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Daily Fantasy NBA Lineup Picks for FanDuel (12/21/16) - DFS Basketball Advice

Happy Holidays, my friends, and welcome to another round of NBA Wednesday daily fantasy competition. Hopefully you get to kick back and build lineups all morning and afternoon in preparation for tonight. If you're stuck at work, like me, well I hope you still find a way to build a lineup - or a few dozen. We have an eight game slate tonight that looks pretty enticing as of this writing. In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel on 12/21/16. The DFS lineup picks will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options and value plays on DraftKings.

Before I get into player selections and reasoning, let's glance at a few Vegas lines that are of interest. Due to back-to-backs, and therefore odds-makers not knowing who may or may not sit for rest tonight, we have a lot of games with spreads and over/unders that haven't been posted. Of those games that have been posted, for stacking purposes, there are three games that interest me most. The first, Rockets at Suns, is because of the incredibly high over/under, which is listed at 226. The other two that catch my eye are Wizards at Bulls and Thunder at Pelicans. Both of those games feature an over/under total of 208 and spreads of six points or less.

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FanDuel DFS Guards

Russell Westbrook -  PG, at NOP - $12,500

Tonight, a rested Westbrook should be worth every penny - and then some. Sure, the price is a little steep, but when you consider the fact that Russ has been outperforming his price implied value on a consistent basis, it wouldn't be crazy to call him a bit of a bargain. He's coming off two unbelievable performances, and he matches up really well against New Orleans. For the season, the Pelicans have allowed the fourth most points to opposing point guards of any team taking the floor tonight. Not that many teams do, but the Pelicans backcourt simply doesn't have anyone capable of slowing Russ and his 42.3 Usage rate down.

 

Ricky Rubio - PG, at ATL - $5,600

If you really want to go fishing in the bargain bin at point, Rubio has an incredibly enticing matchup and a low price tag. His 32 minute per game average helps create a high floor, and while his season long numbers (12.73 PER and 14.3 Usage) leave something to be desired, his play has been improving drastically. In his last three games, he's exceeded 30 FanDuel points with each performance, and that was all while attempting an average of just six shot attempts per game. The matchup tonight is most enticing because of Atlanta's defensive struggles - of the 16 teams playing tonight, no team allows more points to opposing point guards than the Hawks.

 

Eric Gordon - SG, at PHX - $5,700

A healthy Eric Gordon has been an absolute pleasure to watch this season and a joy to own, in both DFS and season long formats - and for the Rockets, I would think. The former Indiana Hoosier is finally healthy and is shooting it from three at an incredible percentage this season - 43% to be exact, good for 11th best in the NBA - and has drained a total of 105 threes, which is just five behind your NBA leader, Steph Curry. Over his last 10 games, Gordon has exceeded value eight times, and by an impressive margin of nearly five points a night. Tonight, in a game with a high projected total and against a team that isn't known for their defensive prowess, Gordon should shine.

 

Also Consider: Dwyane Wade - SG, vs WAS - $7,000

 

FanDuel DFS Forwards

Andrew Wiggins - SF, at ATL - $6,400

After an explosive and promising start to the season, Wiggins seemed to fizzle out in November and into this month, but his recent play suggests that dip was just a quick slump and not something to be overly concerned with in the long run. Wiggins has now outperformed salary based expectations in each of his last four games - and by a very large number. In each of those contests, he's put up at least 17 field goal attempts - reaffirming his position as one of the focal points of this Minnesota offense. Tonight, his matchup - as well as his price - are great, as Atlanta has had many defensive struggles and the pace of the game suits Wiggins' style of play.

 

Kevin Love - PF, vs MIL - $8,700

Keep an eye on Love's status for tonight, as he is currently listed as questionable. Now that that's out the way, let's look at the reasons why you should play Love if he suits up tonight (and I have a feeling he will). First off, Love has been one of the most productive fantasy players this season, especially among forwards, as he's put up a strong 25.8 PER and is averaging 1.21 fantasy points per minute. He's had outbursts this season, too, the kind that remind us the kind of dominance he maintained while in a Timberwolves jersey, as three of his last four games have resulted in more than 50 FanDuel points. From a team perspective, there is a good chance that Kyrie Irving and LeBron James - who combined for 92 minutes last night - end up sitting, which would give Love the bulk of the offensive responsibility to shoulder, raising his fantasy floor and ceiling quite a bit.

