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FanDuel NBA DFS Picks for Today (Friday 12/13/24): Daily Fantasy Basketball Advice

Joel Embiid - NBA Injury News, Daily Fantasy Basketball, DFS Lineup Picks

Dan's favorite FanDuel NBA DFS picks for today, Friday 12/13/24. His top daily fantasy basketball lineup sleepers and value picks for FanDuel DFS contests.

After a very slow week in the NBA filled with small slates, we finally get a solid slate of eight games tonight as sixteen teams that didn't qualify for the in-season tournament return to action.

I recommend some higher-priced players for cash games and GPPs in today's edition while highlighting some of my favorite value plays and game stacks. If you want DraftKings picks, see who Zach Thompson likes by reading his piece here.

This article will provide my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel on 12/13/24. Remember to monitor NBA injury news and our awesome NBA injuries report tool, as the slate can completely change before lineups lock at 7:00 p.m. EST on FanDuel. 

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FanDuel NBA DFS Core Picks

Anthony Davis, LAL - PF/C ($11,100)

The most obvious play on this slate is AD, as the Lakers will be without LeBron James tonight as they take on the defending Western Conference champion Timberwolves.

Davis dominated Rudy Gobert in the first meeting between these two teams, posting a 36-16-4 line against him in October, but was held in check for just 12 points and 11 boards in the rematch.

Tonight, he should see a big increase in usage with James out, and I think the range of outcomes is much closer to that first performance. I also love that he's PF-eligible on FanDuel, which allows us to play another center in our C slot - and this slate has several other big men in good matchups.

Chris Paul, SAS - PG ($6,500)

CP3 is too cheap for his minutes and matchup tonight. The Spurs get a favorable draw against a bad Portland team that allows the fourth-most FD points to opposing point guards.

Rookie guard Stephon Castle is out for the Spurs tonight, so Paul will likely take on even more ball-handling duties and absorb some of the usage left behind as well. San Antonio also won't have Keldon Johnson or Zach Collins, so it's possible that Coach Pop just tightens up the rotation and gives everyone some more minutes, especially since the Spurs don't play again until Sunday and then have three days off.

Norman Powell, LAC - SG/SF ($6,700)

I love this price on Powell, and while I know that he's a very scoring-dependent player, I still think he can crush this price tag in this spot.

Powell has been working his way back after missing a pretty big chunk of time in November. He finally got back to his usual 34 minutes in his last start against Houston after being limited in his first two games back.

One of those games was against Denver, where he dropped 28 actual points against them in just 24 minutes. He also scored 37 points against the Nuggets back in October. Norman just gets buckets, and the Nuggets defense has been atrocious. I like this game to be a close one and for the trio of Powell, James Harden, and Ivica Zubac to all put up some solid stats.

Others Under Consideration: Cameron Johnson - SF/PF ($6,800), Brandon Miller - SG/SF ($8,100)

 

FanDuel NBA DFS Tournament Pivots

Joel Embiid, PHI - C ($10,600)

Joel Embiid has missed most of the season so far, but he started Philadelphia's last game against Chicago and looked like his old self - posting 31 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, and two blocks on his way to 51.4 FD points.

Tonight he gets to face the Indiana Pacers and a familiar opponent in Myles Turner. Embiid had his way with Turner over the years, but here's a very recent sample of his last five starts against him going back two seasons.

Remember, AD is PF-eligible, so we could build some fun AD-Embiid lineups on FanDuel tonight. And Embiid's rostership will surely be held down by the fact that there are at least four to five other centers who will project well in their matchups, too.

James Harden, LAC – PG ($9,600)

Let's look back to the last time these two teams played just 12 days ago. Harden went off for 39 points and 11 assists on his way to 64 FD points. He had 23 points and 16 assists in their first matchup as well.

Harden saves his best performances for the biggest games this season, and his Clipper team will need him to go into beast mode as they are six-point underdogs against the Nuggets on the road. This game has some sneaky appeal for DFS, mainly on the LA side, and there should be enough value to fit Harden in with at least one other high-priced stud like Embiid or AD.

Vasilije Micic, CHA - PG/SG ($5,800)

Micic is coming off one of his best games as a starter for the Hornets this season. He dropped 18 points and 9 assists against the Pacers and now gets a matchup with a Bulls team that allows the most production to opposing point guards this season.

The Bulls have allowed the most assists to opposing point guards, which plays right into Micic's strength as a pass-first point guard. If Miles Bridges returns to the lineup, too, that will give Micic one more solid shooter/scorer to pass to in this one.

