DraftKings NBA Picks December 19: Davis could dominate
By Mike Marteny
DraftKings NBA Picks December 19: Davis could dominate
We have a monster 12 game Wednesday slate for our DraftKings NBA tournament. Most of the league is in action which means we have to decide which stars are worth paying for, and who could perform way above their price point. We are likely going to need at least 6x value to cash tonight. Let’s see if we can find that!
More from DFS
- DraftKings Open Championship picks 2023: Best PGA DFS golf lineup
- Genesis Scottish Open DraftKings picks 2023: Best PGA DFS golf lineup
- Rocket Mortgage Classic DraftKings picks 2023: Best PGA DFS golf lineup
- US Open DraftKings picks 2023: Best PGA DFS golf lineup
- RBC Canadian Open DraftKings picks 2023: Best PGA DFS golf lineup
All three of my lineups hit 300 last night. On a lighter slate that’s usually good for a nice chunk of change, but the money line was up to 298.75 DraftKings points. What matters is that all three were above the money line despite off nights from KCP, Kurucs, and Thomas Bryant.
The money line was way up to 380.75 DraftKings points. He built around Denver, gambled and won on Ariza, and got huge value out of Harrison Barnes, Larry Nance, and Rodney Hood.
This seems like a day to just pick one or two lineups and go with it. There aren’t a lot of pivots to go with here.
If you would like to try DraftKings for the first time, use this link for the referral bonus! It is good for $10 in free DraftKings entry tickets with your first deposit of $5 or more.
DraftKings NBA Point Guards:
Best Bets:
Russell Westbrook ($11,000): Russ has destroyed the Kings for 121.75 DraftKings points in 71 minutes. The Kings had been staying competitive up until Monday’s disaster against the Timberwolves in which coach Dave Joerger was so pissed off that he yanked the starters six minutes in, and only Hield returned and not for very long. The Kings starters played a combined 47 minutes, with Hield netting 18 of those, by far the lowest in the shot clock area. Message sent. Expect the Kings to come out swinging and keep this close. That means Westy could hit 6x value and possibly more.
Stephen Curry ($9,500): While it is true that overall Utah has a good defense, they don’t defend the point well. Since they defend every other position better, I’m inclined to play Curry. The Warriors could wind up in a position where they need him to take over the game. Curry put up 52.5 DraftKings points in the first meeting against Utah. I could see him topping 50 again tonight.
Honorable Mention:
Jrue Holiday ($8,600): I don’t particularly like this matchup for Holiday, but we can’t ignore the fact that both Julius Randle and Nikola Mirotic are out of action tonight. That opens up a whole lot of scoring, and Holiday can be instant offense. There are other value plays on New Orleans, but with the way the Pelicans play, Holiday and Davis are going to get first dibs at the open production. The other three will fight for scraps. That could make Holiday very strong play in a range that often has few of them.
Eric Bledsoe ($7,600): This is going to be a fast game even without Mirotic and Randle in there for the Pelicans. They just don’t know how to play any other way. That leaves all of the Bucks in a good situation here. Bledsoe is back on track after a couple of tougher games earlier this month. He now has over 5x value in three of the last four, and has topped 6x value in two of those. This is definitely a place where Bledsoe can hit 6x.
De’Aaron Fox ($7,000): Fox played just six minutes on Monday, and many are going to avoid this entire situation. To me, this looks like a place to pounce. I kind of want to play all of the Kings tonight. The starting lineup likely took that benching very personally, as they should. I expect all five of them to come out and give OKC all they can handle. Of course, this could also go the other way and destroy the team. I’ll say its the first scenario, meaning Fox could be a really strong play for the price. Prior to Monday, Fox had more than 45 DraftKings points in four of six games.
Dark Horses:
Kris Dunn ($6,300): LaVine is out again, and the Nets can’t defend the point. This is a big time spot for Dunn, who seems to have a big role locked down for the new look Bulls. When they aren’t getting blown off the floor, that is. That shouldn’t happen tonight, so I expect Dunn to hit at least 6x value here picking up a portion of LaVine’s usual shots.
