In theory, a five-game Thursday slate should be reason for celebration! However, with tighter DraftKings pricing, a handful of injuries, and seven of the ten teams on a back-to-back, I feel oddly unsatified as I tool through the player pool. Not to mention all of the duds last night that leave us with an uneasy feeling. Even still, there is value to be found in a slate like this!

In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 12/21/17. I will point out players at each position who seem like a value based on their current price. I'll also provide one or two GPP plays to keep in mind for you tournament players.

If you have any questions or comments hit me up on Twitter @BellRoto. Let's do this thing.

 

DraftKings DFS Guards

Kris Dunn - PG/SG, CHI @ CLE (DK - $7,300)

Kris Dunn has taken this once laughable Bulls team to the promised land, winning seven games in a row now. That streak will be very much in question on Thursday, as they travel overnight to Cleveland where they find themselves as 11-point underdogs. Even still, this matchup and price keeps me intrigued in the breakout point guard. Dunn continues to boast usage rates well over 25%, and he's racking up peripherals like he's getting bonuses from his GM for every steal/block. The Bulls are projected to score 2.2 points more than their season average, the Cavs have been crushed by point guards this season, and Dunn should be relatively fresh after playing just 24 minutes in a blowout with last night (he racked up 40 DK points in that timeframe by the way). I love this play tonight.

T.J. McConnell - PG, PHI vs. TOR (DK - $4,700)

This play is contingent on J.J. Redick sitting out on Thursday. If Redick can't recover from his hamstring injury in time for Thursday's game, T.J. McConnell will be called upon to play more minutes alongside Ben Simmons in the Philly back court. I would imagine that Brett Brown finds a way to give him backup point guard minutes too, which bumps McConnell's projected minutes floor to 25 or so. Joel Embiid is out, so that should help McConnell's usage slightly, but we shouldn't suspect a random triple double. Even still, McConnell can fill up a stat sheet quickly with peripherals, and he isn't afraid to shoot. If Redick ends up missing this one, I'll fire up McConnell comfortably in cash games, and a sprinkle of him in tournaments sounds fine too.

Other Guards to Consider: Ben Simmons, Tyreke Evans, Alec Burks, Jarrett Jack

 

DraftKings DFS Forwards

LeBron James - SF/PF, CLE vs CHI (DK - $11,900)

This is your tri-weekly reminder not to get cute and to simply play The King. LeBron James continues to amaze the basketball world in his 15th season, boasting usages that blow past 30% and sniff 40% on some nights. He's playing point guard, he's grabbing rebounds, he's playing defense, and his minutes floor is 35. The best part about this fantasy season for James lovers is that the Cavs can't seem to blow anybody out. I don't expect that to change Thursday against a red hot Bulls team. James will put the team on his back once again, and 60 DK points seems like a foregone conclusion. Without any "locks" in the 8k or higher range to keep ownership away, James should be the foundation for every lineup you build on Thursday night.

Serge Ibaka - PF/C, TOR @ PHI (DK - $5,900)

Will the real Serge Ibaka please stand up? But, really, has anyone seen 28-year old Ibaka? All I can find is this guy who looks like he's 23 again. The big man is shooting the lights out, racking up blocks like the old days, and starting to get usage rates over 20%. Who is this man!? Whoever he is, I want him. Ibaka has at least one block in 17 straight games, and he has multiple blocks in about half of those. He's also hit 5x at this price tag in EIGHT GAMES IN A ROW! He gets to play the Sixers without Embiid, so sign me up in cash games and tournaments. That will be all.

Other Forwards to Consider: T.J. Warren, Nikola Mirotic, Josh Jackson

 

DraftKings DFS Centers

Marc Gasol - C, MEM @ PHO (DK - $8,200)

Sure, putting Marc Gasol in my lineup when he's playing in a back-to-back two hours after lock does worry me a little bit, but this spot is so good I can't pass it up. Besides, he's played big minutes in the second of back-to-back games twice already this month. Despite a string of duds last week, Gasol posted a 50-burger on Saturday and 43.25 DK points last night while shooting 5-for-15 from the field. The Suns pace and lack of defense/rebound provides a great matchup for the do-it-all center, and I love the fact that the Grizzlies are implied to score nearly six points more than their season average in what should be a tight contest. If you can fit Gasol and James into your lineup, I think you've created a safe floor with loads of upside.

Other Centers to Consider: Kevin Love, Richuan Holmes, Greg Monroe

 

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