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The first annual NBA In-Season Tournament will be reaching its conclusion on Saturday night, meaning we have a single-game slate between the Pacers and Lakers to break down. The Pacers impressively took down the Celtics and Bucks in the bracket after going 4-0 in their group against the Cavaliers, 76ers, Hawks, and Pistons. The Lakers had a much, much easier path as they beat the cellar-dwelling Jazz, Blazers, and Grizzlies, along with the Suns, to make it out of their group. They then advanced past the Suns and Pelicans in the bracket to make it to the "Championship." (Sorry, LeBron GOAT stans. James winning this "title" doesn't move the needle for me).
This game projects to be a fast-paced, high-scoring affair, and it's a game environment that my K-Grade model (shown below) loves for fantasy production. We don't have many injuries to worry about as LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Jarred Vanderbilt are the only players who currently hold questionable tags, and all three are probable to play.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 12/9/23. Remember to monitor NBA injury news and our awesome new NBA injuries report tool, as the slate can completely change before lineups lock at 8:30 pm EST.
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DraftKings and FanDuel MVP/Captain - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Tyrese Haliburton ($18,600 DK Captain; $17,000 FD)
Tyrese Haliburton may not be the most popular pick and MVP/Captain today, but I think he should be. Unlike Lebron and AD, Haliburton has consistently shown 65-70+ DK point upside this season. The young superstar is in incredible form, averaging 67.8 DK points per game over his last three games and exceeding 63 DK points in six of his last nine. There's no doubt in my mind that he'll exceed his season-long 27% usage rate in the game tonight, and it's a favorable matchup as the Lakers have allowed the seventh-most fantasy points per game to opposing PGs over their last 15 games. The Lakers play D'Angelo Russell for about 25 minutes per night, so look for Haliburton to take advantage of his shoddy defense any time he's on the floor.
LeBron James ($17,400 DK Captain; $15,000 FD)
It's LeBron James on the national stage. I shouldn't have to do much convincing here. He put up 69 DK points against the Suns on 12/5 before his ultra-efficient 50.25 DK point game over just 23 minutes against the Pelicans. This projects as a high-scoring, fast-paced game with little defense on either end, which is always going to be a situation that favors the versatile James. He's going to be a piece we want to have in lineups. The question becomes whether you pair up Haliburton with James or Anthony Davis. I'm getting to both, but leaning James' way for now.
Others to consider: Anthony Davis
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DraftKings and FanDuel Flex/Utility - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Myles Turner ($9,200 DK, $13,000 FD)
Myler Turner went crazy against the Bucks last Thursday, exploding for a season-high 52 DK points in 32 minutes. The big man is rolling right now as he has posted a double-double in three straight outings. The Lakers have been stout against centers this season, but they've slipped to allowing the eighth-most fantasy points per game to the position over their last seven games. It's hard to get a read on rostership projections on one-game slates, but it feels like Turner might go overlooked due to him being the fourth-most expensive option behind Haliburton, James, and Davis.
Buddy Hield, IND vs. MIA ($6,400 DK, $5,500 FD)
Buddy Hield looks better at his FanDuel price, but I'm willing to roll the dice with him on DraftKings in certain lineup builds. The former Kings guard is about a 1.00 FPTS/min player who should see about 30 minutes of playing time in a favorable game environment. If it's going to be an up-and-down, high-scoring game, we should probably prioritize getting to the shooting guard who's averaging 7.4 three-point attempts per game this season and making them at a decent clip (39%).
Others to consider: Bruce Brown, Benedict Mathurin, Jaxson Hayes, T.J. McConnell
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