The NBA gives hoops fans the greatest gift of all: a full day of basketball. Filling the five-game slate with the league's brightest superstars optimizes the viewing experience, but it also confounds the daily fantasy grind.A condensed player pool is jam-packed with marquee options, making it incredibly difficult to locate sneaky values. There isn't enough imaginary money in the world to afford Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook, LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Anthony Davis. Everybody filling out a lineup before noon E.T. must make tough decisions.Have some patience assembling a squad. Prepare to spend five minutes concocting the perfect permutation, only to realize it's $100 over the $50,000 allotment. The following recommendations eschew the previously listed All-Stars, but they're still high-level plays who will cost a pretty penny.Chris Paul, PG, Los Angeles Clippers ($8,600)When Curry and Westbrook are present, Chris Paul feels like the equivalent of getting gifted a book instead of a PS4 or whatever else the kids are into these days. But reading is wonderful and knowledge is power, so give the old man a shot.More spry in December, the Los Angeles Clippers floor general is averaging 18.2 points and 10.2 assists this month. Over the last six tilts, he's averaging 47.5 DraftKings points.More importantly, the Los Angeles Lakers. They're not good. A charity inclusion on an otherwise packed schedule, the 5-24 laughingstock places last in points allowed per game and defensive rating. They unsurprisingly also cough up the most DraftKings points to point guards.Such a lopsided contestthe Clippers are favored to win by 11.5 points, courtesy of Odds Sharkcreates concern of head coach Doc Rivers removing his veteran leader early. Before running away, they're coming off a three-day hiatus. Also, backup Austin Rivers won't be available, per ESPN.com's Kevin Arnovitz:If those factors lead to another 36 minutes, like Paul compiled on Monday night, he'll leap above value at the Staples Center.Other PG Plays: Kyrie Irving ($6,600) at GS; Tony Parker ($5,100) at HOU; Beno Udrih ($4,000) at MIADwyane Wade, SG, Miami Heat ($6,900)The least hyped Friday matchup packs the most potential for daily bargains. Pay close attention to the Miami Heat against the New Orleans Pelicans, who possess the second-highest defensive rating. While they're not Lakers bad, nobody outside of Davis belongs on the national stage.As a result of playing a career-low 29.7 minutes per game, Dwyane Wade has his lowest point tally (18.5) since his rookie campaign. Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra, however, could gift the veteran some extra playing time in a nationally televised game, which don't come as frequently in South Beach without James.Wade has averaged 21.5 points over his last four tilts, and he received two full days to rest up for the Christmas showcase. In a pair of bouts engaged after two empty boxes on the schedule, the 33-year-old guard recorded 58 combined points.The Pelicans rank No. 22 in DraftKings points allowed to shooting guards. According toFantasy Labs' Bryan Mears, their rating dips to No. 27 when accounting for performance in relation to DraftKings salary.With James Harden set to encounter Kawhi Leonard's San Antonio Spurs, fill the position with a mid-tier option. A fresh-legged Wade given a big platform makes the best bet, even though the same arguments loosely applies to Kobe Bryant.Other SG Plays: Tyreke Evans ($7,800) at MIA; Kobe Bryant ($6,400) vs. LAC; Gerald Green ($4,500) vs. NOKawhi Leonard, SF, San Antonio Spurs ($8,400)Speaking of Leonard, he's the premium small-forward pick in a slate featuring James and Durant. That's nothing against those studs, whose are both reasonable headliners at $10,000. Gamers willing to punt another position should consider squeezing two into a lineup.Yet it's Leonard facing the Houston Rockets, who relinquish the most DraftKings points to the position. Despite improving from a slow start, they still brandish a 104.5 defensive rating.The Spurs star, meanwhile, is on a tear. He has risen to an expanded role with rousing efficiency, notching a 61.4 true-shooting percentage. Hidden under the Golden State Warriors' shadow, the Spurs have won seven straight games, averaging 110.4 points per contest.For his contribution in part of that streak, Leonard earned Western Conference Player of the Week honors, as highlighted by NBA.com/Stats:At this rate, he's not far off from James and Durant, but he's significantly cheaper at $8,400. Cash-contest players will have to share his success with competitors, but that's what the holidays are for.Other SF Plays: LeBron James ($10,000) at GS; Kevin Durant ($10,000) vs. CHI; Andre Iguodala ($5,200) vs. CLETaj Gibson, PF, Chicago Bulls ($4,400)DraftKings participants need a true bargain to afford these second-tier studs. Save big on power forward by targeting the Chicago Bulls' frontcourt. Joakim Noah, who spent December climbing up the rotation hierarchy, will miss at least two weeks due to a sprained left shoulder.This won't force earth-shattering changes to Chicago's depth chart; Noah played almost exclusively off the bench before going down earlier this week. Yet there are minutes to redistribute, and Taj Gibson is first in line to benefit.With Noah leaving Monday's game early, the starting forward logged 33 minutes11.5 above his season averageagainst the Brooklyn Nets. He fell one rebound shy of meeting a double-double's minimum requirements, which still led him to produce 28.75 DraftKings points.Unfortunately, the Oklahoma City Thunder's NBA-best rebounding percentage mitigates Gibson's upside. That'd eliminate him from the discussion under his normal role, but now he has an opportunity to reach value at $4,400 due to pure volume.More adventurous gamers will instead gamble on Nikola Mirotic ($4,700) or Bobby Portis ($3,300), far riskier picks with significantly more upside. Gibson plays off the ball too much to wield such promising potential, but he's a responsible investment surrounding other studs.Other PF Plays: Kevin Love ($7,900) at GS; Brandon Bass ($3,400) vs. LAC; Bobby Portis ($3,300) at OKCDeAndre Jordan, C, Los Angeles ($6,700)Hassan Whiteside ($7,100) and DeAndre Jordan ($6,700) are intriguing center options. Like the Los Angeles Clippers big man, many players will swing back and forth on this difficult decision.On the other side, the Miami center has grabbed double-digit boards in seven straight contests and swats an NBA-best 4.0 blocks per bout. He gets a cushy matchup against the Pelicans, who rank No. 24 in rebound percentage.Although not as hot recently, Jordan gets a date with the Lakers, who grade last in rebound percentage and DraftKings points allowed to centers. Enes Kanter almost topped the list due to registering two double-doubles over the past week, but both came in blowout victories over the Lakers.Barring foul trouble, the shot-blocker has never suffered from insufficient playing time. Friday certainly sets the stage for a Jordan double-double, but he'll round out a winning lineup by stepping into the scoring limelight.Other C Plays: Pau Gasol ($7,600) at OKC; Hassan Whiteside ($7,100) vs NO; Enes Kanter ($4,200) vs. CHIPricing information and scoring data obtained fromDraftKings.com.All advanced statistics courtesy ofNBA.comunless otherwise noted.Enter theDraftKingsNBA Sharpshootercontest on Monday. Use Promo Code BLEACHER REPORT when you sign up.
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