This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
The NBA has given us five NBA games on Christmas, spaced out throughout the day so we can watch each one. As expected, there are plenty of stars on the slate, with seven players priced over $10,000. For this edition of Tuesday FanDuel article, I'll be recommending not only players, but certain holiday-themed things as well. Let's kick things off:
Point Guard
Russell Westbrook ($11,300), OKC at HOU
With Chris Paul (hamstring), the Rockets' best backcourt defender, sidelined for Tuesday's matchup, Westbrook should meet little resistance on offense. In addition to his high upside -- five games with 60-plus fantasy points -- Westbrook has shown a solid floor lately as well. The point guard has dipped below 50 FP just once in the past six contests. Over this stretch, he's also averaged 54.7 FP, which includes an outburst of 70.7 FP against the Kings.
Christmas Movie
Home Alone
I always lean towards comedies, and Home Alone is a great example of one that both kids and adults seem to like. The premise -- a family forgetting one of their kids -- is funny in of itself. And even though there's a shocking amount of violence involved, everything stays lighthearted. For a more adult pivot, Die Hard is always on the table.
Shooting Guard
Klay Thompson ($7,400), GS vs. LAL
There are tons of options around this price range for shooting guards, like Khris Middleton ($7,500), Donovan Mitchell ($7,600) and Jimmy Butler ($7,800). I don't think any of the players have higher significantly ceilings than the others, so I lean towards the cheapest option. We know how deadly of a shooter Thompson can be, and he has the highest floor of anyone in the group. He's averaging 34.7 FP since the start of December, which includes a performance of 50.0 FP against the Bucks.
Christmas Drink
Coffee and Bailey's
To fend off post-dinner sleepiness, coffee is a must. To keep the conversation flowing, alcohol can help. There's just not much more to it. Plus, it goes great with Christmas cookies.
Small Forward
LeBron James ($11,400), LAL at GS
This game is on a big stage. LeBron, with his new team, goes into Golden State on Christmas in an attempt to upset the Warriors. In these high-pressure types of situations, I don't trust anyone as much as I do LeBron. He's also been on a roll lately, averaging 26.7 points, 13.0 rebounds, 9.7 assists and 1.3 steals (59.1 FP) over the past three games. It almost goes without saying, but he also has one of the highest ceilings on the slate. LeBron has racked up two outings of 70-plus FP this season.
Christmas Cookie
Gingerbread Men
A gingerbread man is a cookie, right? Or is it its own entity? Either way, I'm throwing it into the cookie category for this. It's not exciting, but if it's chewy with the right frosting, there's not much that can beat it.
Power Forward
Kevin Knox ($6,300), NY vs. MIL
Knox appears to be gaining comfort and confidence now that he has a defined role. Since he began starting six games ago, the rookie is averaging 19.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.0 assist (29.0 FP) across 36.7 minutes. Playing Knox at this point is based almost purely on his upside, however. He has two outings of 40-plus FP under his belt, plus three in the 30s. He's still somewhat overpriced in my opinion, but is a nice mid-tier option to save some cash.
Christmas Song
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
It's a quick-hitter, but it's one that everyone seems to know. For added fun, there's a video on YouTube of DMX performing the song, which is worth a watch.
Center
Brook Lopez ($5,300), MIL at NY
Any center below Lopez in price is a significant risk. Lopez may not have tons of upside due to his generally low rebounding numbers, but his ability to hit threes and block shots means he can often exceed value on his cost. He has five outings of 30-plus FP in December, and he has two performances of 40-plus FP on the 2018-19 campaign. It seems unlikely Enes Kanter will succeed in defending Lopez well on the perimeter.
