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The top DraftKings daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for 12/5/17 by Tom Belluco. Expert NBA DFS advice, sleepers & player recommendations for DraftKings.
Happy Tuesday, everyone! We had a wild 11-game slate last night, and if that was overwhelming for you, then Tuesday's three-game thriller should be right up your alley. As if the low amount of games wasn't enough, each one contains a team on a back-to-back WITH TRAVEL! I'm going to go out on a limb and say this is the worst slate we've had so far, and it might even be the worst slate of the year. Excited yet? Yeah, imagine how I feel having to put my credibility next to some of these players tonight.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 12/5/17. Keep in mind that I don't ever play cash games on slates with less than five games (if you want to know more about that logic, hit me up on Twitter @BellRoto), so each pick below is chosen through the lense of a GPP, upside mindset.
The DFS lineup picks will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options and value plays on DraftKings. Let's get started. Good luck!
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DFS Guards to Consider
Russell Westbrook - PG, vs. UTA ($11,000)
With how atrociously ugly and unpredictable this slate is, I think the best way to start your lineup is with some stability. Russell Westbrook is still sporting one of the highest usage rates in the league. Sure, the matchup looks terrible on paper, especially if Rudy Gobert plays on the back-to-back, but anything above 55 DK points will be a success on this night full of garbage, and he's shown he can get there plenty of times in the past two weeks. Remember, you don't need your typical "6X" on a night like this. Raw points should be the focus.
Alec Burks - PG/SG, @ OKC ($4,500)
I know, I know, this might be the biggest "point-chasing" pick in the world, but where else are you going to find value that doesn't make you cringe on this slate? Alec Burks is consistently playing close to 30 minutes a night, and we know this guy is not afraid to shoot. Sure, his efficiency will certainly go down. Keep in mind, however, that we don't need his recent 53, 41, or even 35 DK-point showings. We just need 27.5 to hit typical tournament value. We don't have a line for this game yet, but OKC could potentially run away with this one if my first guard pick pans out. Burks will get his minutes either way, but his value is also very safe incase of a blowout.
Other DFS Guards to Consider: Devin Booker, Tyler Ulis, Fred VanVleet
DFS Forwards to Consider
T.J. Warren - SF/PF, @ TOR ($6,400)
In what should be the highest total game on the slate by far, we have a tired Suns team with very predictable usage against a stout Toronto defense. We also have a rested Raptors team against a tired, porous Suns defense. I don't feel that any play in this game is "safe", because it could be over by the middle of the second quarter. However, the one place we can potentially exploit Toronto is by attacking DeMar DeRozan.
Did you just think I made that easy? Bad news: I'm not sure who DeRozan is going to be guarding. OG Anunoby is a very, very good young defender, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him try to chase Devin Booker around. That would mean DeRozan would shift over to T.J. Warren on defense. Warren has shown the ability to play well on back-to-backs in the past, and we know he can explode on any night. However, if I just guessed wrong on this matchup, then Booker could continue his surge of going nuts. Either way, if this game were to stay close, one or both of these guys have had huge games. If you're making more than one lineup, you might want exposure to both, but I think I prefer Warren at his price tage and potential ownership.
Norman Powell - SG/SF, vs. PHO ($4,000)
Here's a GPP dart throw for ya. Norman Powell is as inconsistent as they come. Since the aforementioned Anunoby moved to the starting lineup, Powell has been leading the charge on the second unit. This has led to a few good games, particularly in blowouts, but our ability to predict those good games has been shattered. I truly think the Raptors dismantle a tired Phoenix team, so stacking Powell with Fred VanVleet (in consideration above) and hoping for a blowout would be a nice way to differentiate your lineup and create massive upside on this wacky slate.
Other DFS Forwards to Consider: Otto Porter, Carmelo Anthony, Kelly Oubre
DFS Centers to Consider
Jusuf Nurkic - C, vs. WAS ($7,200)
This is typically way more than I'd be willing to spend on the volatile Jusuf Nurkic. However, as you've probably picked up from my tone above, the options are very slim today. If I don't think Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum are worth going after, then I guess Nurkic must be in play. On the positive side, Washington has been abismal on the glass recently for whatever reason. In the recent battle between the Wizards and Trail Blazers, Nurkic only corralled five boards, but he did shoot 17 times and block three shots. I guess I'll take a shot on his upside tonight over the likes of Tyson Chandler, who could very will get a DNP-CD for all we know. *Sigh*
Other DFS Centers to Consider: Jonas Valanciunas, Tyson Chandler
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