Tyus Jones ($3,600): Thibs runs tight rotations, and while Rose will take over and run the point with Teague out, Jones should take the bulk of Rose’s usual minutes off the bench. Jones racked up 33.75 DraftKings points on the Kings in 24 minutes on Monday. He should be in line for an expanded role here too, and could provide solid value at this price.
Langston Galloway ($3,400): Galloway couldn’t find the bucket against the Bucks, but the minutes were still largely there. Many of us were burned by him on Monday, but there was enough upside to go back to him as a value play here. Especially in a Minnesota guard rotation that is missing a high energy player like Teague. Galloway looks like a strong value play as well.
My pick: Dunn(PG), Jones(G); Dunn(PG)
DraftKings NBA Shooting Guards:
Best Bets:
Devin Booker ($8,700): I hate this matchup with Boston honestly, and I’m thinking most others do too. So why am I even considering Booker? Well, he has been on fire since his return to the Suns. On top of that, Booker torched Boston for 60.25 DraftKings points in the first meeting. It’s hard to ignore an outburst like that. Booker could turn out to be a strong pick again at pretty low ownership. Harden went berserk on Washington in the first meeting, but CP3 was not playing in that game. That’s going to chop Harden’s 90 down to 50, and we’re looking for 6x value. That isn’t it.
D’Angelo Russell ($7,700): Russell dropped 50 on the Lakers last night, and is in a great spot here against the Bulls as well. The thing about Russell’s performance against his former team is that it wasn’t just because of his scoring. Russell dished out 13 assists last night as well. If he can start adding that to his scoring ability with regularity, this price is way too low.
Honorable Mention:
Derrick Rose ($6,700): Jeff Teague has already been ruled out, so this is a great spot for Rose once again. Monday was too, but how were we to know that the Kings were going to throw in the towel halfway through the first quarter? Rose Still picked up 33 DraftKings points in 24 minutes. If Rose plays minutes into the mid 30’s here, I see him flirting with 50 DraftKings points. That leaves him pretty much as a must play tonight.
C.J. McCollum ($6,600): I don’t care how great the matchup if for Butler, I’m not using him unless Embiid or Simmons are out. He’s just not worth it. McCollum is usually one of the most consistent guys out there, so he’s popular in cash games. I’m all for using him in GPP’s tonight. McCollum racked up 52.25 DraftKings points in the first meeting with Memphis exactly a week ago. The Grizzlies shut down Lillard and C.J. torched them. That could happen again.
Khris Middleton ($6,500): Middleton is in a good spot here in a pace up game against the Pelicans. Not only that, but he wont have to deal with Mirotic or Randle (not that he would much anyway). The Pelicans are down two starters, and two good defensive players. I think Giannis is going to benefit more, but there’s no reason Middleton can’t benefit from this as well.
Dark Horses:
Jeremy Lamb ($5,800): Cleveland has brought out the best in Lamb. He has torched them for 70.5 DraftKings points in just 56 minutes this year. The Cavs are better defending the wing than they were early on, but it’s definitely to Lamb’s advantage if Clarkson is out. At any rate, Lamb looks like a strong pick to bring home another 6x against Cleveland.
Joe Harris ($5,100): Allen Crabbe still doesn’t look all that close to returning, so that means more run for Harris. Harris has at least 6x value in three straight games. It’s all but a given that Harris reaches that plateau against the Bulls tonight so long as Crabbe remains out. Keep an eye on that situation.
Reggie Bullock ($4,300): Bullock torched the Bucks of all teams for 31.25 DraftKings points. That’s over 7x value! Most of Bullock’s value lies in his scoring as 24 of those DraftKings points came off of actual points. That does limit Bullock’s upside, but the Timberwolves being a little thinner at the guard position will help Bullock hit that coveted 6x plateau again.
My pick: Harris(SG); Rose(SG), Bullock(G)
DraftKings NBA Small Forwards:
Best Bets:
Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,100): The Pelicans have a bit of a conundrum here. What to do with Giannis? Can Hill really guard him, or do they have to waste the energy of A.D. chasing him around? They way it looks now, the Pelicans wont really have anyone to slow down the Freak. This was a strong matchup anyway. Now with Mirotic and Randle both out, it went from strong to elite, to possibly slate breaking. It will take a lot to move me off of Giannis tonight.
