DraftKings NBA picks December 19: Is Giannis better than LeBron tonight?

MIAMI, FL – SEPTEMBER 26: A portrait of Josh Richardson #0 of the Miami Heat on September 26, 2016 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Rob Foldy/Getty Images) /

DraftKings NBA picks December 19: Is Giannis really better than LeBron tonight?

There are only three games in our DraftKings tournament tonight. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t good options available though. Can we afford all of the ones we want? We can if we find the right values!

Point Guards

Best Bets:

john Wall ($8,800): Wall is getting there. He put up 43.5 DraftKings points on Cleveland in 32 minutes on Sunday. Wall was playing 35-42 minutes earlier this season, so he isn’t quite back up to his full workload yet. However, the Pelicans have struggled against the point this season too. The return of Rondo has helped, but not enough for me to ignore Wall on a short slate. He likely has the best matchup of anyone at the position tonight.

Ben Simmons ($9,500): It’s hard to fade someone who put up a triple double last night, but it may not be a bad idea. The Kings held Simmons to just 31.5 DraftKings points in the first meeting. However, Simmons was in foul trouble for much of that game and played only 26 minutes. I prefer to roll the dice with Wall over Simmons, but neither are a bad option.

Honorable Mention:

Eric Bledsoe ($6,700): Point guards have really given the Cavs problems this year. This looks like a good opportunity for Bledsoe to get back on track. He has struggled some over his last couple of games, hitting just 12 of 31 shots including 2-12 from beyond the arc. He should see more open shots tonight. Can he hit them? That will determine whether he hits value or not.

Rajon Rondo ($6,000): Rondo struggled against the Bucks and was an afterthought in the offense against Denver. He has a chance to get back on track against the Wizards. They don’t protect all that well on the outside even with Wall there. Rondo looks like a steal at this price. We have seen him top 50 DraftKings points a couple of times this year in his 15 appearances.

Dark Horses:

Malcolm Brogdon ($4,800): Brogdon had a big game against Houston on Saturday with Tony Snell out. Snell isn’t one of those guys that we usually keep an eye on in the fantasy landscape, but Brogdon’s minutes and role on the team were much better with Snell out. If Snell misses tonight as well, I love this matchup with Cleveland for his price range.

George Hill ($4,600): Hill had a nice night with De’Aaron Fox out on Sunday. Hill is outperforming Fox on a regular basis anyway, but he is even more dangerous when the Kings aren’t handing a large share of Hill’s minutes over to Fox. The matchup is right if Hill is going to play more than 30 minutes again.

My pick: Wall(PG), Rondo(G), Brogdon(UTIL); Rondo(PG)

NEW ORLEANS, LA – DECEMBER 13: Khris Middleton #22 of the Milwaukee Bucks shoots the ball over Anthony Davis #23 of the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center on December 13, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) /

Shooting Guards:

Best Bets:

Bradley Beal ($7,700): Beal continues to produce at a high level even with Wall back. The Pelicans are average against shooting guards, but that wont be enough to stop Beal. An average night from Beal this season is 37.5 DraftKings points. That would put him right at 5x value. I’m expecting a little above average at the least. The Pelicans have been involved in a lot of track meets this year.

Khris Middleton ($7,300): Middleton has 70.5 DraftKings points in two games against Cleveland so far this year. However, Middleton has been outstanding this month. He has not been below 30 DraftKings points since November 28th, and has only been under 35 once in that span. This is a great place to use Middleton tonight.

Honorable Mention:

Jrue Holiday ($7,100): Holiday can still produce even with those two behemoths on the court. Holiday has at least 50 DraftKings points in three of the last four games, and four of the last seven. He hasn’t been under 5x value in that span either. Wind him up and get out of the way!

J.J. Redick ($5,400): Another game, another 30+ DraftKings points for Redick. His points are becoming automatic in the Philadelphia offense whether Embiid is in there or not. Redick lacks huge upside, but he has hit 6x value a few times over the last ten games, and is always at or above 5x. Redick is very low risk right now.

Dark Horses:

Bogdan Bogdanovic ($4,300): Bogdanovic sees consistent minutes, which is more than the other Kings wings can say. He has responded with 20 or more DraftKings points in eight straight games. Of course, his price is to the level that 20 wont get 5x value anymore, but Bogdanovic is far more consistent than Hield. A lot of that has to do with the consistent minutes that Bogdanovic gets.

Garrett Temple ($3,600): Temple is only in play if Fox sits again. Vince Carter started, but Temple played more minutes and came up with 27 DraftKings points. Temple is a great source of at least 6x value if Fox is sidelined again.

My pick: Middleton(SG), Redick(SF); Redick(SG), Holiday(G), Bogdanovic(UTIL)

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – DECEMBER 08: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers shoots the ball against the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on December 8, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

Small Forwards:

Best Bet:

LeBron James ($11,600): LeBron has been a little under value in his two games against Giannis this year. The King “only” has 104.75 DraftKings points in those two games. However, LeBron has been on another level lately. He is riding a streak of seven games with at least 60 DraftKings points. He is carrying the team on his back right now.

Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,400): Giannis has had the better fantasy output of the head to head between he and the King. The Freak put up 122.5 DraftKings points to LeBron’s 104.75 in the head to head meetings. It is a suitable plan to fade LeBron for Giannis tonight. It may also be a good plan to use them both against each other!

Honorable Mention:

Robert Covington ($6,200): Covington ate the Kings alive for 41.25 DraftKings points in the first meeting. Now that Randolph is playing more minutes, we could see Covington have a little tougher time here since he plays the power forward slot quite often. However, there is no denying what Covington is doing lately. He has not been below 28 DraftKings points this month.

Kelly Oubre ($4,700): Oubre has only been under 22 DraftKings points once in the last six games, and that was his disaster against the Clippers. We shouldn’t have been playing him in DFS in that matchup anyway. The Pelicans are about average defensively at every position, so there is no reason to think Oubre wont be a solid value play again.

Dark Horses:

E’Twaun Moore ($4,600): Most nights the Triumvirate of Boogie, Brow, and Holiday wont take 60 shots. The other team wont let them, first of all. Anyway, Moore is still seeing huge minutes. I will take my chances on him as a value play more often than not. Moore is not going to give you a huge game, but 5x value is certain on most nights.

Vince Carter ($3,100): Carter’s start in Toronto wasn’t all just a nice gesture by the Kings. He did it because of the injury to Fox, so it stands to reason that if Fox can’t go again, that Vince could get another shot in Philly. If Carter starts at this price, he is worth a shot. Carter has 5x value in both of his starts over the last ten days.

My pick: Covington(F); Antetokounmpo(SF)

Power Forwards

Best Bets:

Anthony Davis ($10,100): Davis is one of those guys that always seems to perform well no matter the matchup. Well, as long as he doesn’t have to leave the game with an injury. In a vacuum, I will usually lean to Davis over Cousins. Neither of them have a great matchup tonight. Somehow the Wizards have been able to defend the interior well, but I don’t think Markieff can handle Davis. Call it a hunch.

Kevin Love ($7,800): The Bucks’ issue is interior defense. Love has exploited that like a pro this year. Love has 107.5 DraftKings points in the two games against the Bucks, and will cost at least $2,000 less than the other guys capable of hitting 50. The smart money is on Love once again tonight.

Honorable Mention:

Zach Randolph ($6,400): Randolph picked up 35.75 DraftKings points in the first meeting between these two teams in only 29 minutes. Randolph has been playing over 30 minutes a game with the exception of the tilt against the Timberwolves oveer the weekend. If you don’t want to pay up, Randolph is a really good mid range option.

Dario Saric ($6,100): Saric’s consistency makes him a cash game staple, but he can be a nice addition to your GPP lineup as well, especially on a short slate like this. If you want 30-35 DraftKings points, play Saric. If you want a guy who will most likely get you 20 but could get you 50, look at WCS.

Dark Horse:

Mike Scott ($4,500): Scott played 33 minutes and put up 37 DraftKings points on the Cavs on Sunday. Cleveland just couldn’t stop him. That is two impressive 30+ DraftKings points games for Scott. He is outplaying Markieff Morris, and though Scott wont take his job anytime soon, the fact that the Wizards are giving him more minutes shouldn’t be ignored.

My pick: Love(PF); Saric(PF), Scott(F)

PHILADELPHIA, PA – DECEMBER 7: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on against the Los Angeles Lakers at Wells Fargo Center on December 7, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

Center:

Best Bets:

DeMarcus Cousins ($10,700): I must say that I like the Boogie vs. Gortat matchup. The Washington interior is solid defensively, but their lack of size could work against them tonight. Cousins and Davis are elite and huge. Given a choice, I would still rather stack Giannis with LeBron, and I’m sure I’m not alone in that. Boogie and Brow would be a contrarian stack tonight.

Joel Embiid ($9,900): Embiid was just 7-20 from the floor in the first game against the Kings, and he still put up 49.25 DraftKings points. I’m betting that Embiid wont shoot that poorly again tonight, which could leave him with a very large point total once this is said and done.

Honorable Mention:

Willie Cauley-Stein ($5,200): Cauley-Stein is never a consistent force. He may become that at some point, but he certainly isn’t now. This is a solid matchup against the Sixers tonight. Embiid is a more offensive oriented big and will swat a few of his shots, but Cauley-Stein will have a better than average shot at 5x value.

John Henson ($4,500): Monroe was the guy that played bigger minutes when the Bucks played the Cavs earlier in the season. Henson struggled in both games against Cleveland earlier this year, putting up only 18.75 DraftKings points in 25 minutes combined in his two games. Henson is a risk here, but he could have a nice game against Cleveland, especially if he and Thon Maker share the court at times.

Dark Horse:

Kosta Koufos ($3,400): Koufos has three straight games with at least 6x value. He only started one of those. Koufos has been playing more than Skal Labissiere and outplaying him when he is in there. The Kings aren’t opposed to playing older guys while the younger ones develop. This lineup is littered with those instances with Randolph, George Hill, and now Koufos. Koufos is a very solid punt play at this price.

My pick: Koufos(C), Cauley-Stein(C)

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