DraftKings NBA: Sunday Cheat Sheet

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Updated on December 20, 2015 12:03PM EST

Team Analysis

Defense to Avoid:
Miami Heat vs. Portland Trail Blazers
The Heat are strong across the board on defense except at small forward: they are second at limiting production to opposing point guards, sixth against shooting guards, 23rd against small forwards, third against power forwards and 13th against centers. The Trail Blazers are strongest at point guard and shooting guard, so the Heat are built to limit their best players.

Offenses to Use:
Toronto Raptors vs. Sacramento Kings
The Kings are pretty uniformly bad on defense. They are 24th at limiting production to opposing point guards (Kyle Lowry), 29th against shooting guards (DeMar DeRozan), 17th against small forwards, 23rd against power forwards and 18th against centers.

Teams on Back-to-Backs:
First game: Hawks, Nets, Timberwolves, Magic, Suns, Trail Blazers, Kings
Second game: None

Point Guard
Michael Carter-Williams, MIL at PHO ($6,000): Carter-Williams has been playing excellent ball of late, first as a reserve and later after re-claiming his starting job. Over his last four appearances he is averaging 37.7 fantasy points per game, and he has a great matchup Sunday against a Suns defense that is last in the NBA) in limiting production to opposing point guards.

Other suggestions: Jameer Nelson, DEN vs. NO ($5,200); Jrue Holiday, NO at DEN ($5,500)

Shooting Guard
DeMar DeRozan, TOR vs. SAC ($7,200): DeRozan is almost always a strong play, averaging 41.1 fantasy points per game over his last six and increasing that to 45.3 over his last two when he has averaged 30.5 points, 4.5 assists and 4.0 rebounds per game. On Sunday he faces a Kings defense that is 29th against shooting guards this season.

Other suggestions: Dwyane Wade, MIA vs. POR ($6,800); Tyreke Evans, NO at DEN ($7,600)

Small Forward
Tobias Harris, ORL vs. ATL ($6,200): Harris is averaging 28.3 fantasy points per game over his last five, but he is coming off an explosive 51 fantasy points Friday when he had 25 points, 12 rebounds, three steals and two assists against the Trail Blazers. On Sunday he faces a beatable Hawks defense that is 18th in the NBA at limiting production to opposing small forwards.

Other suggestions: Al-Farouq Aminu, POR at MIA ($5,000); Danilo Gallinari, DEN vs. NO ($6,700)

Power Forward
Tristan Thompson, CLE vs. PHI ($4,900): This one is kind of a risky, strategic pick on a light schedule. The 76ers are last in the NBA at production allowed to opposing power forwards, so the chalk pick on Sunday would be Kevin Love ($8,000). However, the 76rers are terrible and playing on the road against a strong Cavaliers team. That game could easily be a blowout, which would likely increase Thompson's minutes and lower Love's. Plus, Thompson is coming off of a strong game (14 points and 15 rebounds in 36 minutes Thursday against the Thunder) which could have him on his coach's good side going into Sunday.

Other suggestions: Luis Scola, TOR vs. SAC ($5,000), Chris Bosh, MIA vs. POR ($6,900)

Center
Bismack Biyombo, TOR vs. SAC ($5,100): Biyombo has been crashing the boards hard of late, averaging 11.8 rebounds (26.4 fantasy points) per game over his last six and increasing that to 15.3 boards (33.8 fantasy points) over his last three. On Sunday he faces a Kings defense that is 18th in the NBA at defending centers.

Other suggestions: Karl-Anthony Towns, MIN at BKN ($6,900), Alex Len, PHO vs. MIL ($5,200)

Injury Report

Out
Shane Larkin, BKN (concussion)
Sergey Karasev, BKN (ankle)
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, BKN (ankle)
Mo Williams, CLE (finger)
Emmanuel Mudiay, DEN (ankle)
Jusuf Nurkic, DEN (knee)
Jerryd Bayless, MIL (ankle)
Greivis Vasquez, MIL (ankle)
Nikola Pekovic, MIN (Achilles)
Quincy Pondexter, NO (knee)
Alexis Ajinca, NO (calf)
C.J. Watson, ORL (calf)
Carl Landry, PHI (wrist)
Willie Cauley-Stein, SAC (finger)
DeMarre Carroll, TOR (knee)
Jonas Valanciunas, TOR (hand)

Game-Time Decision
Thomas Robinson, BKN (illness)
Iman Shumpert, CLE (groin, personal)
Tyler Johnson, MIA (shoulder)
Josh McRoberts, MIA (knee)
Chris Andersen, MIA (illness)
Chris Kaman, POR (illness)

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire.