FanDuel NBA Lineup Picks, Advice & Analysis for December 22

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With only five games on the NBA schedule for Thursday, the pickings are a bit slim for FanDuel participants. The good news for those looking to pick up a win is that there are still some quality players to choose from, even if there isn't anyone with a cap number at or above the $10,000 mark. Golden State forward Kevin Durant ($9,600) is the most expensive player in action Thursday, with Miami center Hassan Whiteside ($9,300) and L.A. Clippers guard Chris Paul ($9,200) being the others with cap numbers above $9,000. In the case of Paul, FanDuel players will have to weigh the impact that not having Blake Griffin (right knee) in the lineup has on the point guard's numbers.

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Last season the Clippers went 30-15 without their starting power forward, who was sidelined for many of those games with a quadriceps injury. This season the Clippers have played two games without Griffin, a loss to the Nets on November 29 and a win over the Pelicans on December 10. In both of those games Paul's posted high FanDuel point totals, racking up 59.5 points against the Nets and 62.0 points against the Pelicans. No Griffin usually means that Paul's job as the point guard becomes of even greater importance than it already is, as the Clippers have to find quality shots without their best scoring option. Complicating matters Thursday is that the opponent is San Antonio, which limited Paul to 36.6 points on November 5. But given how good of a point guard Paul is, there's a better chance of him producing a big night than faltering.

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Here are our lineup picks for Thursday's games, working with a nine-players roster and a $60,000 salary cap. (Getty)

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