DraftKings NBA Picks December 9: Is Giannis worth the price?

ATLANTA, GA – NOVEMBER 19: John Collins #20 of the Atlanta Hawks dunks against the LA Clippers at State Farm Arena on November 19, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

DraftKings NBA Picks December 9: Is Giannis worth the price?

There are only four games on Sunday, but I’ll still take that kind of DraftKings NBA slate over the NFL any day! However, only three games make the DraftKings NBA tournaments. Detroit and the Pelicans play at 2:30 pm eastern. Well there goes a few stars off this slate! What do we have left?

DraftKings NBA Point Guards:

Best Bet:

Kemba Walker ($8,500): Kemba’s solid game against the Nuggets on Friday has me thinking that he can get value here against the Knicks. However, the Knicks don’t really have a best foot to put forward. There is blowout potential here, so Walker could see his minutes limited yet again like they were all week.

Eric Bledsoe ($7,100): Bledsoe had a disappointing 33 DraftKings points in the first meeting with Toronto, but it’s not so disappointing when you see that he only played 25 minutes in that game. Foul trouble limited Bledsoe last game as well. That seems to be the only thing that can stop Bledsoe right now. This is not the kind of matchup that I would usually target, but on a short slate we have to go places that we normally wouldn’t.

Honorable Mention:

Ricky Rubio ($6,300): Rubio picked up a solid 33.25 DraftKings points in 26 minutes in a blowout win over the Spurs earlier this week. Vegas is essentially ignoring that blowout victory in Salt Lake as the spread is just three points as we move to San Antonio. If this game stays close, Rubio is a very nice value pick on this slate.

Emmanuel Mudiay ($6,100): The guard play from most of the Knicks last night was pretty awful. Not one of the hordes hit 20 DraftKings points, and that includes Tulloch’s poster boy Tim Hardaway Jr. This is a better matchup for the guards against Charlotte, but this rotation as so awful that even Frank Ntilikina saw the court for the first time since November 28th. Good luck picking who plays outside of Hardaway, and I’m not sure you want to use him anyway. The minutes are at least safe for Mudiay. That doesn’t mean he will do anything with them though.

Dark Horses:

Malcolm Brogdon ($5,800): Brogdon put up 26.75 DraftKings points on the Raptors earlier this year, which is pretty much a signature Brogdon line. He has nine straight games of 25 or more DraftKings points. The tenth game he had 24. We are going to get at least in the mid 20’s for Brogdon. That makes him a must play in cash tonight, and is a suitable GPP play if you aren’t chasing upside.

Dante Exum ($3,200): Exum broke out of his funk against Houston, piling up 27.5 DraftKings points. On a night when most of the guards couldn’t buy a shot, Exum and Rubio carried the backcourt scoring in a win over the Rockets. Exum should see run here regardless of whether they blow out the Spurs again or not. If Mitchell is cold again, they are going to need Exum’s shooting.

My pick: Bledsoe(PG), Rubio(G); Rubio(PG), Brogdon(G)

SAN ANTONIO,TX – OCTOBER 17 : DeMar DeRozan #10 of the San Antonio Spurs is fouled by Andrew Wiggins #22 of the Minnesota Timberwolves in closing seconds in season opener at AT&T Center on October 17 , 2018 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that , by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) /

DraftKings NBA Shooting Guards:

Best Bets:

DeMar DeRozan ($8,700): The game log against Utah last week isn’t going to tell us a lot since the Spurs were run out of the building. Utah’s strong perimeter defense is going to tell us to avoid this, but what I see is that DeRozan put up 30 DraftKings points in just 24 minutes against Utah last week. If this game stays close like Vegas thinks, DeRozan could be toying with 50 DraftKings points.

Donovan Mitchell ($7,400): This is one of those slates where you should be able to get anyone you want in your lineup, but should Mitchell be on your want list? He played this Spurs team earlier this week and only put up 29.75 DraftKings points. He followed that up with an awful game against the Rockets. Mitchell carries massive risk right now, but he still has the upside coveted for GPP usage.

Honorable Mention:

TIm Hardaway Jr. ($6,700): Hardaway is an extraordinarily difficult play since he does nothing but shoot. If he is cold like he was last night, he will kill the lineup. That said, he is one of the few sources of offense for this team. I can give you 80 reasons not to play Hardaway tonight. There is one or two reasons to go against that. First is the volume of shots. The question is how lucky do you feel, and how pissed are you going to be if THJ loses you money again?

Khris Middleton ($6,600): Middleton put up a strong 33 DraftKings points in the first game against Toronto, but he mysteriously was scratched from Wednesday’s game and played just 48 combined minutes on Monday and Friday. For whatever reason, Middleton has been limited lately without any prior warning. That makes him an extraordinarily risky play. The price is right if he plays his normal minutes though.

Dark Horse:

Danny Green ($4,000): If you are slumming at SG, your choices are very slim. The only reason Green is on here is because he is the only one that is guaranteed minutes. Green has played at least 25 minutes in every game over the last month, and has only been under 30 minutes in four of those. The production isn’t constant, but Green will get more chances since he is on the court for so long.

My pick: DeRozan(SG); Mitchell(SG)

TORONTO, ON – OCTOBER 17: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Toronto Raptors shoots a free throw during the second half of the NBA season opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Scotiabank Arena on October 17, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /

DraftKings NBA Small Forwards:

Best Bet:

Kawhi Leonard ($9,500): Leonard has at least 52 DraftKings points in four of the last five games. He did start a little slow in Toronto, but this is the Kawhi we saw at the end of the 2016-17 season. He seems to be back in top form, and honestly, I trust him more than any other player on the slate tonight. Giannis has more upside, but Leonard has a higher floor.

