X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

DraftKings, FanDuel Daily Fantasy Basketball Picks (12/23/23): Today's Top NBA DFS Lineups

Nikola Jokic - NBA DFS Lineup Picks, Betting Picks, Daily Fantasy Basketball

The top daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on December 23, 2023. Kyle Ringstad provides NBA DFS analysis and sleeper picks for building optimal DFS rosters.

It's a beautiful Saturday and we have a monster 11-game NBA slate on tap before the Christmas slates get underway. The Magic-Pacers, Spurs-Mavericks, and Grizzlies-Hawks games all profile as top contests to target in daily fantasy, but there are plenty of great spots to pick and choose your plays.

As always, injuries are a key factor here and we will need to monitor for news and make adjustments as we learn more. The key players to monitor are Luka Doncic, Anthony Davis, Tyrese Haliburton, LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, Zion Williamson, Jordan Clarkson, Talen Horton-Tucker, Keldon Johnson, Jalen Duren, and Dante Exum.

This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 12/23/23. Remember to monitor NBA injury news and our awesome new NBA injuries report tool, as the slate can completely change before lineups lock at 7:00 pm EST.

Featured Promo: Get any DFS Premium Bundle for for 30% off using code NEW! Win more with expert advice from proven winners and exclusive DFS tools. Get instant access to RotoBaller's Lineup Optimizers, Research Stations, daily picks and VIP chat rooms across 10 sports! Go Premium, Win More!

I start my process with a "K-Grade" model shown below, which I've been fine-tuning for about three years. This model takes real metrics like the implied total, fantasy points per game allowed, defensive ratings, offensive ratings, and projected pace, and applies them to a model with weights. It should be used as a directional guide for the slate and I've had plenty of success with it, but stick to your process and DFS best practices. For example, a player on a team with a "D" K-Grade could easily be the top value on the slate due to a significant uptick in minutes and usage rate.

DraftKings and FanDuel Guards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks

Luka Doncic, DAL vs. SAS – PG ($11,700 DK; $12,500 FD)

Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks are in the premier spot of the night, so we should probably be playing the star point guard in daily fantasy lineups. The matchup and game environment can't get much better - the Magic-Pacers contest holds a slightly higher total and faster-projected pace, but the Mavericks-Spurs showdown features the two defenses that allow the most combined fantasy points per game on the slate. The Spurs allow the third-most fantasy points per game to opposing teams and the fifth-most fantasy points per game to point guards, specifically. As long as Doncic plays and Kyrie Irving remains out, this is as guaranteed a "smash spot" as you'll see all month.

Craig Porter Jr., CLE v. CHI - PG ($5,700 DK; $5,400 FD)

Someone has to play guard for the Cavaliers, right? Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, and Ty Jerome are all out tonight, leaving Caris LeVert, Max Strus, Craig Porter Jr., and a questionable Sam Merill as the group of guards left on the roster. LeVert and Strus are expensive, so Porter Jr. is the call here. He holds the highest DK point differential with Mitchell, Garland, Jerome, and Evan Mobley off the floor, as they will be tonight. The game environment is poor, but we have to find value somewhere and Porter Jr. is lined up to provide it tonight.

Others to consider: Trae Young, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Anfernee Simons, Ja Morant

 

Want more NBA DFS tools and content? Check out our premium daily content from proven winner Will Priester! 

Grab an NBA season pass and get access to our daily projections, optimizer, and Will's personal picks and advice. Use promo code BARNER at checkout to save 10%

 

DraftKings and FanDuel Forwards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks

Derrick Jones Jr., DAL vs. SAS - SF ($5,900 DK, $5,800 FD)

There's a lot of uncertainty about the Mavericks' roster for tonight's game, with Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Dante Exum, Dereck Lively II, and Josh Green all questionable to play. Derrick Jones Jr. doesn't have a designation, though, and I want any under-rostered pieces of this Dallas team that I can reasonably get to. Jones Jr. has had some great games when thrust into additional minutes this season. He's volatile, but we have to embrace volatility in daily fantasy if we want a shot at binking a tournament. Keep an eye on the news and adjust accordingly.

Jalen Williams, OKC vs. LAL, SF/PF ($6,400 DK, $6,700 FD)

Jalen Williams is one of the biggest beneficiaries of Josh Giddey being out of the lineup. The young forward gets a 4.4% usage rate bump and 4-point DK points per game increase with Giddey off the floor this season - only Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sees higher increases in the split. Williams should also benefit from playing the Lakers, a team that's allowing the eighth-most fantasy points per game to opposing teams over their last seven games.

