FanDuel NBA Lineup Advice: Monday (12/30)

To begin the new week, we start Monday’s schedule with only a six-game slate, all of which are included in the main slate which tips-off at 7:00 p.m. EST. None of the teams participating tonight are operating on a back-to-back, which bodes well for the availability of all players.

Check out today’s NBA Shot from FanDuel

Point Guard

Damian Lillard (PG – POR): $8,900 vs. PHO
Lillard is one of the most consistent DFS options in the entire league as he’s scored 40+ FanDuel points eight times out of his last 12 games, with none of his less-than-stellar performances resulting in less than 31 points. Lillard consistently receives a ton of playing time (36+ minutes), has the freedom to jack up as many shots as he wishes, and has a decent matchup against the Phoenix Suns which rank 19^th in defensive rating and 9^th in pace. The Portland Trail Blazers have the 2^nd highest implied total of the night, trailing only the Miami Heat.

Spencer Dinwiddie (PG – BKN): $8,000 @ MIN
Dinwiddie has failed to reach value in his last two contests but was on fire in the three prior games as he totaled no less than 44.9 FanDuel points in that stretch. Coming into tonight, the matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves is a good one as they rank 18^th in defensive rating and 4^th in pace, providing one of the pacier environments of the night. Dinwiddie and company have a shot to produce a lot offensively, raising their ceiling for this evening’s slate.

Shooting Guard

Jimmy Butler (SG – MIA): $8,700 @ WAS
There may not be an easier play tonight than Butler, because the only thing that could very well slow he and his teammates down is the potential for a blowout. Butler has actually struggled recently (outside of his most recent contest), but the matchup against the Washington Wizards is just too good to pass up. The Wizards rank 30^th in defensive rating and 2^nd in pace, with Butler shouldering the load for the Heat while also maintaining a knack for creating defensive plays.

Evan Fournier (SG – ORL): $5,500 vs. ATL
The Orlando Magic are a tough team to gauge, especially when they have all of their starting lineup healthy and active. Fournier is an intriguing option tonight, presenting a high-floor but also a low-ceiling. Fournier routinely collects somewhere between 20-29 FanDuel points on a nightly basis, though he has the potential to reach the higher-end of his range tonight as the Atlanta Hawks rank 29^th in defensive rating and 7^th in pace. Outside of the potential for a blowout, it’d be wise to include at least one Magic player in your lineups.

Small Forward

Carmelo Anthony (SF – POR): $5,400 @ vs. PHO
Melo benefits from the same strong matchup that Lillard does, but he’s struggled recently, particularly because of the regression in his scoring totals. Melo’s best attribute at this point is his ability to put the ball in the hoop, but he’s surprisingly been able to chip-in with collecting boards and even securing the occasional block or steal.

Kelly Oubre (SF – PHO): $6,100 @ POR
Oubre is an intriguing option on a night that lacks firepower, particularly because of his matchup against the Trail Blazers. The Blazers rank 21^st in defensive rating and 11^th in pace, with the game leading the implied totals of the night by a wide margin. The opportunity to score a lot of points is very evident in the contest between the Suns and Trail Blazers, and Oubre is one of the more dependable option on the Suns’ roster.

Power Forward

Robert Covington (PF – MIN): $5,100 vs. BKN
After registering two strong performance back-to-back, RoCo is a cheaper option on tonight’s slate if you elect to pay down at the four-spot. The injury designations are of importance here as both SG Andrew Wiggins and C Karl Anthony-Towns are currently listed as questionable, with both having a negative impact on Covington if they suit up. Still, for the price, RoCo offers a lot of ability to fill up a stat sheet, particularly as a defender.

Dario Saric (PF – PHO): $4,200 @ POR
Continuing the theme of cheap-but-not-exciting plays, Saric is another opportunity to pay down at the four-spot while still finding some exposure to the game that is expected to see the most scoring on the slate. Saric’s price is so low that it shouldn’t be hard to return value, though his recent dip in playing time does pose a challenge.

Center

Nikola Vucevic (C – ORL): $7,900 vs. ATL
There are some interesting options at the center spot tonight, but none more than Vucevic. When healthy and on his game, Vuce can operate with the best of them, as evidenced by his recent explosions of 63 and 51 FanDuel points. Vucevic gets an awesome matchup tonight against a weak Hawks team, though he may be a chalky option. Still, Vuce is a great option against a terrible defensive roster in the Hawks that also play a fast brand of ball.

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