FanDuel Daily Fantasy Basketball Helper: Thursday 12/30/21

The headline of this four-game slate is indeed the number of players potentially clearing COVID-19 protocols at last, but real injuries are still present, too. Hampton is averaging 0.81 FanDuel points per minute this season and should push for a role of 30-plus minutes.Others to Consider: James Harden ($11,100): You could roster him and hope for a pinnacle outcome with Kevin Durant in the lineup. Giannis' three-quarters floor is tremendous with his Milwaukee-best marks in usage rate (34.6%) and FanDuel points per minute (1.67). Darius Garland will return from COVID-19 protocols eventually, but as of now, no Cleveland player has eclipsed 70 minutes of court time without all three of him, Rubio, and Collin Sexton off the floor this season -- and most of those minutes were in blowouts. Okoro's 18.8% usage rate isn't bad in that limited sample, and he could be the listed point guard in tonight's starting lineup. I strongly prefer Curry over Harden, so Jokic likely is the answer more often than JoJo. With plenty of value, tight spreads in both games, a wide spread for Giannis, and both centers averaging at least 1.58 FanDuel points per minute in December, it's hard to justify not using the pivot spot on Jokic or Embiid and working from there -- even in tournaments.