There are six games on the slate for Thursday and we need to make sure we find some cheap options so we can pay up in the right situations. There are A LOT of superstars tonight and three teams are on the second night of a back to back. (Denver Nuggets, Portland Trail Blazers, Golden State Warriors) Although the Warriors are usually fresh every game, they have a favorable matchup playing a defensive team. The Jazz will be waiting for the Warriors, who cruised through the Clippers Wednesday, which means the scorers are going to need to produce. I love stacking Golden State and tonight, my lineup will rely heavily on this game. Not just on the Golden State side but players other than Gordon Hayward should produce for Utah. Looking at you, Rudy Gobert.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 12/08/16. The DFS lineup picks will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options and value plays on DraftKings. If you have questions, come to the chat room and ask me yourself. I understand the importance of an outside opinion so feel free to come by and talk basketball.
Editor's Note: New users that sign up on FantasyAces, make a $20 deposit, and enter any game will receive BOTH our full season NBA and NFL Premium Passes for free, a $119.99 value. Just email [email protected] with your new FantasyAces username - and boom, that's it! We will email you with your Premium Passes.
DraftKings DFS Guards
Shelvin Mack - PG, vs GSW ($4,100)
Assuming that George Hill and Rodney Hood are both ruled out against the Warriors, I am going with Shelvin Mack and the fact that he will continue to see around 30 or more minutes. He is more than capable of scoring and the Hayward-Mack tandem works just fine. Mack really doesn't take that many shots but this game against Golden State will require guard scoring to free up space for Hayward and Gobert to be effective. Im going with minutes and value and playing Mack can free up some much needed space tonight.
Sergio Rodriguez- PG, @ NOP ($5,100)
I am hoping you have seen him play because he is smoother than water. He is a little over flashy but I mean...he makes it look good, although the 76ers couldn't win a game even with Iverson running point. Thats a lie. They would win with Iverson running point. Unfortunately, Sergio Rodriguez is the next best option and for mid-level pricing, I think this is going to be a nice play against the Pelicans. New Orleans has been pretty bad against guards this season but recently have turned it up. I still expect this to be a good game with Rodriguez being able to score and dish the rock like he has been all season. I don't like picking losing teams but points are points. This should be a good game between two teams at the bottom of the conference.
Steph Curry - PG, @ UTA ($8,400)
Steph Curry went 7-16 last night against the Clippers in 33 minutes. With that price, he is undervalued for what he should do against the Jazz. It helps that he is facing a defensive team because that should mean low ownership for a two-time MVP. Steph didn't hit a three last game either. You know what that means...will another record be broken?! Probably not but I'm taking Steph anyway and hoping for a big rebound game against a tough opponent.
If you're wondering why there are no shooting guards in this list its because Klay Thompson should be you're shooting guard. With a jump shot as smooth and pure as his, he doesn't get cold after going straight napalm. His price is higher than hoped for but remember that this should be a close game with a lot of points being scored.
DraftKings DFS Forwards
Anthony Brown - SF, vs PHI ($3,000)
You will need some serious value tonight and I am riding the hot hand at basement level pricing. Anthony Brown came out of nowhere and has only really had to standout games. That being said, he has gotten close to 20 minutes each of the past four games. His last game being his highest of 29 minutes with a season-tying nine points, six rebounds. The way he plays down low and the way the 76ers lack strength down low, I expect Brown to actually make his value and get you close to 30 FPS. Im hoping for a double-double and really think its more than possible assuming he will be carrying the momentum he had from last game.
JayMychal Green - PF, vs POR ($5,900)
His price is starting to rise and my expectations for what he is capable have has risen as well. He is going to continue to be a consistent double-double machine and his defensive presence is improving statistically. He is still below $6,000 which him a higher end valye play but if you're stuck with $6,500 or so, look for Green to put up the better if not the same numbers as an Otto Porter or Lamarcus Aldridge tonight.
Anthony Davis - PF/C, vs PHI ($11,800)
Obviously, right? I mean this should be a good game which means you have to take Davis. There was a saying at one point last season, 'you don't play Davis, you don't win.' Well, its back and I think you will need to have him in your lineup tonight for that security blanket/ X factor.
DraftKings DFS Centers
Marc Gasol - C, vs POR ($7,700)
Marc Gasol posted a triple-double which should be the first of many. If you remember all the way back to 2014, Gasol was an All-Star who was a fantastic passer. It seems the Grizzlies have given Gasol the reigns and he thrives with the ball in his hands. A lethal jumper with great vision makes him an ideal fantasy asset. His price will continue to rise so make sure you get him while he is still a lower-top tier option.
NBA & DFS Premium Subscription
Get an edge on your NBA DFS competition, every single night of the week:
- DFS Cheat Sheets and Lineup Picks: Access to 10 deeply researched lineup picks, and sample lineups - seven days a week! Includes advanced stats to unlock NBA player values, and boost DFS success.
- DFS Optimizer Tool: Generate optimal DFS lineups in seconds. Use advanced features and stats for including/excluding players, cash games vs. GPPs, stacks and more.
- DFS Value Picks: Our Optimizer helps you find, sort and filter the best lineup values and DFS sleeper picks. Premium stats like "Usage Rate" and "Points/$1K" give you a leg up on the DFS competition.
- Daily NBA Projections: Our secret sauce - the Optimizer Tool provides DFS points projections for FanDuel, DraftKings and Yahoo scoring.
Lineup Optimizer/Generator & Sleepers Tool
Click here to see a full size version of the tool
Click here to see a full size version of the cheat sheet