DraftKings Main NBA Picks December 23: Davis should smash the Kings

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – DECEMBER 19: Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns looks on during the game against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on December 19, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Suns defeat the Celtics 11-103. 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 Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

DraftKings Main NBA Picks December 23: Davis should smash the Kings

There are 11 games on the busiest Sunday of the NBA season so far. Only nine make the DraftKings NBA main tournament that starts a little earlier at 6pm eastern. Even with nine games, only three players are priced over $10k. Are any of them worth paying for?

DraftKings NBA Point Guards:

Best Bets:

Stephen Curry ($9,700): Westbrook had a subpar game last night with George dominating Utah. That’s not why I’m off of him. The price tag is too high compared to the numbers Curry could put up here. The Clippers have allowed the most fantasy points to point guards this year. Curry has dropped 60 three times in the last eight games. Russ does it more frequently, but Curry may be the most likely to do it tonight.

Kyrie Irving ($9,000): Irving racked up 54.75 DraftKings points in the first meeting with Charlotte this year. Irving’s production has been all over the board the entire season, so you can’t really rely on him enough for cash games. However, seeing the types of numbers he has put up at times this year, Irving is suitable for GPP formats. The Celtics are getting healthy though, so that could take some production away from Kyrie.

Honorable Mention:

Damian Lillard ($8,700): Lillard is playing at a high level lately. Now he draws a Dallas team without Dennis Smith. Lillard put up 59 DraftKings points in the first meeting with Dallas this season. There is no reason that Lillard can’t come close to that score tonight. He has at least 40 DraftKings points in six of the eight games since that Dallas game.

Kemba Walker ($8,500): On the surface, this looks like the perfect time to leave Kemba alone. Boston is solid defensively all over the court. However, Walker racked up 59 DraftKings points in the first meeting with Washington. Now, Kemba was on fire that games so it’s unreasonable to expect a repeat, but I could still see him hitting 5x value here.

De’Aaron Fox ($7,700): Aside from the game against Minnesota in which the entire team was garbage, Fox has a least 40 DraftKings points in five straight and seven of the last nine. Fox only had 33.75 DraftKings points in the first meeting with the Pelicans, but he played only 26 minutes. Fox has been playing in the mid to high 30’s lately. I see Fox coming close to 6x vlaue here.

Dark Horses:

Jordan Clarkson ($5,900): Clarkson is rolling once again. He has at least 30 DraftKings points in five straight games. Clarkson had a solid 27.75 DraftKings points in just 25 minutes in the first meeting with the Bulls. Now that Clarkson is playing about 30 minutes per game, he could come close to 6x value.

J.J. Barea ($5,000): This isn’t a great matchup for Barea, but he has enough things going for him that I like this play quite a bit. First, Smith is still out and Brunson is still struggling. Luka Doncic took a spill into the chairs last night in Oakland, so there is a chance that the night may not be kind to him. If Doncic is forced to sit as well, Barea is going to have to score for Dallas because no one else can. It also leaves this game with a huge blowout risk and Barea is one of the guys that could get garbage minutes. It looks like Barea is worth the risk here.

Justise Winslow ($4,800): The Heat ran with Winslow at the point last night over Johnson in the absence of Dragic. It would make sense that they would do the same tonight. Winslow put up 26 DraftKings points in 28 minutes last night. This is not a superb matchup, but if he’s going to put up a point a minute and play 30 minutes we at least have to consider him.

My pick: Fox(PG), Barea(G); Barea(PG)

BOSTON, MA – DECEMBER 10: Jrue Holiday #11 of the New Orleans Pelicans dribbles against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on December 10, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

DraftKings NBA Shooting Guards:

Best Bets:

Jrue Holiday ($9,100): The Kings are terrible against off guards, and Holiday starts at the two most of the time. The Pelicans should be back to full strength with the exception of Mirotic, but they get the added advantage of playing the Kings. The Kings are one of the few teams that can keep up with the Pelicans. They break scoreboards and ratchet up DFS scores. If you are one to game stack, this looks like the one to target.

Luka Doncic ($8,100): This price remains kind of off-putting, but as long as Dennis Smith is out and Doncic keeps playing like he is, we can’t ignore the output. Just keep an eye on his status. Doncic took a spill in the third quarter last night, but was able to return to the game. Reports have said that Doncic was very sore after the game. I don’t think they will risk their 19 year old prize unless they are absolutely sure he’s okay. Keep an eye on this.

Honorable Mention:

Spencer Dinwiddie ($7,200): The Suns are going to be tired after the three overtime thriller on Washington last night, so I feel like I want to play at least one Nets guard and no Suns at all. Dinwiddie would be the one to target since Russell is so hit and miss. Russell has been a whole lot of miss lately. He has the upside you covet in GPP’s, but he destroyed your lineup in each of the last two games if you used him. Dinwiddie probably wont win you a GPP, but he wont take you out of the running either.

