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Kevin Luchansky highlights the top FanDuel NBA DFS lineup picks for 12/22/17, and a couple of sleepers to consider while building daily rosters.
I've got the perfect remedy for your last minute shopping needs? Internet money! As in, let's win some tonight on FanDuel so we don't break our actual banks trying to finish off our Christmas shopping. On deck this late December Friday evening is a nine-game slate, with opening tip at 7 pm EST. The majority of the action takes place in the Eastern time zone, with just two games tipping after 8 pm - this is beneficial in the non late-swap world, as we should know injury and scratch/sit news before lock.
Before I jump into player analysis, I like to call out a few games that have interesting Vegas lines to consider when we construct our rosters. As of this writing, there are still a trio of games without projections or totals, but there are also three with overs above 210, and they should be on your game stack radar. In order of interest, those games are Clippers at Rockers (219), Wizards at Nets (212), and the Hornets at Bucks (211). The spread in the first contest mentioned is a bit high (11), but not enough to scare me off the value on the Clippers side and the enormous ceilings on the Rockets side this evening.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel on 12/22/17. The DFS lineup picks will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options, and value plays on FanDuel.
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FanDuel DFS Guards
Russell Westbrook - PG, vs ATL ($11,500)
The Thunder guards are one of my areas of concentration as the Thunder appear as a great value tonight - they're in a pace up matchup that will yield more possessions than usual, and they're projected for more than five points above their season average. Ultimately, this elevates the floor and ceiling for Russ, and he and his rested teammates have an excellent matchup against a team that ranks 27th in overall defensive efficiency. Defensively speaking, the point guard position is extra weak in Atlanta, and Westbrook should be able to blow by Dennis Schroeder with relative ease. Thus far in 2017, Westbrook is averaging an incredible 1.47 FanDuel points per minute on the floor.
Other DFS Point Guards to Consider: John Wall - PG, at BKN ($9,500); Shabazz Napier - PG, vs DEN ($3,700); Milos Teodosic - PG, at HOU ($5,200)
Eric Gordon - SG, vs LAC ($5,400)
After a month-long hiatus, Eric Gordon is back to playing excellent basketball off the bench for the Houston Rockets. The return of Chris Paul to the starting lineup has seemingly boosted the fantasy values of Trevor Ariza (who is getting more open looks on the first unit) and Eric Gordon, who returns to his high Usage rate throne with the second unit. Gordon has absolutely crushed his price implied value in two straight games, and the matchup aligns well enough for him to do that again tonight - and then some. Gordon has produced at a 0.81 fantasy points per minute player this season, and tonight he projects for 39 minutes and a Usage rate between 22-24.
Other DFS Shooting Guards to Consider: James Harden - SG, vs LAC ($12,000); Lou Williams - SG, at HOU ($6,800); Jrue Holiday - SG, at ORL ($7,800); E'Twaun Moore - SG, at ORL ($4,800)
FanDuel DFS Forwards
Jonathon Simmons - SF, vs NOP ($6,500)
I called out Simmons two weeks ago in my DFS Risers and Fallers column, and thus far, he's proved me wrong quite a few times while in this price tier. He's fairly consistently hit value and he's still flashed a ceiling worth chasing in tournaments. What I overlooked is that his minutes in the high 30's are quite stable, and I assumed that his Usage rate (roughly 23%) would dip down a bit - and it hasn't. This game should feature a ton of possessions and be one of the highest scoring of the night. New Orleans is a weak defensive opponent, and they average allowing more than three points above salary based expectations. Thanks to the game context and solid minutes, he's a good cash play, and I think he warrants some shares in tournaments as well, particularly in Orlando-New Orleans game stacks.
Other DFS Small Forwards to Consider: PJ Tucker - SF, vs LAC ($4,600); Kevin Durant - SF, vs LAL ($11,500)
Rondae-Hollis Jefferson - PF, vs WAS ($6,800)
I couldn't wrap up this section without adding some flavor from one of my favorite games, the Wizards at Nets. There should be a high number of possessions tonight and a lot of transition fueled, fast paced offense - the kind of game environment that the slashing Hollis-Jefferson thrives in. Jefferson has struggled a bit of late, and if you want something for cash games with a safer floor, look to the others I mentioned below. For the tournament degenerates like myself, I'd suggest being overweight to the field on RHJ, because this is a potential smash spot. My projections have him for 34 minutes and a 22 Usage rate this evening.
Other DFS Power Forwards to Consider: Larry Nance Jr. - PF, at GSW ($5,100); Marvin Williams - PF, at MIL ($3,800); John Henson - PF, vs CHA ($5,500)
FanDuel DFS Centers
Julius Randle - C, at GSW ($5,100)
New position eligibility, and new opportunity. While Randle's measurables certainly grade out as a power forward in the Association at best, Coach Walton has been using him in different ways than his power forward counterparts in Kyle Kuzma and Larry Nance. While the Warriors, his opponent tonight, are a good team defensively, the most opportune way to attack them is through the middle. At this price point, and with his 20-22 Usage rate continuing, Randle is in a great spot to surpass value and I like his upside in tournaments as well.
Other DFS Centers to Consider: Nene - C, vs LAC ($3,700); DeAndre Jordan - C, at HOU ($8,200)
NBA DFS News & Injury Alerts
