FanDuel participants have nine games from which to pick their lineups, with one of the matchups being Cleveland's trip to Sacramento to take on the Kings. While the Cavaliers have three noteworthy options from a fantasy standpoint in LeBron James ($9,900), Kyrie Irving ($8,000) and Kevin Love ($7,700), Sacramento has just one. That player is none other than center DeMarcus Cousins, who has a salary value of $10,100 and is averaging 48.6 FanDuel points per game. But after producing at least 47.8 FanDuel points in five consecutive games, Cousins has battled inconsistency over his last four contests.
Cousins' FanDuel point totals in his last four games were 29.2, 54.7, 37.5 and 49.6. One reason for the volatility in his numbers has been the decrease in free throw attempts. Over his last four games Cousins is averaging 7.5 free throw attempts per game; for the season he's averaging 9.5 attempts per game. That may not seem like much, but it adds up when combined with Cousins shooting less than 37 percent from the field in two of the aforementioned four games. Cousins is a presence that Cleveland will certainly have to account for Friday night, and the key for both sides will be the foul line. If Cousins can get there at solid rate, his chances of having a good night improve greatly.
Here are our FanDuel picks for Friday's games, using the rules of a nine-player roster and a $60,000 salary cap. (Getty)
PG: Eric Bledsoe, Phoenix
Opponent: vs. Philadelphia
Price: $8,100
With head coach Earl Watson's decision early this season to move Brandon Knight to the second unit, Bledsoe's had the ball in his hands even more as he has the freedom to both score and distribute as the starting point guard. Bledsoe's averaging 34.9 FanDuel points per game this season, and while he's fallen short of that mark in three of the last four games Philadelphia is a good matchup for him. The Sixers are 19th in the NBA in defensive rating, and with Sergio Rodriguez and T.J. McConnell being the opposing point guards Bledsoe could be in line for a big night. (Getty)
PG: Patrick Beverley, Houston
Opponent: at Memphis
Price: $5,700
Beverley's averaging 25.4 FanDuel points per game this season, and in his last outing Beverley produced his best stat line of the season to date. Beverley finished with 18 points, nine rebounds, nine assists and a blocked shot in Houston's 125-111 victory in Phoenix, tallying 42.3 FanDuel points. Memphis is a far tougher opponent than the Suns, beginning with point guard Mike Conley, but Beverley does enough on both ends of the floor to be a quality pickup for the second point guard slot. (Getty)
SG: Zach LaVine, Minnesota
Opponent: at Philadelphia
Price: $6,500
LaVine has exceeded his FanDuel average of 29.2 points just once in his last five games, and he's coming off of an outing against Portland in which he accounted for just 18.1 points. In that game LaVine shot 5-for-12 from the field in scoring 13 points, to go along with three rebounds, one assist and one steal. LaVine is talented enough to have a far greater impact for Minnesota, even if his shot attempts are falling. With Philadelphia's perimeter rotation not exactly packed with star power, LaVine should find a way to bounce back Tuesday night. (Getty)
SG: Lou Williams, Los Angeles Lakers
Opponent: at Orlando
Price: $5,800
Both teams were in action last night but the Lakers did less traveling, as they visited the Heat while the Magic were in New York to take on the Knicks. Williams is a key member of the Lakers' bench, averaging 19.1 points in just over 25 minutes of action per night. Having scored 29 FanDuel points or more in three of the last four and seven of the last 11 games, Williams has been very productive of late. And with Orlando currently ranking 18th in defensive efficiency, this could be a good night to grab Williams for your roster. (Getty)
SF: LeBron James, Cleveland
Opponent: vs. Brooklyn
Price: $10,100
While the Cavs had Thursday night off the Nets were in action, as they took a double-digit lead into the half before falling to Golden State by 16 points. LeBron is a tough enough matchup as it is. But to have to deal with him after guarding Kevin Durant the night prior is an unenviable task for the Nets small forwards to say the least. LeBron hasn't faced Brooklyn yet this season, but with an average of 48 FanDuel points per game he's likely a safe bet to meet that mark. (Getty)
SF: Justise Winslow, Miami
Opponent: at New Orleans
Price: $4,700
After hovering just above the 20 FanDuel point mark in each of the three games prior, Winslow was highly productive in Miami's win over the Lakers Thursday night. Finishing with 48.1 FanDuel points, Winslow tallied 23 points, 13 rebounds, three assists and four steals on the night. He's only averaging 24.5 FanDuel points per game on the season, and he's only five games removed from a return to the lineup after sitting out for a month due to a left wrist injury, so don't expect another night in which he threatens 50 points. But this is a good matchup for Winslow on the wing, so he should at the very least reach his FanDuel average. (Getty)
PF: Jabari Parker, Milwaukee
Opponent: at Chicago
Price: $7,200
Parker has met or exceeded his FanDuel average for the season (32.2) in five of his last six games, most recently tallying 33.7 points against Minnesota Friday night. On Saturday he and the Bucks face a struggling Bulls team, which could bode well for Parker from a productivity standpoint. In two games against Chicago this season, Parker's averaging 20.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game, shooting 63 percent from the field. (Getty)
PF: Montrezl Harrell, Houston
Opponent: at Memphis
Price: $5,200
Harrell's FanDuel point totals have been up and down the last four games, with quality performances being followed by comparatively quiet ones. With this being the second game of a back-to-back and the Rockets still working starting center Clint Capela back into the lineup, this could be a game where Harrell becomes of greater value fantasy-wise. In Friday's loss to Golden State, Harrell tallied just 16.1 FanDuel points. But if the aforementioned trend continues, he'll have a good night against the Grizzlies. (Getty)
C: Rudy Gobert, Utah
Opponent: vs. Toronto
Price: $7,700
Averaging 32.9 FanDuel points per game this season, Gobert has surpassed that mark in eight of his last nine games. Utah is one of the NBA's best defensive teams, and having a rim protector the caliber of Gobert is a big reason why. Gobert's also made strides offensively, scoring in double figures in nine straight games, which is also his streak of consecutive games with a double-double. Look for him to continue the double-double streak with a couple blocked shots sprinkled in. (Getty)
FanDuel NBA Lineup Picks, Advice & Analysis for December 23