Daily Fantasy NBA Lineup Picks for FanDuel (12/31/16) - DFS Basketball Advice

8 years ago by Jake King-Finnen

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TESTING NEW WIDGET hide

With a smaller slate on our hands, we need to get dirty and dig deep for some value plays. Every DFS player knows that you cannot win without sacrificing a little bit of risk for a big reward. That being said, I am here to help you find some value on Saturday, especially with a few teams on the second night of a back to back. The Knicks, Rockets, Clippers, and Bucks are on their second night and you should look to target these teams, looking for blowout prospects or bench players that could see an increase in minutes.

In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel on 12/31/16. The DFS lineup picks will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options and value plays on FanDuel. Let's get rolling.

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FanDuel DFS Guards

Derrick Rose - PG, @ HOU ($6,600)

I know the Knicks are coming off a loss to the Pelicans, but Rose, along with the rest of the Knicks, are coming off a poor shooting...a poor night all-around, which means the New York superstars are prone to bounce back. Rose will also be facing off against defensive specialist, Patrick Beverley, which some may see as a hinderance to his ceiling, but with players like Rose, expect him to accept a difficult challenge with plenty of drives and shot attempts. Expect the entire New York squad to drown out last nights debacle with a shooting frenzy against the Rockets. The Knicks 3PT-shooting will be tested against Houston and Rose, Kristaps Porzingis, and other shooters will be expected to shoulder the offensive weight.

Eric Gordon - SG, vs NYK ($5,700)

This will be a high-volume shooting night and Eric Gordon is one of the better shooters off the dribble. He was hitting frequently last night, but not enough for him to look to pass against the Knicks. Gordon is a tough player to judge because he likes to involve his teammates and tends to be pass-happy after shooting the lights out. It is a small trend but last night, he still looked hungry for more buckets. As a Knicks fan, I can comfortably say the Knick defense is not good enough to keep Gordon from feasting, while I suggest stacking a few Rockets in your lineup, make sure you get Gordon and the next guy I advise.

This guy down here...

Also Consider: Russell Westbrook - PG, vs LAC ($12,000)

FanDuel DFS Forwards

Gordon Hayward - SF, vs PHO ($7,900)

The Suns are among the top of the league in pace and they are taking on the slowest in the league. Seems like the ideal opportunity to take the best shooter on that 'slow' team, seeing how that shooter is Gordon Hayward. Hayward has been unreal this season and when he faces easy opponents that will likely shoot their way into/out of every game, Hayward will be right there matching every shot his opponent knocks down. The Suns have little to offer on the defensive side of the ball and I would suggest stacking this game heavily. I would keep an eye the few Suns players that are proven scorers like Devin Booker, Eric Bledsoe, and T.J. Warren, but would say Hayward, Rodney Hood, and Rudy Gobert are all safe players for Saturday. Hayward being the lock for tonight as a player that should greatly exceed his projection, for a much lower price than other superstars.

Jerami Grant - SF, vs LAC ($3,500)

This is how you are going to fit Hayward and Westbrook in the same lineup. Jerami Grant thrives in situations around the rim and open-basket opportunities like alley-oops, and put-backs. The Clippers are a completely different team from the start of the season and without Chris Paul, this team has a defense that will be easily exposed by youth, and athleticism. In comes Jerami Grant. He has been a target for Westbrook all year and now that Westbrook will be able to slice through the Clippers defense like a hot knife through melted butter...not just regular butter, MELTED butter, Grant should be a big beneficiary off that success. Hopefully the Clippers can keep this game close and even if they can't, Grant will still be on track to see his regular 25 minutes a game. His game log is not very impressive as of late but that is always subject to change, most likely todaycagainst the Clippers.

Also Consider: Kristaps Porzingis - PF, vs HOU ($7,700)

FanDuel DFS Centers

Robin Lopez - C, vs MIL ($4,700)

This one was easy. Robin Lopez is a very skilled center on both sides of the ball. He has a great hook shot that is nearly unstoppable and is a tenacious defender. He can contribute in just about any stat and his willingness to shoot from outside 15-feet makes him a great play against John Henson. Henson is not the worst defender but he will likely have his hands full with Lopez pressuring him all night. Lopez comfortably plays enough minutes to make this price worth it, along with the fact that there are limited options as it is, Lopez is a lock with a sub-$5,000 price tag.

Also Consider: Rudy Gobert - C, vs PHO ($7,800)

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