Sunday brings a compact six-game featured slate, tipping off at 6 p.m. ET on DraftKings and FanDuel. This slate is loaded with decision points, making it the perfect opportunity to highlight the top NBA DFS building blocks and best picks of the day. Let’s break down Sunday’s core plays like Scottie Barnes and Scotty Pippen Jr. Plus there will be additional value options revealing themselves as the Sunday shenanigans come into light.
After locking in your NBA DFS picks, elevate your betting game with Tails by OddsShopper. Get expert picks from top professionals to gain a sharp edge over the competition.
NBA DFS Picks & Building Blocks Today: Sunday, Dec. 29
A Stokastic user just turned $4 into $1,000 using our tools!
Want to take your game to the next level with the same data and insights? Sign up for a Stokastic+ NBA package today! Plus, check out the Stokastic Hall of Fame Avatar Program — earn yourself a free Stokastic+ subscription!
NBA DFS Picks Today: Building Blocks
Scottie Barnes: Raptors vs. Hawks
NBA DFS Projections
DraftKings: 49.75 | FanDuel: 48.77
NBA DFS Ownership Projections
DraftKings: 22.4% | FanDuel: 46.5%
DFS Salary
DraftKings: $9,500 | FanDuel: $9,000
Scottie Barnes may have help tonight from someone other than RJ Barrett. Jakob Poeltl (groin) has returned to practice after missing the last four games, and there is a chance that Bruce Brown Jr. will make his season debut.
Volume has helped Barnes maintain his production from last year’s breakout campaign, but he needs others around him to help with his efficiency.
The 23-year-old has missed 13 games himself this season, which is shaping up to be another lost one for the Toronto faithful. Barnes at least makes things exciting with his do-everything ability, and Barrett is having the best production of his career, finally levelling up in Barnes’ absence. The Raptors and Hawks each played at a top-3 pace over the last 10 games, and neither squad emphasizes defense. If Poeltl starts, assume he is a full-go, making him one of several secondary center options after Victor Wembanyama.
Speaking of centers, Onyeka Okongwu (knee) is getting close to returning after missing the last five games, which is perfect timing since Larry Nance Jr. (hand) is out. If the former USC Trojan is available, he projects to be one of the 15 most popular players on both DraftKings and FanDuel. Bogdan Bogdanovic (left leg) missed the last three games, and Dyson Daniels (illness) was out yesterday. Which of them, if either, returns to action tonight will have an impact on the Atlanta rotation.
Trae Young is always a tournament target, and the seventh-year veteran is leading the league with a career-high 12.2 assists per game. This has dropped his scoring by nearly 5 points per game from the last two seasons, but he still has upside.
Don’t miss Stokastic’s ultimate NFL DFS deal! For a one-time payment of just $179 with promo code CELEBRATE, you’ll get the NFL DFS Max package through the Super Bowl. That’s nearly two months of Sims Max for less than the cost of one month! Unlock premium tools like Sims, NFL DFS projections, NFL DFS ownership projections — all at an incredible value.
Scotty Pippen Jr.: Grizzles vs. Thunder
NBA DFS Projections
DraftKings: 32.42 | FanDuel: 32.28
NBA DFS Ownership Projections
DraftKings: 63.6% | FanDuel: 60.9%
DFS Salary
DraftKings: $5,300 | FanDuel: $5,700
Ja Morant took a hit to his surgically repaired shoulder on Friday, and he is expected to miss the next two weeks. DFS gamers know the drill at this point, and it is to flock to Scotty Pippen Jr. whenever the high-flying and oft-injured Morant is out.
This season, Pippen has been averaging around 1.1 fantasy points per minute without Morant on the court. The sample size is large (1,114 minutes) and should hold true, even in a tougher matchup tonight in Oklahoma City.
Alex Caruso (hip) is doubtful, while Luguentz Dort (ankle) is questionable, having missed the last game. That takes out two primary on-ball defenders, which makes this matchup a little less daunting for Pippen. Desmond Bane also gets an efficiency bump when Morant is out, as does Jaren Jackson Jr. Their salaries are not as enticing as Pippen’s, but each is worthy of tournament consideration.
Santi Aldama is out and Brandon Clarke is questionable, which opens things up for rookie Zach Edey. Tonight he faces a tough test against Isaiah Hartenstein, but the youngster is coming off the best two-game stretch of his career. In this pair of performances, he averaged 27.2 minutes, 17.5 points, 12.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 2.5 combined blocks and steals. It will not be easy, but the ninth overall selection in the 2024 NBA Draft looks to be ready for this challenge.
Cason Wallace is questionable, so that could mean even more facilitation responsibilities for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. SGA had 60-plus fantasy points in five of his last seven games, with 50 or more in 16 of his last 20 outings. Jalen Williams has been sublime this season with improvements across the board. Over his last 23 games, he averaged 22.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 2.3 “stocks,” with 40-plus fantasy points in half of these tilts.
Today’s Top Sports Betting Pick
Jaime Jaquez Jr. was in the starting lineup for the last three games with Jimmy Butler trying to get himself traded. Looking at the under for the versatile wing’s 19.5 points + rebounds + assists (PRA) prop is a savvy strategy.
The screenshot of Portfolio EV shows that this wager projects to come to fruition 56% of the time. With the -120 odds, this results in a steady 2.5% expected ROI when accounting for the -127 “True Odds.”
BetMGM is offering -120, which exceeds the True Odds of -127 and the -140 odds posted at the other books.
Let Portfolio EV handle the heavy lifting and take the guesswork out of finding +EV bets. This powerful tool swiftly identifies inefficient odds, making it easy to spot profitable opportunities.
Since odds change fast, having accounts with multiple sportsbooks is key to locking in the best odds as soon as they appear. Portfolio EV shines in this area — it constantly scans for the top odds, ensuring you’re always first to seize every golden opportunity.
Stokastic’s Advanced NBA Statistical Projections have Jaquez projected for 25.7 minutes, 11.11 points, 5.31 rebounds and 2.62 assists for 19.05 PRA. That is just under the threshold for this wager, and even without Butler, Jaquez will have a hard time getting over the 19.5 mark against a tough defensive matchup. In the last three starts, Jaquez averaged 25.3 minutes, 10.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists for 18.1 PRA, clearing the 19.5 mark only once in these three games.