 

Also Consider:  Jimmy Butler - SF, vs WAS - $8,400

 

FanDuel DFS Centers

Steven Adams - C, at NOP - $5,200

Due to back-to-backs, steep prices and not very enticing matchups among the centers I would normally consider the "top options," I'm hunting in the bargain bin tonight and Adams has the salary, upside and matchup I'm looking for. Adams performance has been steadily increasing, as has his role in the Thunder offense, and as a result, he has outperformed salary based expectations in seven of his last 10 games. Outside of the over-priced monsters like Karl-Anthony Towns and DeMarcus Cousins, Adams has one of the highest usage projections of any center taking the floor tonight, and on top of that, he's facing the team that allows the most points to opposing centers.

 

Also Consider:  Robin Lopez - C, vs WAS - 4,900

 

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REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Adam Scott

Riding Strong Form Into PGA Championship
Patrick Reed

Looking to Make Another Run at PGA Championship
PGA

Sungjae Im Looks to Build on Strong Finish at Truist Championship
Sam Burns

Must Keep Ball in Play at PGA Championship
Jordan Spieth

Looks to Complete Career Grand Slam at Aronimink
Brandt Snedeker

Not the Best Option for the PGA Championship
Rasmus Hojgaard

a Volatile Option at PGA Championship
Germie Bernard

Already in a Tough Spot to Hold Dynasty Value
Ayo Dosunmu

Has Busy Night in Game 5
Maverick McNealy

Seeking Better Start in Philadelphia
Harry Hall

a Boom-or-Bust Option at Aronimink
Jaden McDaniels

Notches 17 Points in Game 5 Loss
Denzel Boston

a Smart Bet to Meet or Exceed Value in Dynasty Rookie Drafts
Hideki Matsuyama

Attempts to Improve Over 2025 PGA Championship
Scottie Scheffler

Looks to Defend PGA Championship at Aronimink
Julius Randle

Posts a Double-Double in Losing Effort
Matthew Stafford

a Sell Candidate with Touchdown Regression Likely on its Way
Nicolai Hojgaard

Wants to Keep Momentum Rolling in Philadelphia
Anthony Edwards

Held to 20 Points in Game 5 Loss
Ben Griffin

Attempting to Bounce Back After Truist Championship
CFB

Transfer Defensive Lineman Devarrick Woods Commits to Clemson
Keldon Johnson

Comes Alive in Game 5 Against Timberwolves
Jayden Reed

Dynasty Value Tethered to His Underwhelming Usage
Harris English

Will Need His Putter to Thrive at Aronimink
Stephon Castle

Makes All-Around Impact in Game 5
Kenyon Sadiq

Is Kenyon Sadiq the Next Great Rookie Tight End?
Victor Wembanyama

Leads Spurs to Big Win in Game 5
Akshay Bhatia

Creative Flair Could Show Itself in Philadelphia
Keegan Bradley

Knows the Aronimink Golf Club Well
Mason McTavish

Delivers Two Assists Tuesday Night
Pavel Dorofeyev

Pots Two Goals in Vital Game 5 Win
Josh Doan

Records Two Assists in Game 4 Victory
Evgeni Malkin

Penguins Want Evgeni Malkin Back
Sidney Crosby

Joins Team Canada for World Championship
Ryan Poehling

Suffers Upper-Body Injury in Game 5 Loss
Si Woo Kim

Struggles at Truist Championship
Gary Woodland

Can Continue Incredible 2026 Season at PGA Championship
Xander Schauffele

In Excellent Form Heading to PGA Championship
Jon Rahm

Having Excellent Season On LIV Tour
Collin Morikawa

Looking for Bounce-Back at PGA Championship
Cade Klubnik

Becoming Fan Favorite, in Play to Win Backup QB Job?
Michael Penix Jr.

