RADIO
Jake Finnen highlights the top FanDuel NBA DFS lineup picks for 12/28/17, and a couple of sleepers to consider while building daily rosters.
Five games tonight with EVERY top option going up against a stingy defense. You can use this to your favor cause truthfully, we know there is only so much the Celtics defense will be able to do, other than try and give James Harden a hard time. Harden is matchup-proof and tonight is going to be a true test to that so expect him to have another high-usage, high-production night. Other than that, Giannis Antetokounmpo is lined up for a big game against the Bucks and an injury to Jeff Teague means Tyus Jones is getting a serious bump in everything.
Like usual, I get tired of talking about the same players. If you are playing DFS, it means you know who Kevin Durant is, why LeBron James is always a solid option and Will Barton is a bench superstar. You don't need me to tell you why you should play them. I'm here to toss out names you might not expect and why they should be played.
Below you will find our daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel on 12/28/17. These DFS lineup picks can vary from higher-priced players and elite options, to lower-priced players and value picks on FanDuel. You can also read more DFS lineup picks for DraftKings and other sports too.
FanDuel DFS Guards
T.J. McConnell - PG, @ POR ($4,600)
T.J. McConnell had an impressive Christmas Day game and it was the first time he looked comfortable shooting. Even then, he still hesitated to pull the trigger but that just boils down to him knowing he has better shooters around him. Assuming the 76ers want a similar performance against the Trail Blazers, McConnell should be looking to shoot much earlier this game than scoring most of his points in the third quarter. He is still a value play, but his prince increase is slowly putting him off the radar.
Jamal Crawford - PG, @ MIL ($3,700)
This goes back to the Jeff Teague injury, but Jamal Crawford is building off of a few clutch buckets last night, meaning he should stay warm for this game as well. Crawford is a professional scorer, meaning he will find a way to score. Without Teague, the Timberwolves will need offense from wherever they can get it. A fun stat from the announcers last night, (or technically anyone who has access to Basketball Reference), but the Wolves are 10-1 in games Teague had over 10 assists. Look for Minnesota to change things up a bit and that means Jamal Crawford taking shots.
C.J. McCollum - SG, vs. PHI ($7,100)
Philadelphia struggles against most shooting guards and facing C.J. certainly won't help that cause. His price is a little high for a value play, but if you are looking for a guard to exceed his projected, McCollum should have no problem doing that against a favorable matchup. McCollum has been trending down a tad lately, so expect a rebound game in his first game since before Christmas.
FanDuel DFS Forwards
Stanley Johnson - SF, @ ORL ($4,000)
This is a tough pick because we know Stanley Johnson is capable of throwing up some monster duds. Regardless, he played the most minutes out of any Piston last game and that is always a promising sign. Being a hustle player that focuses on defense, he'll get rebounds and assists, especially agains the Magic. Every game Stanley Johnson is looking more and more like a replacement to the Kentavious Caldwell-Pope sized hole left in the Pistons backcourt. Until Avery Bradley returns from his groin injury, Stanley Johnson needs to be monitored for DFS.
Ryan Anderson - PF, @ BOS ($4,200)
Yes, the Celtics defense is close to the top in the league, but Ryan Anderson being a light-out shooter makes any defense susceptible to an Anderson-outbreak. His price has fluctuated around the $4,000 mark for some time and it seems like the ideal price. He is capable of getting you 30 each night, you just have to know when. *cough*
Michael Beasley - PF, @ SA ($4,500)
Usually Michael Beasley is only a good play when Kristaps Porzingis or another forward is out, so make sure to check for injuries before the games start. Even then, the Spurs defense tends to shut down key players, while letting isolation players like Michael Beasley go to work. Beasley will not beat the Spurs by himself so expect him to get his shots and keep shooting once he gets rolling. Once again, this is a much better play if someone in the Knicks frontcourt is going to be out.
FanDuel DFS Centers
Pau Gasol - C, vs. NYK ($6,500)
The Knicks defense is solid, but I doubt they waste Kristaps Porzingis on Pau Gasol. If Gasol can draw Enes Kanter instead, he'll have a much better chance of producing and exceeding his projected. Gasol has been dealing with a minor groin injury so check his status before the games start. If Gasol plays, the Spurs will likely run the offense through the guards which means Gasol has serious upside in the rebounding department.
