We're poised for a strong nine-game slate Monday night that features a majority of what should be highly competitive contests. In fact, there is only one double-digit spread on the ledger at FanDuel Sportsbook as of mid-morning, with every other line checking in at 5.5 points or less.
Health and safety protocols are resulting in plenty of absences across the league at the moment, but we're still left with a robust player pool in terms of top-shelf options for Monday night. Additionally, those developments also lead to opportunity for many complementary players that sport salaries they could well outpace with their increased roles.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel on 12/13/21. I’ll be providing multiple player suggestions for players at guard, forward and center on FanDuel, aiming to highlight one option apiece at the high, middle and lower end of the salary scale. You can also check out DraftKings lineup picks and injury news before lineups lock. Good luck, RotoBallers.
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FanDuel Guards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Trae Young, PG – vs. HOU ($9,900)
Young has been a virtual lock for at least 40 FD points this season and is averaging 44.7 per contest overall for the campaign. He's also coming off back-to-back 50-plus FD-point tallies and has three such totals in the last five games alone. The visiting Rockets make for good targets for the star point guard, as they've allowed 24.2 percent offensive efficiency to point guards, along with the third-most FD points per game (49.1) to the position for the season.
Chris Paul, PG – at LAC ($8,400)
Paul is always likely to have an extra bit of juice when facing one of his former squads, and he draws a matchup against a likely short-handed Clippers squad Monday. Paul George is listed as doubtful for Monday's contest due to an elbow injury, which should make the path to offensive success for the Suns much clearer overall. Meanwhile, Paul is averaging 44.4 FD points per 36 minutes without Devin Booker (hamstring) on the floor, and Los Angeles checks in allowing a robust 46.4 FD points per game to PGs on the season.
Kyle Lowry, PG – at CLE ($6,900)
Lowry has been filling in admirably during the Heat's multiple key absences, and the veteran guard is averaging 39.2 FD points per 36 minutes without Jimmy Butler (tailbone), Bam Adebayo (thumb) and Caleb Martin (COVID-19 protocols) on the floor this season. All three players will still be missing for Miami on Monday night, and Lowry will be facing a Cavaliers team that's allowed the seventh-most FD points per game to point guards (47.9) on the season, along with the 11th-highest offensive efficiency to the position (25.3 percent).
Also consider: Terry Rozier ($7,800)
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FanDuel Forwards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Giannis Antetokounmpo, PF – at BOS ($11,500)
Antetokounmpo missed the first Bucks-Celtics clash this season, but he's traditionally given Boston plenty of trouble and should be primed for another stat-sheet-stuffing effort Monday. The big man scored an eye-popping 78.9 FD points against the Rockets two games ago, and he followed it up with a tally of 51.5 FD points over 32 minutes against the Knicks on Sunday afternoon. The Celtics are allowing the 10th-highest offensive efficiency to power forwards (26.0 percent), and they've allowed 45.2 FD points per game to fours on the season.
John Collins, PF – vs. HOU ($7,600)
Much like Young, Collins will be in a very good positional matchup Monday night against the Rockets, which have allowed the fifth-highest offensive efficiency to power forwards on the season, along with the third-most FD points per game (50.5) to the position. Collins comes into the contest on a strong stretch of production, having posted 34.6 to 49.4 FD points in six of his last seven games.
Gary Trent Jr. , SF – vs. SAC ($6,000)
Trent has scored over 30 FD points in three of his first four games since return from a two-game absence due to a calf injury, excellent returns on his current salary. The sharpshooting wing has SF eligibility on FD but is actually operating as the Raptors' starting shooting guard, and he's locked into a favorable positional matchup Monday. Sacramento is allowing NBA-high offensive efficiency to two-guards (26.1 percent), along with the most FD points per game (44) to the position and Western Conference-high 42.0 percent three-point shooting over the last three games.
Also consider: Jarrett Allen ($8,600)
FanDuel Centers - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Nikola Jokic – vs. WAS ($11,400)
Jokic has been on a tear even by his standards recently, as he's posted 56.9 to 71.4 FD points in his last four games. The big man has nine straight double-doubles as well dating back to before his forearm injury. There's no reason to envision the Wizards slowing him down Monday, considering Washington has allowed 55.7 FD points per game to centers over the last 15 contests, ranking them in the bottom half of the league during that span.
Joel Embiid – at MEM ($10,500)
Steven Adams is doubtful for Monday's game due to an ankle injury, which will further deplete an already weakened Grizzlies frontcourt that will already be down Brandon Clarke (knee) and potentially Jaren Jackson (knee). That's particularly bad news with Embiid on the docket, considering the big man is already averaging 48.2 FD points per contest and has a ceiling north of 70 FD points overall. Memphis already checks in allowing 55.3 FD points per game to centers as well, ranking them in the bottom 10 of the league in that category.
Kristaps Porzingis – vs. CHA ($8,500)
Porzingis sports a 28.6 percent usage rate and is averaging 46.8 FD points per 36 minutes without Luka Donic (ankle) on the floor this season. The big man's star teammate will be sidelined again Monday, leaving Porzingis with plenty of extra opportunity in a very favorable matchup. The Hornets check in allowing the highest offensive efficiency in the league to frontcourt players (89.3 percent), along with the fourth-most FD points per game to power forwards (49.0) and an Eastern Conference-high 49.2 points in the paint per contest.
Also consider: Chris Boucher ($5,000)