NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Recommendations for December 18 2019

After a fairly quiet six-game slate Tuesday, the NBA picks back up Wednesday with nine games on the docket. That leaves us with plenty of options to choose from, so let’s get right to it and highlight a couple of the better players at each position to pursue. Don’t forget to sign up for our Newsletter and try our NBA Lineup Optimizer to help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.

POINT GUARDS

Jeff Teague, MIN vs. NO
FanDuel = $6,500
DraftKings = $5,800

It took a little while, but Teague appears to have adjusted to his new role coming off the bench. Over his last four games, he’s averaged 20.5 points, three rebounds, four assists and 1.8 three-pointers across 30 minutes a night. That is even more impressive when you consider three of those games came against strong defensive teams in the Lakers, Jazz and Clippers. Now he gets to face a Pelicans team that has allowed the second-most points per game in the league.

Tomas Satoransky, CHI at WAS
FanDuel = $5,700
DraftKings = $5,300

Satoransky isn’t going to stand out in any one particular area. His scoring numbers are down a bit lately, but he’s still managed to provide valuable production overall by averaging 7.7 points, 3.1 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.4 steals across his last seven games. This is a great matchup for him against his former team since the Wizards have played at the second-fastest pace and allowed the most points per game. Isaiah Thomas is also back for the Wizards, which is noteworthy since Satoransky could cause him all sorts of trouble given their significant height difference.

SHOOTING GUARDS

Andrew Wiggins, MIN vs. NO
FanDuel = $7,800
DraftKings = $7,600

Point Wiggins is here to stay. He’s really taken to his new role, which has helped him average 26.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.3 blocks and 2.2 three-pointers across his last 15 games. His usage rate is all the way up to 29.1 percent, which is an increase of nearly five percentage points compared to last season. Karl-Anthony Towns is listed as questionable for this game, so if he is unable to go, Wiggins’ upside is through the roof. Even if Towns does play, Wiggins is an excellent target at such a reasonable price on both sites.

Malik Monk, CHA at CLE
FanDuel = $3,800
DraftKings = $3,300

Monk has found it difficult getting consistent playing time this season. However, he made his case to get some extra run Wednesday after torching the Kings for 23 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and a steal Tuesday. He did all that across just 27 minutes, too. That’s obviously a line that won’t be easy to duplicate, but at the near minimum price on both sites, Monk is at least worth considering in tournament play.

SMALL FORWARDS

Brandon Ingram, NO at MIN
FanDuel = $8,400
DraftKings = $8,000

The Pelicans were involved in an ugly game against the Nets on Tuesday in which they only scored 101 points despite going to overtime. Ingram was just 7-for-23 from the field, but his shooting struggles didn’t tank his night. In fact, he finished with 22 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks. His 29.1 percent usage rate leaves him with significant upside and both of these teams rank inside the top-seven in the league in pace of play, which sets him up with the potential for another gaudy stat line.

Derrick Jones Jr., MIA at PHI
FanDuel = $4,700
DraftKings = $4,600

If you’re looking for a guy who can go off in the scoring department, Jones is not your man. He’s averaging only seven points a game and has scored double-digit points in only three of his 13 games. However, two of those contests have come across his last three games. He’s been playing more with Goran Dragic (groin) and Justise Winslow (back) out, which has enabled him to average 9.7 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.2 steals across six games. He’s listed as questionable with a migraine, but if he plays, he’s a cheaper option worth pursuing.

POWER FORWARDS

Kristaps Porzingis, DAL vs. BOS
FanDuel = $8,900
DraftKings = $8,300

With Luka Doncic (ankle) out, Porzingis is now the driving force behind the Mavericks’ offense. He posted 22 points, 14 rebounds and two blocks after Doncic went down Saturday against the Heat, then followed that up with 26 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks Monday against the Bucks. He attempted at least 19 shots in both contests, which is up from his season average of 15.3 shot attempts a night. The Celtics are missing one of their best defenders in Marcus Smart (eye), which could be a big help to Porzingis. as well.

Davis Bertans, WAS vs. CHI
FanDuel = $5,800
DraftKings = $6,500

Bertans has to be looking around the locker room and wondering who is going to help him up front. The Wizards’ big men are dropping like flies since they will now be without Thomas Bryant (foot), Moritz Wagner (ankle) and Rui Hachimura (groin) against the Bulls. While Satoransky and Kris Dunn have helped the Bulls cause problems for opposing back courts, the same can’t be said for the defensive skills of their players up front. With all the minutes and shots that he can likely handle, Bertans is a great mid-tier option.

CENTERS

Karl-Anthony Towns, MIN vs. NO
FanDuel = $10,800
DraftKings = $10,700

Towns doesn’t have a specific injury that has caused him to be questionable, he’s just said to be “banged up.” He’s been one of the most durable players in the league during his career, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him suit up here. If he does, this is an elite matchup against a Pelicans team that has the inexperienced Jaxson Hayes and the currently-limited Derrick Favors up front. There’s a chance that Favors doesn’t even play in this game since it’s the second night of a back-to-back set.

Cody Zeller, CHA at CLE
FanDuel = $5,400
DraftKings = $5,700

If Towns plays, I’m not sure how you can avoid him in cash contests. However, if you’re looking to go with a player who likely won’t be included in an overwhelming amount of entries in tournament play, Zeller should be on your radar. He’s now starting at power forward with P.J. Washington (finger) out, which has enabled him to log at least 29 minutes in back-to-back games. He recorded 19 points and 12 rebounds the first game against the Pacers, then followed that up with 17 points, nine rebounds, four assists and two blocks against the Kings on Tuesday.

Author Bio:

Mike has been covering fantasy sports since 2007, joining Lineup Lab in 2017. An avid player of both season-long fantasy leagues and DFS, Mike’s work has appeared on numerous sites, including RotoWire, SportsLine and Sports Illustrated. He’s also been featured on DraftKings’ nightly show, The Sweat, and was a finalist for the 2018 FSWA Basketball Writer of the Year award. Follow Mike on Twitter @rotomikebarner.