FanDuel Daily Picks: Fantasy Basketball Lineup, December 17

Dec 12, 2014; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) tries to block the shot of Miami Heat guard Mario Chalmers (15) during the fourth quarter at EnergySolutions Arena. Miami Heat won the game 100-95. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 12, 2014; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) tries to block the shot of Miami Heat guard Mario Chalmers (15) during the fourth quarter at EnergySolutions Arena. Miami Heat won the game 100-95. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports /
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Tonight shapes up to be another great night of fantasy basketball with ten games on tap for tonight on the hardwood.  To help you find the best possible daily league resuts tonight, check out our Fansided Fantasy (@FansidedFantasy) FanDuel daily picks for December 17th listed below.

More from FanDuel

The Grizzlies are back in action in the headline game of the night as they travel to San Antonio on the heels of their big win at home over the Warriors to stop Golden State’s 16-game winning streak. Meanwhile, in the Eastern Conference the Nets take on the Raptors in Toronto on ESPN’s featured 8:00 tip-off.

To help you get your winning lineup put together for those games and the eight others on the slate, here are today’s FanDuel daily picks.  As usual, for each position you can find a pair of high-salary options and a pair of high-value options which come from the lower end of the salary spectrum.  My personal lineup is at the bottom of the post, but feel free to mix-and-match to get your customized team on the floor.

Point Guard

High Salary: Although he’s not one of the three highest-priced options, Damian Lillard has been tearing it up lately with 40+ FanDuel points in three of his last four games and 28+ in each of his last ten.  Lillard is averaging 21 points, 5.1 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 1.8 steals over that ten-game span and continues to produce at a very high level.  Tonight the Blazers host the injury-depleted Bucks and the only way Lillard won’t have another huge game is if the game turns into a run-away early but even then expect Lillard to get his.

Dec 13, 2014; Charlotte, NC, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Deron Williams (8) drives down the court as he is defended by Charlotte Hornets forward center Bismack Biyombo (8) during the first half of the game at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 13, 2014; Charlotte, NC, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Deron Williams (8) drives down the court as he is defended by Charlotte Hornets forward center Bismack Biyombo (8) during the first half of the game at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports /

High SalaryThe Nets Deron Williams hasn’t been pouring on the scoring, but he has been producing fantasy points mostly due to a steady diet of assists.  He’s had ten assists or more in four of his last five games and put up 25+ FanDuel points in five in a row.  His shooting has been erratic, but if his shots start dropping he could be in for a monster game against the Raptors.

High Value: If Tony Parker remains sidelined tonight against Memphis, Corey Joseph will get another start for the Champs and some heavy minutes against the Grizz.  Joseph played 37 minutes on Monday against Portland scoring  12 points to go with five boards, an assist, and a steal.  He’s been solid when he’s gotten the start, so he represents a nice value at 4,600 in today’s FanDuel daily picks.

High Value: Going cheap in the late game, C.J. Watson has been producing solid numbers for the Pacers.  He has scored double-digit points in three games in a row and averaged 4.8 assists over his last five. In FanDuel, he’s scored at least 18 points in six games in a row including a pair of games over 25 FanDuel points.  Watson is a bargain option and should be able to produce solid numbers against the Clippers in LA tonight.

UPDATE: Jeff Teague is not expected to play for the Hawks tonight which makes Dennis Schroeder a sneaky PG play.

Shooting Guard

High Salary: Aside from a stinker in Memphis, Monta Ellis has scored at least 26 FanDuel points in each of his last ten games.  In fact, he’s produced 30+ in eight of his last ten.  Tonight, the Mavs are in Detroit to take on the Pistons, and Ellis is set up to continue his success.  He is averaging 22.7 points, 4.3 assists, 2.1 boards, and 2.0 steals over his last ten games.