Throwing During Offseason Program
Bryce Young

Panthers Will Continue to Discuss Extension With Bryce Young
Brandon Nimmo

Leaves Game on Tuesday with Apparent Ankle Injury
Michael Mayer

More Opportunities Coming for Michael Mayer?
Philadelphia 76ers

76ers Part Ways With Daryl Morey
Kevin Huerter

Iffy for Game 5 Against Cavaliers
Dylan Harper

Cleared for Action Tuesday
De'Aaron Fox

Available for Game 5 Against Timberwolves
Caris LeVert

Remains on Injury Report With Heel Issue
Duncan Robinson

Listed as Questionable for Game 5
Brandon Clarke

Dies at Age 29
Charlie McAvoy

Slapped With Six-Game Suspension
Jonas Brodin

Unavailable for Game 5 Against Avalanche
Joel Eriksson Ek

to Remain Out Wednesday
Sam Malinski

Day-to-Day With Upper-Body Injury
Jacob Wilson

A's Place Jacob Wilson on Injured List With Shoulder Subluxation
Artturi Lehkonen

Considered Day-to-Day
Charlie Coyle

Lands Six-Year Extension
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

to Start Game 4 Against Canadiens
Drew Helleson

Unavailable for Game 5
Radko Gudas

Still Out Tuesday
Mark Stone

Won't Play Tuesday
Carnell Tate

Is Carnell Tate Poised for Immediate Stardom in Tennessee?
Jeremiyah Love

Will Jeremiyah Love See a Limited Role in Arizona as a Rookie?
Wan'Dale Robinson

Dynasty Stock Fading Following NFL Draft
Bucky Irving

Not Yet Cleared to Participate in OTAs
Tyler Shough

Dynasty Stock Rising with Improved Supporting Cast in New Orleans
Garrett Wilson

Dynasty Upside Limited by Quarterback Questions
Christian Yelich

Brewers Reinstate Christian Yelich From Injured List
Ted Hurst

Viewed as "True X" Receiver Going into Rookie Campaign
Kenneth Gainwell

Zac Robinson Thinks Bucky Irving, Kenneth Gainwell Have Similar Skill Sets
Emeka Egbuka

to Settle into "Z" Role in Year 2
Trey Benson

Droppable in Some Dynasty Leagues?
Cameron Ward

Looking to Make a Year 2 Leap
Omar Cooper Jr.

to Require Some Patience in Dynasty Leagues?
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Admits He Wasn't Close to Returning Before Season Ended
CFB

Isaac Brown Has All-American Upside in 2026
LeBron James

Uncertain About Future After Season-Ending Loss
Ajay Mitchell

Continues to Excel for Thunder
CFB

Nyck Harbor Heading into Breakout Year?
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Posts 35 Points in Series Clincher
CFB

Notre Dame, USC in Discussions to Resume Rivalry Series
Cade Cunningham

Struggles in Game 4 Loss
CFB

Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele Has Eyes on ACC Title
James Harden

Records 40th Postseason Double-Double
CFB

Ahmad Hardy's Gunshot Wound Not Viewed as Career-Threatening
Donovan Mitchell

Ties NBA Playoff Record With 39 Second-Half Points
A.J. Ewing

Mets to Call Up Top Prospect A.J. Ewing
Mookie Betts

is Officially Back on Monday
Nathan Eovaldi

Scratched From Monday's Start With Side Tightness
Mark Jankowski

Signs Two-Year Extension With Hurricanes
Joel Kiviranta

Cleared to Play Monday
Josh Manson

Available for Game 4 Monday
Mackenzie Blackwood

Expected to Start Monday
Jonas Brodin

Won't Play Monday
Henry Bolte

Athletics to Promote Top Outfield Prospect Henry Bolte to Major Leagues
Khamzat Chimaev

