There's only one game on the slate tonight, but it's a fun one between the Knicks and Raptors as the major pieces of last year's midseason trade square off. Unfortunately, Immanuel Quickley is still on the shelf for Toronto, but OG Anunoby and R.J. Barrett are shining brightly for their new teams (and may even guard each other!).
As you'll see in the article below, the Knicks should be your main focus as they play one of the tightest rotations in basketball (and it would get even tighter if Karl-Anthony Towns were to sit). If playing mixed multi-entry GPPs, building multiple iterations with various Toronto players around a Knicks core is the way to run this.
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 12/9/24. Remember to monitor NBA injury news and our awesome NBA injuries report tool, as the slate can completely change before lineups lock at 8:30 p.m. EDT on FanDuel and DraftKings. Good luck, RotoBallers!
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Today's NBA DFS Core Picks (Captain/MVP/STAR)
Scottie Barnes is the most expensive player on the slate, but it's not without good reason. Since returning from injury, Barnes is averaging 21.8 PPG, 9.1 RPG, and 8.6 APG while posting a 27.3% usage rate and 39.9% assist rate. He has four games over 58 DK points in that span, and the Knicks are 19th in defensive efficiency this year.
Jalen Brunson is in an elite play anyway and would be potentially the best captain on the slate if Karl-Anthony Towns were to miss his second consecutive game tonight. Brunson is quietly putting up NBA MVP-caliber numbers (at least he would be if Nikola Jokic didn't exist), and his efficiency is way up from last year.
Brunson is outplaying Boston superstar Jayson Tatum in almost every stat across the board and is doing so with a 2% less usage rate.
Jalen Brunson vs Jayson Tatum in 2024:
JB JT
PTS: 28.9 27.3
REB: 3.2 8.3
AST: 7.4 5.4
TOV: 2.4 2.5
FG%: 49% 46%
3P%: 39% 38%
FT%: 86% 83%
+/- : +620 +572 pic.twitter.com/qfF79CXXiY— KnicksMuse (@KnicksMuse) December 8, 2024
Toronto is 23rd in overall defensive efficiency and has allowed the fifth most assists per game this year.
Karl-Anthony Towns is in a smash spot tonight as long as he plays (he's currently questionable with right knee patellar tendinopathy). Toronto has been gutted by the center position all season, allowing the third most FPPG to the position and the third-highest FG% within six feet of the rim. KAT is averaging a robust 51.0 DK PPG on a 28.3% usage rate. If he's in with no restrictions, he's a strong bet for the highest scorer on the slate.
Top Captain's Spot/MVP Plays:
- Scottie Barnes, TOR vs NYK - PG/SF ($17,100 DK; $16,500 FD)
- Jalen Brunson, NYK @ TOR - PG ($15,900 DK; $14,500 FD)
- Karl-Anthony Towns, NYK @ TOR - C ($16,800 DK, $15,000 FD)
ALSO CONSIDER: R.J. Barrett, TOR vs NYK ($15,000 DK; $13,000 FD)
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Today's NBA DFS Value Picks (Utility/PRO)
Has there been a more impactful trade for the Knicks than Josh Hart? Think about it. They gave up Cam Reddish and a first-rounder and then signed him to an incredibly team-friendly contract afterward. Even with the addition of Karl-Anthony Towns, Hart is averaging 13.9 PPG, 8.7 RPG, and 5.9 APG on 60%/40%/87% shooting.
Hart is once again a minute monster under Coach Thibs, averaging 37.3 MPG, giving him a sky-high floor/ceiling combo.
Speaking of minutes, let's take a second to talk about Mikal Bridges. He's leading the league in MPG at 38.2 and is finally starting to get more acclimated into the Knicks' offense. In December, Bridges is averaging 22.3 PPG on 55% FG and 41% 3PT and is a +100. The pace boost suits Bridges' 3-and-D style of play as well, and his $7,400 DK price tag is great.
Sorry to get all Knick-happy on you (I promise my fandom is not getting in the way), but OG Anunoby seems like a borderline must here as well. From a narrative perspective, this is a prime chance to bring OG into Toronto and show the Raptors exactly what they gave up.
From a stats perspective, Anunoby is living up to every penny of his new contract so far, with career highs across the board in all offensive categories. In addition, he's still doing what he does as a disruption on the defensive end, with 23 combined steals and blocks (and a +64) over the past five games. Toronto is ninth in pace and fourth in turnover rate, so OG can rack 'em up here.
Top Utility/PRO Plays:
- Josh Hart, NYK @ TOR - SF/PF ($8,400 DK; $11,500 FD)
- Mikal Bridges, NYK @ TOR - SG/SF ($7,400 DK; $10,000 FD)
- OG Anunoby, NYK @ TOR - SF/PF ($7,600 DK; $10,500 FD)
ALSO CONSIDER: Precious Achiuwa, NYK @ TOR ($4,800 DK; $9,000 FD) - if Towns sits
Davion Mitchell, TOR vs NYK ($2,800 DK; $7,000 FD)
Today's Top NBA DFS Avoids
- Kelly Olynyk made the most out of his first game, averaging 1.71 FPPM. However, his minutes floor just isn't there yet as he ramps back up. Even if he gets to 20 minutes, it's too much to pay $6,600 for with the hope that he's as efficient as he was against Dallas.
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: Jalen Brunson
- My favorite CASH play on the slate: Josh Hart
- My favorite GPP play on the slate: Jakob Poeltl
- My favorite value play: OG Anunoby
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