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Questionable; it’s the word that will define Monday’s six-game slate. With less than to go nine hours until lock, the top four players on the board, and five of the top six, were all in legitimate danger of missing action Monday.
With that in mind, there is sure to be a trickle-down effect in the case that names such as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Karl-Anthony Towns or Bradley Beal are ultimately held out. Owners will likely want to monitor their status and have multiple lineups ready at their disposal or wait until their status is cleared up before diving deep into player selection. For now, we will take a look at some other names that could fill lineups no matter who is in or out.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 12/30/19. You can also check out today's FanDuel lineup picks. Remember to monitor injury news as the slate can completely change before line-up lock.
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DraftKings DFS Guards
Devin Booker - PG/SG, PHX @ POR ($7,500)
For owners who enjoy riding a hot hand, Booker presents a prime play Monday. After a bumpy three-game stretch, Booker has bounced back in scorching fashion, dropping 34 and 32 points over his last two contests, respectively. Even with his current slide from long range (2-for-24) in his last six outings, he has averaged seven rebounds and four assists in that span, numbers that should allow him to, at the very least, reach his value against Portland with Deandre Ayton (ankle) still sidelined.
Jimmy Butler - SG/SF, MIA @ WAS ($7,800)
With so much uncertainty on this slate, Butler is the one player that will be rostered across all of my lineups. He is coming off a stretch of facing three of the league’s premier defenses (Utah, Indiana, Philadelphia), in which he averaged 44.2 DK points per contest. Now, he should get to feast on a hapless Wizards defense that is not only mangled by injuries, but has yielded a league-high 121.5 points per game this season. Factor in that Butler went for a massive stat line of 28 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists the last time that he faced Washington and you have all the ingredients for the backbone of most DFS lineups.
DraftKings DFS Forwards
Carmelo Anthony - SF/PF, POR v. PHX ($5,300)
Much like many of his Blazers teammates, Anthony presents a strong DFS option Monday due to his reduced price tag for a contest that should figure to provide ample offensive opportunities. Any doubts about Anthony’s abilities to produce at a high level should be squelched by this point, as he has averaged 16 points and 6.3 rebounds across his first 18 contests. The last time that he faced Phoenix on Dec. 16, he went for 23 points on 8-for-16 shooting. His shot attempts are the area to be most optimistic about; he has compiled double-digit shot attempts in 16 of his 18 outings this year, giving him excellent upside should he find his jump shot find its rhythm.
Christian Wood - PF/C, DET @ UTA ($3,800)
In a murky slate filled with players who might have an opportunity at a bargain price tag, Wood unquestionably will. With Markieff Morris already ruled out and Blake Griffin doubtful to suit up, Wood figures to see a significant workload despite the stingy matchup. As can be said for most players around the league, Wood’s production is directly tied to his time on the floor; but his case is especially pertinent. Not having yet entered the starting five this season, Wood has feasted when given an increased role off the bench, averaging 15 points and 7.1 rebounds in the nine games that he has played at least 20 minutes. His ceiling appears somewhat capped by his minutes, but he has logged four double-doubles already this year and at his price tag, that outcome would be a boon for any owner who rosters him.
DraftKings DFS Centers
Hassan Whiteside - C, POR v. PHX ($7,100)
Don’t allow the perception of one game to rose-color your glasses when checking on Whiteside. After a quiet performance Thursday against Utah and two-time reigning Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert, Whiteside has seen his price tag take a significant dip. At such a low number Monday, it’s worth noting that he has accrued at least 41.8 DK points in five of his last six games, a level of production that even at its floor would soar past the value on his price point. Whiteside has notched a double-double in 12 of 13 December outings, and with Deandre Ayton already ruled out in the Phoenix frontcourt, the big man should have a clear path to dominating on both ends of the floor.
