NBA daily fantasy picks: Five players who could help your lineup for Dec. 16
It’s another busy Wednesday with 12 games on the slate, the most crowded night of action thus far this season. The games to target, also known as those with an over/under of at least 203 are Pelicans-Jazz (203.5), Blazers-Thunder (209) and Suns-Warriors (220). Of course, there’s value to be found elsewhere, and it’s that value that will differentiate you from all the others who roster Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant or Anthony Davis on this jam-packed Wednesday.
All prices are courtesy of FanDuel and based on a $60,000 budget.
PG: Stephen Curry ($11,100) vs. PHO:Of course, just because so many other people will tab Curry for their teams doesn’t mean you should automatically go in another direction. The Suns allow the fourth-most fantasy points per game to point guards and, again, Vegas expects these two teams to combine for 220 points. Can you really fade Curry in those conditions? He could easily be looking at a 60-fantasy-point night.
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SG: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope ($5,600) vs. BOS:Caldwell-Pope’s reputation as a defensive stopper precedes him, but he’s making strides on the other end of the floor this season. He’s averaging 13.5 points per game on 40% shooting, and has been even better in his last 10 games, in which he has put up 26.32 fantasy points per night. His defense keeps him on the floor to the tune of 37.2 minutes per game. Caldwell-Pope is starting to make all that playing time pay off on the offensive end.
SF: Tobias Harris ($6,200) vs. CHA:Harris left Orlando’s game last Friday with a leg injury, but he was able to suit up in their next game on Monday. He played 26 minutes in that eventual win over the Nets, scoring 15 points, grabbing nine rebounds, and dishing out three assists. In other words, the injury is of no concern. He remains one of the safest-floor players in the low-$6K range, giving us the flexibility to spend up elsewhere.
PF: Paul Millsap ($8,300) @ PHI:On a night filled with stars, Millsap is actually one of the easiest, most bankable choices for the ultimate fantasy roster. He’s as steady as it gets in what’s proving to be a career season, averaging 18 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.1 blocks and 1.9 steals per game. The Sixers, meanwhile, surrendered the second-most fantasy points per game to power forwards. Millsap may not have the name brand, but he’s my favorite play of Wednesday night.
C: Marc Gasol ($8,100) @ CHI:How well does Gasol matchup with Chicago? Let us count the ways. The Bulls allow the fourth-most points per game to centers. They surrender a league-high 12.2 offensive rebounds per game. They’re also just 22nd in offensive rebound rate, meaning that they’re not really cleaning the glass on either end of the court. Gasol has been one of the best players in the league in December, putting up 19.8 points, 9.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.0 blocks on an average night. He may be the best center play for Wednesday, but you won’t have to pay up for him as such.
