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NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks 12/25/17

by John Ferrucci 0 Comments

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks 12/25/17

Monday night presents Christmas Day; one of the most entertaining days for the NBA season. With a small but stacked five game slate, you will need to include some low priced plays to be able to afford the large selection of superstars.



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POINT GUARDS:

Russell Westbrook ($11,500 FD/$10,900 DK) – 

With so many superstar options in this slate Russell Westbrook may be your guy to pay up for as he is cheaper than LeBron and Harden on both platforms and cheaper than Kevin Durant on FanDuel. Lately, Westbrook has been an absolute menace to the stat sheet. He has scored 20+ points in six straight games, averaging a whopping 60.8 FanDuel PPG over those contests. He meets with former teammate James Harden on Christmas night, and is in great position to put on a show. The Rockets rank first in the league in offensive rating along with 8th in pace which could push the Thunder to increase the tempo and work quicker leading to more possessions and opportunity for Westbrook.

Jordan Clarkson ($4,000 FD/$4,700 DK) – 

Although listed as a SG on FanDuel (PG eligible on DraftKings), Clarkson seems to be a great play Monday night. The backup point guard should be getting the start for injured Lonzo Ball, who has already been listed as out for this contest. Clarkson hasn’t been so hot off the bench lately, but we’ve all seen what he’s capable of doing. At one point in the season he was outperforming Ball immensely enough where he would play the entire 4th quarter of games while Ball would sit. His recent decline in productivity has been adjusted into his salary which makes it even better for this slate. He will be playing the Timberwolves, who rank 22nd in defending opposing point guards this season. With a dirt cheap price Clarkson won’t need to do much to exceed value, making him a great asset to withhold a steady salary.

SHOOTING GUARDS:

Klay Thompson ($7,000 FD/$6,400 DK) –

With James Harden being very expensive in this slate ($12,000 FD/$11,100 DK), it may be smart to save some salary on the shooting guard position. Klay meets with the Cleveland Cavaliers for a third straight Christmas match-up. Once again Curry is sidelined, giving Klay and KD a heavy offensive workload against the poor defense Cleveland brings to the court. Klay has not had many breakout DFS games with Curry out, but has been very consistent. He has averaged 31.3 FanDuel PPG in the eight game absence from Steph.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope ($6,100 FD/$5,100 DK) – 

Caldwell-Pope has been dealing with some legal issues, as he is unable to leave the state of California. Luckily for him, Monday night’s game is indeed in Los Angeles. Listed at a fairly cheap price, KCP has been very productive in the games he has played recently. Over his last four games he has averaged 34.4 FanDuel PPG. He has also added at least two steals in seven straight games, which weighs heavy on the DFS scoring system especially on FanDuel. In those same seven games, KCP has accompanied his defensive skill set with double digit scoring as well. Caldwell-Pope may be your guy for this slate to fill the void in the SG spot.

SMALL FORWARDS:

Kevin Durant ($12,100 FD/$10,500 DK) – 

Kevin Durant can destroy just about any defense which makes his date with the Cavaliers a lot more appealing considering their weak defense discussed in Klay’s feature. The Cavs are allowing an average of 42.5 FPPG to the small forward position. KD has scored 50 or more FanDuel points in 6 of the 8 games played without sharing the court with Curry; with 3 of those 6 accumulating to 65+ points. The intensity of this game seems promising with both teams ranking in the top half of the league in pace. These teams are also “rivals” as they have met in three straight NBA finals. With a high price tag and a ton of superstar options, Kevin Durant seems worth paying up for if you can find the salary to fit him.

Trevor Ariza ($5,600 FD/$5,000 DK) – 

In this slate, you’re going to need a few fairly priced plays that will provide you just enough to stack on top of your superstars performance. With that being the case, Trevor Ariza has a reliable resume to hold you over. He has a little bit of a tough game opposing a top defense in the Oklahoma City Thunder, but has proved to be very consistent for his price. Ariza has supplied 20+ FanDuel points along with double digit points in nine straight games. His teammate, Chris Paul, is listed as questionable with a leg injury which could open up a small boost in usage for Ariza if he is in fact incapable of playing. Ariza is definitely worth the risk in this slate as his sub-$6,000 salary will also open room for some bigger plays and will hopefully keep the 20+ streak alive Christmas night.

POWER FORWARDS:

Ben Simmons ($9,400 FD/$9,300 DK) – 

Simmons is a versatile play Monday night as he is listed as a PF on FanDuel yet eligible for PG and SF on DraftKings. Regardless of placement, Simmons is in for a great match-up with the New York Knicks. Teammate Joel Embiid is once again listed as questionable as he has missed five of the 76’ers last eight games with back issues. Simmons has averaged 42.5 FanDuel PPG in those five games without Embiid on the court with him. If Embiid is sidelined expect Simmons’ usage to incline a decent amount as he faces off with a sub-par defense. Seeing what Simmons will do in his first game at Madison Square Garden should be interesting, and definitely a match-up to keep on your radar when trying to generate the perfect lineup. You should also keep your eye on Richaun Holmes and Dario Saric as they will also have a heavy workload if Embiid sits.

