Daily Fantasy Basketball Picks for Draft Street and Fand Duel 12/25/13

For basketball fans, Christmas day in the NBA is like a holiday, one in which gift giving lasts the whole day and everyone is full cheer. Anyone know a holiday like that? I’m having trouble coming up with the requisite analogy. Anyway, it’s a great day. And chocked full of tournaments to get you excited. For today’s picks, I’m going to focus on, what I believe, will be some fairly against the grain picks. In big tournaments, you’re primarily looking for some separation from the pack, fading some popular choices you think will be overvalued. First I’ll start with some overall plays, that work everywhere and then some site-specific picks for Draft Street and Fan Duel. Good luck today and Merry Christmas!

 

Guards

 

SG Danny Green DS $6,664 FD $3700 - Green is a near minimum player that could pay off big time if he gets hot. His last game saw him put up a 14/2/1 line that more than pays his salary on both sites. He faces a Houston perimeter defense that is below average with Beverly and Harden (admittedly already a poor defender) out. Again, we are looking for separation here. I think Francisco Garcia will be a heavy play but conversely, the Spurs defend SG pretty well. Take Green here and hope he gets hot.

SG Dwyane Wade DS $16,270 FD $8,100 - Again, I’m not convinced he will be a big start at this price and with so many other superstar types going today. Also, Wade sat out last game with some soreness/ scheduled day off. Additionally, there is some significant blowout risk against a Laker team that doesn’t know which way is up. But I love his upside. While I think that many people will talk themselves into spending for Lebron/Durant/Curry/Howard, I’m advocating getting dollars in for D-Wade and…

PG Chris Paul DS $20,938 FD $10,200 - If you’re going big money today, he’s the one to spend on. Everything on paper seems right for CP3. Price has dipped a bit. The game should be extremely high scoring with Curry focused more on matching point for point rather than stopping Paul on the defensive end. The game should remain close until the end, and I can honestly see a 15+ assist game for Paul, which makes him especially attractive on Draft Street.

PG Jeremy Lin DS $10,230 FD $5,100 - Keep in mind the theme here: against the grain plays. Lin is coming off an injury, and didn’t exactly go crazy in his first game back. But he wasn’t awful against a better-than-average-against-PG Maverick team. The Spurs are below average against the position and with Harden iffy, the Rockets will need people to score. Lin is a scorer first and foremost and I like his upside here.

Forwards

 

PF Taj Gibson DS $10,221 FD $5,100 - This pick is primarily contingent on Luol Deng not playing, which looks to be the case. You luck out a bit with the Bulls/Nets game being first (and by far worst) on the docket  so you won’t need to speculate on Deng’s status. If Luol sits, Gibson becomes an instant start for me. I think many others will talk themselves into Mike Dunleavy (DS $8,595 FD $6,000 - attractive on DS, a total stayaway on FD) but I like Gibson because his more well rounded game actually gives him more upside than Big Mike.

PF Carlos Boozer DS $12,912 FD 6,600 - I like him slightly better on DS than FD, but either way Boozer has a nice matchup against the Nets with the corpse of KG patrolling the interior, and the Nets running out smaller lineups since Brook Lopez went down. Unlike Gibson above, I like Boozer regardless of Deng’s status.

SF Shawne Williams $5,603 FD $3,500 - Bargain basement hunting? Williams is your guy. He stinks, and the Lakers have a kaleidoscope-type starting lineup situation with it never looking the same twice, or quite right. But his price, especially on DS could warrant it if he is starting again. Who knows with Farmar coming back, but Williams could be a punt for you to get big money in somewhere else.

Center

 

Tyson Chandler DS $13,075 FD $5,400 - Look I love DeAndre Jordan today, but I think everyone who doesn’t spend for Howard will start DJ or Bosh. Those guys are both great plays, and in cash games they are who I’d consider.  But in the tournaments, I’d think Tyson. Coming back from injury, a broken leg no less, he’s a risky dude. But he had a huge game his first back and in case you’ve forgotten, Kendrick Perkins starts at center for OKC.

 

Site Specific Plays

 

Draft Street

 

Rashard Lewis $5,250 - You play Lewis if, and only if, you are fairly convinced this game turns into a huge blowout early. Even then it’s far from assured he will play, but if he gets more than 20 minutes, and gets a few looks from beyond the arc he could pay.

 Andre Iguodala $9,897 - Klay Thompson $10,560

These Warriors’ prices have dropped significantly on DS over the last couple of weeks for good reason. They’ve been hurt/bad. But in a game that should feature tons of points, they both present upside especially with many others looking to get  Curry and Lee in. Pick your poison, but either of them could deliver a huge game.

Fan Duel

 

JR Smith $4,400 - If Melo doesn’t play (and really even if he does) Smith is a must start at this price. He’s been getting hot of late and his price on FD hasn’t caught up yet. While I think he could be a heavy start, at this price it’s worth it.

Manu Ginobili $4,900 and Tim Duncan $7,700 - I like the former a bit more than the latter, but both could provide some contrarian play with the ability to fill up the stat sheet.

Paul Pierce $5,300 - The Nets blow, but Pierce as a the go-to guy in the second unit against the Bulls second team, which is equally bad has a nice ring to it.