DraftKings NBA December 8: Optimal Lineup Picks & Preview

Thursdays are typically fairly quiet in the NBA, but that's not the case this time around with six games on the schedule. The most compelling contest on the night pits the Golden State Warriors' No. 1 ranked offense (115.4 points per 100 possessions) against the Utah Jazz's No. 6 ranked defense and league's slowest pace. For daily fantasy purposes, if there was ever a night to fade the Dubs' high-priced studs, this would probably be that night, but you're nonetheless always playing with fire when you avoid Golden State, so that game will create a lot of interesting decisions. Elsewhere, Denver vs. Washington opened with the highest over/under (217.5), while Minnesota vs. Toronto (214.5) and Philadelphia vs. New Orleans (208) aren't far behind. San Antonio vs. Chicago (199) is projected as the lowest scoring game. Note that injuries and lineup announcements as we get closer to 7 p.m. ET will potentially change things, but for now, you can click through the gallery for my ideal DraftKings lineup picks for Thursday. (Getty)

PG: Kyle Lowry, Toronto Raptors

Opponent: vs. Minnesota Timberwolves

Price: $8,200

Sizzling hot over his last six games (22.8 points, 61.4 field-goal percentage, 64.3 three-point percentage on 7.0 attempts, 7.7 assists, 4.5 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 43.71 DraftKings points in just 34.6 minutes per contest), Lowry looks to continue his torrid form at home on two days rest against a shaky Timberwolves defense (25th in defensive rating) in what is projected as the highest scoring game of the day. He could be $2,000 more expensive, and I still might consider him in this spot. (Getty)

SG: Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards

Opponent: vs. Denver Nuggets

Price: $6,700

The Nuggets are fifth in the NBA in pace, 22nd in defensive rating and on the second night of a road-road back-to-back. Although Beal has had a couple of gold-shooting games in a row (7-for-18 from the field in each of the last two contests), he was playing like an All-Star just before that (five games with 40-plus DraftKings in the previous seven), and this is the perfect matchup for him to get back on track. (Getty)

UPDATE: Hayward (finger) has been ruled out. Pivoting to Jimmy Butler ($8,000) or Kawhi Leonard ($7,900) makes plenty of sense and gives you some money to upgrade elsewhere. Also, with Hayward, George Hill, Rodney Hood and Derrick Favors all out, Joe Johnson ($4,400) and Shelvin Mack ($4,100) will likely be very busy on offense.

SF: Gordon Hayward, Utah Jazz

Opponent: vs. Golden State Warriors

Price: $8,600

This is the most expensive Hayward has been all year, but he's worth it. He has topped 40 DraftKings points in each of the past five games, and with Rodney Hood highly questionable after re-aggravating a hamstring injury on Tuesday and only playing 12 minutes, Hayward's already significant role potentially grows larger--per NBAWowy.com, Hayward is averaging a mouth-watering 1.26 DraftKings points per minute with a 32.7 usage percentage when Hood is off the floor. Throw in a matchup against the fast-paced Warriors, who allow 106.4 points per game, and there's a ton to like here. (Getty)

PF: Otto Porter, Washington Wizards

Opponent: vs. Denver Nuggets

Price: $6,500

Porter is coming off one of his worst performances of the season (seven points, three rebounds and nothing else against the Magic), but you can safely label that as an anomaly. He can rack up points, rebounds and steals and an elite rate, and as we mentioned with Beal, this ideal matchup at home against the Nuggets should bring out the best in all of Washington's players. And if Tuesday's ugly showing results a depressed ownership percentage for Porter, then even better. (Getty)

C: Mason Plumlee, Portland Trail Blazers

Opponent: at Memphis Grizzlies

Price: $5,200

I don't love using Plumlee on the second night of a back-to-back, but his price, which is the lowest it has been since November 18, is tough to pass up with his consistency and upside. He has scored at least 26 DraftKings points in 13 straight games(!), and his ability to get double-doubles with good assist and defensive numbers gives him a quietly high ceiling. (Getty)

G: Tim Frazier, New Orleans Pelicans

Opponent: vs. Philadelphia 76ers

Price: $5,600

This is contingent on the status of Jrue Holiday, who is questionable with a turf toe. If Holiday ends up playing, I'm going a different direction. But if he sits, it will mean big minutes for Frazier against a 76ers defense that has allowed the 28th most DraftKings points to opposing point guards. Frazier averages 0.93 DraftKings points per minute with Holiday off the court, compared to just 0.67 next to Holiday. (Getty)

F: Zach Randolph, Memphis Grizzlies

Opponent: vs. Portland Trail Blazers

Price: $5,300

Randolph has been an elite per-minute producer off the bench this season, averaging a robust 1.21 DraftKings points per minute on the court. That obviously comes with the caveat that he's only averaging 22.2 minutes per game, which limits his ceiling, but as long as the Grizz are dealing with injuries to two of their best scorers (Mike Conley, Chandler Parsons), Z-Bo should continue to have a high usage rate and be a double-double threat. A matchup against the Blazers, who are 28th in the NBA in points allowed per game, also helps. (Getty)

UPDATE: Robert Covington has surprisingly been ruled active, so Stauskas isn't nearly as compelling of a play anymore. With all the injuries in Utah, I like Joe Johnson ($4,400) as a slightly more expensive upgrade.

UTIL: Nik Stauskas, Philadelphia 76ers

Opponent: at New Orleans Pelicans

Price: $3,900

Stauskas has started the last three games in place of an injured Robert Covington (who is out again Thursday), averaging 35.5 minutes per contest. He has been atrocious shooting the ball (25.0 percent from the field, 19.0 percent from deep, 57.1 percent from the line) over that stretch but has still managed to put up 18.75 DraftKings points per game simply because of minutes and volume. That can be considered his floor, which would still be good enough to hit value for the price, and if he gets his shot going even a little bit, he'll be a steal. (Getty)