Paul George ($8,900): I may even like PG more than Westbrook here. George has 90.25 DraftKings points in two games against Sacramento. George has at least 42 DraftKings points in eight straight. Who says that he can’t produce with Westbrook out there? Westbrook has a higher ceiling, but I still think the Kings get after it tonight. They should have better D on Westbrook, so George could be a bit of a sneaky pick here.
Honorable Mention:
Aaron Gordon ($6,900): I do have to talk myself into this one a little bit. Hear myself out: Gordon is going to be low owned after a miserable residency in Mexico City. This shouldn’t be much of a surprise. Most shooters struggled down there. Now Gordon is back home where he shoots one percent better, but he is an astonishing 14% better form three point range at Amway Center. On top of that, Gordon racked up 39.5 DraftKings points on San Antonio in the first meeting. There is a lot of hidden upside here if you take a leap of faith. Or he could destroy you. There is rarely any in between on Gordon.
Buddy Hield ($6,200): It sucks that his team didn’t help him out whatsoever on Monday night. Hield was the only starter to play more than ten minutes (he played 18), and Hield still racked up 26.25 DraftKings points in that little time. Hield is rolling right now. Hopefully he can get a little support to he doesn’t get yanked early again. However, if Iman Shumpert and Bogdan sit, the Kings may not have a choice but to play him.
Thaddeus Young ($5,900): Young continues to ravage opponents on the inside or the outside, wherever he ends up. Young’s horrendous start to the season is a distant memory. Only the Knicks have held Thad under 30 DraftKings points in the last eight games. Toronto wont be able to do it regardless of the status of Siakam.
Dark Horses:
Nemanja Bjelica ($4,800): Yes, Nemanja torpedoed me on Monday, but he is still in a great spot here with Marvin Bagley out. Bjelica had 108.5 DraftKings points in three games prior to Monday’s disaster with Bagley out. The upside is still here, and I don’t think the Kings play that poorly again.
Trevor Ariza ($4,500): Ariza played 38 minutes in his Wizards debut. Game number two comes on a back to back against the team he was on last year. This is a big revenge spot in Houston for Ariza. They traded him to the Suns. I would be pissed off too! This could be a monster spot for Ariza. He has back to back 40+ DraftKings point games with two different teams. I wouldn’t be shocked if he pulls it off again.
Darius Miller ($3,600): Miller is going to be the lesser know of the Pelicans picking up free minutes with Mirotic and Randle out. Sounds good to me! Miller is best at assaulting opponents from three, a la Mirotic, so he is a bit shooting dependent. However, the shots are going to be there tonight. If Miller hits them, he is going to destroy value.
My pick: Antetokounmpo(SF), Miller(F); Bjelica(SF)
DraftKings NBA Power Forwards:
Best Bets:
Anthony Davis ($11,600): Care to take a guess at what A.D.’s fantasy points per minute output looks like with Mirotic and Randle off the floor? It’s over 2. It’s almost 2 and a quarter! That is unheard of! As much as I love Giannis tonight, if you can only choose one, it has to be Davis. He is going to destroyed the Milwaukee middle tonight.
Blake Griffin ($9,600): Taj Gibson was happy when Blake was moved East. Griffin has destroyed him for 25 points, 12 rebounds, and five assists per game against Taj in his career. That is good for roughly 50 DraftKings points per game. When you add in the steals and blocks, that edges Blake close to that 6x value spot we’re aiming for.
Honorable Mention:
Lauri Markkanen ($7,400): The Nets are nearly as bad at the four as the five recently. Markkanen has 85 DraftKings points in 65 minutes over the last two games. With a tasty matchup like the Nets on deck, Markkanen is almost a lock for 6x value. It would be nearly impossible to plug him with Davis and Giannis, but if you are going with a balanced build, Markkanen is a must.
Domantas Sabonis ($6,700): Sabonis is back on track, putting up at least 35 DraftKings points in three straight games. I will like Sabonis a lot more if one or both of Siakam and Serge are out. Siakam is closer to probable, but Ibaka’s status is still murky. At any rate, Sabonis is in a really good spot once again.