High Salary: The Pacers backcourt hasn’t been described in glowing terms by any analysts outside of fantasy basketball, but Rodney Stuckey has joined C.J. Watson as good plays lately and both make good options tonight.  Stuckey has 34 total points and 24 total rebounds in his last two games and has scored double-digits in his last seven in a row.  Stuckey is coming off 33.8 and 41.5 FanDuel points in his last two games, and he’ll look to keep it rolling tonight in LA against the Clips.

Dec 13, 2014; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) dunks during the first quarter against the Los Angeles Clippers at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 13, 2014; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) dunks during the first quarter against the Los Angeles Clippers at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports /

High Value: Giannis Antetokounmpo will play a bigger role in the Milwaukee offense tonight against the Blazers after the Bucks lost Jabari Parker for the season. The Greek Freak has a shot to really step up his game and shown he can produce fantasy points in bunches across multiple categories.  He had a sup-par effort Monday, but should bounce back against the Blazers tonight.  Antetokounmpo had scored 25+ FanDuel points in four in a row before Monday’s 13.6.

High Value: With rookie P.J. Hairston continuing to struggle with off-the-court issues, Gary Neal has been getting increased run for the Hornets playing 29 minutes or more in two of their last three games. Neal offers some solid assist/scoring potential as the Hornets take on the guard-heavy Suns tonight in Charlotte.

Small Forward

High Salary: When the King is on the floor, it’s hard not to roll with LeBron James who has put up at least 49 FanDuel points in four of his last five games played.  He’s coming off a 27-point, 13-assist, and seven-rebound game against Charlotte on Monday and takes on another opponent he can dominate tonight as Atlanta visits Cleveland.  He costs a King’s ransom, but if you can work your roster around him, he’s unmatched in his reliability to contribute huge points. 

High Salary:  A player in the midrange value that can consistently put up FanDuel points, Gerald Green has scored at least 20 FanDuel points in five of his last six games and played a huge 40 minutes against Milwaukee on Monday in the Suns narrow loss.  Green has totaled 27 points, 15 rebounds, and four assists in his last two games and should continue to produce as he starts for the injured Goran Dragic.

Dec 12, 2014; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs shooting guard Kyle Anderson (1) shoots the ball over Los Angeles Lakers point guard Jeremy Lin (17) during the first half at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 12, 2014; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs shooting guard Kyle Anderson (1) shoots the ball over Los Angeles Lakers point guard Jeremy Lin (17) during the first half at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports /

High Value: Kyle Anderson should get some extended minutes tonight for the Spurs with Kawhi Leonard already ruled out against Memphis. On Monday, Anderson scored a career-high 15 points while adding five boards, a block, and an assist in an efficient 20 minutes.  He’s played at least 20 minutes in three of the Spurs’ last four games and has at least 15 FanDuel points in each of those games.  Look for Anderson to be a great value option in today’s FanDuel daily picks with huge upside depending on who is available for San Antonio tonight.

High Value: If Tony Allen is unable to play after last night’s eye injury, veteran Vince Carter could see extra minutes for the Grizzlies as they take on the Spurs.  Carter is coming off one of his strongest showings of the season scoring 16 points against the Warriors and reaching the 20-point plateau in FanDuel.  Carter is high-risk, but he’s also low-cost and could get more run to see if he can duplicate his hot hand from last night.

Power Forward

Dec 15, 2014; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge (12) battles for position with San Antonio Spurs forward Boris Diaw (33) during the third quarter of the game at the Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. Mandatory Credit: Steve Dykes-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 15, 2014; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge (12) battles for position with San Antonio Spurs forward Boris Diaw (33) during the third quarter of the game at the Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. Mandatory Credit: Steve Dykes-USA TODAY Sports /

High Salary: If you decide to roll with cheaper options at guard and not go with LeBron, LaMarcus Aldridge has been playing well enough lately to merit consideration as a high-salary pickup.  He’s grabbed at least nine rebounds in fifteen straight games and could get even more with teammate Robin Lopez out at Center (more on that in a minute).  Aldridge has 14 rebounds in each of his last two games and has scored 35 FanDuel points or more in nine of his last ten games.  Look for another huge game from LaMarcus tonight against the Bucks and their injury-depleted frontcourt.

