FanDuel NBA Picks For December 15

Here are my FanDuel picks for December 15!

Nov 19, 2015; Miami, FL, USA; NBA referee J.T. Orr (left) talks with Sacramento Kings guard Rajon Rondo (right) during the first half against the Miami Heat at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

It is a light night in the NBA with only four evening games going on. That leaves plenty of options to build a winning team. Who are the best options? Let’s take a look at how injuries and price can affect your lineups!

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To finish in the money, you need to choose the best high priced players, and the best cheap options to let you afford some high priced players. I will give you some of each option at each position and let you choose from there.

Here are my FanDuel NBA Picks for December 15:

Next: There Are Bargains At PG

Dec 12, 2015; Charlotte, NC, USA; Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas (4) during the first half of the game against the Charlotte Hornets at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports

Point Guards:

Best Bets:

Isaiah Thomas, Celtics ($8,100): Thomas has carried the Celtics with Marcus Smart out, and it has left Celtic fans and daily fantasy players alike hoping that Smart takes his sweet time coming back. Thomas has averaged 37.6 FanDuel points per game over his last ten, and has not been under 30 in any of those. He is the most reliable option out there tonight.

Ricky Rubio, Timberwolves ($6,800): Rubio still is not shooting well, but he continues to distribute the ball well, and rebound well for his size. His high-energy play keeps him from being a true bust for daily players, but his value is always capped because he isn’t much of a scorer. That said, he is a solid play against Cleveland, who is beat up in the backcourt.

Honorable Mention:

Michael Carter-Williams, Bucks ($5,700): MCW has been mixing dreadful games with great games lately. He is due for a dreadful game, but I have a hard time believing that will happen against the hapless Lakers. He could be a great bargain at this price.

D’Angelo Russell, Lakers ($5,400): The rookie is starting to pick it up lately for the Lakers. Russell has averaged 24 FanDuel points per game over the last ten games, and with Jordan Clarkson hobbled lately, the Lakers will give Russell all the minutes he can handle. He is a candidate to go off at any minute, like he did against the Spurs on Friday. Will it happen again with Clarkson possibly missing the game?

If You’re Cheap:

Darren Collison, Kings ($5,000): Collison is a strong play since Rajon Rondo has already been ruled out for tonight’s game against Houston. He flourished as a starter last year. Can he pick it up for tonight’s game? I wouldn’t bet against it!

Jameer Nelson, Nuggets ($4,200): Nelson has filled in very well for the injured Emmanuel Mudiay, who remains out with an ankle sprain. He has 61.2 FanDuel points in his two games as a starter. He should be somewhere near that again tonight against Minnesota.

My picks: Thomas and Nelson

Next: Is There A Cheap Option At SG?

Dec 12, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) warms up before a game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Shooting Guards:

Best Bets:

James Harden, Rockets ($10,700): Harden has had just one clunker all season, a 26.1 point disappointment against Brooklyn on December 8th. Otherwise he has been at or above 40 in every single game. He put up 43.9 FanDuel points on the Kings back on the 5th. He could have more tonight without Rajon Rondo on the court.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks ($7,000): Giannis has averaged 31 FanDuel points per game over his last six games. The Bucks seem to be done tinkering with their rotation (for now), and you can tell the Freak is settling in. He could have a big game against the Lakers. Most opponents have this year.

Honorable Mention:

Will Barton, Nuggets ($6,000): Barton has been a great bargain all season long at this price. Over his last six games, he has been even more so, averaging 33.4 FanDuel points per game. There are plenty of minutes to go around in the Nuggets’ backcourt. Take advantage of Barton while he is still a bargain.

Avery Bradley, Celtics ($5,800): Bradley still has the occasional off game, but most of the time, he is in the mid 20’s for FanDuel points, which makes him a solid bargain at his price. He also has the occasional game over 30, so if you feel like gambling a little, Bradley could be a decent play against Cleveland.

If You’re Cheap:

Lou Williams, Lakers ($5,100): With so many mouths to feed in the Laker backcourt, Williams is always a risk. That said, Nick Young seems to have fallen out of the rotation, and Jordan Clarkson is hobbled. The extra minutes have gone to Williams so far. He has played over 30 minutes in each of his last seven games, averaging 30.8 FanDuel points per game in that span. He is producing well above his price right now.

Gary Harris, Nuggets ($3,900): Harris was going well before falling victim to injury back on November 27th against the Spurs. He hasn’t missed a beat. Harris has played a whopping 84 minutes in his two games back, racking up 42.8 FanDuel points in that span. That is a very good bargain for his price. He is a suitable punt if you want the money to use Harden.

My picks: Antetokounmpo and Williams

Next: Should You Spend On LeBron?

Dec 14, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari (8) shoots the ball during the first half against the Houston Rockets at Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

Small Forwards:

Best Bets:

LeBron James, Cavaliers ($10,400): LeBron has been consistently brilliant all year long. He has not been below 40 FanDuel points in his last ten games, and is averaging 46.3 FanDuel points per game over that span. If you are looking to buy one stud tonight, James is the safest bet.

