% FanDuel Boom

Due to health protocols, the Nets will be without LaMarcus Aldridge, Jevon Carter, Deandre Bembry, Paul Millsap and James Johnson. Plus, Kevin Durant (ankle) is questionable. Brooklyn is only going to have nine to 10 available players tonight against the Raptors, and Claxton should start at center and receive a large role with his club so short-handed. Since the start of last season, Claxton has generated 0.92 DraftKings points per minute and 22.2 DraftKings points per game for the 18 occasions he has eclipsed 20 minutes.

Despite their crowded injury report, the Nets have the second-highest implied team total on the slate (110 points). Claxton is a strong option on both sites, but at a near-minimum $3,100 on DraftKings, he is a core play for this three-game slate. On top of a slate-leading boom score, Claxton is rating as the No. 1 value on DraftKings tonight, according to Awesemo’s projections.

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Boom: Chris Boucher: $4,800 DraftKings/$5,100 FanDuel

31.6% DraftKings Boom/35.8% FanDuel Boom

Boucher is an excellent cheap target with Precious Achiuwa (health protocols) unavailable. With Achiuwa missing the last three games, Boucher has started and provided 25.2 DraftKings points in 24 minutes per game with a 23.7% usage rate. He is averaging 1.03 DraftKings points per minute and 28 DraftKings points per game when he has received a minimum of 20 minutes this season.

Facing the shorthanded Nets, Boucher has much better upside than his low salaries suggest. According to Awesemo’s Boom Bust Tool, Boucher’s ceiling is over 30 fantasy points tonight and he possesses a top-three Boom score on the slate for both DraftKings and FanDuel.

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