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The top DraftKings daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for 12/23/17 by Tom Vecchio. Expert NBA DFS advice, sleepers & player recommendations for DraftKings.
We have a big 12 game NBA slate to start our weekend, and there are some very interesting options across the board. There are a number of injuries going around, so this should open up some value plays once we get the starting lineups.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 12/23/17. I play both cash and GPP, so I will be looking for both players who have consistency, along with value plays that have upside from a favorable match up, or other factors.
If you have any questions or comments, let me know @DFS_Tom on Twitter. Let's get to it.
DraftKings DFS Guards
Jeff Teague - PG, MIN @ PHO (DK - $6,200)
Anytime the Suns are on the slate, you want to roster against them, since they play at such a fast pace and are bad defensively. This game has an over-under of 216 points, meaning we should see some good action up and down the court which is great for DFS points. Teague has a 21% usage rate and is averaging 0.91 fantasy points per minute this season, which are solid numbers for a player at his price point. The Suns are giving up 49 DraftKings points per game to point guards, which is second worst in the league. This puts Teague in a prime spot, and given the fact he has only scored over 35 points twice in his last five games, he is in need of an easier match up.
Victor Oladipo - SG, IND vs BKN (DK - $9,600)
Oladipo has a 32.9% usage rate which is highest on the Pacers by about 8%. He is their go to guy on offense, and has 30 real point upside nearly any game. He is up against the Nets who are giving up 40 DraftKings points per game to shooting guards. Oladipo is averaging 43 DraftKings points per game over his last five, and is the type of player you want to pay up for, since he will always be seeing the ball. He has 20 or more shot attempts in five of his last eight games, and always plays a ton of minutes.
DraftKings DFS Forwards
Khris Middleton - SF, MIL @ CHA (DK - $7,600)
Middleton is often overlooked on most DFS slates, since most people like to spend up or go for value at small forwards, and he falls into this middle area. Even with that said, he is one of the more consistent options out there, and has only scored under 34 DraftKings points once in his last 10 games. Super solid production out of him, and has a good match up tonight. He is up against the Hornets, who are giving up 42 DK points per game to small forwards, putting him in a very good spot. He has a 25% usage rate, and is averaging 0.97 fantasy points per minute.
Nikola Mirotic - PF, CHI @ BOS (DK - $6,500)
Mirotic has only played eight games this season, and is averaging 32 DraftKings points in that span. Since he has been back, the Bulls are hot and getting well rounded production. He has solid minutes in the mid twenties. In his short time back, he has a 27% usage rate along with averaging 1.28 fantasy points per minute. These numbers may not be sustainable, but given the fact they are this high now, we should jump on board while we can.
DraftKings DFS Centers
Nikola Vucevic - C, ORL @ WAS (DK - $8,600)
Vucevic is averaging 48 DraftKings points over his last four games, and has double-doubles in eight of his last 10 games. With the Magic having so many injuries, Vucevic is seeing the ball more and more, and his stats are reflecting it. His price has dropped almost $1K from his most recent game, not sure why, but with an almost 50 point averaging, it makes him a fantastic option tonight at this lower price point. He is up against the Wizards, who are on the second night of a back to back, which puts him in a good spot.
