DraftKings daily picks: Fantasy basketball lineup-December 23
High Salary SF
Kevin Durant-Golden State Warriors (8,800): Durant stepped up for the Warriors last night in a surprisingly close game against the Nets. He helped pick up the slack while Draymond Green was away from the team and finished with 26-9-7 with a block and three steals for 56.25 fantasy points. Durant has over 55 fantasy points in two of his last three games, but he can definitely take it easy some games since the score is one-sided or someone else on his team is lighting it up. Last night, though, it was definitely Durant who turned it on with 56.25 fantasy points on 26-9-7 with a block and three steals. He could have had even more if he wasn’t held back by his still-spotty outside shooting.∗∗∗
Jimmy Butler-Chicago Bulls (8,400): The Bulls got a double-double from Butler on Wednesday when he had 20-11-5 for 40.75 fantasy points. He has over 35 fantasy points in eight of his last 11 games, but he has been held under 41 fantasy points in each of his last four. Butler makes sense tonight against the Hornets who allow the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing SF. Chicago is headed to San Antonio for their Christmas Day game, so Butler will need to get warmed up for his big matchup with Kawhi Leonard.∗∗
Kawhi Leonard-San Antonio Spurs (7,800): Kawhi was the only one of the Spurs to show up last night in LA against the Clippers, but his 50.25 fantasy points on 27-9-5 with two blocks weren’t quite enough to power the Spurs to the win. Leonard has over 39 fantasy points in seven of his last eight games, and he should be a nice matchup to attack tonight against the Blazers as long as Coach Popovich doesn’t get any funny ideas on the second night of a back-to-back on the road.∗∗∗
Gordon Hayward-Utah Jazz (7,800): Hayward should have a huge usage rate tonight with George Hill and Dante Exum out, Rodney Hood questionable, and Derrick Favors still working his way back. Hayward has thrived when he has absorbed the workload like on Wendesda when he had 28-10-3 for 46 fantasy points against the Kings. He had an even better game last Sunday in Memphins with 22-7-6 and 50.75 fantasy points. If Hood is out, Hayward will have to lead the way and take all the shots against the Raptors making him a very nice play at under 8K.∗∗∗∗
Andrew Wiggins-Minnesota Timberwolves (6,600): Wiggins hasat least 32 points in five straight and seems to be coming out of his shooting slump. He is also adding in some nice rebounding numbers with at least five boards in six of his last eight games. He had 19-7-2 and a block for 32.25 fantasy points against the Hawks in Atlanta on Wednesday and he had his best game of that stretch with 23-9-3 for 43.25 fantasy points against the Bulls in Chicago. Tongiht, Wiggins and the Wolves visit the Kings who have struggled to defend SF lately allowing the seventh-most fantasy points to opposing SF over their last five games.∗∗∗
Next: High Value SF