NBA DFS DraftKings.com & FanDuel.com Lineups & Picks for December 29, 2017
For the 12/29 NBA DFS slate tonight, and for the rest of the basketball 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.
12/29/17 NBA DFS TOURNAMENT PICKS
Excellent 8’s: $8 buy-in, $444k guaranteed (DraftKings)
Medium End of Year Special: $36.50 buy-in, $200k guaranteed (DraftKings)
Mini End of Year Special: $3.65 buy-in, $140k guaranteed (DraftKings)
Layup: $9 buy-in, $99k guaranteed (FanDuel)
Clutch Shot Encore: $4.44 buy-in, $400k guaranteed (FanDuel)
Slam: $33 buy-in, $150k guaranteed (FanDuel)
PLAYERS RULED OUT
Victor Oladipo (knee)
Chris Paul (leg)
Tim Hardaway Jr. (leg)
Lonzo Ball (shoulder)
Clint Capela (face)
D’Angelo Russell (knee)
James Johnson (ankle)
Danilo Gallinari (hip)
Dion Waiters (ankle)
INJURY NEWS TO MONITOR
Blake Griffin (knee)
Steph Curry (ankle)
Kyle Kuzma (quad)
Caris LeVert (hip)
Best NBA DFS Picks for December 29, 2017
Guards
Devin Booker @ SAC ($8.5k DraftKings, $7.8k FanDuel)
Wasting little time after a two-week absence due to a groin injury, Devin Booker torched the Grizzlies’ solid defense for 32 points over just 32 minutes this week. That indicates he’s not necessarily on a minutes limit as he prepares to face a Kings team that ranks 29th in defensive rating and 29th in opponent 3PT shooting percentage (.381). Booker’s been lights out on the road. He’s averaging 27.9 PPG and shooting 43.5 percent from deep, so he’s clearly worth paying up for as a premier SG on a team desperate for consistent scoring.
Kyle Lowry vs. ATL ($7.7k DraftKings, $8.3k FanDuel)
On a frustrating Wednesday night, during which he was largely outplayed by Russell Westbrook, Kyle Lowry still met value with a double-double. He draws a much better matchup at home tonight against a Hawks team that ranks dead last in defensive rating. Atlanta coughs up the third-most APG (25.8) in the NBA this season. The Raptors are playing at a blistering pace this month. Lowry’s seen an uptick in APG (7.4) as a result. Thus, he has a chance to see a significant spike in production if he can snap out of his shooting slump in this plum spot.
Josh Hart vs. LAC ($4.6k DraftKings, $4.4k FanDuel)
Once again, Josh Hart and Jordan Clarkson ($6.4k, $7.0k) are both worth using as relative values with Lonzo Ball (shoulder) out. Hart provides a similar floor and lower ceiling at a much lower price tag on FD. Both players are great options against a Clippers team that gives up the most FPPG (46.72) to opposing SGs this season. Hart’s played 30-plus minutes in three consecutive games and retained value even when moving to a sixth-man role with Brandon Ingram (quad) back in the lineup on Wednesday.
Others to consider: Russell Westbrook, Bradley Beal, Austin Rivers, Jordan Clarkson, Darren Collison, Wayne Ellington
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Forwards
Draymond Green vs. CHA ($7.9k DraftKings, $8.3k FanDuel)
Stephen Curry (ankle) will reportedly miss one more game before returning on Saturday. While that makes Kevin Durant ($10.6k, $11.5k) appealing as well, Draymond Green offers similar upside at a much lower price tag. He’s averaging 12.3 PPG, 9.0 RPG, and 8.0 APG over his last four appearances and should be able to bully the Hornets’ smaller forwards on the boards this evening. As long as this game doesn’t turn into a blowout, Green has a great chance to exceed value.
Paul George vs. MIL ($7.8k DraftKings, $8.4k FanDuel)
The Thunder are rolling, and Paul George is fitting in seamlessly as a secondary scorer alongside Russell Westbrook. He dropped 33 points on a cool 11-of-17 shooting in a big win over Toronto on Wednesday. And he continues to see heavy run, playing 38.8 MPG over his last four appearances. Milwaukee is dead last in opponents 3PT percentage (.398) this season, and George is a red-hot 20-of-41 from deep over his last six appearances.
Otto Porter Jr. vs. HOU ($6.2k DraftKings, $6.7k FanDuel)
It took a few games for Otto Porter Jr. to get his feet under him after missing time with a hip injury. But he’s played 36 and 31 minutes over his last two appearances and saw 30-plus minutes despite dealing with foul trouble in a decisive loss on Wednesday. Washington will look to bounce back once again and should have an advantage in terms of energy against a shorthanded Rockets team. Houston is also on the second half of a B2B set. Their incredible pace of play benefits rangy opponents like Porter, who can rebound on one end and hit transition 3-pointers on the other.
Lance Stephenson @ CHI ($5.6k DraftKings, $5.8k FanDuel)
With the surprising news that Pacers leading scorer Victor Oladipo (knee) will miss a second consecutive game, Lance Stephenson immediately becomes a recommended mid-tier option for any format. He provided a mix bag down the stretch in a start on Wednesday. Still, Lance came through for DFS owners with 16 points, 15 rebounds, and six assists against the Mavericks. As for tonight, Chicago allows the third-most defensive RPG (37.5) in the NBA this season. Lance can snare boards while seeing an increased usage rate on the offensive end.
Others to consider: Kevin Durant, Kyle Kuzma, Nikola Mirotic, Zach Randolph, Kelly Olynyk, Dirk Nowitzki, Denzel Valentine
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Center
DeMarcus Cousins vs. DAL ($11.1k DraftKings, $11.0k FanDuel)
If you decline to pay up for Westbrook, James Harden, or Kevin Durant, DeMarcus Cousins is relatively easy to afford tonight. He boasts much more upside than the rest of the centers on the slate as per usual. The Mavericks don’t necessarily have a true center and are giving up the sixth-most RPG (15.83) to opposing centers over the last month. Dallas also allows the fourth-most APG (4.28) to opposing centers. That’s become a huge part of Boogie’s game with the Pelicans. He’s averaging 5.4 APG to go along with 26.6 PPG and 12.6 RPG at home this season.
Alex Len vs. SAC ($5.2k DraftKings, $6.0k FanDuel)
Still under-priced on both main DFS sites, Alex Len faces a Kings team that gives up the most RPG (17.6) and second-most FPPG (57.51) to opposing centers this season. Len’s been up-and-down all year. But he has become much more reliable now that Greg Monroe’s fallen out of the rotation. He’s averaging 14.8 points and 14.8 rebounds per 36 minutes this season. Len boasts plenty of upside if he can log a full slate of run in this plus matchup.
Others to consider: DeAndre Jordan, Steven Adams, Julius Randle, Willie Cauley-Stein, Jonas Valanciunas
