Fanduel is gving away a free entry into their “Christmas Jam” contest. The prizes involve NBA tickets and autographs.
Sit ‘Em:
James Harden, PG, HOU ($15,500)
Harden has struggled (compared to his high standards), failing to score at or above his average FPPG in his last 4 games. His salary is slightly reflective of this, given that he’s only the 5th most expensive player. He’s only scored more than 30 points once in his last 5 games, and with the Thunder and Westbrook fighting for NBA relevance, I don’t think Harden will break out of his small funk.
Bradley Beal, SG, WAS ($12,000)
Beal gets the Celtics in Boston tonight, and I expect him to get a healthy dose of Jaylen Brown on the wing. Brown has struggled offensively this month, but his defense remains elite. He’s actually scoring more PPG than John Wall this year, but his salary is too high for going up against one of the league’s top defenses.
Start ‘Em:
Jimmy Butler, SF, MIN ($12,500)
Butler has been on a tear lately, eclipsing 50 FP in 3 of his last four games. On Monday he had 37 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists in his best game of the year. He seems to have finally settled in with his new team, and he gets the Lakers in LA tonight. LA is not good defensively, so I see Butler taking advantage of the young Lakers, and he’s a bargain at just $12,500.
Enes Kanter, C, NYK ($9,000)
Kanter has made news recently regarding his comments about the corrupt Turkish government. Getting back to basketball, I like Kanter tonight since Joel Embiid is likely going to be out again for “rest”. Kanter isn’t flashy, but if he takes advantage of Embiid’s absence, and can get a double-double with a couple of assists, he’ll be well worth the $9K. His value should allow you to afford one of the high priced guys like Durant or LeBron.
Salaries are from FanDuel
