NBA DFS Picks: Yahoo Plays and Strategy Dec 28

Giannis Antetokounmpo should have a big game against Chicago.

After the 10 games played on Tuesday, the NBA has eight more games on Wednesday. The Bucks are without againChris Middleton(knee) when they face a Bulls team that suffered a disappointing loss to the Rockets on Monday. The Pelicans are expected to getZion Williamson(suggesting) back to the game against the TimberwolvesBrandon Ingram(toe) sticks out. Another standout matchup is the Kings taking on the Nuggets for the second night in a row. Let’s take a look at Yahoo’s options and highlight some players to consider adding to your lineups, as well as some to possibly avoid.

THE RULES

Russell WestbrookAt LAL MIA ($30):The Lakers dominated the Magic on Tuesday, and Westbrook was a big reason for their victory. He was 29 minutes off the bench and had 15 points, 13 rebounds and 13 assists. They have a quick turnaround on Wednesday, which means thatLeBron Jamescould make the night rest.Anthony Davis(foot) is already out, so if James sits as well, Westbrook could be ready to take the lead role.

Markelle FultzENT – DET ($21):Fultz also played well in Tuesday’s matchup between the Magic and the Lakers, averaging 34.1 Yahoo points in 28 minutes.Jalen Suggs(ankle) will be out, leaving Fultz to handle most of the point guard responsibilities. At that reasonable salary, Fultz is an attractive option against a Pistons team with the second-worst defensive rating in the league.

Guard to avoid

D’Angelo RussellMIN at NO ($26):The Timberwolves need Russell to play wellKarl-Anthony Towns(calf) out. The problem is, he’s gone cold from the field, shooting 38.0 percent over his last four games. There are plenty of other viable options with 16 teams, so it might be best to avoid Russell’s collapse.

AHEAD

Giannis AntetokounmpoMIL at CHI ($53):The Bulls have a bad interior defense, so Giannis is a nightmare for them. When these two teams met just over a month ago, Giannis dominated with 36 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists. With Middleton out again, it means Giannis won’t be short on shot attempts in this rematch. A case can be made for building your entire entrance around him.

TJ WarrenBKN in ATL ($13):Warren had his best game of the season on Monday against the Cavaliers. He had 23 points, eight rebounds, two assists and two steals in 27 minutes. The Nets have eased him back into action since the injury, but he has played at least 21 minutes in three straight games. With his potential to play around 25 minutes again, he could be worth watching in tournament games.

Care Avoid

Jarred VanderbiltAt UTA GS ($18):The Jazz aren’t asking Vanderbilt to score a lot of points given his 13.8 percent usage rate. In addition, he has played a modest 25 minutes per match. Those two factors have contributed to him posting 20.7 Yahoo points or less in five of his last six games.

CENTERS

Deandre AytonPHX at WAS ($29):The suns could look further withoutDevin Booker(groin), robs a team of its top scorer. They are also missing some key depth pieces, inclCameron Payne(foot). As a result, Ayton has averaged 21.2 points, 11.0 rebounds and 1.0 blocks over his last five games, leaving him plenty of leverage against a Wizards team that ranks inside the bottom 10 in defensive rating.

Jalen DurenIT vs. ENT ($16):Duren doesn’t appear to be giving up the Pistons’ starting center job anytime soon. He has averaged 10.3 points, 12.3 rebounds and 1.4 assists in nine games in this role while shooting 66.1 percent from the field. The Magic have a lot of size up front, so expect Duren to log a lot of minutes in this matchup.

Avoid the center

Wendell CarterJr., ENT, DET ($23):The injury-prone Carter has played 17 games this season. Carter recently missed more than a month with a foot injury, so the Magic have taken a cautious approach to getting him back, playing the big man less than 20 minutes in each of the last two games. With the Magic just playing on Tuesday, it’s hard to imagine Carter being given significantly more minutes if he even plays.

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