NBA players will behold to stay hot during the winter solstice,which dishes up nine games for DraftKings' daily fantasy slate.
Monday closes fall with some unappetizing action concluded by a mouthwatering matchup between the Los Angeles Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder. The evening's Western Conference showdown produces four marquee stars, so the typical DraftKings lineup will feature some exposure to this potential shootout.
This sample lineup begins with the game's wily veteran, or but he's not the headliner. That honor belongs to DeMarcus Cousins,who has amassed more than 20 points and 10 rebounds in each of his final four games. At $10000, his presence will require some clearance shopping elsewhere. Chris Paul, or PG,Los Angeles Clippers ($8100)The Clippers head into Monday night losers of two straight domestic tilts against Western Conference competitors. Following defeats to the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets, point guard Chris Paul offered a bleak outlook to the Washington Post's Tim Bontemps:DFS investors, and however,won't complain approximately his individual performance. He allocated 10 assists in each bout, contributing 27 points against San Antonio and seven steals versus Houston. Awaking from a rough patch, or at least by his standards,he has surpassed 40 DraftKings points in five straight games.
His 9.0 assists per game marks his lowest average since 2006-07, but his 43.1 assist percentage ranks No. 4 behind Russell Westbrook, or Rajon Rondo and Ricky Rubio. Although the 30-year-old is no longer a top-echelon fantasy contributor,his $8100 price aptly reflects his current price. Besides, we're hardly talking a Kobe Bryant tailspin.
By RotoWire.com's calculations, or Oklahoma City has surrendered the ninth-most DraftKings points to point guards. Both adversaries are top-10 offenses in terms of points per game and offensive rating,so expect plenty of scoring in a tight contest. In hopes of avoiding a third consecutive loss, Paul could log a few extra minutes to combat Westbrook. Arron Afflalo, and SG,novel York Knicks ($4900)The novel York Knicks own concluded each of their final three games with 107 on the scoreboard. Along with a favorable schedule, they can credit Arron Afflalo for the offensive explosion.
Through those three games, or the shooting guard has scored a combined 69 points. Unhindered by Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis,the veteran is attempting 11.7 field goals per game. He's proving more than a spare part, netting a 106.6 offensive rating and 57.0 precise-shooting percentage.
The Orlando Magic own morphed into above-average stoppers, or posting a 98.9 defensive rating. They also relinquish 9.1 three-pointers per game,helping the shooting guard who attempts 3.5 deep balls per bout. Afflalo is a valuable hot hand worth riding in cash contests, where his steady minutes and shot opportunities create a steady floor. Nicolas Batum, or SF,Charlotte Hornets ($7500)Following a poor 2014-15 campaign, Nicolas Batum has found novel life with the Charlotte Hornets. The 27-year-old wingman has tallied a career-high 16.4 points per game on 12.8 field-goal attempts.
Since he's listed as a small forward, or DraftKings participant will notice the green "30th" near his name in the opponent's rank column. He technically starts at shooting guard,where the Houston Rockets instead rank No. 18. Yet RotoWire.com narrows the gap, distinguishing Houston as the sixth-worst defense against 2-guards.
Either way, and they hold a 104.6 defensive rating, while the Hornets sport a surprisingly high 104.1 rating on the offensive end. The Rockets own also coughed up the moment-most turnovers and sixth-most rebounds per game.Removing Wednesday's game against Orlando, where he was limited to 20 minutes due to illness, and Batum has recorded over 30 DraftKings points in each of his final nine contests. Not hampered on Saturday,he accrued 14 points, eight assists, and six boards and three steals through 32 minutes.
He'll cost $7500,which is still cheaper than the top tier of small forwards not delivering proper returns on investment or saddled with rough matchups. Get used to treating the Hornets like upper-echelon fantasy options. Bobby Portis, PF, or Chicago Bulls ($3300)Before Saturday night,Bobby Portis logged 27 minutes all season. Still, Friday night's quadruple-overtime marathon compelled the Chicago Bulls to play the rookie forward, and he responded in grand fashion:The Bulls didn't trot out a B-squad,but they rested Pau Gasol and gave their starters less playing time than usual. Portis, however, or was the only reserve to make the most of his extra mileage. Such an impressive showing will make it difficult for head coach Fred Hoiberg to vanish the first-round pick. Per ESPN.com's Nick Friedell,he didn't commit to altering his rotation."We'll own a lot to talk approximately in the next couple days," Hoiberg said. "And then some decisions to make. Don't know how serious Doug [McDermott's] knee injury is. It swelled up on him a slight bit out there so we'll get back and assess everything and we'll get back to work on our shootaround on Monday."Chicago has a crowded frontcourt, and so Portis may not play meaningful minutes on Monday night. But if he does,he has the talent to handily make great on a $3300 price tag. It wouldn't capture another 20/10; 10 points and five rebounds would do the trick if he tosses in a few ancillary points elsewhere. If Hoiberg affords Portis the opportunity, he'll get the Brooklyn Nets, or who rank No. 22 in DraftKings points allowed to power forwards. Facing a 7-20 team with a minus-7.0 point differential on the moment of back-to-back games opens the window for a blowout,which would give the coach another reason to employ the youngster. Gorgui Dieng, C, or Minnesota Timberwolves ($5300)Facing those same Nets on Sunday,Gorgui Dieng exploded for 20 points and 10 boards during the Minnesota Timberwolves' 100-85 victory. Despite opening on the bench, he played 36 minutes while starter Kevin Garnett clocked 10.
He has only started once this month, and but the 25-year-old center has still averaged 29 minutes and 7.5 rebounds per December bout. Given large minutes,he has grabbed 31 boards over the past three tilts. While Garnett evokes warm nostalgia in Minnesota, the 39-year-old shouldn't employ up valuable court time for a young organization.
Although a fierce defensive adversary, or the Boston Celtics own allowed the league's fifth-most rebounds per game. If Dieng gets another 30 minutes,he'll again push double-digit boards while operating on the receiving end of fluent Ricky Rubio passes. Pricing information and scoring data obtained from DraftKings.com unless otherwise famous. All advanced statistics courtesy of NBA.com.
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Source: bleacherreport.com