Jordan Bell ($4,900 FD/$4,900 DK) –

With the same price tag on both main DFS platforms, Jordan Bell brings a lot of upside to your lineup. The rookie has been filling in for Draymond Green as he has been dealing with an injury as of late and has proved himself to be the go-to guy to fill his void. Even with Draymond back in action the last two games, Bell was granted minutes in the low 20’s in which included a breakout double-double game accumulating to 41.5 FanDuel points. Bell is averaging 25 minutes per game over his last five, and will be playing a Cavs defense ranking dead last in the league at defending the big man positions. To add icing on the cake, Draymond is questionable for this game which could annex even higher upside on this very cheap play. Luckily, FanDuel has gifted us all a Christmas present of their own with a late swap enabled slate.

CENTERS:

Kevin Love ($8,000 FD/$7,500 DK) – 

It’s hard to stay away from a game with so much more to it than a +1 in the win column which is why Kevin Love makes a great play. Love is averaging a double-double this season and has supplied 20 or more points in four of his last five games with an average of 38.9 FanDuel PPG in that span. Ironically, Love is only averaging just under 30 minutes per game this season despite his immense production. It is safe to assume that Love will see a good amount of minutes in this rivalry match-up with the Warriors, increasing his ceiling for DFS value. At a salary of $7,500-$8,000 Love can be a perfect play to plug in with a higher priced superstar and could even come very close to replicating that player’s statistics.

Julius Randle ($5,900 FD/$5,000 DK) – 

If you are looking to spend small on a position, I personally would advise the Center position to do so in. With a recent injury to Laker’s center Brook Lopez, Randle has seen an increase in minutes at the position. He goes into Monday night’s game against the Timberwolves who allow an average of 54.50 FPPG per 48 minutes to centers this season. Randle has been effective offensively of late, scoring double digit points in 8 of his last 9 games with that one game being one where he only logged 8 minutes of action. When logging at least 20 minutes Randle has scored double digit points in 13 straight games. With a small price tag, Randle seems worth the risk in this small five game slate.

NBA Fantasy Basketball Schedule Analysis for Week 11

by Mike Barner 0 Comments

*Mike Barner*



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NBA Fantasy Basketball Schedule Analysis for Week 11

Just because you’ve got time off for the holidays doesn’t mean you should take time off from preparing your fantasy basketball squad for Week 11. It’s important to know the intricacies of the schedule to gain an advantage over your opponent in a head-to-head league as starting your best players might not always give you the best chance to win. Here are the moves you want to consider for your team based on the week ahead.

Teams With The Most Games – 4 Games Each
Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Philadelphia 76ers, Sacramento Kings, Washington Wizards

There are 15 teams playing four games each this week, so you likely might not have to scramble too much to build what will hopefully be a winning starting lineup. That being said, if you don’t have many players on these teams or have been bitten by the injury bug, here are some players you should consider adding.

NBA Fantasy Basketball Schedule Analysis for Week 11

Bobby Portis, Chicago Bulls

The Bulls were the laughing stock of the league earlier this season and a big reason for that was the absence of Portis and Nikola Mirotic. Now with depth up front, the Bulls not only look like a competitive team but actually had a seven-game winning streak. Portis is having the best season of his young career, averaging 12.8 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.1 three-pointers per game. He’s been heavily involved in the offense, posting a 25.7% usage rate that is second on the team to only Mirotic. Portis is still available in 62% of Yahoo! leagues, so go pick him up if you need a forward.

Jordan Bell, Golden State Warriors

The Warriors have dealt with injuries to Draymond Green (shoulder) and Zaza Pachulia (shoulder) of late, leaving extra minutes for Bell. He’s played at least 22 minutes in each of his last six games, averaging 9.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.5 blocks per contest. Green is healthy now, but Pachulia’s status this week is still uncertain. Considering the Warriors will be playing four games, you have to figure they might rest players for a game or two as well even if they are healthy. Bell is still available in 68% of Yahoo! leagues and could provide value this week, especially if you need blocks and steals.

Lance Stephenson, Indiana Pacers

Stephenson’s numbers don’t jump off the page this season, averaging 8.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. He played limited minutes at the start of the season, which has hurt his averages so far. With an increase in playing time of late, Stephenson has averaged 9.6 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists over his last seven games. Other than a matchup against the Timberwolves, the Pacers get to play three teams that like to use small lineups this week in the Pistons, Bulls, and Mavericks. That fits well with Stephenson’s style of play, so he is someone to consider adding if you need help. He’s still available in 86% of Yahoo! leagues.

