NBA DFS Picks For FanDuel 12/31/21

Happy New Year's Eve! I hope everyone has enjoyed their holiday season and has a fantastic ending to the rough year that many faced in 2021. This the last DFS slate of the year, so let's end it off with a bang! As things still stand, there are many players in the league's health and safety protocols, so other players will have to step in and fill the void, creating for interesting DFS scenarios. The main slate tonight is a normal sized one that features 7 total games, so there are plenty of intriguing player options to choose from. As on most slates, we have a lot of prevalent injury news that we are waiting on which could shake up the slate when released. Be sure to keep on eye on these injury situations as we approach roster lock. Since there are so many games tonight. Let's dive in to the breakdown of the NBA main slate on FanDuel tonight!

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Top Play:

Tyler Herro (SG/SF - $6700) -

Tyler Herro was my top play of the slate on Wednesday before the game was postponed, and with the situation being almost identical, he remains in that spot for tonight. Because the situation is the same, you can essentially copy/paste my analysis on Herro from Wednesday. Although stacking as many Heat players as you can is the preferable strategy tonight, Tyler Herro stands out as the best play for the team. Tyler Herro has been hot for the majority of this season, and is priced around his median despite the current situation he is in. The Heat have virtually refused to put him in the starting lineup even with plenty of injuries, but they will have no other option but to start him tonight. Even if he has a miserable shooting game, Tyler Herro will still likely excel value as he will have to play 38+ minutes and see an unreal usage rate.

Best Value:

Serge Ibaka (PF/C - $4000) -

With Ivica Zubac entering the league's health and safety protocols, many of the usual Clippers starters are out for tonight, with the team being especially depleted at the forward and center positions. The only active player on the team that can serve as a true big man is Serge Ibaka, although I can see the team opting to play small ball with either Marcus Morris or Amir Coffee at that spot. Regardless, Serge Ibaka should see decent minutes tonight, and has been known as a fantasy point per minute beast when on the court. Due to his unpredictable minutes, I am only interested in Serge Ibaka if he is starting, although he would still be a reasonable GPP option if he plays off the bench. If he doesn't enter the starting lineup, you can replace him with Obi Toppin for the title of best value play on tonight's slate.

Main Player Pool:

Point Guard:

Trae Young ($9700)

Damian Lillard ($9100)

Kemba Walker ($6000)

Other great plays: Ja Morant ($9300), Kyle Lowry ($7800 - cleared protocols, may play), Patrick Beverley ($5800)

Shooting Guard:

Tyler Herro (SG/SF - $6700)

Caleb Martin (SG/SF - $5800)

Cam Reddish (SG/SF - $5400)

Other great plays: Donovan Mitchell (SG/PG - $8600), Malik Monk ($5300), Luke Kennard (SG/SF - $4700), Devin Vassell ($4500), Lou Williams (SG/PG - $4000), Kevin Pangos ($3900), Chaundee Brown ($3800)

Small Forward:

LeBron James (SF/PF - $11200)

Jimmy Butler (SF/SG - $9000 - if he plays)

Norman Powell (SF/SG - $6100)

Other great plays: RJ Barrett (SF/SG - $5500), Kyle Anderson (SF/PF - $4900), Royce O'Neale (SF/PF - $4500), Isaac Okoro (SF/SG - $4400), Justise Winslow ($3500)

Power Forward:

Christian Wood (PF/C - $7800)

Obi Toppin ($4300)

Serge Ibaka (PF/C - $4000)

Other great plays: Jaren Jackson (PF/C - $6700), Larry Nance (PF/SF - $6100), Jarred Vanderbilt ($6100), Lauri Markkanen (PF/SF - $5400), Amir Coffee ($4300)

Center:

Evan Mobley (C/PF - $7000)

Omer Yurtseven ($6100)

Jakob Poeltl ($6000)

Other great plays: Rudy Gobert ($9100), Clint Capela ($8000), Mitchell Robinson ($5500), Steven Adams ($4800)

Cover Picture Attribution: Thomas Savoja,Tyler Herro, CC BY 2.0