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The top daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on December 3rd, 2022. Kyle Ringstad provides NBA DFS analysis and sleeper picks for building optimal DFS rosters.
Four games are on tap in the NBA tonight and for what has to be the first time since the pandemic began, the injury report is almost empty. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the only difference-maker to enter today with a questionable tag, while Drew Eubanks and Jordan McLaughlin also carry questionable designations. Three of the matchups project as intriguing spots to target for our DFS contests while the Magic-Raptors game looks like a "stay-away" game, aside from a few one-off plays on both sites. Five of the eight teams in action tonight are playing the second half of a back-to-back set, so be sure to keep an eye out for surprise lineup scratches as the day progresses. Let's get to it.
Here are my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel and DraftKings on 12/3/22. Keep an eye on RotoBaller’s NBA injury news and also our full NBA injury report today to stay up to date before lineups are locked.
DraftKings and FanDuel Guards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Jaylen Nowell, vs. OKC (FD: $5,100, DK: $4,300)
I'm a Timberwolves fan and I was surprised to learn that Nowell leads the entire team in usage rate (27%) with Towns, Prince, and McLaughlin off the floor this season. He also averages a solid 1.08 FPTS/min in the split, so as long as he gets his customary 25-30 minutes, he's going to smash his price tag tonight. The young guard has put up 38.75, 34.75, and 28.25 DK points over his last three games, and now he gets to face the Thunder at home. Oklahoma City has improved defensively this season as they rank 16th in defensive rating, but they're giving up the eighth-most fantasy points per game to opposing teams and Vegas has this game shooting out at a 231.5-point implied total. We need McLaughlin to be ruled out to have full confidence in this play, but Nowell is a value piece I'll be heavily invested in for tonight's slate.
Jordan Poole, vs. HOU (FD: $5,900, DK: $5,800)
It's important to consider the blowout risk with any of the core plays on Golden State tonight as they're currently 9.5-point favorites at home against the 6-16 Rockets. Players can still reach and exceed 5x value in blowouts, but there's a chance that Poole's minutes get cut short if the game gets out of hand early. That said, this is an incredible spot and too low of a price point for the fourth-year guard out of Michigan. He has found his stroke lately and his DFS production has shot up as a result, scoring at least 32.5 DK points in three of his last four games and posting a 30/1/1/1 line on 11-for-18 shooting (7-for-13 3PT) yesterday against the Bulls. The Rockets rank 28th in defensive rating and allow the most fantasy points per game to opposing point guards. They have allowed the most points, assists, and three-pointers made per game to the position, so the matchup could not be any more favorable for Poole tonight. Both of these teams rank in the top 12 in pace and the matchup has the highest implied total on the board, so it's all systems go for Poole and Warriors.
Also consider: Anfernee Simons, D'Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson (FD), Fred VanVleet, Stephen Curry
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DraftKings and FanDuel Forwards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Trendon Watford, vs. UTA (FD: $3,900, DK: $3,700)
Josh Hart is doubtful to suit up tonight, meaning we get another chance to stream Watford in a spot-start at a barely-there salary on both sites. He saw 31 minutes of playing time last game and while he didn't blow the doors off, he exceeded value with 24.5 DK points on 10 points, 10 rebounds, and one assist against the Lakers on Wednesday. He's more of a power forward at his 6'9" height, but he can play center in small-ball lineups and that would be a huge bonus for him against this undersized Jazz frontcourt. Utah has allowed the second-most fantasy points per game to opposing centers this season.
Anthony Edwards, vs. OKC (FD: $8,600, DK: $8,600)
Edwards is a player who won't be showing up as an optimal play in the optimizers due to his season-long form not matching up with his recently-spiked salary. In case you haven't heard, though, Karl-Anthony Towns is now out of the lineup and that unlocks an entirely different ceiling for the budding star. His usage rate stays the same with the big man off the floor, but his FPTS/min rate jumps to 1.20 in the split and he put up a monster 56.75 DK points performance in the first game without KAT on Wednesday. He's averaging 39.3 DK points per game this season and he only needs 43 DK points to hit 5x value tonight, so I think it's perfectly reasonable to expect him to succeed tonight against an overmatched Thunder squad that's allowing the eighth-most fantasy points per game to opposing teams this season.
Also consider: Kyle Anderson, Jonathan Kuminga (DK), Justise Winslow, Andrew Wiggins, Jaden McDaniels, Draymond Green
DraftKings and FanDuel Centers - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Jusuf Nurkic, vs. UTA (FD: $6,500, DK: $6,700)
As mentioned in the Watford section above, the Jazz have struggled to limit fantasy production from opposing centers as they allow the second-most fantasy points per game to the position. Nurkic is primed to take advantage, and he may not receive the high rostership that he should as game log watchers may be scared off by his 25 DK point letdown against the Lakers his last time out. He averaged 40 DK points per game in the five games before that, and this is the spot to get right back on track and potentially even post one of his true ceiling games. Lock and load the Blazers' big man here.
Also consider: Rudy Gobert, Alperen Sengun, Naz Reid, Kevon Looney
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