Jayson Tatum ($6,400): This should be a smash spot for Tatum with Ariza on the East Coast. However Tatum only had 18.5 DraftKings points in 29 minutes in the first meeting with Phoenix. I’m not sold on this one. I can’t argue with the upside on Tatum here, but on this full of a slate, do we really need to reach for or against the Suns? Have we reduced ourselves to that?
Dark Horses:
Solomon Hill ($3,900): I understand that most people hate chalk and try to avoid it. However, when the chalk is in this great of a spot, sometimes fading it can do you more harm than good. Hill has 50 DraftKings points over the last two games, and that’s without starting. He’s going to rack up a ton of minutes with both Randle and Mirotic out here. I see big things for Hill tonight. Eat the chalk, You need this kind of value.
Stanley Johnson ($3,800): I’m not sure how much exposure I want to the Pistons here because I think both Griffin and Drummond could have big games. If they do, it could really hurt the upside of Johnson and Bullock in particular. If you use both the big guys, fade the value. If you can get by fading the value anyway, it may not be a bad idea.
Rodions Kurucs ($3,800): Kurucs was completely abused by LeBron last night. I would guess the Bulls are going to try to do the same with Markkanen and Portis, but the defense shouldn’t be quite so tough. This is a big of a tough sell, especially if Crabbe returns. However, the price is still right on Kurucs and you only need 22.8 DraftKings points for 6x value.
My pick: Hill(PF); Davis(UTIL); Davis(PF), Markkanen(F), Hill(UTIL)
DraftKings NBA Centers
Best Bets:
Joel Embiid ($10,200): Embiid almost looks cheap here. He put up 59 DraftKings points in just 30 minutes on the Knicks the first time around. With all of the other smash spots around, I can see the ownership being pretty low on Embiid here. That alone is enough reason to play him.
Andre Drummond ($9,100): Honestly, KAT hasn’t really fared all that well against Drummond is his career. He’s averaging under 20 and 10 on Drummond in six career games. Meanwhile, Drummond is averaging 19/17/2 on Towns. Add to that his more than one steal and block in those games and Drummond’s average DraftKings output is just a shade under 50. And he’s less than Towns.
More from FanSided
- USWNT vs. Vietnam: Key takeaways before they take on the Dutch
- NFL rumors: 49ers trending toward contract drama with defensive star
- Steelers avoid any camp drama with latest roster move
- MLB Rumors: Potential Braves reunion, Lance Lynn no-trade clause and Orioles deadline intentions
- Caesars, BetMGM and PointsBet Promo Codes Give $1,850 Bonus for ANY World Cup or MLB Game!
Honorable Mention:
Clint Capela ($7,900): The Wizards couldn’t contain Collins or Dedmon last night. How in the world are they going to handle Capela? The answer is they aren’t. The guards have good matchups and make this team go, but Capela will still get his here in a spot where many will forget about him.
Steven Adams ($7,000): The problem with the mid range tonight is that almost all of the stars are in good spots. If you pick the right mid range guys, you will have low ownership and a GPP rocket. I would think that Adams could be a part of that. He has 73.75 DraftKings points in two games against the Kings so far. Still, that’s not 6x value despite the great matchup.
Larry Nance ($6,300): Nance put together a strong game against the Pacers last night and finds himself in an even more favorable spot tonight against Charlotte. The Hornets aren’t great up front. Nance could top 40 again, which could put him closer to 7x value than 6x.
Dark Horses:
Jarrett Allen ($5,500): This is another great matchup for Allen, but he hasn’t been able to turn those into great games. Teams are going at him and getting him in foul trouble. If you want to attack the Bulls interior, it may be a much better idea to play the super consistent Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and just ignore Allen all together.
Wendell Carter ($4,800): HE’S PLAYING THE NETS!!! AND HE’S REALLY BLEEPING CHEAP!
Greg Monroe ($4,100): If Ibaka is out, this could be a big night for Monroe. They are going to need size against Indiana, so Monroe would be the logical fill in. For the record, Monroe has averaged 14 points and 9 rebounds in 31 games against the Pacers. Monroe is a great value play if Ibaka ends up missing this game.
My pick: Carter(C); Carter(C)
NBA top stacks December 19. dark. Next
Stay tuned to Fantasy CPR for a ton of NFL advice and DFS plays for College football, the NFL, PGA tour, and much more!