Happy holidays! The NBA is in full swing, with the regular season somehow nearly a third of the way through. We have a fairly strong sample size with which to evaluate players as fantasy assets, so DFS lineup construction starts getting easier at this point. With a 10-game Friday night slate lined up, let's assemble a DraftKings classic squad and discuss why each player could help you win some daily fantasy cash.
We have been building strong hoops lineups on DraftKings all season, but Friday nights have been our bread and butter. Last week, we struck gold with Jaylen Brown (63.5), Jrue Holiday (53 points), Trey Murphy (31.2), and Brook Lopez (30.2). This week, we aim to double our big hits so we can boost our holiday-season bankroll.
With DraftKings, lineup construction is simple: draft eight players with assigned salaries — one for each position, as well as one guard flex, one forward flex, and one utility — and keep the team under the $50,000 salary cap.
Let's get right into our Friday night DraftKings NBA lineup and briefly discuss each of our picks.
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Best NBA DFS Lineup 12/9: DraftKings strategy, sleepers for Friday night hoops
PG: Ja Morant, Grizzlies vs. Pistons ($10,600)
You can't go wrong anchoring your DFS lineup with Ja Morant. One of my preseason picks for MVP, the 2019-20 Rookie of the Year has not disappointed his fantasy investors this season. Morant has averaged 28.3 points, 7.6 assists, and 6.6 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game this season. He's putting up well over 50 fantasy points per game, thanks in large part to his improved three-point shooting — the reigning Most Improved Player is shooting 37.9 percent from distance. Now he gets to tee off against a Pistons squad that's without its best player (Cade Cunningham) and struggles to defend guards (Detroit surrenders the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing backcourts). Look to Ja.
SG: OG Anunoby, Raptors at Magic ($7,200)
Anunoby has been putting together a big-time breakout season, averaging career-highs in points (19.2), rebounds (5.8), and steals (2.3, the league-leader). He's also shooting a career-best 82.8 percent from the line, after never reaching 79 percent in his first five seasons. Anunoby is a fantastic play against a young, undisciplined Magic defense that allows the tenth-most fantasy points to guards.
SF: Jalen McDaniels, Hornets vs. Knicks ($5,100)
With LaMelo Ball battling injuries off-and-on all season and Miles Bridges a distant memory, McDaniels has emerged out of Charlotte as a legitimate fantasy option. Since joining the Hornets' starting lineup six games ago, the young wingman has averaged 15 points per game while knocking down 50.7 percent of his shots. He's averaging 33.2 fantasy points over Charlotte's past three games, so he's a superb value against a Knicks squad not known for quality perimeter defense.
PF: Zion Williamson, Pelicans vs. Suns ($9,600)
Zion for under $10,000? Sign us up. Williamson has averaged over 51 fantasy points across the Pelicans' last seven games, getting it done with across-the-board stats. His scoring is way up with Brandon Ingram sidelined with a toe injury, and he has hit double-digit rebounds and five dimes in three of the past four games. He also has 17 stocks over a five-game clip, so his value is sky-high even in a tough matchup against the Suns.
C: Jarred Vanderbilt, Jazz vs. Timberwolves ($4,900)
Revenge game! Vando had 34 fantasy points when he last played his former team, and now he draws them at home in Utah. He's a solid contributor of rebounds, steals, and assists, and Minnesota has surprisingly served up the second-most fantasy points to big men.
G: Immanuel Quickley, Knicks at Hornets ($4,100)
Here's where we start saving some money to make up for our big spending with Ja and Zion. Quickley has endured a tough stretch against some strong defensive squads as of late, including Cleveland, Dallas, and Atlanta. Those tough outings have brought his price tag down from the $5,000s to $4,100. But the Hornets are not on the same stratosphere of those squads in terms of perimeter D. Quickley has explosive quickness and a deadly long-range game when he's on, so we like the floor and ceiling we are getting with this minimal investment. Charlotte has allowed the seventh-most fantasy points in the NBA to guards this season.
F: Jaden McDaniels, Timberwolves at Jazz ($4,500)
Now we have Ja, Zion, and two McDaniels! Jaden has struggled a bit as of late, and he recently suffered an illness (join the club, sir). But we like him to bounce back to the 27-35 fantasy-point range he has met or exceeded seven times this season. The Jazz have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to forwards this season, so look for him to contribute across the board.
Util: Keegan Murray, Kings at Cavaliers ($4,000)
With our $4,000 remaining, we go all upside with the No. 4 pick of the 2022 NBA Draft. Murray has reached the dreaded rookie slump fairly early into his debut campaign, but we're seeing strong signs he'll snap out of it. He has averaged 28.9 fantasy points over Sacramento's last three games, thanks in large part to his scoring, threes, and blocks. His baseline for boards is about four, but he makes up for that with efficiency and ball control. You can't do better than Murray at this price, even against a strong defensive team like the Cavs.
