DraftKings NBA picks December 17: Should We Fade LeBron?

There are only four games on Sunday since the NBA is still in a timeshare with the NFL. There is one clear star, and several good role players in action today. Who can help us win some cash? Let’s check it out!

Point Guards

Best Bets:

John Wall ($8,500): Wall’s price continues to steadily climb, but I still think it is too low for what he can do. Wall put up 48 DraftKings points on Cleveland the first time around. I doubt that Wall plays 38 minutes tonight like he did in the first meeting, but even at 30 minutes or so, Wall can still hit 5x value.

Spencer Dinwiddie ($6,800): I don’t know that I trust Kyle Lowry against the Kings, and Dinwiddie has been mostly amazing with Russell out. Dinwiddie struggled with Toronto on Friday, but so do most teams. He gets a decent reprieve against Indiana tonight.

Honorable Mention:

Darren Collison ($5,800): Collison has been up and down all season, so that makes him difficult to use in DFS formats. Collison did put up 46.25 DraftKings points on Brooklyn in the first meeting. That said, Collison has missed 5x value in six of the last eight games. There is plenty of risk here.

Reggie Jackson ($5,500): Jackson is a tough one to use due to his inconsistency. He is routinely outplayed by his backup, and one must wonder how long the Pistons will put up with it. Anyway, Jackson is still the starter, and the Magic are the second worst team in the league against point guards. If you have the intestinal fortitude to take this chance, you could be sweetly rewarded.

Dark Horses:

Langston Galloway ($3,800): As underwhelming as Jackson and Ish Smith have been lately, it has opened up some more chances for Galloway. Galloway has played 62 minutes over the last three games, picking up 70 DraftKings points in that span. That is more than both players currently ahead of him on the depth chart. The last two games have been close, and Galloway seems to have earned minutes no matter the situation right now. Galloway could be a great value pick tonight.

Jose Calderon ($3,800): Calderon is still seeing quite a few minutes running the point for the Cavs. He has at least 5x value in each of the last four games. The return of Wade hurt his value a little, but not enough to knock him off of this line.

Nik Stauskas ($3,600): While all eyes were on Okafor, Stauskas also made his Brooklyn debut on Friday. He dazzled with 35.25 DraftKings points in 28 minutes against the Raptors. I’m guessing that he will see at least that many minutes tonight on a team that sorely needs his offense.

My pick: Wall(PG); Stauskas(PG)

Shooting Guards:

Best Bets:

Victor Oladipo ($9,300): Oladipo put up 41.75 DraftKings points in just 24 minutes in the first meeting with the Nets. Only the Knicks and Thunder, two teams who defend the off guard well, have held Oladipo under 40 DraftKings points over the last ten games. He looks like an elite option on a small slate.

DeMar DeRozan ($8,400): Unlike most small slates, shooting guard is loaded tonight. DeRozan put up 41.75 DraftKings points in the first meeting with the Kings. Just like Oladipo, except DeRozan played his full compliment of minutes. If you can get both in your lineup without weakening it, I would highly recommend that.

Honorable Mention:

Bradley Beal ($7,700): Beal lit up the Cavs last time for 47.5 DraftKings points, and Wall was healthy in that game. It wasn’t one where he was out. Wall played 30 minutes on Friday, and Beal still put up big numbers. He will see plenty of open shots against Cleveland tonight, making Beal a solid pivot off the top tier.

Jonathon Simmons ($6,600): Simmons continues to excel with Evan Fournier sidelined. Simmons has 119 DraftKings points in three games with Fournier out. Fournier has already been ruled out for today’s game. Expect another strong showing from Simmons at a very reasonable price.

Dark Horses:

Buddy Hield ($5,000): Hield had 24.25 DraftKings points in 28 minutes in the first game with Toronto. Hield no longer starts, but he has been mostly good off of the bench. Of course, Heild is a shooter first, so he is prone to lackluster games. He carries nice GPP upside though, especially against a Toronto team that doesn’t defend the wing all that well.

Lance Stephenson ($4,200): The recent injury to Collison and ineffectiveness of Bojan Bogdanovic has allowed Stephenson to rejoin heavy rotation. Stephenson has responded with four straight games of more than 5x value. He doesn’t start, so if Bogdanovic breaks out of his slump, Stephenson’s minutes could be reduced with no advanced notice.

Luke Kennard ($3,800): This is only an option if Avery Bradley‘s sore groin keeps him out again. Kennard started on Friday and put up 24.25 DraftKings points. Kennard is one of my favorite value plays if Bradley sits.

