NBA Daily Fantasy Picks - Christmas Day

Ariel Epstein gives her DFS must-play, value play, and a fade for the NBA Christmas Day slate on Saturday, Dec. 25

Video Transcript

ARIEL EPSTEIN: Merry Christmas to all that celebrate. I'm the Prop Queen, Ariel Epstein, breaking down Christmas slate for the NBA DFS on Yahoo Fantasy. Let's start with two plays and a fade, and my first play is going to the Brooklyn Nets guard, James Harden. I'm putting him in my lineup for $48. Despite him being expensive, he's coming off the COVID list.

He's up against the bottom 10 defense and the Los Angeles Lakers, who have allowed for just over 111 points per game. Plus the Lakers are without one of their best defenders in Anthony Davis. Davis is out for the next four weeks at least, due to a sprain in his left MCL. When Harden's without Kevin Durant-- which by the way, Durant is on the COVID list also-- Harden has put up at least 25 points, at least 8 assists, and at least 10 rebounds. I'm going to play James Harden on the Christmas slate.

My next play is a value play. I was just at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday. The Knicks announced that Derrick Rose is out for the next eight weeks, at least. With Kemba Walker sitting there on the bench at the point guard position, the Knicks decided to start him.

In the last two games, Kemba Walker has played for double the amount of time he's played all season, at least 30 minutes a game. He's put up at least 20 points. He's a good spot in a utility spot. If you want to save your money and play some of the big players, like a Steph Curry or a James Harden, for $14 you could put in a starting point guard potentially in Kemba Walker.

He also is a good match-up up against the Atlanta Hawks, who are ranked eighth in most points allowed per game this season, especially in the last 10 games. They have gone up from allowing just under 110 points per game to just over 112 points per game. Hawks defense getting worse, I'm going to play Kemba Walker as my value play.

My fade play? For $38, I am not going to put Jrue Holiday in my lineup. The Bucks guard-- it's all reliant on if you have the all-star for the Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo, in the lineup or not. I have this feeling-- because it's Christmas, the NBA's trying to change their COVID protocols-- Giannis Antetokounmpo, after about 10 to 11 days, is going to be activated for Christmas.

That said, whenever Jrue Holiday and Giannis Antetokounmpo were on the floor together, Holiday is a different player. Holiday's averaging 5 less points per game. He's averaging the same amount of rebounds of just over 4, however it drops by about 3 assists per game also.

I don't want to play Jrue Holiday for starting numbers at $38. Don't give me that big price with the all-star back on the floor for the Bucks. This is all, of course, relying on if Giannis is actually activated or not. If he is, I am fading Jrue Holiday on Christmas.

Here's your NBA DFS Christmas slate recap. I am going to pay the money, for $48, point guard James Harden up against the Lakers. Yeah, he's in. My value play? You could put him in a utility spot, Kemba Walker for the Knicks. He's also going to be in my lineup. And my fade play, I am not going to put Jrue Holiday in.

That's it for me, the Prop Queen, Ariel Epstein, here in Yahoo NBA Daily Fantasy. Merry Christmas to all who celebrate. Happy holidays to all, and good luck on that Christmas slate.