RIVAL Fantasy NBA DFS Picks - Fantasy Bingo for 12/20

Happy Wednesday, RotoBallers, and welcome back to our new series covering RIVAL Fantasy Bingo picks for the NBA season! We will be covering how to play and the strategies to win.

Fantasy Bingo is a spin on the classic game Bingo but the goal is to match achievements, not numbers. You will build a DFS lineup for the weekly games to unlock the achievements and fill in those squares. You can win by getting five in a row, all four corners, or an entire card blackout.

The prize pool for the weekly slate is distributed among all of the winning cards. They are broken down in two ways. 56% of the prize pool to cards that have five in a row -- vertically, horizontally, and diagonally. 44% of the prize pool is for cards that just cover the four corners. Also, the prize pool gets larger as more bingo cards are entered. You can have up to 100 max cards all with different lineups created. Check here for the updated rules and scoring.

RIVAL Fantasy Bingo Strategy

When it comes to Fantasy Bingo and the NBA, the strategy will be different than the NFL strategy. Stacking would go out the window unless the slate is two to three games. Targeting high usage players though is the same. Players who can fill multiple categories on the stat sheet like Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Ben Simmons (surprisingly). On top of that, if players are averaging double-doubles or triple-doubles at a good rate, you'll want to get a piece of that pie as the Bingo Cards may call for it.

Targeting defensive players who are logging more than two blocks or steals per game will be needed also. Those appear at a consistent rate on the Bingo Cards. Players like Chet Holmgren, Victor Wembanyama, Anthony Davis, and Joel Embiid excel at blocks and are averaging more than two per game. For steals, players like Marcus Smart, Donovan Mitchell, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are already recording 2.5 steals per game.

Filling every single category of the stat sheet will be needed as you construct your lineups. Spreading it out between key offensive and defensive players as there is no salary cap for you to be restricted by. Look for games with high totals, teams that play at a fast pace, and players that may get boosts from teammates ruled out due to injuries. You can make your lineups throughout the night but waiting for injury news to rule in will be your best route to go before the first game tips off.

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RIVAL Fantasy Bingo Picks

Luka Doncic vs. Los Angeles Clippers

Luka Doncic will continue to dominate the game of basketball even without Kyrie Irving. Doncic is averaging a usage rate of 35.3% on the season while barely missing out on averaging a double-double per game. He is currently averaging 32.9 points, 9.1 assists, and 8.4 rebounds per game with an average of 36.7 minutes of playtime. He has a slightly difficult matchup as the Los Angeles Clippers only allow opposing guards to average 25 points, 8.1 assists, and 6.1 rebounds per game. Without Irving on the court though, Doncic should continue an uptick in play.

While we do target players who also have consistent defensive stats, Doncic does not. However, he has a slight turnover issue and has had three or more turnovers in his last nine games. Versus the Minnesota Timberwolves, he did have eight turnovers. Rival Fantasy loves turnovers and adding them to the Bingo Cards so we have a plus here with Luka.

Joel Embiid vs. Minnesota Timberwolves

We haven't had the strongest luck with Joel Embiid playing after being featured in the Rival Fantasy write-up but here we go again. Joel Embiid is hard to pass up on with the season that he is having. Embiid has a usage rate of 37.5% on the season and is averaging one point per minute. He is currently a walking double-double, averaging 34.4 points and 11.8 rebounds per game. In the past 11 games that he has played, he has put up a double-double with more than 30 points and 10 rebounds.

Embiid will see a difficult matchup as the Minnesota Timberwolves are playing great basketball all the way around. They are the third-best team in the league versus opposing centers, allowing them to average just 19.1 points, 12.6 rebounds, and 3.9 assists. While that is giving up a double-double, it's not the beefiest double-double we would like to see. This game is also the third-lowest total on the slate with just 226.5 points. While it should be avoided overall, Joel Embiid will remain a must-have in most lineups.

DeMar DeRozan vs. Los Angeles Lakers

DeMar DeRozan has been a hit-and-miss all season long but he'll be targeted tonight for his defensive play. DeRozan holds just a 26.1% usage rate on the season while averaging 22.2 points, 5.2 assists, and 3.6 rebounds per game. He does get a decent matchup versus the Los Angeles Lakers, who allow 22.9 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists to opposing forwards. However, his defensive stats have stood out to make him a good play for the Bingo cards.

DeRozan has had one or more steals and blocks in three of his last five games, with multiple steals. In the Chicago Bulls' last outing versus the Philadelphia 76ers, he recorded four steals and one block. Versus the Miami Heat, he recorded three blocks and two steals. Rival Fantasy loves adding multiple defensive squares to cards and DeMar DeRozan is a great fit to fill those squares.

Paolo Banchero vs. Miami Heat

Paolo Banchero has an amazing matchup tonight versus the Miami Heat and it should not be passed up on. Banchero is holding a usage rate of 27.8% while averaging 21 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game. He now gets a Heat defense that allows opposing forwards to average 23.6 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. They are ranked the third-worst in the league currently.

Banchero isn't the fanciest scorer or one of the highest scorers but his ceiling remains high. In the past five games, he has scored 35 or more points in two of them and has also notched two double-doubles. Also, in a similar fashion to Luka Doncic, he has a turnover issue. He has had four or more in the past three games and only has had one game in his past 10 where he did not have a turnover. This gives us double the opportunity to fill up the Bingo card with negative plays.

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