FanDuel Daily Fantasy Basketball Helper: Sunday 12/19/21

The NBA scene changes on a week-to-week, day-to-day, and -- depending on injury news -- even a minute-to-minute basis, making every slate a unique one that requires an ever-changing approach.

With so much changing so quickly, we're here with plenty of tools to help you out. We have daily projections, a matchup heat map, a lineup optimizer, and a bunch of other great resources to help give you an edge.

Daily fantasy NBA is very reliant on opportunity, so you'll need to make sure that you're up-to-date with key injuries. Our projections update up until tip-off to reflect current news, and we also have player news updates. The projected numbers referenced below may change throughout the day.

We'll be coming at you with this primer every day, breaking down a few of the day's top plays at each position. The main slate starts at 6 p.m. EST.

Guards

Dejounte Murray, PG, (FanDuel Salary: $9,000) - The fantasy game of the night is the San Antonio Spurs-Sacramento Kings clash. The total is 222.5 points -- the second-highest -- and the spread is 4.5 points. Both teams are in the top seven in pace while the Kings are fifth-worst in defensive efficiency. Even with the Spurs pretty much at full strength, which is a rarity these days, Murray can smash in this spot. Sacramento is giving up the most FanDuel points per game (50.0) to point guards, and Murray has topped 47.0 FanDuel points twice over his last three outings.

Tyrese Haliburton, PG/SG, $7,700 - I like stacking Haliburton and Murray in this fantasy-friendly affair. De'Aaron Fox is out for the Kings, and so are Marvin Bagley III, Alex Len, Terence Davis II and Davion Mitchell. With those guys off the floor this year, Haliburton generates 1.04 FanDuel points per minute, according to RotoGrinders' CourtIQ. The Spurs are permitting the 6th-most FanDuel points per game to point guards (48.0) and are 13th-worst in defensive efficiency to go with their quick pace.

Kyle Lowry, PG, $7,400 - Our model is really into Lowry as of Sunday morning. Among guard-eligible players who are salaried above $5,500, Lowry rates out as the best point-per-dollar choice, per our numbers. He's facing the Detroit Pistons, a squad that is 23rd in defensive efficiency and is surrendering the fifth-most FanDuel points per game to floor generals (48.2). We have Lowry scoring 38.9 FanDuel points (5.26 per $1,000).

Others to Consider: Russell Westbrook ($9,700), Damian Lillard ($8,000), Ricky Rubio ($6,100)

Wings

LeBron James, SF/PF, $11,000 - The Los Angeles Lakers are going to be without Anthony Davis for a while. Sans Davis this season, LeBron has a 29.9% usage rate and puts up 1.34 FanDuel points per minute. A matchup versus the quality defense of the Chicago Bulls isn't a good one at first glance, but Chicago has struggled to defend small forwards, allowing the fourth-most FanDuel points per game to the position (44.2).

Kristaps Porzingis, PF/C, $8,700 - The Dallas Mavericks will be sans Luka Doncic and a few fringe pieces tonight. With their expected inactives off the court this season, Porzingis has amassed a 31.7% usage rate while scoring 1.32 FanDuel points per minute. Giddy up. The Mavs are tangling with the Minnesota Timberwolves. The T-Wolves play at the fourth-fastest pace, so this will be a huge pace-up spot for the Mavs, who play at the league's slowest pace. We project Porzingis for 43.3 FanDuel points (4.97 per $1,000). I prefer to use him at a forward spot on this slate.

Saddiq Bey, SF, $4,900 - Another player who benefits from absences, Bey gets a boost with Jerami Grant and Kelly Olynyk sidelined. With those two off the floor, he has a 21.5% usage rate and racks up 0.99 FanDuel points per minute. The ceiling isn't huge, especially in a tough draw versus the Miami Heat, but we project Bey for 35.3 minutes and 28.6 FanDuel points -- which comes out to 5.83 per $1,000.

Others to Consider: Harrison Barnes ($6,000), Isaiah Stewart ($5,800), Buddy Hield ($5,100), Dean Wade ($4,200)

Bigs

Nikola Jokic, C, $11,400 - Jokic is the top overall play on the slate as we project him to score 55.7 FanDuel points -- 6.1 more than anyone else. The Denver Nuggets are playing a short-handed Brooklyn Nets team. Prior to a 48.5-point game last time out, Jokic hadn't gone for fewer than 54.5 FanDuel points in any of his previous seven outings, with spike games of 72.3 and 71.4 points. The ceiling is as elite as it gets, and while there are several enticing center-eligible players on this slate, Jokic is a priority for me.

Richaun Holmes, PF/C, $6,600 - As we touched on earlier, the Kings are missing a lot of dudes. With those guys off the floor this year, Holmes has accounted for a 26.3% usage rate and 1.54 FanDuel points per minute. San Antonio is giving up the seventh-most FanDuel points per game (55.5). Holmes is listed as questionable, but if he suits up, he's an excellent play.

Others to Consider: Jaren Jackson Jr. ($6,700), Jusuf Nurkic ($6,500)