Honorable Mention:

Jeremy Lamb ($6,200): Lamb played just 21 minutes against Denver on Friday, his lowest total in over a month. There was nothing predicating this. No terrible performance that got him lifted. NO one that outplayed him at the position. The return of Williams shouldn’t have affected this at all. I like Lamb if he starts, but I want some indication that he will play normal minutes.

Joe Ingles ($5,900): Ingles was the guy that lit up the Spurs from outside last week. He now has 69.75 DraftKings points over the last two games. Ingles went cold at the end of November, but his minutes have stayed constant the whole time. With his shot looking better the last couple of games, it could be time to jump back on Ingles here.

Dark Horses:

Marvin Williams ($4,900): Williams didn’t miss a beat after missing Wednesday’s game. He racked up 34 DraftKings points against the Nuggets and played 33 minutes which is about where he was before hurting his shoulder. So long as the shoulder is okay, Williams is my favorite value pick on this slate. He could ravage the Knicks.

Royce O’Neale ($3,500): This is a risky value pick, and probably only one that I would explore if I think Utah can put another waxing on the Spurs. O’Neale has racked up 48.25 DraftKings points in 40 minutes over the last two games. That is great value if he can keep this up.

My pick: Ingles(SF), Williams(F); Leonard(SF), Williams(F)

TORONTO, ON – OCTOBER 5: Pascal Siakam #43 of the Toronto Raptors dribbles the ball during the second half of an NBA preseason game against of Melbourne United at Scotiabank Arena on October 5, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /

DraftKings NBA Power Forwards:

Best Bet:

Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,200): Giannis is the only stud on the slate, and there is plenty of value out there for anyone to play him. He is going to be a popular spot to start your build because he is the only one on this slate who can drop 60. This is not a great matchup, but it’s not a horrible one either. If you want the best player, you have to pay up for Giannis.

Honorable Mention:

Pascal Siakam ($6,000): Aldridige is way too inconsistent, so this looks like a day to “drop” to Siakam. Siakam put up 44 DraftKings points on the Bucks the first time around. He has also posted at least 5x value in eight of the last 11 games. I’ll opt for the consistency of Siakam here tonight.

Noah Vonleh ($5,700): The Knicks rotations struck again. This should have been a huge spot for Vonleh, instead he played just 21 minutes. He played well when we was out there, but that could be the problem. The Knicks are doing everything they can to be as bad as the Suns. Not playing Vonleh goes a long ways towards that. We are back to any Knick being a risk, which is a horrible feeling on a three game slate.

Dark Horses:

Jae Crowder ($4,800): The Jazz are committed to starting Crowder at PF for now, and most times he hits value. Like a lot of his teammates, Crowder was cold from the floor on Friday. He was routinely hitting 30 DraftKings points before the games last week. Crowder should get back on track soon since he is in no danger of losing his job.

Frank Kaminsky ($3,700): Frank the Tank played well enough with Zeller out that he is getting a little more run now that he is back on the bench. He has 66 DraftKings points over the last three games, so that’s right around 6x value if he can keep it up. Kaminsky is a decent value play, but he has virtually no upside.

My pick: Crowder(PF); Siakam(PF)

SALT LAKE CITY, UT – OCTOBER 19: Rudy Gobert #27 of the Utah Jazz controls the ball in a NBA game against the Golden State Warriors at Vivint Smart Home Arena on October 19, 2018 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr./Getty Images) /

DraftKings NBA Center

Best Bets:

Rudy Gobert ($8,200): Many a lineup was ruined on Thursday when Rudy got tossed after three minutes against Houston in what should have been another big game for him. Gobert had five straight games of 5x value or better leading up to his tossing, and one of those was against the Spurs in just 29 minutes. If this game stays close, Gobert could outscore everyone.

Enes Kanter ($7,500): The value is gone off of Kanter since he destroyed the Nets last night. I know. Huge surprise. What is also not a huge surprise is that the Knicks are idiots. Kanter is still playing no more than 27 minutes per game. He’s gong to rake while he’s in there, but the Knicks don’t accidentally want to win. That really limits Kanter’s upside.

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Honorable Mention:

Serge ibaka ($5,800): Valanciunas ripped up Brooklyn on Friday, but in all likelihood Ibaka will be back in the starting lineup here since he matches up much better with the Bucks. The 45.75 DraftKings points that Ibaka put up in the first meeting can’t hurt either. This is one of the better matchups for Ibaka, so enjoy the price drop here.

Dark Horses:

Brook Lopez ($4,600): Lopez has played pretty well for the Bucks up front, but he will struggle here and there. He really had a tough time with Ibaka in the first meeting, so temper your expectations. Lopez can still hit value here, but he isn’t going to help you take down a GPP.

Jakob Poeltl ($3,900): Poeltl still isn’t seeing a lot of minutes, but they have increased lately. Poeltl has played so well that they can’t hardly keep him on the bench. We know the Spurs aren’t really going to give him much run here, but I wish they would. He racked up 31.5 DraftKings points in just 24 minutes against the Lakers. Those were both season highs, so his stock is heading the right direction.

My pick: Gobert(C), Poeltl(UTIL); Ibaka(C), Poeltl(UTIL)

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