Fantasy Basketball Picks 12-29-14
These fantasy basketball picks will help you dominate tonight’s short slate!
John Wall’s performance on Saturday was stifled by the Wizards’ offensive effectiveness, as he saw just 28 minutes. George Hill continued to be solid since his return, and Gordon Hayward burned many DFS players with a subpar effort in a tremendous matchup. Jrue Holiday was solid, posting 35 FP, and Andrew Wiggins struggled to get anything going against the Warriors. We are back at it today for a small Monday slate. Any player not listed in “Studs” or “Duds” recap was an average play that came near paying off their salary.
Studs: Jrue Holiday (35), George Hill (27)
Duds: Andrew Wiggins (11.50), Gorgui Dieng (19.50)
Today’s Top Plays
Guard:
Kemba Walker ($14,550) vs Milwaukee– The options at PG are limited tonight, and Kemba is the highest-priced floor general that I’m willing to pay for. Despite a tough matchup against Brandon Knight and Milwaukee, Walker remains a top option because he is playing at home. He has a 29.9% usage rate with Lance Stephenson off the court, and I’m going to continue to roster him while Lance sits. A 198.5 point total may not seem appealing, but it comes in as the 3rd-highest on tonight’s slate. Walker has elite potential at a mid-range price tonight.
Jarrett Jack ($11,150) vs Sacramento– This game looks to be the most appealing one on the night with a close spread and high total (-2, 204). Deron Williams came out and stated that it “doesn’t really matter” to him if he comes of the bench, and Jack is the obvious beneficiary. His price tag is extremely low for a starting point guard, and he will be in all of my lineups against a Kings team that ranks 22nd against opposing PG. He is my favorite way to get exposure to the Nets.
Ray McCallum ($5,000) at Brooklyn – With backup PG Ramon Sessions listed as “doubtful” for tonight’s game, McCallum comes in as a value play once again. He has 18.25 FP in each of the last two games off the bench, which is more than 3X salary. He should be in line for around 25 minutes once again, and his minimum salary opens up cap space for you to roster your studs.
Forward:
Jimmy Butler ($15,750) at Indiana - Butler has emerged as an elite player in the NBA, and the return of Derrick Rose no longer has a direct effect on his production. He is averaging 40 minutes and 37.2 FP per contest, and on a short slate, you need to find safe plays with upside. Butler provides the best of both worlds, and has posted less than 36 FP just once in his last 8 games.
James Harden ($21,900) vs Washington - Coming off of one of his worst performances of the season last night against the Spurs, Harden will be looking to get back on track tonight in a tough matchup against the Wizards. Despite 9 turnovers, Harden still managed to post 38.25 FP, which just speaks volumes about what a high floor he possesses. He also has a tremendous ceiling, and had eclipsed 60 FP in two straight games before last night. The frontrunner for MVP may also be the frontrunner for highest scorer on the night. Don’t be on the outside looking in at Harden in GPPs on tonight’s short slate.
Kris Humphries ($7,600) at Houston– Humphries marriage with the Wizards has been a successful one thus far, as he is averaging 18.3 FP per contest in just under 22 minutes per game, despite seeing very little court time early in the season. He has 62.50 FP in 53 minutes over his last two games, and has been a spark plug off the bench since Nene Hilario has returned to the starting role. The Rockets have struggled against PF this season, and Humphries makes for a tremendous value once again.
Center:
DeMarcus Cousins ($20,700) at Brooklyn- “DMC” has solidified himself as the best big man in the game, and when he is healthy, there are few players who can slow him down in the paint. Tonight he matches up with Mason Plumlee and the Nets, who are a top-10 team against C, but Cousins has shown time and time again that he is matchup proof. He is averaging 46.8 FP per game in just 32 minutes of court time. Get him into your lineups tonight as the premier frontcourt player on tonight’s slate.
You can find me on Twitter @BigItaly42 and I’d love to help you out with any questions!