NBA DFS DraftKings.com & FanDuel.com Lineups & Picks for December 11, 2017
For the NBA DFS slate tonight, and for the rest of the season, we’ll be writing up picks for the guards, forwards, and centers we’re considering rostering in our Cash and GPP lineups on DraftKings and FanDuel. The info below can also be used for crafting your strategy on Draft.
Please note the advice below is relevant for daily fantasy purposes. A player or team might be better or worse from a fantasy perspective than in real life due to matchup, price, and lots of other factors. This is important to consider when constructing a roster.
Injuries play a huge role in NBA DFS on a nightly basis, and value plays at the various daily fantasy sites can arise at a moment’s notice. Always, always check the starting lineups and injury news right before tipoff.
12/11/17 NBA DFS TOURNAMENT PICKS
DraftKings Excellent 8’s: $8 buy-in, $425k guaranteed
DraftKings Dunkfest Windmill Encore: $180 buy-in, $500k guaranteed
DraftKings Sharpshooter: $3 buy-in, $125k guaranteed
FanDuel JUMBO Layup: $9 buy-in, $99k guaranteed
FanDuel Clutch Shot: $4.44 buy-in, $400k guaranteed
FanDuel Slam: $33 buy-in, $150k guaranteed
PLAYERS RULED OUT
Steph Curry (ankle)
Blake Griffin (knee)
Hassan Whiteside (knee)
Jusuf Nurkic (ankle)
Mike Conley (Achilles)
Nic Batum (elbow)
Kyrie Irving (quad)
Marcus Morris (knee)
INJURY NEWS TO MONITOR
Nic Batum (elbow)
Draymond Green (shoulder)
Paul George (calf)
Milos Teodosic (foot)
Patrick McCaw (concussion)
Frank Kaminsky (ankle)
Jeremy Lamb (leg)
Al Horford (knee)
Best NBA DFS Picks for December 11, 2017
Guards
James Harden vs. NO ($11.6k DraftKings, $11.8k FanDuel)
Officially the frontrunner for MVP after dropping 48 points in a comeback win against the Blazers on Saturday, James Harden enters a potential shootout against the Pelicans at a reasonable price tag given his ridiculous floor-ceiling combination. New Orleans is giving up the fourth-most PPG (110.5) while playing at the sixth-fastest pace in the NBA. They’re also giving up the seventh-most FPPG (43.08) to opposing shooting guards. Harden averages an absurd 33.7 PPG at home and torched NOLA to the tune of 30.3 points and 13.8 assists per game over four meetings last year.
Kris Dunn vs. BOS ($6.1k DraftKings, $7.7k FanDuel)
Nearly everything the Bulls are running right now is going through Kris Dunn. The second-year guard is averaging 15.8 PPG and 7.5 APG over his last six appearances. He also sports a 25.3 percent usage rate and 31.4 assist rate on the season. Tonight’s matchup against the Celtics is a tough one, but Dunn will have the motivation of facing a team that neglected to draft him after scouting him consistently last year. That should provide enough kick for him to keep his hot streak going. Also, consider Dunn’s teammate David Nwaba ($3.8k, $4.5k) as a punt play given his recent spike in playing time.
Quinn Cook vs. POR ($3.4k DraftKings, $3.5k FanDuel)
Shaun Livingston ($3.8k, $3.8k) is splitting time with rookie PG Quinn Cook, and both are worth a look as salary relief with Steph Curry (ankle) out over the next couple of weeks. Cook has shown some nerves over his first few games of NBA action. But he’s bound to improve with more reps. Compared to Livingston, he’s a quicker guard capable of matching up with either Damian Lillard or C.J. McCollum when necessary. Should this game turn into a blowout, Cook would likely see more minutes than Livingston down the stretch. Also consider Andre Iguodala ($4.4k, $4.6k) as a solid value with more upside while Curry’s out.
Others to consider: Damian Lillard, Kyle Lowry, Tyler Johnson, Milos Teodosic, David Nwaba, Patrick McCaw
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Forwards
Kevin Durant vs. POR ($10.9k DraftKings, $11.7k FanDuel)
After barely slowing down with 36 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, and five blocks in a win at Detroit, Kevin Durant remains a chalk play with a massive floor-ceiling combo with Curry out of commission. Tonight, he faces a Blazers team that gives up the sixth-most RPG (8.78) and second-most SPG (2.09) to opposing SFs this year despite their overall lofty defensive rating. Durant felt very comfortable against Portland’s defense last year. He shot 60 percent from the floor to average 29.3 PPG over four meetings. Durant is now in superstar mode with Curry unavailable.
Jayson Tatum @ CHI ($6.0k DraftKings, $6.3k FanDuel)
The Celtics’ brilliant rookie continues to provide consistent results in the box score through efficient play. Jayson Tatum leads the NBA in 3-point percentage (51.8 percent) and is fourth on the league-leading Celtics in MPG (30.7) this season. He’ll draw a plus matchup tonight at a Bulls team that gives up the second-most PPG (22.78) to opposing SFs. Chicago also ranks 23rd in defensive rating overall this season. Tatum’s strangely been more productive on the road with averages of 15.8 PPG and 6.2 RPG while shooting 90 percent from the charity stripe. The kid is poised beyond his years and will likely be asked to step up tonight with Kyrie Irving (quad) out and Al Horford (knee) questionable.
Al-Farouq Aminu @ GSW ($4.6k DraftKings, $5.3k FanDuel)
He’s starting to grow more comfortable on the court after missing multiple weeks with a bad ankle sprain, and Al-Farouq Aminu will be needed tonight against the small-ball Warriors. The explosive athlete played 36 and 32 minutes over his last two games despite dealing with some foul trouble. He faces a pass-first PF tonight in Draymond Green. The Warriors’ defense has not been up to the standards of previous years. They actually give up the second-most FPPG (24.31) to opposing PFs while continuing to play at a very fast pace.
Others to consider: Paul George, Danilo Gallinari, Nic Batum, Jaylen Brown, Nikola Mirotic, Andre Iguodala
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Center
Steven Adams vs. CHA ($5.9k DraftKings, $6.5k FanDuel)
The sexier play in this matchup might be Dwight Howard, but Steven Adams is just as capable of producing. The reliable OKC big man is fresh off playing 43 minutes in a tough matchup at Memphis and is in a career stretch with averages of 17.5 PPG and 9.3 RPG over his last six appearances. At a mid-tier price tag, he can provide the salary flexibility necessary to pay up for Durant and Harden. Or perhaps, he could be paired with Russell Westbrook as pick-and-roll buddies capable of torching the Hornets’ mediocre defense at home.
Kelly Olynyk @ MEM ($5.5k DraftKings, $6.1k FanDuel)
While he faces a truly elite center tonight in Marc Gasol, Big Spain isn’t one to get another big into foul trouble by attacking his body. Kelly Olynyk actually matches up well against Gasol. He’s been playing 28.5 MPG while averaging 11.6 PPG and 5.8 RPG over his last five appearances with Hassan Whiteside (knee) on the shelf. Memphis plays at the slowest pace in the NBA, and Kelly-O is a more effective player in the half court than in transition.
Others to consider: DeMarcus Cousins, Marc Gasol, Al Horford, Clint Capela, Ed Davis, Aron Baynes