Suffers his First Loss
Sean Strickland

Recaptures Middleweight Title
Tatsuro Taira

Suffers Fifth-Round TKO Loss
Joshua Van

Defends Flyweight Title
MMA

Waldo Cortes-Acosta Drops Decision
Alexander Volkov

Wins Back-To-Back Fights
Shane Van Gisbergen

Dominates Watkins Glen for First Win of 2026
Michael McDowell

Finishes Second for Best Run of the Year At Watkins Glen
Ty Gibbs

Scores New Career-Best Finish of Third at Watkins Glen
Tyler Reddick

Continues His Strong Season With Fifth-Place Run at Watkins Glen
Austin Dillon

Earns his First Top-10 Finish of 2026 at Watkins Glen
Mookie Betts

Dodgers Expect Mookie Betts to Return on Monday
CFB

Ahmad Hardy Sustains Gunshot Wound, in Stable Condition
Connor Zilisch

Will Start Fifth in his First Watkins Glen Cup Series Race
Tyler Reddick

Is A Top DFS Option for Watkins Glen Lineups
Christopher Bell

Is Likely to Bounce Back This Week at Watkins Glen
Carlos Rodón

Carlos Rodon Activated for Season Debut on Sunday
William Byron

Is William Byron Playable in DFS Lineups at Watkins Glen?
Kyle Larson

May have A Positive Day at Watkins Glen
Chase Briscoe

May Compete for A Top-10 Finish at Watkins Glen
NASCAR

A.J. Allmendinger May have Another Solid Outing at Watkins Glen
Ty Gibbs

Should Fantasy Managers Roster Ty Gibbs at Watkins Glen?
Ross Chastain

Is Ross Chastain Worth Rostering for Watkins Glen Lineups?
Austin Cindric

Could Austin Cindric be A Sneaky Tournament Play for Watkins Glen?
Shane Van Gisbergen

Shane van Gisbergen the Heavy Favorite at Watkins Glen
Chase Elliott

Is Chase Elliott a No-Brainer DFS Pick at Watkins Glen?
Chris Buescher

Qualifies 14th at Watkins Glen
Ryan Blaney

Has Upside at Watkins Glen After Signing Contract Extension
Michael McDowell

Still Searching for First Top-Five Finish at Watkins Glen
Carson Hocevar

Is Carson Hocevar Too Aggressive for Road-Course Racing?
Luis Castillo

Mariners Intend to Piggyback Luis Castillo, Bryce Miller
Logan Webb

Placed on 15-Day Injured List With Knee Bursitis
Bryce Miller

is Set to Return on Wednesday
Jeff Hoffman

Could Return to Closer Role
Taj Bradley

Hits the Injured List With Pectoral Inflammation
Kyle Bradish

has Nice Bounce-Back Performance With 10 K's
Casey Mize

Throws Bullpen on Friday, Return Not Imminent
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Optimistic About Returning Next Wednesday
Tyler Glasnow

Dodgers Put Tyler Glasnow on Injured List With Back Spasms
Blake Snell

to Make Season Debut for Dodgers on Saturday
Cole Ragans

Royals Place Cole Ragans on Injured List With Elbow Impingement
Sean Strickland

An Underdog At UFC 328
Khamzat Chimaev

Set For UFC 328 Main Event
Tatsuro Taira

Can Become The New Flyweight Champion
Joshua Van

Set For His First Title Defense
Alexander Volkov

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
MMA

Waldo Cortes-Acosta Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Nick Lodolo

Officially Activated, Making Season Debut on Friday
CFB

Walker Lyons Could be Go-To Target for Bear Bachmeier
CFB

Ty Benefield a Potential Game-Changer for LSU Defense
CFB

Hayden Lowe Set for Significant Role Following Miami's NFL Departures
CFB

Taylor Wein in Position for Big Season on Oklahoma's Defensive Line
CFB

Rasheem Biles an Instant Impact Player for Texas
CFB

Sam Leavitt Expected to Be Full-Go for Fall Camp
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF