NBA DFS Picks 12/22/20 The NBA season is back and we have two fantastic games to watch as the year begins. To get you prepared for these two games, here’s your guide to the best 12/22/20 NBA DFS Value Plays on DraftKings.
NBA DFS Picks 12/22/20
Guard
Kyrie Irving, Brooklyn Nets vs. Golden State Warriors ($8,500)
Irving famously went off for 50 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and one block across 38 minutes versus the Timberwolves on Opening Night last season, and although Kevin Durant’s presence this time around will surely lead to lesser overall usage, the star point guard could still offer an excellent return on investment. Irving averaged an impressive 47.6 DK points over the 20 games he suited up for in his shortened 2019-20 campaign, eclipsing 50 DK points in nearly half of those (eight). What’s more, six of those games included hauls of over 60 DK points, including a pair of 70-plus efforts.
Both the Warriors and Nets should continue ranked in the top half of the league in pace again this season, while this game has a projected total of 232 points at PointsBet Sportsbook as of Tuesday morning. Therefore, the minutes and heavy involvement should both be there for Irving while facing a Warriors team that surrendered the second-highest offensive efficiency rating to point guards (28.8) and sixth highest (59.2) in the paint last season.
DFS Sleeper Value Play to Consider
Dennis Schroder, Los Angeles Lakers vs. Los Angeles Clippers ($5,800)
Off injury report and should play a sizable second-unit role while potentially filling in at both backcourt spots.
Forward
Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers at Los Angeles Lakers ($9,100)
There are some tough choices to make with your DK dollars at forward Tuesday, considering the presence of Anthony Davis ($10,000), Kevin Durant ($9,800) and LeBron James ($9,600) above Leonard on the salary scale. However, Kawhi could well be the best fantasy-point-per-dollar value by the time it’s all said and done, considering both his elite talent and track record against the Lakers last season. While LeBron continued to struggle against Leonard’s defense to the tune of just 36.4 percent shooting in his four games versus the intercity rivals, Kawhi drained 51.4 percent of his attempts against the Lakers, including 44.0 percent of his shots from distance.
That elite efficiency helped lead to Leonard scoring 45.8 to 62.0 DK points in three of his four games against LeBron and his teammates, and he averaged 49.4 DK points overall on the season. With another highly competitive game expected between two of the Western Conference’s elite, Leonard should enjoy a level of involvement akin to the one that saw him average an elevated 18.0 shot attempts in four games against the Lakers last season, giving him an excellent chance to enjoy a fruitful and well-rounded fantasy night.
DFS Sleeper Value Play to Consider
Luke Kennard, Los Angeles Clippers at Los Angeles Lakers ($3,600)
Could see extra minutes Tuesday as a result of Marcus Morris’ (knee) absence and carries solid multi-category fantasy upside at his salary.
Center
Montrezl Harrell, Los Angeles Lakers vs. Los Angeles Clippers ($5,300)
Harrell truly blossomed in the 2019-20 campaign with career highs in points (18.7) and rebounds (7.1), and he now gets a crack at his team of the last three seasons right out of the gate. That alone should give the high-motor Harrell some extra juice, which, when combined for his ability to contribute across the stat sheet, makes him a bargain at his current salary. Harrell should also see a benefit from the Clippers being without the feisty Marcus Morris (knee) down low for Tuesday’s season-opening contest.
Harrell figures to see the customary allotment of playing time that propelled him to particularly strong showings over the last two seasons, a pair of campaigns in which he averaged 26.3 and 27.8 minutes. The Lakers also figure to be mindful of the workload they place on 35-year-old Marc Gasol, who slots ahead of Harrell on the depth chart at center and averaged a career-low 26.4 minutes last season in Toronto. Given the opportunity he should see Tuesday and the fact Harrell offered at least a 5x return (minimum 26.5 DK points) on his current salary in 44 games last season, he makes for an excellent value-priced option.
DFS Sleeper Value Play to Consider
Marquese Chriss, Golden State Warriors at Brooklyn Nets ($4,000)
James Wiseman didn’t play in any preseason games and may come off the bench in the opener, while Chriss took a significant leap last season and delivered at least 5x return (minimum 20 DK points) on his current salary in 36 of 59 games.
Get ready for 2020-2021 NBA fantasy basketball & betting
After you finish examining our NBA Bet Picks 12/21/20 and get your 12/22/20 NBA DFS Value Plays, read our full NBA tips for DFS fantasy basketball and basketball betting.