Danilo Gallinari, Nuggets ($7,200): Gallinari has been healthy all season, and it has shown. He has rewarded those fantasy owners that took a chance on him, and he has been a strong daily play as well. Gallinari has only been under 25 FanDuel points once in his last 11 games. He has also been over 30 in four of his last five games, averaging 33.7 FanDuel points in that span. That is approaching 5x value!

Honorable Mention:

Rudy Gay, Kings ($7,000): Gay is nothing if not consistent. He has averaged right around 28 FanDuel points per game over his last eight games, which is the time that DeMarcus Cousins has been back. With Cousins around, Gay is consistently average, but there are worse things. He has a limited ceiling, but he is a solid 4x value. Guys like that can win you more than you lose.

Jae Crowder, Celtics ($5,400): Crowder is the most consistent producer fantasy-wise for the Celtics. Thomas and Jared Sullinger have higher ceilings. Hell, even Avery Bradley has a higher ceiling, but if you are looking for a sure 25 FanDuel points for a reasonable price, take Crowder.

If You’re Cheap:

Omri Casspi, Kings ($4,700): There are minutes open in the Kings front court with Willie Cauley-Stein out of the picture for the next month or so. Casspi has been logging the starts in the meantime, which makes him a great bargain at his price. He has limited upside, but nearly every game he plays is in the 20’s for FanDuel points. That brings him close to 5x value. He has been over 40 minutes in each of his last two games, scoring 62.1 FanDuel points over that time. If he keeps logging minutes like this, you can’t afford not to play him!

My Picks: James and Casspi

Next: Is Green The Best PF Option?

Dec 11, 2015; Orlando, FL, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love (0) high fives forward LeBron James (23) against the Orlando Magic during the second half at Amway Center. The Cavaliers won 111-76. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Power Forward:

Best Bets:

Kevin Love, Cavaliers ($7,800): Love is no longer the kind of player that is going to hit 60’s in FanDuel points. He rarely hits the high 40’s anymore, but he is consistently in the mid 30’s, which makes him a decent 4.5x value. Love doesn’t have the huge upside that he had in Minnesota, but he is a more consistent producer in Cleveland, and a much lower risk at this price.

Kenneth Faried, Nuggets ($6,400): The Nuggets toy with their frontcourt rotation on nearly a nightly basis, but Faried has managed to average 28.1 FanDuel points over his last five games, putting him squarely at 4.5x value. His athleticism always makes him a threat to produce well above that, but he has only been in the 30’s once since returning from injury on November 28th.

Honorable Mention:

Julius Randle, Lakers ($6,000): Randle was cruising along until back to back lackluster games over the weekend against San Antonio and Houston. Now he has to tangle with Greg Monroe and the Bucks, which could keep him down yet again. Still, keeping Randle down to 4x value isn’t such a bad thing when faced with the inconsistency of Faried.

Jabari Parker, Bucks ($5,000): Parker is still mostly a scorer at this point, making him a bit susceptible to off games, but it also gives him a higher ceiling. The Bucks are still trying to get Parker acclimated to the NBA after an injury cost him half of his rookie season last year, and he was lost for a brief time to begin this season. He is finally healthy, and he has seen his minutes stabilize around the 30 mark. He is a good guy to roll the dice on.

If You’re Cheap:

Joffrey Lauvergne, Nuggets ($3,800): The Nuggets did well with Lauvergne and Faried up front last night, so they might keep it the same for tonight. Maybe. If they do, Joffrey is a great play at this price, considering he put up 26.7 FanDuel points last night. You never know what the Nuggets will do from night to night though, so at best Lauvergne is still a roll of the dice.

My picks: Faried and Parker

Next: Who Is The Best At C?

Nov 15, 2015; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings forward DeMarcus Cousins (15) reacts against the Toronto Raptors during the second quarter at Sleep Train Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Center:

Best Bet:

DeMarcus Cousins, Kings ($9.800): Cousins is averaging a modest 39.7 FanDuel points per game since missing three games around Thanksgiving. He has been back in the 40’s over the last two games, but I wouldn’t trust him to get much above that against a solid Houston front court.

Honorable Mention:

Greg Monroe, Bucks ($7,800): Roy Hibbert is not as imposing as he once was, so I am comfortable using Monroe against the Lakers. Monroe has only been under 30 FanDuel points once in December (25.4 against the Spurs on December 2nd), and has topped 40 once in that span. He is a candidate to do it against the Lakers again.

If You’re Cheap:

Gorgui Dieng, Timberwolves ($4,500): The Timberwolves shuffle their frontcourt nearly as much as tonight’s opponent, Denver, does. Still, Dieng has averaged 23.9 FanDuel points over his last ten games. That leaves him above 5x value. He is a solid option if you are looking to go cheap.

My Pick: Monroe

Next: Picks For Capital One Bowl Mania!

Good luck out there!