DraftKings NBA Picks for December 3
By Mike Marteny
DraftKings NBA Picks for December 3
We have eight games tonight, which means that there are plenty of stars to pepper our DraftKings lineups with. Don’t forget to follow @fantasycpr on Twitter for lineup updates as we get them leading to the tipoffs of the games! I am not always able to get back in here and fix my picks when someone sits for the night, but we will update it on Twitter.
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I am going to change one little thing. I usually create two DraftKings lineups, so I am going to start posting the both of them since the one I post usually winds up being the lower scoring of the two.
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Point Guards
Best Bets:
Stephen Curry ($9,100): The Suns are in the bottom five of fantasy points allowed to point guards, so there is no reason for Curry to miss out on 5x value. There are so many weapons on this team though that sometimes Curry doesn’t rack up much of anything besides points. In a high paced game against Phoenix though, it shouldn’t matter.
Kyle Lowry ($7,800): Lowry has been over 40 DraftKings points in all four games since Thanksgiving. The Hawks are right in the middle in defense of point guards, but Lowry is hot right now. There is no reason to think he wont hit 40 again.
Honorable Mention:
Kemba Walker ($7,400): Walker has had a bit of a rough stretch lately. Walker has alternated games of above 38 DraftKings points and below 32 over the last ten games. The good news is that he is due for his good one. Of course, the fact that he is facing the Timberwolves and their second worst defense against point guards doesn’t hurt. Walker racked up 55.25 DraftKings points against the Wolves in their first meeting this year.
Goran Dragic ($6,900): The Heat backcourt has been ravaged by injuries, and Dragic has stepped up. Dragic has 131.25 DraftKings points over his last three games. Tonight he gets a Portland team that is fourth worst in the league against point guards. It could be another big game for Dragic.
Dark Horses:
Dennis Schroder ($6,000): Schroder has a three game streak of 6x value or more. Now he gets a Toronto team that is worst in the league defending point guards. If Paul Millsap is out again, Schroder will continue to pick up the slack in scoring. He looks like a fantastic option tonight.
Andrew Harrison ($5,200): Harrison’s price is getting up to the point where we may have to pick and choose our matchups. However, he still only needs 26 DraftKings points for 5x value. He has been at that point in every game that he has started. The Lakers are stout against the point, but D’Angelo Russell is still out as well. Harrison is still worth using tonight.
My pick: Dragic(PG), Schroder(G), Walker(UTIL); ALT: Lowry(PG), Shelvin Mack(G) if George Hill is out
Shooting Guards
Best Bets:
DeMar DeRozan ($8,000): DeRozan scored 30 or more points in 10 of the Raptors first 12 games. He has not hit that mark in the seven games since. However, he has at least five rebounds and four assists in every game since, so he has only fallen below 5x value twice. He has a good matchup against the Hawks tonight, who are 24th in the league defending the off guard. Look for DeRozan at or above 5x value again.
Klay Thompson ($6,400): Thompson racked up 34 DraftKings points the last time these two teams met, but he was far below his season average for rebounds and assists in that game. He is a great pick for 5x value or more tonight, though he is still mostly a shooter.
Honorable Mention:
Devin Booker ($6,500): Booker is almost exclusively a scorer, so he is more volatile than most DFS options. That said, he has scored more than 30 points three times in his last ten games. The bad part? He has shot under 40% in half of the team’s games. He is either going to be really good for you, or he is going to torpedo your lineup.
Zach LaVine ($6,000): LaVine has 147.75 DraftKings points over the last four games, which is well above 5x value. The Hornets have had issues defending shooting guards as well, so LaVine could have a big night. However, since Towns is back to his scoring ways, LaVine’s ceiling is a bit lower.
Dark Horses:
Lou Williams ($5,700): Last night’s clunker will turn many off of LouWill tonight, but once again, the matchup is right. Memphis is third worst in the league against off guards. Williams was just 4-14 from the floor last night in a game in which the entire team struggled. What are the chances of it happening again?
Wesley Matthews ($5,000): Matthews went cold from the floor against Charlotte on Thursday, which is cause for concern. Prior to his nice two game stretch against the Pelicans and Spurs, Matthews was dreadful from the floor. This looks like a great matchup against the Bulls, who are going to rest Dwyane Wade, but how much do you trust his shot?
My pick: N/A; ALT: LaVine(SG)
Small Forwards
Best Bets:
Kevin Durant (10,700): Durant has been over 53 DraftKings points in each of his last four games, including a 72.25 eruption against the Rockets on Thursday. In two games against Phoenix this year, Durant has put up 109 DraftKings points. That leaves him a shade above 5x value. If you are paying up for a star tonight, make it Durant.
Jimmy Butler ($8,400): The Bulls have already announced that Wade will sit to rest tonight against Dallas. The last time Wade sat, Butler put up 59.25 DraftKings points. Expect a night from Butler like he put up so many times last year when he was the only offensive weapon. That makes Butler a steal tonight.