Kris Dunn ($7,200): The injury to Zach LaVine has caused the Bulls to move Dunn off the ball, and that change has sparked him. Dunn has 142.25 DraftKings points in the four games with LaVine out. That comes out to roughly 5x value against three good defensive teams and the Nets. Cleveland doesn’t defend the wing all that well, so Dunn is in a good spot here tonight.

Buddy Hield ($6,700): Hield put up some huge numbers with Bogdan out or limited, but Bogdan is back now. The only reason I even consider Hield here is because he is on fire. Hield has 100 DraftKings points over the last two games. I really do like Bogdan at his price, but unless you are playing him alongside Hield (not a bad idea, by the way), Hield is the one to own until further notice. This is a great matchup with the Kings, so they are both worth while here.

Dark Horses:

Lou Williams ($6,400): The Clippers said they were going to ramp up the minutes on LouWill last night. He played just 17 minutes and shot five times. He is a huge risk here, but LouWill racked up 40 DraftKings points on the Warriors in the first meeting. Hopefully the Clippers were just saving him for tonight when they realized they didn’t need him against Denver. Those just watching the game logs will be scared off. This could be a really good spot for Williams here.

Alec Burks ($4,400): Nwaba isn’t getting it done as the starter, but Burks is playing too well off the bench to change it up. Fine with us. Burks has 79.75 DraftKings points over the last three games. That puts him well over 5x value. A game against the Bulls is just icing on this price tag.

Garrett Temple ($4,300): Temple has put up 76.5 DraftKings points over the last three games. He usually isn’t a very reliable source of points, but the way he is playing lately, he deserves a look at this price against this team. The Lakers aren’t a great defensive team. Temple looks like a lock for 5x value here.

My pick: N/A; Williams(SG), Burks(G)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 21: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers palms the ball before the game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Staples Center on December 21, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. 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 Harry How/Getty Images) /

DraftKings NBA Small Forwards:

Best Bets:

LeBron James ($10,900): LeBron has 133.75 DraftKings points over the last two games. This is also a great matchup against Memphis. LeBron almost averaged a triple double in his two games against Memphis last year. The King is rolling right now. He seems to be playing even better with the Lakers fully healthy, strange as that sounds. If you’re looking to spend up tonight, this is a good spot to do so.

Paul George ($9,200): Despite the Suns and Wizards going into triple overtime, George actually outscored everyone on last night’s slate. George destroyed Utah for 84 DraftKings points three days after he put up 69.5 DraftKings points on the Kings. I’m a little more worried about the defense of Covington, but George is playing as well as anyone right now. Don’t be shocked if he goes nuts again.

Honorable Mention:

Tobias Harris ($7,600): Harris put up exactly 5x value at this price in the first meeting with the Warriors. As has been usual this year, Harris has been remarkably consistent this season. He had a mid-December swoon, but Harris seems to be back on track.

Josh Richardson ($7,100): Every time I jump on Richardson, he cools off. However, JRich has played at least 36 minutes and racked up at least 30 DraftKings points in each of the last four games with Dragic out. Richardson is going to continue getting good run and picking up a lot of the backcourt scoring slack.

T.J. Warren ($6,600): We would be foolish to ignore the run that Warren’s on. He has at least 32 DraftKings points in each of the last six games. Warren played a staggering 53 minutes last night, putting up 53 DraftKings points in the process. The Suns ran Warren and Booker ragged (Booker played 55 minutes). What does that mean for tonight? Keep an eye on the news coming down. The Suns are certainly young enough to run again with Brooklyn, but will they?

Dark Horses:

Wesley Matthews ($4,300): Again, this is mostly a play for if Doncic is out. Matthews put up some huge numbers against the Warriors last night with 39.25 DraftKings points. Matthews may even be in play if Doncic plays, but I like the value better if he ends up out. This is for GPP purposes only though. Matthews is far too inconsistent to rely on in cash games.

Darius Miller ($4,100): If we’re going to stack Kings and Pelicans then we are going to need value from some place. No one said it had to come from a separate game. Miller has been playing big minutes and hitting big shots with Nikola Mirotic out. I love value picks from this big of a pace up game. I’m all in on Miller. Again.

Iman Shumpert ($3,500): Shumpert is never going to put up big numbers. As long as you come into this realizing that fact, you may not be too disappointed with his total. That said, Shumpert has still put up at least 15 DraftKings points in nine of the last ten games. Shumpert should be able to hit a pretty nice value point in this game as well.

My pick: Miller(SF), Shumpert(G); Miller(SF), Matthews(UTIL)

OAKLAND, CA – NOVEMBER 26: Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors looks to the sky before their game against the Orlando Magic at ORACLE Arena on November 26, 2018 in Oakland, California. 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 Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

DraftKings NBA Power Forwards:

Best Bets:

Kevin Durant ($9,400): KD ravaged the Clippers for 71.25 DraftKings points in the first meeting. However, we need to temper our expectations. That was a game in which Curry missed. Durant could still put up above 5x value, possibly even well above. KD went for 58.5 DraftKings points last night on Dallas. Don’t be shocked if he does it again.

