Fantasy Basketball: NBA Draftkings Top Salary Value Plays 12/21

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Hey guys! A 2 game slate is always something to forget because it’s just one big mess. But we now get a good, full NBA Draftkings slate that has many players to dig through. So lets not waste any time and get to researching this massive slate. Good luck and start your weekend off right with some cash!

NBA Draftkings – The Breakdown

So as usually, with any NBA Draftkings slate, we’re going to look at a players stats, usage rate, previous game stats, the opposing teams defensive stats versus the players position, and their salary. A big part of daily fantasy sports is a players salary. We build our lineups around key players and if they are players like Lebron James, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, or Giannis Antetokounmpo then they come along with a hefty price tag. We need a player to hit at least five times their value with their salary to make it “worth it” in a sense but what we really want and need is for it to be around six or possibly even seven times their value. For example, the other night Russell Westbrook was priced at $10,900 versus the New Orleans Pelicans so we needed him to hit 54.50 fantasy points to return five times his value. Sadly, he did not. This is why we’re switching up the article format and trying to dig even deeper with our NBA Slates.

Now we might not always have multiple players (minimum two) discussed at every position on every article because the NBA has the weirdest schedule this season. Like @ThunderDanDFS stated to us, the NBA schedule has been 8-4-12-2-10 games for the week. We’re going to be looking at a showdown slate for just two games due to the NBA not knowing what a proper, nice schedule looks like.

Lets not waste any more time and kick off the research for this 10 game NBA Draftkings Slate. As always though, I will be sticking with Draftkings as I rarely play on Fanduel anymore. Good luck and lets cash out! Also don’t forget to participate in the Free Roll on FantasyDraft which FantasyCPR host daily!

NBA Draftkings Top Tier

Lonzo Ball vs. New Orleans Pelicans

Salary: $6,800 – Needs to score 34 fantasy points or more to exceed value

Lonzo Ball is coming in as the cheaper option tonight but also a top play. The man has been on a mission under the wing of Lebron James and it’s hard to fade him on any given night. But tonight, you just can’t. He’s facing the New Orleans Pelicans, a team that he averages a double double against. Too easy to lock in on a 10 game NBA Draftkings slate. Now it’s a very small sample size, just 2 games but Lonzo is averaging 7 points, 11 assist and 10 rebounds.

Now if he can get his shot to fall tonight, it’ll be too easy to exceed his value of 34 fantasy points. In his last five games, he has scored 34.75, 23.25, 60, 31.25, and 40 fantasy points. The New Orleans Pelicans are also one of the worse teams defending the point guard position, allowing them to average 24 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assist. Like I said, if Lonzo Ball gets his shot to fall, this is way too easy of a match-up for him and with a price tag of $6,800.

Other Valuable Option

Derrick Rose vs. San Antonio Spurs

Salary: $7,200 – Needs to score 36 fantasy points or more to exceed value

Derrick Rose has made a huge resurgence in his career this season with the Minnesota Timberwolves, breaking some career highs. Tonight should be no difference with his past history against the San Antonio Spurs. In 16 games, Rose has averaged 18 points, 4 assist, and 3 rebounds against the Spurs. His shot falling 47% of the time in 31 minutes of floor time. His shots are falling a bit more this season at 50%, averaging 19 points, 2 rebounds, and 4 assist.

Even at the price tag of $7,200, Derrick Rose is just hard to pass up. In his past five games, Rose has scored 38.25, 27.25, 31.75, 33, and 48.75 fantasy points. He also gets to face the San Antonio Spurs who allow point guards to average 21 points, 5 rebounds, and 8 assist per game. Plus the Timberwolves have already announced that Jeff Teague will be out for tonight’s game which gives even more reason to play Derrick Rose.

NBA Draftkings Top Tier

Tim Hardaway Jr. vs. Atlanta Hawks

Salary: $7,400 – Needs to score 37 fantasy points or more to exceed value

Well the boss is going to be happy once again because we all love losing money (that’s a joke by the way). Editors note – this is 2LockSports approved. All the THJ today and everyday.

Hardaway Jr. has a good match-up with the Atlanta Hawks who defend the shooting guard position pretty bad, allowing them to average 25 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists per game. On the season, Tim Hardaway Jr. is averaging 21 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assist per game while being on the floor for 33 minutes. The man could be a fantasy basketball machine if his shot falls but he’s only at 40% for the season. In his past five games, he has finished with 34, 33.25, 17, 31, and 41.25 fantasy points. As you can tell, reaching his value, isn’t done that consistent. He did drop 34 points against the Atlanta Hawks on November 11th and if he can do that again, the value is nothing to worry about.

Other Valuable Option

Jrue Holiday vs. Los Angeles Lakers

Salary: $9,000 – Needs to score 45 fantasy points or more to exceed value

Jrue Holiday is a very expensive point/shooting guard on this slate but can easily return the value of 45 fantasy points with his history against the Los Angeles Lakers. In 18 games against them, Holiday is averaging 16 points, 7 assist and 3 rebounds. While that is a good sign, Holiday is averaging 20 points, 8 assist and 4 rebounds while seeing the floor for 36 minutes per game this season, plus he’s shooting a nice 47% on the season.

The Lakers do allow shooting guards to average 26 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assist per game. Jrue Holiday carries a hefty price tag but in a match-up where his value can easily be exceeded.

NBA Draftkings Top Tier

Lebron James vs. New Orleans Pelicans

Salary: $10,900 – Needs to score 54.5 fantasy points or more to exceed value

It’s hard to pass up Lebron James but it makes it easier when he’s close to the $11,000 price tag. But he gets to face the New Orleans Pelicans, see a trend here? Lebron might be getting up there in age but he’s still dominating on the court and in Los Angeles, averaging 28 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assist per game. When facing the Pelicans, he is averaging 26 points, 7 assist, and 6 rebounds in 31 games.

In his previous five games, he has scored 61.75, 45.25, 61.5, 25, and 68.25 fantasy points. Easily exceeding his value in three of those games. The Pelicans already have a tough time defending the small forward position and it’ll be even tougher when facing Lebron James. They allow small forwards to average 23 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assist per game making this a perfect match-up for King James and his teammates.

Other Valuable Option

Kent Bazemore vs. New York Knicks

Salary: $6,200 – Needs to score 31 fantasy points or more to exceed value

Now I’m pretty sure everyone hates playing Kent Bazemore because he’s very good at burning every lineup that he is in usually. We’re hoping tonight is very different since he is facing the Atlanta Hawks who allow small forwards to average 24 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assist per game. Averaging 27 minutes per game, Bazemore is averaging 13 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assist per game, nothing spectacular.

The last time the Atlanta Hawks faced the New York Knicks on November 7th, Bazemore recorded 16 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assist. That’s really all that we need from him tonight to exceed his value which he has only done in three of his last five games. Like I said, Bazemore is the one person that can easily burn a lineup but we shouldn’t expect that tonight where his match-up is a lot better.

NBA Draftkings Top Tier

Kawhi Leonard vs. Cleveland Cavaliers

Salary: $9,500 – Needs to score 47.5 fantasy points or more to exceed value

Kawhi Leonard may be in the perfect spot since his teammate Kyle Lowry has already been announced out for tonight’s match-up. Kawhi has been on a roller-coaster this season, not playing back to back games and random injury tags. But he is averaging 26 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assist per game on the season, while averaging 35 minutes per game. In 14 games versus the Cleveland Cavaliers, Leonard is averaging 20 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assist per game.

In his past five games, he has scored 52.75, 44, 44, 52.5, and 58 fantasy points. He knows how to keep his play consistent and is almost returning value every game. The Cavaliers is also allowing Power Forwards to average a double double against them with 22 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 assist. If Leonard is able to get to the double double point then this match-up is too easy to call and we should see Kawhi return value and even exceed it.

Other Valuable Option

Thaddeus Young vs. Brooklyn Nets

Salary: $5,800 – Needs to score 29 fantasy points or more to exceed value

Now big men versus the Brooklyn Nets are too easy to call. Thaddeus Young may not be the big star or one to lean on daily in daily fantasy sports but tonight, he has a good match-up and nice history versus them. Young isn’t a high-priced power forward either which helps us out on this slate. Averaging 29 minutes per game, Thaddeus Young is averaging 11 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assist per game. Versus the Brooklyn Nets, he is averaging 12 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assist in 34 games.

In his past five games, he has scored 57.75, 49.5, 24.5, 36.25, and 26.25 fantasy points, exceeding his value greatly in three of those games. Now Brooklyn, on the defensive side of the court, allow power forwards to average 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assist. This just makes it pretty easy to build a roster with Thaddeus Young in it, who will save you some salary once it is all said and done.

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NBA Draftkings Top Tier

Nikola Vucevic vs. Chicago Bulls

Salary: $9,200 – Needs to score 46 fantasy points or more to exceed value

While we want to target the big men of the Indiana Pacers since they are facing the Brooklyn Nets, we will also target Nikola Vucevic versus the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls are allowing centers to average 25 points, 17 rebounds as a unit. We can’t overlook that as Vucevic is one of the most important players on the Orlando Magic. He is averaging 20 points, 11 rebounds while playing around 30 minutes per game.

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In 20 games versus the Chicago Bulls, Vucevic is averaging 17 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assist. That’s a stat line we can not overlook on this slate. Last week, the Orlando Magic and Vucevic faced the Bulls where Vucevic put up a double double with 26 points and 11 rebounds. He can easily hit his value tonight once again. In his past five games, he has scored 50.75, 38.5, 38.5, 49.5, and 51.25 fantasy points. Like I said, we can either target the big men of the Indiana Pacers versus the Brooklyn Nets or throw Vucevic in the lineup so he can repeat his performance against the Chicago Bulls.

Other Valuable Option

Enes Kanter vs. Atlanta Hawks

Salary: $7,000 – Needs to score 35 fantasy points or more to exceed value

Enes Kanter may be an unsung hero for the New York Knicks but he just doesn’t get the playing time that he should with the numbers that he has been putting up. Kanter is averaging a double double with 15 points, 11 rebounds and he is doing it in 27 minutes per game. Now Kanter doesn’t have the most impressive stat line versus the Hawks. In 15 games, Kanter has averaged 9 points and 6 rebounds against them.

But when the New York Knicks faced the Atlanta Hawks on November 7th, Kanter put up 17 points and 11 rebounds. That’s really all we need once again from hims and that really isn’t asking for too much, right? On the defensive side, the Hawks allow centers to average 22 points and 15 rebounds. This slate is filled with power forwards and centers to choose from and while the good ones are on the higher end of the price scale, you can still find some backups that could easily reach and even exceed their value.

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