NBA DFS DraftKings.com & FanDuel.com Lineups & Picks for December 26, 2017
For the 12/26 NBA DFS slate tonight, and for the rest of the season, we’ll be writing up the best picks for guards, forwards, and centers we’ll be considering for 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.
12/26/17 NBA DFS TOURNAMENT PICKS
Big Freeze: $8 buy-in, $1M guaranteed (DraftKings)
Boxing Day Box Out: $88 buy-in, $250k guaranteed (DraftKings)
Sharpshooter: $3 buy-in, $50k guaranteed (DraftKings)
Layup: $7 buy-in, $50k guaranteed (FanDuel)
Clutch Shot: $4 buy-in, $1M guaranteed (FanDuel)
Slam: $33 buy-in, $130k guaranteed (FanDuel)
PLAYERS RULED OUT
Blake Griffin (knee)
Hassan Whiteside (knee)
Nikola Vucevic (hand)
Mike Conley (Achilles)
Aaron Gordon (calf)
D’Angelo Russell (knee)
Rudy Gobert (knee)
Danilo Gallinari (hip)
Avery Bradley (groin)
INJURY NEWS TO MONITOR
Devin Booker (groin)
Aaron Gordon (calf)
Evan Fournier (ankle)
Mason Plumlee (finger)
Dion Waiters (ankle)
Best NBA DFS Picks for December 26, 2017
Guards
Victor Oladipo @ DET ($9.4k DraftKings, $9.6k FanDuel)
With Avery Bradley (groin) ruled out tonight, Victor Oladipo has a great chance to improve upon his already impressive splits against the Pistons this year. He’s burned the Pacers divisional rivals to the tune of 22.7 PPG despite shooting 35.5 percent from the floor over three meetings against Detroit this year, as Bradley’s elite defense certainly played a factor in that inefficiency. Dipo is obviously rolling with averages of 29.9 PPG, 6.3 RPG and 4.1 APG over 11 games this month and he’s not priced like other superstars producing at that level.
Elfrid Payton @ MIA ($6.6k DraftKings, $7.3k FanDuel)
After exceeding value by a slim margin in a plus matchup against New Orleans, Elfrid Payton showed that he still has tons of upside with a 30-point, 10-assist performance in Washington on Saturday. Orlando’s pace of play ensures that he’ll have plenty of opportunities to produce counting stats in transition and he’s had success against the Heat in the past, including a game with 13 points and 9 assists against Miami earlier this season. Orlando’s leading scorer, Nikola Vucevic, will miss several weeks with a hand injury, forcing Payton to do more offensively along with forwards Aaron Gordon (if active) and Jonathon Simmons ($7.1k, $6.3k).
Austin Rivers vs. SAC ($6.6k DraftKings, $6.6k FanDuel)
As Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas proved a couple of decades ago, you never know how good a player can be until he becomes the best player on his team. While Austin Rivers is still the 1B option next to Lou Williams, both guards are looking to carry the Clippers offense with Blake Griffin (knee) out indefinitely. Struggling with efficiency at first, Rivers has found his stroke with 95 points on 33-for-61 (54%) FG shooting over his last three appearances. Up next is a Kings team that ranks 28th in defensive rating and 27th in opponents FG shooting (.471%) and solid young defender De’Aaron Fox (quad) won’t play for Sacramento.
Others to Consider: DeMar DeRozan, Tyreke Evans, Donovan Mitchell, Spencer Dinwiddie, Mario Hezonja, Isaiah Canaan, Ish Smith
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Forwards
Giannis Antetokounmpo vs. CHI ($11.5k DraftKings, $11.8k FanDuel)
There aren’t any other truly pricey superstars to pay up for tonight, so it might make sense to take Giannis Antetokounmpo at a slight, slight discount. The Greek Freak was apparently slowed by a knee injury in a win over Charlotte last Friday, but will be playing on three days rest tonight and he’s averaging 33 PPG on 62 percent FG shooting when given that much rest this season. Giannis snared 16 boards in a recent meeting with Chicago, which is playing with more pace during its recent surge while remaining vulnerable in the paint, as the Bulls rank 25th (.519%) in opponents 2PT shooting.
Zach Randolph @ LAC ($6.0k DraftKings, $6.0k FanDuel)
With Blake Griffin, Danilo Gallinari and Wesley Johnson all inactive, the Clippers are forced to use an inexperienced rotation of Montrezl Harrell, Jamil Wilson and Sam Dekker at PF. None of those players stand much of a chance of stopping Zach Randolph, a savvy veteran scorer, who is averaging 21.2 PPG and 8.9 PPG over 10 games this month. He’s clearly the top option on a Kings team that has no other reliable source of offense and is worth deploying against the Clippers, who are coughing up the seventh-most PPG (22.29) to opposing PFs over the last month.
Lauri Markkanen @ MIL ($5.4k DraftKings, $5.5k FanDuel)
While Nikola Mirotic ($6.5k, $6.5k) is a slightly sexier play, Lauri Markkanen is significantly cheaper and offers about the same floor as a versatile big man for the Bulls. He only played 26 minutes in a blowout loss to Boston on Saturday, but has looked sharp since returning from a back injury and matches up well against the Bucks undersized front line. Milwaukee is currently dead last in opponents 3PT shooting (.399%) and Markkanen is 34-for-90 (.378%) from deep over his last 16 appearances.
Others to Consider: Khris Middleton, Aaron Gordon, Harrison Barnes, Kelly Olynyk, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Joe Ingles, Wilson Chandler, Stanley Johnson
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Center
Nikola Jokic vs. UTA ($7.9k DraftKings, $8.9k FanDuel)
He’s only flashed upside in one of his last three appearances, yet it’s important to note that Nikola Jokic has played 36-plus minutes in all three of those contests. His ankle injury behind him, The Joker is in a great spot tonight against a Jazz team that’s struggled defensively without Rudy Gobert (knee), giving up the tenth-most FPPG (54.22) to opposing centers over the last month. Jokic has a couple of inches on 6-foot-10 backup Ekpe Udoh and he can carve up defenses with the space to pace or score from the high post.
Greg Monroe vs. MEM ($4.5k DraftKings, $5.0k FanDuel)
He remains strangely underpriced on DraftKings despite the fact that Greg Monroe has met or exceeded value in seven consecutive appearances. He’s averaging 11.1 PPG and 9.4 RPG during that span and flashed his versatile with seven assists in a meeting with Memphis last Thursday. He’ll face the same team on ample rest tonight and will once again draw a more favorable matchup against the Grizzlies PFs while Alex Len and Tyson Chandler deal with former Defensive Player of the Year Marc Gasol.
Others to Consider: Andre Drummond, Marc Gasol, Myles Turner, Bam Adebayo