Teams With The Fewest Games – 2 Games Each
Portland Trail Blazers

NBA Fantasy Basketball Schedule Analysis for Week 11

With the Trail Blazers being the only team with two games this week, it’s bad news if you own anyone on their team. While you’ll want to stay away from using all of their bench players, here are two starters who you should also consider benching.

C.J. McCollum, Portland Trail Blazers

If you drafted McCollum, it’s mostly because you were counting on him to score. He hasn’t disappointed, averaging 20.7 points and 2.3 three-pointers per game. He’s been in a bit of a scoring slump of late though, shooting only 30% from the field over his last three games. It hurts if he’s not scoring as he doesn’t provide much in other categories. Without the volume this week, it might be best to put McCollum on your bench.

Jusuf Nurkic, Portland Trail Blazers

Nurkic was dominant on the glass after being acquired by Portland at the deadline last season, averaging 10.4 rebounds per game. He’s seen a significant drop off this season, averaging only  7.4 rebounds per contest. He’s also shooting only 45.8% from the field, which is damaging from your center. He’ll have one great matchup against a depleted Hawks frontcourt this week, but Portland’s other game comes against Joel Embiid and the Sixers. It would be wise to put Nurkic on your bench for now.

 

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks 12/18/17

by John Ferrucci 0 Comments

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks 12/18/17

After a day off for most of the league, Monday night brings us a fresh ten game slate with some interesting play possibilities. There may be some hidden treasure to cash your lineup.


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NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks 12/18/17 - Lineuplab.com

POINT GUARDS:

Russell Westbrook ($11,300 FD/$11,200)

As for most nights, Russell Westbrook seems worth paying up for; He clashes with the Denver Nuggets on Monday night, as the Thunder start off a three-game homestand. Denver ranks 24th in the league in defending the PG position, and rank 22nd in the league in overall defensive efficiency. They also rank 9th in the NBA in pace, with a top 10 rank in offensive efficiency which will up the tempo in this game. This should not be a problem for Westbrook, as it is a great benefit to his DFS value.

Yogi Ferrell ($4,800 FD/$5,000 DK)

Mavs starting PG Dennis Smith Jr. is officially listed as questionable Monday night. If he plays, ignore this article as alternative plays for each position will be listed at the end of the article. If Smith Jr. is out and you need a cheap PG play to accompany Westbrook, or just to stock up on salary, Yogi Ferrell may be the best $4,800 you’ve ever spent. The young PG has recently been giving the starting nod as teammate Dennis Smith Jr. has been sidelined with a sore hip. Ferrell exploded in his last game for 41.2 FanDuel points in 38 minutes against the Spurs, who are a top 5 defense. He now meets Monday at home with the weakly structured Phoenix Suns, who contain one of the worst defensive rankings in the league. An additional benefit is that the Suns rank 1st in pace, which could benefit Ferrell severely. This game consists of two of the worst teams in the league, making it more likely to be a somewhat close game throughout the duration which rids any concern of a blowout cutting player’s minutes.

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks 12/18/17 - Lineuplab.com

SHOOTING GUARDS:

Klay Thompson ($7,200 FD/$7,000)

With Stephen Curry sidelined for a little bit, many expect Klay to dominate the DFS board. He’s been a bit of a disappointment, but that’s solely because of the high expectations set for him. If you look aside from his fantasy points, his scoring is there without Curry; he has scored 20 or more points in five straight contests. The issue is that his other statistics in the stat sheet just aren’t there some nights. Regardless, he plays the Lakers Monday night, who rank in the bottom third of the league in defending the position. For the price given lately, Klay has been consistent value-wise and can his floor should be around 30 FanDuel points whenever you roster him. His breakout game seems overdue and it very well could be tonight.

Dion Waiters ($5,800 FD/$5,500 DK)

I’m not sure my brain is familiar with writing about Dion Waiters. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever even typed his name on my keyboard prior to this article, but the former 4th overall pick caught my attention in this slate. Waiters and the Heat square-off with the 6-23 Atlanta Hawks, who are riding a four-game win streak. With Hassan Whiteside still inactive and a recent injury to forward James Johnson, Waiters is in for a heavier workload and a boost in usage. Averaging 26.5 FD points per game in his last four contests, he has fantastic value when you mix his recent consistency and workload with his match-up against a team whose defense is almost as poor as their record.