Others to consider: Scottie Barnes, Desmond Bane, Paolo Banchero, Pascal Siakam, Mikal Bridges, Dante Exum

 

DraftKings and FanDuel Centers - NBA DFS Lineup Picks

Nikola Jokic, DEN vs. CHA - C ($11,300 DK; $12,200 FD)

There are a ton of star players to consider anchoring lineups with at the top tonight, but none of them look better than Nikola Jokic (at least on DraftKings). Jokic's salary dropped considerably following a few uncharacteristic games, but it's at a point now where he only needs 56.5 DK points to hit 5x value. He's averaging 61.7 DK points per game this season and has scored over 64 DK points in three of his last five games. Charlotte does not have the horses to slow him down as they're allowing the third-most fantasy points per game to opposing Cs this season.

Others to consider: Chet Holmgren, Anthony Davis, Victor Wembanyama



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy basketball mobile app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, lineup notifications & DFS articles. All free!

NBA DFS News and Injury Alerts

More DFS Lineup Picks and Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Abus Magomedov

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
Kenley Jansen

Records His Sixth Save Of The Season
Michel Pereira

Returns To Action At UFC Kansas City
Nicolas Dalby

An Underdog At UFC Kansas City
Miguel Vargas

Homers Against The Twins On Thursday
Hunter Goodman

Delivers In Game 1 On Thursday With Two Hits
Randy Brown

A Favorite At UFC Kansas City
Andre Muniz

Set To Open Up UFC Kansas City Main Card
Christopher Morel

Home Run Seals Victory For Rays
Ikram Aliskerov

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Zach Neto

Hits Go-Ahead Home Run On Thursday
Yandy Díaz

Yandy Diaz Tallies Three Hits In Win Against Arizona
Sergei Bobrovsky

Shuts Out Lightning In Game 2
Cam Fowler

Finishes Thursday's Win With Five Points
Robert Thomas

Posts Four Assists In Game 3 Win
Pavel Buchnevich

Celebrates Hat Trick During Four-Point Performance
Dylan DeMelo

Battling An Illness
Marcus Johansson

Exits Early Thursday
Aleksander Barkov

Hurt In Game 2
Pete Fairbanks

Picks Up Fourth Save On Thursday
Carlos Estévez

Carlos Estevez Picks Up Save On Thursday
Corbin Burnes

Picks Up Eight Strikeouts In Thursday's Start
MacKenzie Gore

Strikes Out Eight In Loss On Thursday
Cade Povich

Picks Up Win On Thursday
Bobby Witt Jr.

Scores Three Runs, Steals A Base On Thursday
Alex Bregman

Homers In Loss To Seattle
Mike Yastrzemski

Homers, Drives In Two On Thursday
Salvador Perez

Notches Four Doubles, Four RBI In Thursday's Doubleheader
Jordan Beck

Homers Three Times On Thursday
Jameson Williams

Lions Didn't Entertain Trade Offers For Jameson Williams
Dalton Rushing

Homers In Four-Hit Game
Qadir Ismail

Raiders Sign Qadir Ismail
New York Giants

Giants Plan To Exercise Kayvon Thibodeaux's Fifth-Year Option
Russell Wilson

Will Be Giants Starting Quarterback
Max Muncy

With A Pair Of Doubles Back At Triple-A
Michael Lorenzen

Tosses Quality Start
Kansas City Chiefs

Chiefs Close Out The First Round With Josh Simmons
Philadelphia Eagles

Eagles Trade Up One Spot In First Round To Select Jihaad Campbell
A.J. Puk

Likely To Miss Multiple Months
Marquis Grissom Jr.

