NBA DFS First Look & Optimal Lineup Picks Today

The Slate Starter is a daily first look at to get your daily fantasy basketball lineup-building process started before lock tonight. Each day, we will go through some of the best NBA DFS picks, top stacks and optimal lineup construction for DraftKings and FanDuel. Be sure to check Awesemo’s NBA Starting Lineups page, as it will be updated throughout the day as the NBA injury reports are released and breaking news surfaces. Let’s dive into some players who stand out as key options on Monday’s nine-game slate.

Want to see how your lineup stacked up against yesterday’s winning NBA DFS lineups on DraftKings, FanDuel and Yahoo? Check out our Optimal Lineup Review, which uses Fantasy Cruncher Rewind to analyze the winning plays from the night before.

NBA DFS Picks & Optimal Lineup Construction | Dec. 13

Reggie Jackson, PG/SG, Los Angeles Clippers

There is going to be no shortage of value on Monday’s slate. There are still a host of teams dealing with injuries or COVID-related absences, including the Clippers. They have listed Nicolas Batum as questionable and Paul George as doubtful vs. the Suns.

George’s absence would be a huge deal. He ranks fourth in the league in usage, so there should be plenty of shots available for the rest of the roster.

Jackson stands out as one of the biggest potential beneficiaries. He posted a usage rate of 35.6% without George in his last outing, and he has increased his usage rate to 31.0% with George off the court this season. He has averaged 1.04 DraftKings points per minute in that situation, despite a subpar 46.2% effective field goal percentage. If he can improve that mark moving forward, he has the potential for a massive game at his current salary. He should own one of the better value scores in our NBA Projections.

JaVale McGee, C, Phoenix Suns

On the other side of that matchup, Deandre Ayton is currently questionable for the Suns. If he is ruled out, it is going to be impossible to avoid McGee at just $4,000 on DraftKings.

McGee has historically been one of the best centers in basketball on a per-minute basis, and he has averaged 1.40 DraftKings points per minute this season. The only reason he is priced so cheap is because he rarely plays more than a handful of minutes. The Suns’ last game was an exception. Ayton and Frank Kaminsky were both sidelined, so they had no choice but to feed McGee 26.4 minutes. He responded with a whopping 48.75 DraftKings points thanks to 21 points, 15 rebounds, and two assists.

McGee would likely garner heavy ownership if Ayton is ruled out, but the late start time could help. If Ayton is a game-time decision, he will not be ruled out until after lineup lock. That could keep his ownership modest among users who do not exercise late swap.

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Duncan Robinson, SG/SF, Miami Heat

The Heat are the rare team dealing with injuries and COVID-19. Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler are currently out of the lineup with injuries, while Caleb Martin is sidelined due to health and safety protocols. Martin has become an important part of the Heat’s rotation, so they have plenty of minutes available.

Robinson stands out as one beneficiary. He saw a slight bump in playing time in their last game, finishing with 27.2 minutes, and he could have played more if the game did not turn into a blowout. Robinson was also active hunting his shot, and he racked up 33.25 DraftKings points.

Robinson will not shoot 9-for-13 from the field and 5-for-9 from 3-point range again on Monday, but he should be able to make up for it with a few additional minutes. Robinson has increased his production to 0.75 DraftKings points per minute with Butler and Adebayo off the court, so he should be able to pay off his current price tag.

Robinson could also be worth exploring in the player prop market. His usage rate of 24.1% in his last game was his third-highest mark of the season, so he carries more scoring upside than usual. Make sure to utilize the Awesemo Player Prop tool to take advantage of the most exploitable prop bets each day.

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