RADIO
With the league taking the night off for Christmas Eve on Tuesday, that leaves Monday with a stacked 11-game slate to ring in the holiday season.
While the Rockets bring their dynamic backcourt duo to the dance, it’s Trae Young that draws the highest price tag of the evening with an advantageous matchup versus Cleveland. Both Young and James Harden boast enormous upside as always, but we’re going to highlight a few other names to consider when filling out lineups across what should be a scintillating night of hoops.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 12/23/19. You can also check out today's FanDuel lineup picks. Remember to monitor injury news as the slate can completely change before line-up lock.
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DraftKings DFS Guards
D'Angelo Russell - PG/SG, GS v. MIN ($7,500)
It’s likely that a multitude of DK contests will be swung late due to what on paper appears to be a high-scoring showdown between Minnesota and Golden State. Russell is a staple for my lineups not only in the late slate, but also the main, as he sustained a sizable price drop despite consistent production as of late. He has logged 20 or more shot attempts in five of his last six games, and with the pace that is expected Monday, it’s easy to see a path to Russell reaching that mark again. Add in that he has dished out 6.5 assists per contest in that span and there is significant upside to rostering the Warriors’ leading scorer.
Ish Smith - PG, WAS @ NYK ($4,500)
In the wake of the announcement that Isaiah Thomas would be suspended two games for entering the stands in the Wizards’ last outing, Smith became an immediate must-own in a variety of contests. The Washington roster has been decimated by myriad ailments, leaving all active participants as solid upside DFS plays; for Smith, he’s highly likely to see 30-plus minutes handling the ball, and is coming off a five-game stretch where he averaged 15 points and 5.8 assists while filling in as a starter.
DraftKings DFS Forwards
Andrew Wiggins - SG/SF, MIN @ GS ($8,400)
While Wiggins is a solid pick irrespective of which Timberwolves are cleared to suit up, owners will want to confirm the status of teammate Karl-Anthony Towns before lock, as Wiggins’ DFS prospects are greatly enhanced without the big man on the floor. Over the past two games without Towns in the mix, Wiggins has fired up 42 shot attempts against a pair of solid defenses in Portland and Denver; his matchup Monday with Golden State should lend itself to an increase in offensive opportunities. The first time that the two squads met up this season, Wiggins went for 40 points on 33 shot attempts and that came with Towns active; should Minnesota be short-handed again, expect Wiggins to have an enormous workload.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson - SF/PF, TOR @ IND ($4,500)
Much in the same ilk that any active Wizards player getting significant minutes is worth a look, the same can be said for the equally hampered Raptors. Hollis-Jefferson took a major step forward in the rotation during the team’s previous contest Sunday, scoring a season-high 18 points, while snatching nine rebounds. Known throughout his career for his ability to contribute across multiple categories, Hollis-Jefferson presents an excellent upside play Monday, as his price tag appears to have not caught up with his production or current role. Indiana boasts a solid defensive unit, but Toronto will have little choice but to rely upon the healthy players at its disposal.
DraftKings DFS Centers
Nikola Vucevic - C, ORL v. CHI ($8,200)
The secret is out: opposing centers are hammering the Chicago Bulls. Entering Monday, the Bulls have yielded 57.2 DK points per game to centers on the other sideline, a perfect storm when factoring in that Vucevic enters the day on the upswing, having gone for 23 points and 12 rebounds his last time out. Since returning from an ankle sprain, he has taken at least 15 shots in each of his four outings and remained the team’s focal point on offense. He is an excellent cash play option if the Minnesota center situation isn’t resolved by the time Chicago/Orlando tips off.
