These are my top 5 fantasy picks for 12/19/2024.

1. Stephen Castle (O 14 Pts + Rebs + Asts) vs. Atlanta Hawks

Pros: Stephen Castle is currently the favorite to win Rookie of the Year. Expect his momentum to carry into his next outing, a home game against the Hawks. With Atlanta boasting a deep roster of active players, it will be interesting to see how Castle adapts and continues to pad his impressive numbers.

Cons: The Spurs have a bunch of guys who play these days. Is there any room left for Castle?

2. Andrew Nembhard (O 2.5 Rebounds) at Phoenix Suns

Pros: Andrew Nembhard is still finding his rhythm after missing a few days. While his scoring hasn’t been particularly impressive, he’s been contributing in other areas, including distributing assists and grabbing rebounds. In what I expect to be a competitive game against the Suns, look for Andrew to pull down a few rebounds.

Cons: He’s a very weird player these days. I can easily see him being disengaged with zero rebounds today.

3. Julian Strawther (O 11.5 Pts+Rebs) at Portland Trailblazers

Pros: I love Julian Strawther against the Trailblazers today. Since there’s a chance Denver might blow them out, I expect Julian to see playing time whether the game stays competitive or turns into a blowout. Surely, he can give us 11 points on his own, right?

Cons: I don’t have a con. I guess his hair might get in the way.

4. Mikal Bridges (O 20.5 Pts+Rebs+Asts) at Minnesota Timberwolves

Pros: Mikal Bridges used to average 20 points a game, but now his points, rebounds, and assists are set at just 20.5! Mikal has been sneaky solid this year, so on any given day, I think he’s more than capable of easily surpassing this number. Plus, I expect a hard-fought, emotional, and competitive game tonight against the Wolves.

Cons: Will Mikal waste all his time and effort guarding Ant-Man? Hmmm…

5. Bilal Coulabaly (O 8.5 Rebs+Asts) vs. Charlotte Hornets

Pros: I usually avoid putting Wizards players on my slips because they’re often getting blown out and benching their starters. However, this is actually a game the Wizards can win! With that in mind, expect an active and engaged Bilal to rack up a few rebounds and assists—something he’s been excelling at in recent games.

Cons: I really like Jordan Poole to put up similar numbers, which could take away from Bilal’s opportunities.

Other Plays I Like:

Quincy

Quincy is the creator of Ratings Game Music. He loves writing about music, taking long walks on beaches, and spaghetti that fights him back.