The NBA Daily Plays for Wednesday, December 9th breaks down the best Stud, Value and GPP plays at each position for FanDuel and DraftKings daily fantasy sports contests. The Stud & Value plays should be considered relatively chalky and are ideal for cash games. The GPP plays dig a little deeper to hopefully find some low owned talent who could pay off big in a tournament. Make sure you check out our NBA projections page to help in your DFS research.
Game Lines
Point Guard
Studs
John Wall, Washington Wizards (FD $9,200, DK $8,700) –
John Wall is the best cash game play at point guard tonight. He’s held a consistent floor all season long, and has a beautiful matchup vs. a Houston backcourt that struggles defensively. Center Marcin Gortat is probable to return tonight, which will help stretch the floor considerably.
Values
Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs (FD $5,500, DK $5,200)-
Tony Parker has been a pleasant surprise this year, as the 33 year-old continues to produce strong scoring numbers. His matchup tonight isn’t ideal, but the Spurs will look to their veteran commander to keep this one close. Parker receives an additional boost if Kawhi Leonard (stomach) sits.
GPP Plays
Ricky Rubio, Minnesota Timberwolves (FD $7,100, DK $6,700)-
Rubio continues to go under-appreciated in the fantasy community, despite strong showings almost nightly. That trend should continue tonight, as he will lead the Timberwolves vs. the Lakers. Los Angeles is the worst team in the league vs. opposing point guards, specifically due to the amount of assists they allow. Dimes are the best aspect of Rubio’s game, and he should have a productive evening.
Shooting Guard
Studs
James Harden, Houston Rockets (FD $10,800, DK $10,600) –
Harden let a lot of folks down last night (including yours truly), but that’s what he does. If you choose to fade him the night after a mediocre performance, he’s likely to burn you with a 60 fantasy point outing. Harden is likely to bounce back tonight against a Wizards team that plays leaky defense on the wing. Bradley Beal certainly won’t be able to stop the Beard. Then again, no one really can.
Values
Wesley Matthews, Dallas Mavericks (FD $5,400, DK $5,000)-
It seems that Wesley Matthews’ achilles injury is no longer a factor, which has been made clear by the abundance of minutes he has recently received. His talent from three allows Matthews’ value to skyrocket, and he’ll be able to showcase that value tonight vs. Kyle Korver and the Atlanta Hawks. On the season, Atlanta is allowing 27.4 PPG from three-point range. At his median-salary, Matthews should have no issues meeting value.
GPP Plays
Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards (FD $7,400, DK $7,200) –
Bradley Beal is my favorite play of the evening, simply because he’ll be defended by James Harden. Harden has been recently torched by the likes of Bojan Bogdanovic and Ben McLemore, and the combustible Beal will have no issues heating up. Beal will be a staple in every single one of my lineups.
Small Forward
Studs
Andrew Wiggins, Minnesota Timberwolves (FD $7,000, DK $6,900)
I love a few Timberwolves tonight vs. a horrible Lakers’ defense, but Wiggins is my favorite of the bunch. The sophomore has improved greatly since his rookie campaign, but perhaps most impressive is his 21 PPG average on the season. The Wolves are projected to score 100+ tonight, and Wiggins will be a main contributor to that total.
Values
Marcus Thornton, Houston Rockets (FD $3,500, DK $3,800)-
For his cost, Marcus Thornton is the best play on the board tonight. Trevor Ariza is doubtful tonight, and Thornton should slide into the starting position. Thornton dominated in Ariza’s absence last night, draining 32 points. This really is a perfect storm, as the Wizards are extremely weak vs. the small forward position. Thornton’s ceiling is sky-high, but he also provides a safe floor at an extremely low cost.
GPP Plays
Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs (FD $8,800, DK $8,600) –
Kawhi Leonard was recently just announced as probable (stomach) to play vs. the Raptors tonight, which is an interesting turn of events. I’d be less likely to play Leonard if he were facing DeMarre Carroll’s defense, but it seems as if Terrence Ross will fill in for the injured Carroll tonight. Ross is a pretty bad defender, and is certainly no match for Kawhi. However, Leonard remains a tournament play, as he may be limited returning from his illness.
Power Forward
Studs
Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers (FD $9,300, DK $9,300) –
I love Griffin in this spot vs. the Bucks. Milwaukee struggles to defend versatile power forwards, and Griffin certainly fits the bill. Blake should build upon his ridiculous 24 PPG average, and dominate the Bucks on the boards as well.
Values
Jon Leuer, Phoenix Suns (FD $4,400, DK $4,800)-
Leuer’s price has inflated quite a bit recently, but that doesn’t mean you should shy away from him. The 26 year-old seems to have stolen the starting role from Markieff Morris, and his recent play certainly won’t be conceding it. Tonight, Leuer will square off against Orlando’s front court, which has been a sieve to begin the season.
GPP Plays
Derrick Favors, Utah Jazz (FD $8,300, DK $7,900)-
In the absence of Rudy Gobert, Derrick Favors has swung from the power forward position, and filled in nicely at center. Tonight, he’ll face Robin Lopez, who certainly doesn’t have the tools to defend Favors’ scoring. Rostering Utah’s star also allows you to fit in an additional center, which is always a nice consolation prize.
Center
Studs
Hassan Whiteside, Miami Heat (FD $7,700, DK $7,100) –
Besides the Lakers, the Hornets are my favorite team to pick on with opposing centers. As noted on our spreadsheets, Charlotte allows an enormous 53.1 FanDuel PPG to the opposition’s big men, and that number will only get worse as Cody Zeller fills in for Al Jefferson. Hassan Whiteside has an attractive ceiling, but also provides a desirable floor for cash games.
GPP Plays
Karl Anthony-Towns (FD $6,900, DK $6,800)
Speaking of the Lakers, guess who they’ll have the displeasure of dealing with tonight? None other than KAT, the explosive rookie for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Anthony-Towns has the opportunity to dominate Los Angeles’ front court, but it’s unknown whether he’ll take advantage. A disadvantage of the rookie’s raw talent has been frustrating inconsistency, which makes Anthony-Towns a tournament play at-best.
