RADIO
Thanksgiving and Black Friday are over, and now we can settle into a cool, calm Saturday in the NBA. There are just four games tonight in the Association, but two of them - the Hawks-Wizards and Mavericks-Clippers matchups - should be high-scoring affairs where we can stack our daily fantasy lineups. The Hawks and Wizards, in particular, is a matchup featuring the highest implied total, the fastest projected pace, and defenses that struggle to limit fantasy points to their opponents.
As always, injuries are a key factor here and we will need to monitor for news and make adjustments as we learn more. Donovan Mitchell, Anthony Davis, LeBron James, and Lauri Markkanen are the key pieces who hold questionable tags today, but we also need to keep an eye on Walker Kessler, Bilal Coulibaly, Cam Reddish, and Isaac Okoro.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 11/25/23. Remember to monitor NBA injury news and our awesome new NBA injuries report tool, as the slate can completely change before lineups lock at 7:00 pm EST.
Featured Promo: Get any DFS Premium Bundle for for 10% off using code BALLER! Win more with expert advice from proven winners and exclusive DFS tools. Get instant access to RotoBaller's Lineup Optimizers, Research Stations, daily picks and VIP chat rooms across 10 sports! Go Premium, Win More!I start my process with a "K-Grade" model shown below, which I've been fine-tuning for about three years. This model takes real metrics like the implied total, fantasy points per game allowed, defensive ratings, offensive ratings, and projected pace, and applies them to a model with weights. It should be used as a directional guide for the slate and I've had plenty of success with it, but stick to your own process and DFS best practices. For example, a player on a team with a "D" K-Grade could easily be the top value on the slate due to a significant uptick in minutes and usage rate.
DraftKings and FanDuel Guards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Trae Young, ATL vs. WSH – PG ($9,500 DK; $9,500 FD)
We have Doncic, AD, and LeBron on this slate, but I'm going with Trae Young as my preferred pay-up option tonight. Young gets the best game environment and defensive matchup on the board in the Wizards, who allow the most fantasy points per game overall and the third-most fantasy points per game to PGs. The star point guard is also in incredible form himself, coming off explosion games against the Pacers (58.25 DK points) and Nets (67.5 DK points.
James Harden, LAC vs. DAL, PG/SG ($8,000 DK; $7,700 FD)
He's not the most comfortable play in the world, but I like taking swings on James Harden at this price point. He's averaging 38.4 DK points per game over his last four, which is slightly less than what he needs to hit 5x value on tonight's slate. However, he's getting a lot of minutes and filling out the stat sheet, so he just needs to start hitting shots at a higher rate in order for him to crush value at his salary. The Mavericks allow the sixth-most fantasy points per game to opposing SGs, hold the seventh-worst defensive rating, and the fourth-highest FG% for shots in the 10-14 feet range. That's where Harden lives, and I see him blowing past 5x value tonight.
Others to consider: Jordan Poole, Kyrie Irving, Paul George, Luka Doncic, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Tyus Jones, Darius Garland, Dyson Daniels
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DraftKings and FanDuel Forwards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Jalen Johnson, ATL vs. WSH, PF ($6,700 DK, $6,400 FD)
The Hawks' young forward has been a revelation, averaging 15/8/3/1/1 on 59% shooting and 42% from three. At 1.09 FPTS/min and a salary under $7,000 on both sites, he's one of the top values on a slate that's starved for value. The matchup is a perfect one for him to hit a ceiling game, and I expect him to be a large part of my general strategy for tonight's slate.
Saddiq Bey, ATL vs. WSH, PF ($4,700 DK) DraftKings Only
Saddiq Bey might be a necessary value piece in order to fit everyone else mentioned in the article. That is unless we get more injury news as the day rolls along. Bey has lost his starting role to the aforementioned Jalen Johnson, but he is still playing high-20s/low-30s minutes on most nights and making the most of his opportunities. He is averaging 27.6 DK points per game over his last five contests, and that's more than he needs for 5x value at his low salary on DraftKings. This matchup should provide a boost to his fantasy output, and I like Bey as a potentially overlooked value piece tonight.
Others to consider: Kyle Kuzma, Austin Reaves, Deni Avdija, Tim Hardaway Jr.
DraftKings and FanDuel Centers - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Richaun Holmes, DAL vs. LAC, C ($4,100 DK; $3,700 FD)
Going cheap at center will also unlock the Young/Harden/Johnson combination, so that's what we're doing with the Richaun Holmes play. The Mavericks are without Dereck Lively III and Maxi Kleber, leaving Holmes and mainstay Dwight Powell has seen his minutes fluctuate to the point where he played just five and 13 minutes over the last two games. Holmes seems to be the preferred option as things currently stand, playing 23 minutes and scoring 20 DK points on 11/22 against the Lakers. The Mavs will likely need his size against Ivica Zubac and Daniel Theis, so I can see Holmes playing 25+ minutes and providing much-needed value in this spot.
Others to consider: Onyeka Okongwu, Anthony Davis, Jarrett Allen, Clint Capela, Evan Mobley
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