Others Under Consideration: Ivica Zubac - C ($7,200), Jarrett Allen (if Mobley is out) - PF/C ($7,500)

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FanDuel NBA DFS Value Picks

Jared Butler, WAS – SG ($4,300)

The Wizards are 17-point underdogs today, so I am not planning on too much exposure to this game, but Butler feels "blowout-proof" in this spot as he usually comes off the bench and is more likely to finish out a blowout than the starters. He had 27.5 FD points against Memphis, while his team lost that game by 28 points. Garbage time points count, too!

Nickeil Alexander-Walker, MIN - SG/SF ($4,400)

NAW has thrived in his "microwave" instant offense role off the bench for the Wolves. He had 19 points against the Warriors in his last game and had 15 points the last this team faced the Lakers. He has a low floor but is capable of 6x or better at this price when he's knocking down shots.

Jusuf Nurkic, PHO – C ($4,800)

Nurkic is set to return to the lineup tonight for the Suns (as is Kevin Durant) and regain his status as the starting center. He probably won't play more than 25 minutes, but that should be plenty for him at this price, especially considering that the Jazz allow the most FD points to opposing centers in the league.

Harrison Barnes, SAS – SF/PF ($4,400)

I already mentioned that Keldon Johnson is out tonight for the Spurs. I think that could boost Barnes's playing time a bit, and we've seen him pop off a few times already this year. He's a bit more risky than some other values, but there's simply not much value at the PF position tonight.

Others Under Consideration: Andrew Nembhard, IND - PG/SG ($4,700), Donte DiVincenzo - PG/SG ($4,500)

 

My Favorite NBA DFS Picks for Today

Here is where I leave you with some of my favorites.

  • My favorite OVERALL play on the slate: Anthony Davis
  • My favorite CASH play on the slate: Anthony Davis
  • My favorite GPP play on the slate: James Harden
  • My favorite VALUE play: Jusuf Nurkic


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REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Cal Raleigh

Continues Historic Homer Pace Tuesday
Jacob Wilson

Exits Early On Tuesday With Left Hand Contusion
Scottie Scheffler

Headlines Field at Genesis Scottish Open
Rory McIlroy

a Smart Play for Scottish Open
Adam Scott

Looking to Build on History at The Renaissance Club
NASCAR

Sepp Straka Not Likely to Find Momentum at Scottish Open
Justin Rose

Hopes Month Hiatus Helps Him Bounce Back at Scottish Open
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Confident in Texans Offensive Line
J.K. Dobbins

the Starter in Denver?
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Seahawks Release JT Woods
Darren Waller

Trade to Miami Becomes Official
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Dolphins Interested in Asante Samuel Jr.
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Seeking Return to NFL
Dak Prescott

Expects to be Full-Go for Training Camp
Ajay Mitchell

Posts 16 Points in Summer League Win on Monday
Milwaukee Bucks

Vasilije Micic Waived by Bucks
Brice Sensabaugh

Logs 37 points in Summer League Win on Monday
Luis Garcia

Fans Four in Rehab Outing
GG Jackson II

Collects 27 Points in Summer League Loss
Ace Bailey

Scores 18 Points in Summer League Victory
NHL

Tyler Johnson Retires After 13 NHL Seasons
Jack McBain

Inks New Five-Year Deal with Mammoth
Cam York

Re-Signs with Flyers for Five Years
Kobe Bufkin

Cleared for Summer League Action
Jake Knapp

Fits the Mold for Success at The Renaissance Club
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Vasilije Micic Agrees to Contract Buyout with Bucks
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Sungjae Im Still a Liability at Scottish Open
James Wiseman

Pacers Bring Back James Wiseman
Ludvig Aberg

is a Solid Option at Scottish Open
Tyrese Haliburton

to Miss Entire 2025-26 Campaign
Paolo Banchero

Signs Historic Five-Year Extension with Magic
Anthony Santander

Hoping to Hit Soon
Luis Robert Jr.

Returning in Short Order
Alex Bregman

Could Return Later This Week
Ketel Marte

Day-to-Day with Groin Tightness
Ty Gibbs

Finishes Second at Chicago and Advances in In-Season Challenge
Alex Bowman

Defeats Bubba Wallace in In-Season Challenge, but Not Without Controversy
Alex Bowman

Bubba Wallace Wrecked by Alex Bowman Again, Putting Playoffs in Doubt
Michael McDowell

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Austin Hill

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Tyler Reddick

Scores a Strong Third-Place Run at Chicago
Kyle Busch

Matches his Best Career Finish At Chicago on Sunday
Denny Hamlin

Fights his Way to a Top-5 Finish at Chicago
William Byron

has his Worst Weekend of the Season at Chicago
Hunter Greene

Suffers Setback on Monday
Kyle Lowry

Staying With 76ers
Kyle Anderson

Lands in Utah
Kevin Love

Traded to Jazz in 3-Team Swap
Norman Powell

Traded to Miami
John Collins

Dealt to Clippers
J.J. Spaun

Finishes Tied For 14 at Travelers Championship
Xander Schauffele

Finishes Tied For 61 at Travelers Championship
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Finishes Tied For Eighth at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Robert MacIntyre

Finishes Tied For 17 at Travelers Championship
Si Woo Kim

Finishes Tied For 11 at John Deere Classic
Viktor Hovland

Withdraws From Travelers Championship
Tommy Fleetwood

Finishes Tied For Second at Travelers Championship
Brian Campbell

Wins John Deere Classic
Bronny James Jr.

