FanDuel NBA Lineup Advice: Friday (12/20)

Tonight’s slate rebounds with a strong 10-game slate after a small 4-game slate on Thursday night. No team is operating on a back-to-back, presenting many potential options when optimizing your lineups. Tip-off locks at 7:00 p.m. EST for the main slate.

Check out today’s NBA Shot from FanDuel

Point Guard

Kyle Lowry (PG – TOR): $8,300 vs. WAS
Lowry is coming off two strong performances in his last two contests, particularly in his most recent game as he totaled 53 FanDuel points. Lowry managed a triple-double, and luckily for him, he’ll be relied on more than ever as the Toronto Raptors are absolutely ravaged by injury. Starters Pascal Siakam, Norman Powell and Marc Gasol are out with injuries and Fred VanVleet is currently questionable nursing a shoulder injury. Not only does Lowry need to shoulder a massive load, but the matchup is a tremendous one as the Washington Wizards rank 30^th in defensive rating and 3^rd in pace.

Kendrick Nunn (PG – MIA): $5,800 vs. NY
Justise Winslow is still being held out and Goran Dragic is listed as questionable, so ensure you’re monitoring his status prior to tip-off. If both sit, Nunn becomes a strong option as a scorer for the Miami Heat against a weak New York Knicks team. Nunn is coming off a great 40.3-point contest and gets to face the 25^th ranked defense, though both teams do operate at a slow pace with the Knicks being ranked 26^th in that regard.

Shooting Guard

D’Angelo Russell (SG – GS): $8,400 vs. NO
In his most recent contest, Russell looked sharp, particularly as the only scoring option for the Golden State Warriors. Russell totaled 45.7 FanDuel points and now gets the New Orleans Pelicans which rank 27^th in defensive rating and 7^th in pace. The matchup is a good one, but Russell is likely to draw a lot of defense from stud defender Jrue Holiday, which could limit his upside. Still, with how many shots he’ll be taking, Russell has a big ceiling. Russell currently ranks 9^th in the league in usage rate.

J.J. Redick (SG – NO): $5,200 @ GS
Thus far, the Pelicans have the highest implied scoring total of the night at 113.25 points. Redick doesn’t have much of a ceiling, but he does provide you with a high-floor option who won’t bust on most nights. The Warriors rank 26^th in defensive rating and 17^th in pace, which should be enough for Redick to hover near value.

Small Forward

Brandon Ingram (SF – NO): $8,700 @ GS
Ingram has developed into a major stud since being traded by the Los Angeles Lakers, and he should be a relatively chalky stud play on tonight’s slate. Ingram is coming off a massive 55.7-point performance and benefits from the same easy matchup as Redick, though Ingram is at the forefront of the Pelicans’ movement offensively.

OG Anunoby (SF – TOR): $5,700 vs. WAS
If you keep reading, you’ll begin to sense a trend. If Lowry benefits from an injury-ravaged Raptors team, then so does Anunoby. It hasn’t been a healthy season for anyone in The North, though Anunoby has regained his strong form since returning from injury weeks ago. Anunoby is coming off a strong 34.1-point performance in his last contest, is the Raptors’ defacto defensive stud, and can fill up a stat sheet across the board. Like Lowry, Anunoby benefits from a tremendous matchup in the Wizards.

Power Forward

Serge Ibaka (PF – TOR): $7,400 vs. WAS
With Gasol missing the next few weeks, Ibaka immediately becomes not only a playable DFS option but an incredibly strong one. Ibaka will start at the five-spot for the Raptors and benefits from a tremendous matchup against the Wizards which have struggled to defend opposing big-men. Ibaka is coming off a great performance in which he totaled 46.6 FanDuel points in 30 minutes of playing time.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (PF – TOR): $3,600 vs. WAS
Just like Ibaka, RHJ will be inserted into the starting lineup for a Raptors team that is running out of healthy players. RHJ is just $100 over the minimum price-tag, which is exactly why you should feel comfortable playing him in this game. It doesn’t take much to hit value at such a low price and RHJ offers a great opportunity at exposure in a game in which the Raptors are likely to score a lot. Not only that, but RHJ’s will receive significant playing time with the recent bevy of injuries in Toronto.

Center

Jonas Valanciunas (C – MEM): $6,600 @ CLE
One of the strongest per-minute producers in the league, Valanciunas is coming off two strong performances in his most recent contests, totaling 40.5 and 38.3 FanDuel points. JV has yet to crack 30+ minutes in a game since November 29^th, so that’s something to certainly monitor, though his ability to rack up points has never been an issue, even with fewer minutes than most players. The Cleveland Cavaliers are terrible defensively as they rank 29^th in defensive rating, though they only rank 25^th in pace.

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Sosa Kremenjas is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Sosa, check out his archive and follow him @QBsMVP.