FanDuel NBA Daily Picks: Fantasy Basketball Lineup For December 12
Dec 9, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; Indiana Pacers forward Paul George (13) drives in the post against Dallas Mavericks guard Wesley Matthews (23) in the first half at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Paul George capped his best stretch of the season with 15 fourth-quarter points, part of a 37-point outing, to solidify his status as an elite small forward in FanDuel NBA play.
Any concerns stemming from the ankle injury that sidelined Indiana Pacers forward Paul George seven times in a 10-game stretch are gone.
Over the past five games, George is averaging 24.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.4 steals per game. The figures are enough to generate 40.3 points in FanDuel NBA tournament play during the stretch.
On the second night of a back-to-back set, Geroge was at his best, even after Indiana started the game horribly.
Portland scored 44 points in the opening quarter Saturday night, the most the Pacers have surrendered in a single period all year.
All the slow start did was set up George’s heroics in the final period.
The Pacers erased an eight-point deficit heading into the fourth quarter as George switched from punishing the opposition from the perimeter to inside of the 3-point arc.
After connecting a season-high five times from 3-point range in the the first three quarters, George sank five mid-range jumpers and a put-back dunk to complete the impressive comeback.
When the final buzzer sounded, George had poured in 37 points, his personal best for the 2016-17 season, along with five rebounds, three assists and three steals.
The three-steal performance was his third in the past six games and raised his season average to 2.0 per game, his highest during his seven-year career.
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The fourth-quarter heroics from George are nothing new, as he has become one of the most consistent crunch-time scorers in the league.
Even though he missed nearly 30 percent of the season, George has scored 45 points in crunch time, tied with San Antonio forward Kawhi Leonard for the 11th-most in the NBA.
When the game is on the line, George has been even more efficient, shooting 58.6 percent from the field in crunch time. The shooting percentage is 14.3 higher than his average for the year, both figures are the highest among any of the top-15 crunch-time scorers in the NBA.
His consistency has translated into FanDuel NBA success, as he has scored 30 or more fantasy points in each of the past 10 games.
Until George cools down, he is playing well enough to be a building block for any FanDuel NBA lineup.
Dec 10, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul (left) handles the ball defended by New Orleans Pelicans guard Tim Frazier (right) during the third quarter at Staples Center. The Los Angeles Clippers won 133-105. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
Top Four Point Guards
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Next: Top Four Shooting Guards For Monday
October 13, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Jamal Crawford (11) moves the ball down court against the Portland Trail Blazers during the second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Top Four Shooting Guards
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Next: Top Four Small Forwards For Monday
Nov 30, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Harrison Barnes (40) drives to the basket as San Antonio Spurs forward Davis Bertans (42) defends during the first half at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Top Four Small Forwards
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Next: Top Four Power Forwards For Monday
Nov 18, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried (35) dribbles the ball up court in the second quarter against the Toronto Raptors at the Pepsi Center. The Raptors won 113-111 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Top Four Power Forwards
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Next: Top Four Centers And Final Lineup For Monday
Dec 9, 2016; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins (15) dunks the ball past New York Knicks center Kyle O’Quinn (9) during the second half at Golden 1 Center. The Knicks defeated the Kings 103-100. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports
Top Four Centers
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Final Lineup
PG Chris Paul ($9,500)
PG Darren Collison ($5,500)
SG Lou Williams ($6,300)
SG Jamal Crawford ($4,100)
SF Paul George ($8,500)
SF Otto Porter ($5,700)
PF Jabari Parker ($6,200)
PF Kenneth Faried ($5,100)
C Hassan Whiteside ($8,700)