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DraftKings daily picks: Fantasy basketball lineup – December 27, 2018

By Jeremy Lambert

NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 26: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors in action against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on October 26, 2018 in New York City. 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. Golden State Warriors defeated the New York Knicks 128-100. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 26: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors in action against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on October 26, 2018 in New York City. 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. Golden State Warriors defeated the New York Knicks 128-100. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /
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CLEVELAND, OH – DECEMBER 16: Jimmy Butler #23 of the Philadelphia 76ers celebrates after scoring during the second half against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena on December 16, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. The 76ers defeated the Cavaliers 128-105. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH – DECEMBER 16: Jimmy Butler #23 of the Philadelphia 76ers celebrates after scoring during the second half against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena on December 16, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. The 76ers defeated the Cavaliers 128-105. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images) /

High Salary SF

Players costing over $6,250

Ben Simmons (at UTA – $8,200): Needs 37.7 fantasy points. Simmons had 40 fantasy points against the Celtics on Christmas. That’s usually not his match and I don’t know if he’ll be much better against the Jazz given the way they play defense. Good teams can just force him to shoot and he’s not comfortable shooting. He’ll continue to chip in in other areas, but you need more at this salary. He should do enough to get you value, but I’m not confident in saying he’ll do more. Diagnosis: Reliable.

Jimmy Butler (at UTA – $7,200): Needs 32.9 fantasy points. Butler had 41.75 fantasy points against the Celtics on Christmas. He’s a more reliable option than Simmons to me for a couple of reasons. First, he’s a better offensive player. And in a game like this, they’ll need his ability to get tough buckets. Second, he’s at a better salary. So he offers better value. Simmons may have the higher ceiling, but Butler is more reliable and still has a good ceiling. Diagnosis: Reliable with a good ceiling. This feels like his matchup as well.

Tim Hardaway Jr (at MIL – $6,400): Needs 29.2 fantasy points. Hardaway Jr was at 34 fantasy points against the Bucks on Christmas. The good news is that he grabbed 10 rebounds. Typically, his value is tied to his scoring. But if he starts chipping in with rebounds, that goes a long way. I wouldn’t trust his rebounding to continue, but hopefully, he’ll score more than 14 points. His ceiling is good, but he’s not the most reliable option. Diagnosis: Inconsistent, but he should do enough in this game to hit value. And the ceiling is good if he catches fire.