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This article aims to highlight some of the best NBA DFS Plays at every position for your cash game lineups. Keep in mind that the following player write-ups were constructed earlier in the day, and sometimes injury/rest situations can alter the fantasy landscape. Monitoring our NBA News & Headlines Feed throughout the day will keep you in the loop while giving you the subsequent DFS consequences of each information piece.
We’ll take a look at Saturday’s 5-game slate starting at 12:00 ET. Merry Christmas!
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POINT GUARD
James Harden – Brooklyn (at LA Lakers) - DK: $10,700 / FD: $10,200 / Yahoo: $48
The Nets get a couple players back today which make for good value, but Harden should be the one shouldering the load offensively. Vegas has this game as a close one as both teams are missing a star player, and both teams play with a high pace. The Lakers are the fastest team in the league, and rank in the Top 5 in fantasy points allowed to opposing guards. They also turn the ball over at the fifth-highest rate. You’re deciding between Harden and Curry at star guard, which is a tough one. Fortunately, this is a great slate for multi-entry tournaments! For any cash game lineups, I’m taking Harden mainly because Curry has struggled against Phoenix this season (average 30 fantasy points in two games).
Also Consider: Steph Curry, Kemba Walker, Jalen Brunson, Mike Conley, Gary Payton II
SHOOTING GUARD
Jaylen Brown– Boston (at Milwaukee) - DK: $9,400 / FD: $7,800 / Yahoo: $28
Brown was a little rusty coming back from his prolonged injury absence, but he’s on fire now. With back-to-back 30-plus point games, he’s averaged about 45 fantasy points per game in his last three. He’s always a player that contributes in multiple categories, giving him a high floor with upside. I think he’s too expensive on DraftKings; but on Yahoo and FanDuel, he fits easily into a lineup loaded with stars. The Bucks are decent home favorites, but this game has one of the higher point totals and Milwaukee does offer a good pace bump.
Also Consider: Devin Booker, Donovan Mitchell, Skylar Mays, Cam Reddish, Quentin Grimes
SMALL FORWARD
Khris Middleton – Milwaukee (vs. Boston) - DK: $8,300 / FD: $8,100 / Yahoo: $28
Middleton hyperextended his knee playing against Boston on December 13, posting one of his worst games of the year. After taking the time to heal, he’s come back in force, scoring 49 real points in the two games earlier this week and averaging just over 40 fantasy points per game. Boston isn’t a great matchup on paper, but Middleton isn’t a matchup-based play. At a tough position to fill, he’s my safest option.
Also Consider: Dorian Finney-Smith, DeAndre’ Bembry
POWER FORWARD
LeBron James – LA Lakers (vs. Brooklyn) - DK: $10,800 / FD: $10,900 / Yahoo: $48
Christmas is for the stars, and although James continues to carry an injury designation, you can bet he’ll be on the court tonight for a prime-time audience. He is putting the team on his back with Anthony Davis out for an extended period, scoring over 30 points in three straight games, and notching two double-doubles in his last four. The positive game factors noted above combined with his usage and talent…I’m actually scared to nothave James in lineups today.
Also Consider: John Collins, Draymond Green, Otto Porter Jr., James Johnson
CENTER
Gorgui Dieng – Atlanta (at NY Knicks) - DK: $3,600 / FD: $3,500 / Yahoo: $10
Dieng gets a “last man standing” boost for the Hawks frontcourt tonight with Clint Capela and Onyeka Okongwu are both in protocols. Dieng is a journeyman center who isn’t going to break the slate at this point in his career, but a small double-double and 20-30ish fantasy points are well in his range. This game features the worst defensive ratings of any on the slate, with both teams ranking solidly in the bottom third. Atlanta has the rebounding advantage, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see Dieng block a couple shots too.
Also Consider: Rudy Gobert, Deandre Ayton
ADDITIONAL NOTES
Gary Payton (G – GSW) Payton is a great filler for tonight’s star-studded lineups. For three games in a row, he and (for the last two) Otto Porter have been solid for the Warriors. With Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole, and Damion Lee all still out, this trend should continue. The games between these teams haven’t been overly fantasy-friendly as they are the two best defensive units in the league, but low salary and high minutes make both Payton and Porter reasonable salary-savers tonight.
Rudy Gobert (C – UTA) As I mentioned, Christmas Day is full of fun tournaments and I have multiple lineups queued up for them. Most of my alternate lineups include Rudy Gobert in the center slot. He’s always a solid play but lately he’s been on a higher level than usual. He’s working on a streak of eight double-doubles in a row and his last two have been massive. Plus, he has 11 blocks in the last three games. Dallas is without Luka Doncic and perhaps Kristaps Porzingis, making this a very lopsided contest. The Jazz are used to winning by big margins and Gobert still reaches or exceeds value, so no worries about a blowout with him.
Kemba Walker (PG – NYK) seems to have benefited from a benching in New York, since when they needed him, he was ready. In his three games back from the dog house, he’s put up 43, 41 and 70 fantasy points. The Knicks are still very short-handed which should ensure continued high minutes/high usage for Walker today. He gets a super matchup with the equally depleted Hawks, a team that even when healthy gave up the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing point guards. Walker is still really cheap across the industry so use him whenever you can today.
