With only four games on the NBA slate for December 10, most of the eyes of DFS NBA fans will be on the showdown in Philadelphia between the Sixers and Denver Nuggets. It is the first match-up of the season between arguably the two best centers in the NBA with Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid. Embiid has a multiplier value of 1x while Jokic is tagged with 1.25x multiplier. Which of these two centers should you pick for your SuperDraft lineup? We will get into that but first, let’s start with our top picks for guards and forwards.
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Guards
1x-1.3x
Ben Simmons, 76ers vs Nuggets, 1.2x
Simmons may get criticized for his lack of jumper but his ability to defend makes him a very appealing play at 1.2x. In his last ten games, he has averaged 2.5 steals per game which has vaulted him to #1 in the NBA in steals per game at 2.3. The value Simmons loses by not being a high volume scorer has been made up by his ability to rack up steals. However, in addition to the steals, he has started the month of December averaging 20 points per game on 76% shooting. That type of scoring with his steals is what makes him a top play tonight.
1.35x-1.65x
Kendrick Nunn, Heat vs Hawks, 1.65x
After a red-hot start to the year, Nunn has cooled off a bit. However, circumstances for this game against the Hawks make Nunn a good play at 1.65x. With Goran Dragic still out he will be getting the lion’s share of the minutes at point guard and he will be facing the porous Atlanta Hawks defense headed by Trae Young which ranks 27th in the NBA. Nunn had his 5th best fantasy output this season against the Hawks scoring 35.5 fantasy points. He has a chance to have a similar game tonight.
1.8x
Ish Smith, Wizards at Hornets
With Isaiah Thomas injured, Smith has taken full advantage of the opportunity to start at point guard. In the last three games, he is averaging 16 points, 6.7 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 2 three-pointers per game. In addition to that, he will be facing the Hornets’ 28th ranked defense. Getting him at 1.8x is of excellent value.
Forwards
1x-1.3x
Jimmy Butler, Heat vs Hawks, 1.05x
After a middling start from Butler with his new team, he has taken over offensively in the month of December. He is putting up Kawhi Leonard-like numbers. He is averaging 26 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 7.2 assists in December with also 1 steal and 1 block per game. Expect this run to continue against the aforementioned 27th ranked Hawks defense. Don’t hesitate to snag Butler even with his low multiplier of 1.05x.
1.35x-1.65x
Julius Randle, Knicks at Trailblazers, 1.5x
Randle has been one of the most consistent fantasy forwards in the NBA this season. He is averaging 16.7 points, 8.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game for a brutal Knicks team that has given him the freedom to do what he wants on offense. He has the 6th highest usage rate among all power forwards. Regardless of who Randle has faced, he has filled up the box score. Tonight he is facing a Portland team that plays Carmelo Anthony the vast majority of the minutes at power forward. Randle should be able to put up points and feast on the glass.
1.7x-2x
Deandre Hunter, Hawks at Heat, 1.8
The rookie out of Virginia has been a boom or bust player for the Hawks fantasy-wise this season. He’s had a game where he scores 27 points and grabs 11 rebounds and another game where he scores 4 points and secures 2 rebounds. What has been consistent for Hunter is his minutes. He has been playing 31 minutes per game which is a pretty high number for a player valued at 1.8x. If you would like to hit a home run with a 1.8x player, Hunter is a good bet.
Centers
1x-1.3x
Nikola Jokic, Nuggets at 76ers 1.25x
With the criticism Jokic has received this season for being out of shape, he still is averaging 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists per game. In the last two games against Boston and Brooklyn, he has started to get more aggressive on offense. Taking 21 shots both games and scoring 30 and 24 points respectively. When you get that type of performance from Jokic, that is when he becomes one of the better fantasy players in the league. History also favors Jokic over Embiid in this match-up. The last time they squared off, Jokic went for 27 points, 10 assists, and 10 rebounds. Embiid had 15 points, 12 rebounds, and 1 assist. With Jokic at a 1.25x multiplier and Embiid at 1x, Jokic should be the way to go here.
1.7x-2x
Mitchell Robinson, Knicks at Trailblazers, 1.7x
Robinson is one of the few players Knicks fans can feel good about these days. He has brought consistent energy for the Knicks all season and it is really showing up in his stats for this month. He is averaging 10.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1.8 blocks and 1.3 steals per game so far in December. With him facing a Blazers team where Hassan Whiteside is the only big man presence, he is a good value pick at 1.7x.
1.7x-2x
Cody Zeller, Hornets vs Wizards
Zeller is having a solid season for the Hornets, averaging 11.3 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. He is not a very high-ceiling player as his season-high in points scored is 24. However, with him playing most of the minutes at center for the Hornets, he is a good play against the Wizards who have the worst defense in the NBA giving up 114.5 points per 100 possessions. With a lot of points to go around, this is a good night to have Zeller at 1.8x.
This article expresses the personal views of the writer and does not reflect the view(s) of SuperDraft in any way.