Julius Randle ($7,800): Do you really think that Bjelica can stop Randle? Anyone? This is a smash spot for Randle just like it is for most of the Pelicans players. The fact that Randle is this cheap is an early Christmas gift from DraftKings. The Sacramento Kings will do the rest.

Honorable Mention:

Aaron Gordon ($7,000): Gordon has racked up 100.75 DraftKings points in two games with Miami this season. We have seen this off and on from Gordon throughout his entire career. The potential is very good here. Good enough to consider paying this price for him. The last time that Gordon hit 50 was against Miami on December 4th. If he’s going to do it again, this would seem to be the place.

Kyle Kuzma ($6,900): Kuzma destroyed Memphis for 47.5 DraftKings points in the first game. LeBron was solid in that game, but the way he is playing lately might sap a little of the luster from Kuzma. Probably not much though. Kuzma has slowed down some with the rest of the team healthy, but he is still putting up pretty good numbers. Pretty good might not do much on tonight’s slate though. That leaves Kuzma more of a cash play.

Harrison Barnes ($6,000): Forwards against Portland. It’s the new centers against Brooklyn. Especially if this is a game that sees both Doncic and Smith on the pine. Barnes will ascend to the elite scorer on this team at a position that Portland can’t defend anyway. If Doncic is out, Barnes is a lock. Even if Doncic plays, this is a nice spot for Barnes.

Dark Horses:

Nemanja Bjelica ($4,900): Bjelica is still a big time value play with Bagley sidelined. These are two of the highest paced, and worst defenses, in the league. There are going to be a ton of points scored in this one, and Bjelica promises to get some good looks. He is a great value at this price and shouldn’t be overlooked.

Jerami Grant ($4,500): The Thunder are playing Grant more and more and he just keeps producing. I wish we could get a number from the Timberwolves on just how much they want to play Taj Gibson. Grant’s matchup is a lot better with Saric on the court. That’s enough to keep me off of this, but I do like Grant’s production lately. This is one that may be worth sitting out though, especially with all of the other value plays out there.

Rodions Kurucs ($4,200): Kurucs put up his best game so far with 33.75 DraftKings points in 34 minutes. If Allen Crabbe returns tonight, I’m off of Kurucs. However, if Kurucs is going to get this much run again, he is in play against the Suns. I have a feeling that some of them may rest tonight.

My pick: Randle(PF), Bjelica(F); Gordon(PF)

DENVER, CO – DECEMBER 10: Marc Gasol #33 of the Memphis Grizzlies plays the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center on December 10, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. 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 Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /

DraftKings NBA Centers

Best Bets:

Anthony Davis ($11,500): Davis is averaging 60.1 DraftKings points per game this year. ON AVERAGE. That means he averages more than 5x value per game. Who else does that, especially at these prices? Davis smashed the Kings for 54.5 DraftKings points in the first meeting in just 26 minutes. The only thing that can keep him down is a blowout.

Nikola Vucevic ($9,300): Honestly, Vucevic hasn’t been as great against Whiteside as he should be. In two meetings, Vucevic has 68 DraftKings points. That’s well under value, and that makes Vucevic a risk even in what looks like a great matchup. There are enough other options out there that I don’t really see a reason to mess around with this. The potential is there for a big game though.

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Honorable Mention:

Marc Gasol ($7,500): I love the price on Gasol, and I really love the matchup. What I don’t love is the lack of elite production, especially after what Gasol showed earlier in the season. He only put up 27.5 DraftKings points against the Lakers in the first meeting, but Gasol only played 28 minutes. There is risk involved here, but this could be a good game for Gasol and I would bet that ownership wouldn’t be very high.

Larry Nance ($7,500): I believe that a large percentage of us believed that Nance could do this if given the chance. Nance has smashed Toronto, Charlotte, and Indiana for a combined 139.75 DraftKings points over the last three games. Now he gets the Bulls, who are just a disaster in the middle. Give me all of Nance here, even at this price.

Deandre Ayton ($7,300): HE’S PLAYING THE NETS! That is all.

Dark Horses:

Montrezl Harrell ($6,100): Anyone remember what happened the first time Harrell faced the Warriors this year? I’ll refresh your memory. Harrell went for 43.5 DraftKings points in 32 minutes. The Warriors aren’t any better up front now than they were then. Harrell’s shoulder is fine. He could be a huge bargain here.

Jarrett Allen ($5,400): Allen is another one of those guys that is never an elite play, but in the right matchup, he often produces above his value. This is one of the right matchups, and it would be even if the Suns hadn’t played three overtimes last night. Allen put up 32.25 DraftKings points on the Suns in only 24 minutes in the first meeting. I like Allen quite a bit if you are planning on going cheap at center.

Ivica Zubac ($3,700): Zubac got the start with both McGee and Chandler battling illnesses on Friday. He proceeded to put up the best stat line by a Lakers center this year and most than in his own last seven outings combined. What does this mean? Maybe nothing. Keep an eye on the Lakers starting lineup. Zubac certainly deserves a start. Whether he gets one or not could be another story.

My pick: Davis(C), Allen(UTIL); Ayton(C), Davis(F)

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