My pick: Oladipo(SG), Stephenson(G); Beal(SG), Stephenson(F)

Small Forwards:

Best Bet:

LeBron James ($11,800): It’s tough to pay this much for LeBron on the second night of a back to back, but he has at least 60 DraftKings points in six straight games. The Wizards are terrible against small forwards anyway. Need I remind you what LeBron did to Washington last time? Does 92.25 ring a bell? No one on today’s slate is capable of that. If LeBron is not on restrictions, he is clearly the best play of the day.

Honorable Mention:

Tobias Harris ($6,100): It’s the same old story with Harris. He has plenty of ability, but his inconsistency make him impossible to rely on in cash games, and even too risky for most GPP players. However, he gets to take on a Magic team that will be without Aaron Gordon. If Harris ever had a chance for a big game, this would be it.

Caris LeVert ($5,700): LeVert was a very popular play on Friday when he got the start. He responded with his worst game of the season. That dud is going to keep him off of a lot of rosters tonight. I’m hoping that LeVert rebounds against an Indiana team that allowed 26.5 DraftKings points to him in the first meeting.

DeMarre Carroll ($5,100): Carroll is the stable option for those of you with a sour taste of LeVert left over from Friday. He hit 5x value in the first meeting with the Pacers, and has done so over the last two games as well. Carroll should be in for a solid game after resting on Friday.

Dark Horses:

Kelly Oubre ($4,900): Oubre is continuing to play big minutes, even with Wall back. That will be the case again if Otto Porter is held out. The consensus is that Porter likely will be since he didn’t practice yesterday. Oubre racked up 34.5 DraftKings points in the first game with Cleveland. Expect another strong day off the bench for Oubre.

Mario Hezonja ($4,400): Hezonja was huge with Gordon out last week with a concussion. Gordon is out again today, so expect Hezonja to step back into the starting lineup and destroy value once again.

My pick: Hezonja(SF); Hezonja(PG), Oubre(SF), James(PF)

Power Forwards

Best Bets:

Zach Randolph ($6,400): Just try and stop him. He dares you. Randolph keeps chugging from the fountain of youth, putting up at least 28 DraftKings points in seven straight games. One of those games was against the Raptors. Randolph put up 36.75 on what has recently been a solid Toronto front. I trust him far more than Love tonight.

Serge Ibaka ($6,200): The Raptors are finally staring to get what they paid for. Ibaka has seven straight games of more than 30 DraftKings points. The one against the Kings yielded 30.5. Expect another solid but unspectacular showing for Serge.

Honorable Mention:

Willie Cauley-Stein ($5,200): WCS missed the first tilt against the Raptors, but he is been solid since returning to the court. Of course, Cauley-Stein is still going to have trouble with consistency so long as he is not starting. He has shown flashes of brilliance though. I’m willing to give him a look against a team that Randolph had his way with last week.

Dark Horse:

Mike Scott ($4,300): Markieff Morris pushed Scott back to the bench on Friday. All he did was score 22 points and 30 DraftKings points off the bench. Scott was very good filling in for Morris. His showing on Friday should earn him even more bench minutes.

My pick: Ibaka(PF), Scott(F); N/A

Center:

Best Bets:

Andre Drummond ($9,500): Drummond has dominated the interior in his last two games. He gets a similarly weak inside against Orlando tonight. He is starting to score more this year, and his improved free throw shooting has a lot to do with that. Vucevic wont be able to stop him. Drummond should be worth the price today.

Nikola Vucevic ($9,200): Vucevic has actually put up bigger numbers than Drummond lately. He has at least 5x value in five of the last six games, and has gone over 5x value in four of those! Vucevic’s price makes him much less of a value right now, but his offensive game will still give him plenty of chances to succeed against Drummond. He just wont win as many rebounds.

Honorable Mention:

Myles Turner ($6,700): Turner is a tough guy to roster. He is one of the more inconsistent guys out there, which is maddening because we know what he is capable of. Turner put up 51 DraftKings points in the first game against Brooklyn. He could dominate them again today for a very low price.

Jonas Valanciunas ($5,300): His 20 DraftKings points against the Kings a week ago is the second lowest mark since Thanksgiving for Valanciunas. He is playing pretty well right now, and should be worth this price tag. He lacks significant upside though so long as Siakam and Poeltl keep poaching starts and/or minutes.

Dark Horse:

Jahlil Okafor ($3,800): So, Okafor finally made his Nets debut, and his price goes down. Sounds legit. Hey, I’m not complaining! We know that Okafor is at least going to get minutes now. He put up a solid 16 DraftKings points in his Nets debut. I like his upside against the worst team in the league at allowing fantasy points to centers.

My pick: Vucevic(C), Okafor(UTIL); Drummond(C), Okafor(UTIL)

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