Notches Fifth Save At Double-A
Buffalo Bills

Bills Address Secondary And Take Maxwell Hairston With 30th Overall Pick
NFL

Eagles, Chiefs Swap First-Round Picks
Washington Commanders

Josh Conerly Jr. Goes At No. 29 Overall To Commanders

Giants Trade Up For Jaxson Dart At No. 25
Detroit Lions

Tyleik Williams Taken By Lions At No. 28 Overall
Baltimore Ravens

Ravens Go With Malaki Starks At No. 27 Overall In NFL Draft
Minnesota Vikings

Minnesota Takes Donovan Jackson No. 24 Overall
NFL

Rams Trade The 26th Pick In The 2025 NFL Draft To The Falcons
Atlanta Falcons

Falcons Trade Back Into First Round To Draft James Pearce Jr. At No. 26 Overall

Matthew Golden Selected No. 23 Overall By Green Bay
NFL

Texans Trade The 25th Pick In The 2025 NFL Draft To The Giants

Omarion Hampton Taken No. 22 Overall By Chargers
Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh Selects Derrick Harmon At No. 21 Overall
Denver Broncos

Broncos Build Secondary By Selecting Jahdae Barron At No. 20

Buccaneers Add Emeka Egbuka At No. 19
Jrue Holiday

Tagged As Questionable For Friday
Jayson Tatum

Likely Out Again On Friday
Isaiah Stewart

Remains Out For Game 3
Anthony Cirelli

Good To Go Thursday
Andrei Vasilevskiy

Looks To Bounce Back In Game 2
Rasmus Ristolainen

To Miss Training Camp
Jonas Siegenthaler

Returns To Practice
Aliaksei Protas

Traveling With Capitals
Gabriel Vilardi

Still Out On Thursday
Max Pacioretty

Set To Join Maple Leafs Lineup For Game 3
Linus Ullmark

Attempts To Overcome Playoff Struggles Thursday
Anthony Cirelli

A Game-Time Call Thursday
Logan Thompson

Comes Up Big In Game 2
Connor McMichael

Strikes Twice In Wednesday's Win
Anze Kopitar

Tallies Four Points In Game 2 Victory
Adrian Kempe

Notches Two Goals, Two Assists In Wednesday's Win
Tyler Seguin

Gives Stars Series Lead With Overtime Winner
Tyler Herro

Scores Game-High 33 Points In Wednesday's Loss
Donovan Mitchell

Fires In 30 Points In Game 2 Win
Paolo Banchero

Notches 32 Points In Game 2 Loss
Jaylen Brown

Posts 36-Point Double-Double Wednesday
Jalen Green

Erupts For 38 Points In Game 2 Victory
Brandin Podziemski

Limited To 14 Minutes Wednesday
Jimmy Butler III

Set For MRI Thursday
Brandin Podziemski

Upgraded To Available
Cam Davis

Looking For Better Fortunes At TPC Louisiana
Michael Porter Jr.

Listed As Questionable For Game 3
Adam Svensson

Making Third Apperence At Zurich Classic
Davion Mitchell

Moves Into Starting Lineup Wednesday
Brandin Podziemski

Picks Up Questionable Tag
Al Horford

Starts Game 2
Michael Porter Jr.

Practices On Wednesday
Jayson Tatum

Out On Wednesday
Isaiah Stewart

May Miss Another Game Thursday
Jaren Jackson Jr.

Posts Team-High 26 Points In Tuesday's Loss
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Notches 27 Points Despite Poor Shooting
Max Greyserman

Aiming For Similar Success At TPC Louisiana
Pascal Siakam

Scores Team-High 24 Points In Game 2 Win
Lee Hodges

A High-Upside Player In New Orleans
PGA

Nico Echavarria Looks To Ride Off Of Elite Putting In New Orleans
Gary Woodland

A Player Worth Watching In New Orleans
Max McGreevy

Returns To The Zurich Classic Of New Orleans
Rasmus Hojgaard

In Search Of Consistency Ahead Of Zurich Classic
Sam Stevens

A Boom-Or-Bust Candidate In New Orleans
Nicolai Hojgaard

Looking To Turn Season Around At Zurich Classic
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

Looks To Sway A Hot Putter In Teams Favor At Zurich Classic
Akshay Bhatia

Looking To Bounce Back At TPC Louisiana
Carson Young

Looks To Turn Things Around At TPC Louisiana
Erik Van Rooyen

Looking For Momentum In Louisiana
Andrew Novak

Making Start At TPC Louisiana After Near Miss At Harbour Town
Ben Griffin

Making Third Career Start At Zurich Classic
Taylor Moore

Competing With A New Teammate In New Orleans
Wyndham Clark

Making Return To New Orleans
Kurt Kitayama

Teeing It Up Again In New Orleans
Collin Morikawa

Back At Zurich Classic For Fifth Time
Thomas Detry

Making Third Appearance At New Orleans Team Event
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF