Fantasy Basketball Top Plays and Fades, Saturday December 22

Tonight brings us a nice sized six game slates with a good mix of star players and mid-range plays that we’ll dissect to see who the Fantasy Basketball Top Plays are for the DFS slate!

This size of this slate are generally some of my favorites. We don’t have an overwhelming amount of options that you feel like too many players are left on the sideline and there’s plenty of options to you don’t feel too constricted. We have no shortage of star players either so let’s get right down to business with our Fantasy Basketball Top Plays.

Fantasy Basketball Top Plays – Point Guard

Top Play – Steph Curry, Warriors

There will undoubtedly be concern over the spread, because the Warriors are heavily favored at home. I think that even in three quarters, Curry has the ability to pay off his price tag and I would rather him over a comparable player like John Wall. To the surprise of nobody, Curry is attempting the second most three pointers per game at 10.6 a contest. The Mavericks are allowing the fifth highest percentage from that range and Curry should have no issue taking advantage of that weakness. If Dallas manages to keep the game close, it’s just gravy because Curry could go for 30 real points if that shot is true.

Honorable Mention – J.J. Berea, Mavericks

Fade – Ricky Rubio, Jazz 

Maybe Rubio isn’t someone a lot of people would look at anyways, but since the slate is a hair smaller there’s a bigger possibility but I won’t have any Rubio. I haven’t used him often anyways but his usage and FPPM have really sunk low. Rubio has fallen under 0.95 FPPM and his usage isn’t even 24 percent. Now he gets the Thunder and you can say what you want about Russell Westbrook being a good defender or not. The bottom line is the Thunder allow the third fewest DK points to point guards and I just don’t want to test them with a player who has been over 30 DK points three times in the last 10 games. Even in the assist department, Oklahoma City is slightly above average with 8.2 given up a game. Rubio really isn’t on my radar at all.

Honorable Mention – Eric Bledsoe , Bucks

Fantasy Basketball Top Plays – Shooting Guard

Top Play – James Harden, Rockets 

Is it low hanging fruit to say that Harden is a top play on any given night? Probably, but we need to make sure everyone understands just how imperative he can be on this slate. We learned last night that Chris Paul will be out of action for at least two weeks and that means the Harden of old is here for the next little bit. There’s a 519 minute sample size of Harden without CP3 on the court this season. In that sample, Harden has a usage of 43.8 percent and a FPPM of 1.72. I don’t care who’s on the other side of the ball, that’s all I need to hear. The Spurs are in the bottom half of the league against the 2 guard as it is and Harden is the Rockets. Lock him in.

Honorable Mention – Devin Booker, Suns (who I’d play over Curry on DK)

Fade – Jimmy Butler, Sixers 

Even with Kawhi Leonard sitting  for the Raptors, but I don’t envision myself landing on Jimmy Butler tomorrow night. He’s an excellent player and I always see the price and want to take a shot at him. The reality is he’s still finding his groove with his new teammates, which makes plenty of sense. The usage took a hit as was expected and even though the FPPM looks solid at 1.07, it’s coming in spurts. When a player’s fantasy points are totally unpredictable at that price point, I’m usually going to pass. The other factor is since Leonard is sitting, the Raptors could be down three or four of their starting five. This game could get out of hand quickly. I would rather play someone I’m more comfortable with the game style and is more consistent with the fantasy points.

Honorable Mention – Donovan Mitchell, Jazz

PHOENIX, AZ – DECEMBER 31: TJ Warren #12 of the Phoenix Suns handles the ball during the first half of the NBA game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Talking Stick Resort Arena on December 31, 2017 in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Fantasy Basketball Top Plays- Small Forward

Top Play – T.J. Warren, Suns 

Anytime the Wizards are on the slate, I’m always looking on the other side to see who I can play against them and why wouldn’t you? The Wizards are next to last in points allowed all season long and they have been pounded on the glass, dead last in rebounding percentage on the year. He just feels so safe between his usage and his FPPM and when he gets his 30 minutes, you’re pretty much locked into a nice floor. The Wizards also face the second most three pointers a game and Warren is attempting almost five per contest and shooting above 44 percent. Especially if you can’t afford Booker, Warren is a great way to go this evening.

Honorable Mention – Giannis Antetokoumnpo, Bucks

Fade – Paul George, Thunder 

This is a calculated risk because George has been outstanding this year. However, his price is becoming untenable. Since he went bonkers like the rest of his teammates in Sacramento, it’s approaching $10,000 on both sites. I can’t pay that for George even though it’s not an outrageous price. The Jazz are on a back to back but they are also the toughest team on small forwards, giving up under 20 points a game, which ranks as the sixth best mark. They also only allow the second fewest rebounds so the match is difficult for George. While he has the tools to overcome, it doesn’t make sense to pay the high premium for George given the other options around him.

Honorable Mention – Rudy Gay, Spurs

Fantasy Basketball Top Plays – Power Forward

Top Play – Pascal Siakam, Raptors 

The Sixers have gotten pounded by the power forward position all season because they really don’t have much at that spot on the floor. Wilson Chandler is out, which makes them even thinner and Siakam has other factors working for him. Kyle Lowry and Kawhi Leonard are both out, which is obviously a monster factor. Toronto could start this game without those two, Serge Ibaka and definitely Jonas Valanciunas. I wouldn’t want to overreact because it’s just a 17 minute sample, which is nothing in basketball. Siakam has a 1.70 FPPM mark in those 17 minutes and while that would obviously be unsustainable, Siakam is in a phenomenal spot regardless of who’s in or out. His raw points have doubled since last year and the price hasn’t fully caught up, especially with Lowry, Leonard and potentially others out.

Honorable Mention – Kevin Durant, Warriors

Fade – LaMarcus Aldridge, Spurs 

If there’s one thing that has typically served me well through the early part of the season, it’s don’t tangle with Aldridge on a back to back day. The minutes are basically exactly the same but the points drop by five per game and the shooting percentage plummets by 12 percent. The rebounding and assist take a hit as well and the turnovers rise, so even though the Rockets are a solid matchup, I want nothing to do with Aldridge. If he has a good game I’ll live with trusting the process that led me to fade him, not necessarily the result. The Rockets are slightly above average against the position as it is anyways.

Honorable Mention – Draymond Green, Warriors

Fantasy Basketball Top Plays – Center

Top Play – Deandre Ayton, Suns

Yes, I’m pretty Phoenix heavy tonight but again, that’s what happens when the Wizards are on the schedule. I don’t think a trio of Booker/Warren/Ayton is that bad of an idea even in cash games and Ayton should be able to mash the Washington interior. Ayton is eighth in the league in paint touches a game and the Wizards give up the eighth most points in the paint and the second most rebounds in the paint as well.

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The rookie for the Suns has seen his minutes start to trend back up and he’s hit at least 39 DK points in those past three contests. There’s nobody on the Wizards that should really concern you being that this is the perfect spot for the young man since Washington also gives up the eighth most DK points to the center position.

Honorable Mention – Clint Capela, Rockets

Fade – Hassan Whiteside, Heat 

Much like George, this is a little bit of a risk and if you’re making multiple lineups, I wouldn’t be totally uninterested in Whiteside. My issue with him is Brooks Lopez could drag him away from the basket and I don’t think that would bode well for him. Milwaukee does give up the fourth most points to the position but the flip side is they also give up the fewest rebounds.

Whiteside is fifth in the league in paint touches so if that facet of the game isn’t flowing for him, it could be a very low scoring game for him. The Price on DK is intriguing but on FD it’s a lot easier to just plug in Ayton for a cheaper price and move on.

Honorable Mention – DeAndre Jordan, Mavericks

Stay tuned to Fantasy CPR for all of your DFS needs We also have all of your picks against the spread for the bowls!