Honorable Mention:
Wilson Chandler ($6,100): Chandler has averaged 40.25 DraftKings points over his last four games. His minutes were limited against the Jazz on November 23rd. He played only 25 minutes in that one. Even with Barton back in the fold last night, Chandler had a good night. He could against Utah again if he sees around 32 minutes instead of 25.
Jae Crowder ($5,900): Crowder is almost always at 5x value, but he rarely gets as high as 5.5x value. Crowder is very consistent, but that is not a bad thing. He is probably better for cash games, but there is nothing wrong with a sure thing in any format if all you are trying to do is cash.
Dark Horses:
P.J. Tucker ($4,500): Tucker has shined filling in for T.J. Warren in the last couple of games. Tucker has 59.75 DraftKings points in those two games, and now he gets the Warriors, who are the worst in the league defending small forwards. Tucker looks like a must-play right now.
Joe Ingles ($3,100): Ingles filled in for Rodney Hood on Thursday, and it looks likely that Hood will miss tonight’s game as well. Ingles put up 27.5 DraftKings points against a solid heat team. Denver is far from solid. Look for near 10x value tonight if Hood is out. No, I’m not kidding.
My pick: Butler(SG), Tucker(SF), Ingles(F); ALT: Durant(SF), Tucker(F), Ingles(UTIL)
Power Forwards
Best Bets:
Draymond Green ($8,200): Green dominated Houston on Thursday night, falling just one assist shy of a triple-double and posting a season high 59.75 DraftKings points. In his two games against the Suns this year, Green has 89.5 DraftKings points. That leaves him near 6x value. Green is a great play tonight.
Taj Gibson ($5,500): Gibson was a force last night against the Cavs, racking up 45.25 DraftKings points. He has 38.5 in the previous matchup against the Lakers. With Mirotic likely starting at SF with Butler covering for Wade, Gibson could see even more minutes tonight. Did I mention he also has a good matchup against the Mavs?
Honorable Mention:
Gorgui Dieng ($5,700): The last two games against the Knicks were a bust for Dieng. He was in foul trouble last night, and he didn’t play for most of the fourth quarter on Wednesday. He should be back to normal usage tonight against a Charlotte team that has struggled against power forwards. Dieng is an option if you don’t want to follow the Gibson herd.
JaMychal Green ($5,100): Green has been a force with Zach Randolph out. Make sure to keep an eye on Randolph’s status, but it appears he will be out again. That leaves the door wide open for Green against a Lakers team that is in the bottom five defending power forwards.
Dark Horses:
James Johnson ($4,900): Injuries have ravaged the Heat, and it has been Johnson that has given them a boost over the last two games. Johnson has racked up 75.75 DraftKings games over the last two games with Dion Waiters, Josh Richardson, and Luke Babbitt out. All of them are likely out again tonight, so Johnson could be a great play on the cheap.
Nikola Mirotic ($4,300): Mirotic put up 39.25 DraftKings points when Wade sat to rest the first time. Look for production near that rate again tonight, unless his cold shooting (1-9) from the floor carries over to tonight.
My pick: Green(PF), Gibson(C); ALT: Green(PF)
Center
Best Bets:
Dwight Howard ($7,300): Howard was a bust last night, but that was because all of the Hawks starters were rested in the second half. Howard is the presence in the middle with Paul Millsap out again, so he could have a nice game so long as it stays close. Toronto isn’t nearly as strong inside as Detroit is, so it should.
Karl-Anthony Towns ($8,900): The Hornets have been solid inside, but Towns does so much more than score or rebound that he has a pretty high floor. We have seen what good teams can do to Hassan Whiteside, so if you are looking for a marquee center, Towns is easily the better bet.
Honorable Mention:
Marc Gasol ($7,100): Gasol has averaged 38 DraftKings points per game with Randolph out. With Randolph out again and a nice matchup against the Lakers, expect Gasol around that mark again, which makes him a 5.5x value.
Al Horford ($6,500): Horford dominated the Kings last night, putting up 58.5 DraftKings points. While it may be unfair to expect that against Philly, it just goes to show you how high Horford’s ceiling really is. With Joel Embiid resting tonight, Horford is still in line for well over 5x value.
Dark Horses:
Rudy Gobert ($6,300): Gobert has shouldered a lot of the load inside with Derrick Favors out, and he was doing quite well until his tussle with Hassan Whiteside. Expect Gobert to be back on track against a Denver team that is one of the worst in the league defending the center position.
Mason Plumlee ($6,000): Plumlee has quietly topped 5x value in each of his last four games, going over six in one and over seven in another. As much of a force as Whiteside is in the middle, opposing centers have still had fantasy success against him. Plumlee is largely overlooked, but he could have another really good night.
My pick: N/A; ALT: Plumlee(C)
Stay tuned for our FanDuel picks, our DFS NHL picks, and plenty of NFL advice heading into your weekend. We will also have the college football picks against the spread. You don’t want to miss any of this!