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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

Kirk Cousins

' Dynasty Value Fading Ahead of First Season in Las Vegas
CFB

Julian Sayin Looking To Build Off Of Strong Debut Season
CFB

College GameDay Set for First Three Weeks
CFB

Jeremiah Smith Aiming For Ohio State Receiving Records
CFB

Keshaun Singleton Projects as Auburn's WR1
CFB

Jeremiah Cobb Impresses New Auburn Staff
CFB

Alberto Mendoza Very Likely to Start for Georgia Tech
CFB

Charles Woodson Jr. Commits to Michigan
George Holani

Dynasty Outlook Remains Cloudy
Jordan Westburg

to Have Season-Ending Elbow Surgery
Kendre Miller

Quickly Fading From Fantasy Relevance
Keon Coleman

Is Keon Coleman a Hopeless Dynasty Asset?
Marvin Harrison Jr.

a Buy-Low Candidate in Dynasty Formats
Hollywood Brown

a Cut Candidate in Dynasty Leagues?
Darnell Mooney

Barely Inside Top-100 WR Dynasty Rankings
Melquizael Costa

Set For UFC Vegas 117 Main Event
Arnold Allen

A Favorite At UFC Vegas 117
Christian Kirk

Can Christian Kirk Revive his Career in Bay Area?
Daniel Santos

Set For UFC Vegas 117 Co-Main Event
Brashard Smith

Destined to Become Special Teams Player?
MMA

Dohoo Choi Returns At UFC Vegas 117
Ben Sinnott

Dynasty Value Hindered by Free-Agent TE Addition
Juan Diaz

Set To Make His UFC Debut
Sam Darnold

Should Dynasty Managers Continue to Hold Sam Darnold?
Malcolm Wellmaker

Looks To Bounce Back
Justin Fields

Dynasty Managers Getting Ready to Sell High on Justin Fields?
Christian Edwards

Set For His UFC Debut
Dallas Goedert

a Target for Dynasty Managers in Championship Window?
Modestas Bukauskas

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Theo Johnson

Not the Primary Option in New System?
Kyle Monangai

Still Time to Buy Low on Kyle Monangai in Dynasty Leagues?
Tarik Skubal

Resumes Playing Catch, Ahead of Schedule?
Amon-Ra St. Brown

an Unheralded Dynasty Cornerstone
Jerry Jeudy

Becoming an Undervalued Dynasty Depth Piece
Karl-Anthony Towns

Making an Impact as Playmaker in Playoffs
Skyler Bell

Could See Multiple Paths to Dynasty Relevance
Jalen Duren

Determined to Improve
Jayden Daniels

Still Worth Paying Up for in Dynasty Leagues
Kevin Huerter

Tagged as Questionable for Game 6 Against Cavaliers
Andrei Iosivas

' Already Low Standalone Value Sinks Lower
Caris LeVert

Considered Questionable for Friday
Duncan Robinson

Iffy for Game 6
Lane Hutson

Contributes Two Assists in Game 5 Victory
Nick Suzuki

Amasses Three Points in Crucial Victory Thursday
Juraj Slafkovsky

Dishes Out Three Assists in Game 5 Win
Carter Hart

Stops 31 Pucks in Series-Clinching Win
Pavel Dorofeyev

Enjoys Second Consecutive Multi-Goal Game
Shea Theodore

Records Two Points in Game 6 Win
Mitchell Marner

Scores Special Goal in Series-Clincher
Tyjae Spears

has Limited Long-Term Upside in Dynasty Formats
Ryan Johnson

Takes Over as Canucks GM, Sedins Promoted to Co-Presidents
Drew Helleson

Won't Play Thursday
Radko Gudas

Unlikely to Play Thursday
Jeremy Lauzon

Remains Out Thursday
Mark Stone

Misses Third Consecutive Game
EDM

Kris Knoblauch Fired as Oilers Head Coach
CFB

Virginia Tech Lands Commitment from Four-Star QB Peter Bourque
Byron Buxton

Scratched on Thursday With Hip Soreness
Cal Raleigh

Heading to Injured List With Oblique Strain
Francisco Alvarez

has Knee Surgery, Expected to Miss Eight Weeks
Paul Reed

Makes Big Impact Off the Bench Wednesday
Daniss Jenkins

Contributes 19 Points As Starter
Cade Cunningham

Tallies 39 Points in Losing Effort
Max Strus

Notches 20 Points With Six Triples
Evan Mobley

Close to Triple-Double Wednesday
Jarrett Allen

Records Double-Double in Game 5 Win
James Harden

Leads the Way for Cavaliers in Game 5 Victory
Quinn Hughes

Finishes Postseason With 15 Points
Matt Boldy

Posts Two Assists in Season-Ending Loss
Scott Wedgewood

Perfect in Relief Effort
Martin Necas

Records Another Multi-Point Game
Brett Kulak

Sends Avalanche Into Conference Finals
Brayden McNabb

Suspended for One Game
Cal Raleigh

Exits With Apparent Side Injury on Wednesday Night
Juan Soto

X-Rays Come Back Negative on Juan Soto's Ankle
Jacob Misiorowski

Pulled Early With Possible Leg Injury
Juan Soto

Exits Wednesday's Game Early with Ankle Injury
Kevin Huerter

is Cleared to Return for Game 5
Caris LeVert

is Available for Game 5 on Wednesday
Duncan Robinson

is Out for Game 5
Keegan Murray

Undergoes Ankle Procedure
Josh Giddey

Undergoes Ankle Surgery
Pete Fairbanks

Returns From Injured List
Christian Yelich

Out With Back Tightness on Wednesday Night
Nathan MacKinnon

Chasing History Wednesday
Ryan Poehling

Won't Be an Option for Game 6
Robby Snelling

Placed on 15-Day Injured List with Elbow Sprain
Francisco Alvarez

Mets Place Francisco Alvarez on Injured List With Torn Meniscus
Max Fried

Dealing With Left Elbow Posterior Soreness
CFB

NFL Veteran Tom Moore Joins Iowa Coaching Staff
CFB

Can Cam Cook Dominate in Return to Big 12?
CFB

ACC, Big 12 Support 24-Team College Football Playoff
CFB

Anthony Colandrea Looking to Elevate Nebraska Back to National Contention
CFB

Kwazi Gilmer Set for Big Impact at Nebraska
Justin Thomas

Trending Well Ahead of PGA Championship Despite Concerning Form
J.J. Spaun

Trending Up Ahead of PGA Championship
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
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
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
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
Harris English

Will Need His Putter to Thrive at Aronimink
Akshay Bhatia

Creative Flair Could Show Itself in Philadelphia
Keegan Bradley

Knows the Aronimink Golf Club Well
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
Brandon Nimmo

Leaves Game on Tuesday with Apparent Ankle Injury
Jacob Wilson

A's Place Jacob Wilson on Injured List With Shoulder Subluxation
Christian Yelich

Brewers Reinstate Christian Yelich From Injured List
CFB

Isaac Brown Has All-American Upside in 2026
CFB

Nyck Harbor Heading into Breakout Year?
CFB

Notre Dame, USC in Discussions to Resume Rivalry Series
CFB

Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele Has Eyes on ACC Title
CFB

Ahmad Hardy's Gunshot Wound Not Viewed as Career-Threatening
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
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
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
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?
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF