RADIO
After a huge 14-game slate yesterday, we turn our weary eyes to tonight's two-game slate. These are the times that, for a brief moment, I think to myself, "Maybe I'll skip tonight..." Let's not delude ourselves; we know we are not skipping anything, so let's think about how to tackle this baby slate!
Both of tonight's games should be high-scoring contests with narrow spreads, so there could be more options than usual on such a small slate. The Bucks and their newest addition, Damian Lillard, are off to a strong start, and they enter Thursday's game riding a three-game winning streak. The Indiana Pacers' defense has been struggling this season, ranking 25th in the league in defensive rating with 116.4 points per 100 possessions. However, if the Pacers can keep the game close, it has the potential to be a high-scoring affair.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 11/9/23. Remember to monitor NBA injury news and our awesome new NBA injuries report tool, as the slate can completely change before lineups lock at 7:00 PM EST.
DraftKings and FanDuel Guards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Tyrese Haliburton, IND vs. MIL – PG ($10,000 DK; $10,000 FD)
Two guards catch the attention of tonight's small slate despite the lack of value: Haliburton and Young. Haliburton, who is playing against the Bucks, has the potential to have a huge night. He has averaged 22.9 points, 11.9 assists, and 4.0 rebounds in seven games this season. In his career, he has played four games against the Bucks, and during those games, he has averaged 19.0 points, 9.8 assists, and 5.3 rebounds.
Haliburton has recorded a double-double in six out of seven games at the start of the season. Although his current average of 22.9 points and 11.9 assists per game is an improvement from his impressive performance in 2022-23, there is still room for the 23-year-old to grow even more, possibly starting tonight against Milwaukee.
Trae Young, ATL at ORL – PG ($9,300 DK; $9,000 FD)
Young's numbers are below Haliburton's for the beginning of this young NBA season, averaging 21.7 points, 10.4 assists, and 2.9 rebounds in 7 games. Young is currently struggling with his shooting, hitting only 33.6% of his shots overall and 27.3% from beyond the arc, both of which are career lows and the worst he has shot in the first seven games of any season since entering the league. What this means is that he has nowhere to go but up.
In his career against the Orlando Magic, in 17 games, Young has averaged 25.9 points, 8.6 assists, and 3.7 rebounds. Tonight's game will be played in Mexico City, and if it stays close, Young will be forced to step up and let his offensive talents take over, especially in the second half, where he has struggled recently. Remember: nowhere to go but up, and I'm betting he'll be lower-owned than the other high-profile guards tonight.
Others to consider: Cole Anthony, ORL vs. ATL – PG/SG ($6,000 DK; $6,300 FD), Moritz Wagner, ORL vs. ATL - PC/C ($4,200 DK; $5,400 DK)
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DraftKings and FanDuel Forwards - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL at IND – PF/C ($10,700 DK; $10,600 FD)
Giannis on a small slate can't be faded, even with Lillard in the mix in what will be a high-scoring game. With Lillard on the floor this season, Giannis has averaged 24.4 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists. That line is below what he averaged last year, which is to be expected with Lillard on board.
Still, his numbers were great against the Pacers last year, averaging 34.7 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 7.7 assists in 3 games (again, no Lillard, but those numbers are still higher than his average of 31.1 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 5.7 assists in 63 games last season). Given the possibility of a tight, high-scoring game, I expect a strong stat line from the Greek Freak tonight in Indiana.
Franz Wagner, ORL vs. ATL – SF ($7,400 DK; $7,200 FD)
Let's add another Wagner to our list of value players tonight. At $7,400, Wagner is a value small forward who averaged 18.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.0 assists in four games against Atlanta last season. In seven games this season, Wagner is averaging 18.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.3 assists, just a bit higher than last year.
His 3P% versus the Hawks last year was 33.3%, just a bit higher than his overall average of 32.2% this season, but his 3P% at home this year is 35.7%. Wagner should be a main part of your lineups tonight.
Others to consider: Jalen Johnson, ATL at ORL – PF ($6,300 DK; $6,400 FD); Paolo Banchero, ORL vs. ATL – PF ($8,000 DK; $7,900 FD)
DraftKings and FanDuel Centers - NBA DFS Lineup Picks
Clint Capela, ATL at ORL – C ($5,700 DK; $6,100 FD)
Capela led the Hawks in rebounds last season with an average of 11.0 per game while also contributing 0.9 assists and 12.0 points. He ranks fifth in the league in rebounding this season, averaging 10.4 rebounds per game.
Capela has averaged 13.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in 15 games against the Orlando Magic. In the 2022 game between the Hawks and Magic on November 30, Capela had 20 points, 12 rebounds, and 1 assist. He's another solid value for tonight's slate and could be lower-owned due to Giannis being a PF/C tonight.
Goga Bitadze, ORL vs. ATL – C ($5,400 DK; $5,000 FD)
Who else would we be targeting as a value center but Bitadze, going up against our previously mentioned center, Clint Capela?
Goga Stat Sheet For The Last Two Games
Bitadze has been filling the stat sheet in his last two games. The 18th overall pick in the 2019 draft started his NBA career off slowly but is now starting to thrive with the Orlando Magic. In a strong win over the Lakers last Saturday, he had five blocks, including one in the game's first play. At $5,400, it's a no-brainer. Roster him in your lineups tonight.
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