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks 12/18/17 - Lineuplab.com

SMALL FORWARDS:

Kevin Durant ($12,000 FD/$11,600 DK) 

Carrying the highest price tag on both FanDuel and DraftKings, he seems almost worth it with just about any price as long as Stephen Curry is not sharing the court. In the previous four games without Curry, Durant has posted a monstrous fantasy performance each night as he averaged 63.1 FanDuel PPG throughout the nights. He’s coming off a near triple-double, posting a 36-11-7 stat line. Luckily for those hunting Durant, there are quite a few value plays you can take the risk on to fit him into your lineup.

Omar Casspi ($4,500 FD/$4,100 DK) 

It wouldn’t be fair to end my piece Durant claiming there are some value plays in this slate and then not provide one. Luckily, I’m a fair man. A key value play for this Monday night slate is Durant’s teammate, Omar Casspi. Omar has drawn the start for Draymond Green in the last two games as Green is dealing with a sore right shoulder. He is listed as a SF on FD and is eligible for SF as well as PF on DraftKings, adding value to the risk of rostering him. Green has been listed out for this match-up opening a potential starting spot for him to do some damage in his third straight game. He has not disappointed with his responsibility of making up for Draymond’s absence, as he averaged 32.8 FanDuel PPG over an average of around 28 minutes per game in those starts. He is extremely cheap on both platforms and is a great plug-in to make room for a star in your lineup.

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks 12/18/17 - Lineuplab.com

POWER FORWARDS:

Ben Simmons ($9,900 FD/$9,600 DK) 

Not the priciest of the “big dogs” of the slate, Simmons has a promising encounter with the streaking Chicago Bulls, who are looking for their sixth straight win Monday night with Ben Simmons in their way. This game has a few factors included with it that make it seem like Simmons will be a great play; Joel Embiid has been ruled out for this contest for rest purposes, evidently boosting Simmons usage and workload. Win streak or not, the Bulls defense is still on the poor end of the rankings. However, with Embiid out and the Bulls recent win spree, this game seems as if it’ll be a lot closer than we would’ve predicted a week ago. The official odds have the Sixers winning by only one and a half with a total of 208.5 (Spread and total are subject to change). Simmons opposing a weak defensive team with predictions of a blowout slim gives the front-runner for Rookie Of The Year some extra attention on this slate.

Jordan Bell ($4,700 FD/$4,500 DK) 

Everybody’s favorite part of these articles is for some direction to where the value is; Finding cheap value plays in DFS is like winning a scratch-off ticket: Awesome! Along with teammate Omar Casspi who is also listed in this article, Jordan Bell has some serious upside Monday night. Listed at PF on FanDuel and PF/C on DraftKings, Bell has started the last two games for injured Zaza Pachulia. Pachulia is listed out against the Lakers, which should put Bell back in the starting lineup. Bell averaged 28.2 FanDuel PPG in those two. He matches up Monday against a defense that ranks 28th in defending the position, allowing an average of 55.9 FPPG per 48 minutes. When logging at least 20 minutes this season, Bell has provided 30.1 FanDuel PPG. Bell and Casspi may be your salary saving dynamic duo tonight.

NBA Daily Fantasy Basketball Lineup Picks 12/18/17

CENTERS:

Karl-Anthony Towns ($10,700 FD/$8,800 DK)

Towns was featured in Saturday’s article I wrote and he’s a little too difficult to avoid recently. Towns comes into the game Monday on an absolute tear, as he is averaging 58.9 FanDuel PPG over his last five games. Monday night KAT enters a contest against the Portland Trailblazers where he may be seeing an even larger workload. In Minnesota’s previous outing, star player Jimmy Butler exited the game when appearing to hurt his back. Although he returned to the game later, he is listed as questionable for Monday night. If Butler is sidelined, Towns is in for a heavy boost in usage. Given his recent production, he only costs $8,800 on DraftKings (10th highest salary).  He is definitely a stud to consider paying up for, especially on DraftKings.

Ekpe Udoh ($4,700 FD/$3,700 DK) – 

Ekpe Udoh was the talk of the DFS community on Saturday night as the Baylor product scorched the Cavaliers for 48.9 FanDuel points in his first official start filling in for injured high-caliber rim protector Rudy Gobert. Only scoring 9 points in that game, Udoh found other ways to produce as he stuffed the stat sheet for 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals and a whopping 6 blocks across 32 minutes of play. Gobert is listed out tonight, and with Udoh’s first impression as a starter Saturday it is almost evident that he will draw the start again. He clashes with the red-hot Rockets who seek a 14th straight win with this contest. For the dirt cheap price Udoh is tagged at (Especially on DraftKings) he won’t have to do too much to exceed value.

 

Honorable Mentions:

PG: Chris Paul & J.J. Barea

SG: James Harden & J.J. Redick

SF: Harrison Barnes, Brandon Ingram & Josh Richardson

PF: Dario Saric & Thaddeus Young

C: Richaun Holmes & Al Horford