Scores 10 Points
Harrison Ingram

Limited on Sunday
Golden State Warriors

Isaiah Mobley Drops 16 Points
Ryan Rollins

Staying with Bucks
T.J. Watt

Pittsburgh Still Not Close on New Contract
Terry McLaurin

Still Not Pleased with Contract Situation
Sonny Milano

on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Yu Darvish

to Make Season Debut on Monday
MLB

Nationals Fire Dave Martinez, Mike Rizzo
Jakub Dobes

Signs Two-Year Deal with Canadiens
KaVontae Turpin

Arrested on Two Charges
Cole Ragans

to Begin Throwing on Monday
Theo Johnson

Prioritizing his Health this Offseason
Andrés Giménez

Andres Gimenez Hits 10-Day Injured List
Jermaine Burton

Continues to Show Growth
NHL

Hendrix Lapierre Signs One-Year Deal with Capitals
Carson Hocevar

Should DFS Players Consider Carson Hocevar for Chicago Lineups?
Tye Kartye

Kraken Re-Sign Tye Kartye for Two Years
Ross Chastain

May be A Decent DFS Option for Chicago Lineups
Dmitri Voronkov

Signs Two-Year, $8.35 Million Extension with Blue Jackets
Ryan Preece

Should DFS Players Roster Ryan Preece at Chicago?
Austin Dillon

Is Too Great of A Risk to Add to Chicago Lineups
Zane Smith

Is A Value Play Worth Rostering At Chicago
Austin Hill

is A Favorable Value Option for Chicago DFS Lineups
Ty Dillon

Is Ty Dillon A Decent Driver to Add For NASCAR DFS At Chicago?
William Byron

Qualifying Crash Makes William Byron a Likely DFS Must-Have
Alex Bowman

Should Finish Well, but Probably Costs Too Much for Serious DFS Consideration
Joey Logano

Has Been Relatively Mediocre on Road Courses Lately
Ryan Blaney

Doesn't Really Fit Neatly into Optimal DFS Lineups
Cam Ward

"Not Expecting" to be handed Starting Job
Chase Claypool

Eager to Get Back on the Field
Wyatt Langford

Activated, Playing on Saturday
Jay Huff

on the Move to Indiana
Cam Whitmore

Wizards Acquire Cam Whitmore from the Rockets
LaJohntay Wester

Stands out on Special Teams
Clarke Schmidt

Likely to Undergo Tommy John Surgery
Nolan Arenado

Scratched from Saturday's Lineup
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Starting on Saturday
Corbin Carroll

Activated from 10-Day Injured List
Cincinnati Bengals

Shemar Stewart, Bengals Continue Contract Talks, No Progress Made
Ha-Seong Kim

Removed Early During Season Debut
ARI

Christian Fischer Retires From NHL at 28
NHL

Spencer Martin Moves to Russia
WAS

Anthony Beauvillier Re-Signs With Capitals for Two Years
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Sitting Out With Foot Issue
Isaiah Neyor

Impresses at Minicamp
Bo Bichette

Back in Blue Jays Lineup
Miles Sanders

Works With Starters During Mandatory Minicamp
Chimere Dike

Titans Could Move Chimere Dike Inside
Keandre Lambert-Smith

KeAndre Lambert-Smith not Guaranteed Roster Spot
Anthony Bradford

Working Hard to Win Back Starting Job
Clarke Schmidt

Placed on Injured List
SJ

Sharks Claim Nick Leddy Off Waivers
SJ

Sharks Sign Dmitry Orlov to Two-Year, $13 Million Contract
CAR

Nikolaj Ehlers Joins Hurricanes on Six-Year Contract
COL

Brent Burns Inks One-Year Deal with Avalanche
STL

Blues Land Pius Suter on Two-Year Deal
Morgan Frost

Agrees to Two-Year Extension with Flames
WPG

Gustav Nyquist Moves to Winnipeg
Cody Glass

Devils Re-Sign Cody Glass to Two-Year Deal
PIT

Anthony Mantha Joins Penguins
RANKINGS
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