High Salary: Even though his scoring totals have been inconsistent, Paul Millsap contributes in enough categories to give you fantasy production almost every night.  He has 30 FanDuel points in five of his last seven and has at least eight rebounds in every game during that span.  He will be expected to shoulder the load for Atlanta tonight as they look to knock off the Cavs in Cleveland and should be lined up for a good game.

High Value: Since DeMar DeRozan’s injury, Patrick Patterson has picked up a lot of the scoring slack for the Raps with double digit point totals in five in a row and nine of his last ten.  He contributes in a solid variety of categories as well pulling in rebounds or handing out assists depending on the team needs.  Either way, he gives his fantasy owners what they’re looking for and has scored 20+ FanDuel points in five consecutive games.  Look for him to put up good numbers tonight against the Nets as Toronto hosts their division rivals for the first of four meetings this season.

High Value: If you have to take a flier on your PF spot due to over-spending elsewhere, Thomas Robinson is a gamble worth considering after he stepped in and played cruch time minutes after Robin Lopez exited Portland’s win on Monday.  His new role is extremely undefined making him a risky play, but among the cheapest options out there he has the most upside.

Center

Dec 16, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; Utah Jazz center Enes Kanter (0) shoots over New Orleans Pelicans center Omer Asik (3) during the first quarter of a game at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 16, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; Utah Jazz center Enes Kanter (0) shoots over New Orleans Pelicans center Omer Asik (3) during the first quarter of a game at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /

High Salary: Coming off one of the best games of his career last night, Enes Kanter takes on the injury-depleted frontcourt of the Heat. Kanter dropped 29 points to go with seven rebounds, one assist, one block, and two steals.  In his last five, he’s averaging Through the last five games, he’s averaging 17.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 1.0 block. In FanDuel, those numbers have him scoring over 30 fantasy in three of his last four games.  In a good matchup and still under 6,000 Kanter is a great way to go tonight in Miami.

High Salary: The Portland Trail Blazers loss of Robin Lopez to a broken hand on Monday means veteran Chris Kaman should get a bump in minutes and will probably get the start tonight alongside Aldridge in the Blazers frontcourt.  Kaman and his wife do have an impending arrival, but as long as that doesn’t interfere with him taking the court tonight he should be ready to help your fantasy team if you can’t reach for Kanter’s salary level.

High Value:  With mounting injuries in Milwaukee as well, Zaza Pachulia should see more time against the Blazers tonight.  Pachulia isn’t flashy, but at just 4,300 he’s an affordable option coming off a solid 27.1 FanDuel point performance on Monday.  He offers production in multiple categories, and he can help your fantasy team today if you have to go cheap.

High Value: Jazz Center Rudy Gobert also offers cheap center production especially if Derrick Favors is sidelined and he gets the start.  His main fantasy points come from his blocks and rebounds.  In his last three games, Gobert has played over 25 minutes in each contest and totaled 29 rebounds and 11 blocks.  In those three games, Gobert’s FanDuel poitns have been 40.2, 24.8, and 25.8.  His 40-point game came against the Heat who he’ll face again tonight making him a great cheap option as long as Favors doesn’t return and force him back to the bench.

My Lineup

PG: Deron Williams-Brooklyn Nets UPDATE–Dennis Schroeder, Atlanta Hawks

PG: C.J. Watson-Indiana Pacers

SG: Monta Ellis-Dallas Mavericks

SG: Giannis Antetokounmpo-Milwaukee Bucks

SF: LeBron James-Cleveland Cavaliers

SF: Kyle Anderson-San Antonio Spurs UPDATE–P.J. Tucker, Phoenix Suns

PF: LaMarcus Aldridge-Portland Trail Blazers

PF: Patrick Patterson-Toronto Raptors  UPDATE–Paul Millsap, Atlanta Hawks

C: Rudy Gobert-Utah Jazz