NBA DFS Picks for FanDuel, DraftKings - Pelicans vs. Lakers Thursday Night Showdown

Koby's top NBA DFS lineup picks for FanDuel, DraftKings - Pelicans vs. Lakers showdown slate on 12/7/2023. His Thursday Night NBA showdown advice.

Happy Thursday, RotoBallers! Welcome back to our weekly showdown. I feel like we have been here before, we have had the Lakers a lot this season and you would think that means we have their rotation down. With everyone finally healthy, it finally looks like we have a little more straightforward of a slate. At least I thought so. Looking into this one, it will be tricky as the studs are expensive and there is very little value that makes sense to play. A more balanced lineup might end up being the way to go in this one. That being said, let's dig into this tough slate.

I absolutely love playing the NBA showdowns daily, it has become one of my favorite forms of DFS. Nothing is more thrilling than having a lineup consisting of players from one game and sweating it out while watching it live. There is a lot less room for error though with there being fewer options to choose from. Hopefully, with all the advanced stats, I will be able to bring you the best analysis possible and get you some extra cash for the weekend ahead. So strap in as the season is just beginning and we will be here all year long. 

I will provide you with daily fantasy basketball picks on FanDuel and DraftKings for the Pelicans vs. Lakers NBA DFS showdown slate on December 7. These NBA DFS lineup picks can vary from higher-priced players and elite options to lower-priced players and value picks on both DraftKings and FanDuel. If you have any questions, you can follow me on Twitter/X @DFSKoby and please feel free to ask any questions about upcoming slates as I'm happy to answer any DMs or in our RotoBaller Discord!

MVP/Captain Plays

Anthony Davis- PF/C, $15,000 (DK), $17,000 (FD)

Key Stats

• 2023 Avg. Season Stats: 23.0 points, 3.1 assists, 12.6 rebounds with a combined 3.8 STOCK average.

I hate sounding like a broken record but Anthony Davis has one of the best matchups on this entire slate as the Pelicans are giving up the fourth-most fantasy points to centers so far this season. It makes sense that he is one of the top options on this slate. I believe he is a must-have as the difference in price between him and LeBron is minimal. Davis has not only a solid floor this season but he could push 70+ fantasy points in this matchup. He has averaged 52 fantasy points per game this season and I don't see any signs of stopping. I'm fully expecting at the bare minimum a 60+ fantasy point performance from him tonight.

Brandon Ingram- SF, $13,200 (DK), $14,000 (FD)

Key Stats

• 2023 Avg. Season Stats: 23.7 points, 5.3 assists, 5.3 rebounds with a combined 1.0 STOCK average

On the other side of things, Brandon Ingram has been on quite the run as of recently. He has scored 33+ fantasy points in 11 of his last 12 games. This is even with CJ McCollum back and this Pelicans team being pretty much completely healthy. He is coming off a monster game on Monday against Sacramento where he finished with almost 50 fantasy points! The matchup, however, is a bit tough. I assume either LeBron or Cam Reddish will be the one guarding him and the Lakers have been tough on SFs this year. However, I like to think of this as a bit of a revenge game for BI and that he will come guns blazing. In his last two matchups against the Lakers, he has finished with 43.2 and 28.5 fantasy points. If we can get close to that 40+, I'll take it as a win.

Other Captains/MVPs: LeBron James, CJ McCollum

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DFS Flex Plays

CJ McCollum- SG, $8,400 (DK), $13,000 (FD)

CJ has been going crazy since returning from his collapsed lung, and he has had 38, 40, and 39 fantasy points in those three games back. His defensive prowess has been on another level lately as he has averaged three-plus blocks and steals in those three games. The Lakers are a little lacking when it comes to guarding PG/SGs as well and they give up the eighth-most fantasy points to them in the league. I love him as a sleeper option for Captain as well as he can make building your lineups specifically on DraftKings a bit easier. He is a high-end flex option but I think he should have a spot in lineups.

D'Angelo Russell- SG/SF, $7,000 (DK), $11,000 (FD)

D'Lo can be very reliant on his shooting, and if he doesn't have that going, it can be a problem for fantasy owners. But with the slate being as top-heavy as it is, this is a perfect spot to get a balanced lineup going and I believe they begin with a fairly cheaper option in D'Lo. He is 7K on DK and 11K on FD. He is coming off a pretty bad performance in Tuesday's game against the Suns but besides that, it seems like an anomaly. He has averaged 32+ fantasy points per game this season and is typically the guy bringing it up the court. Therefore, he can get his fantasy points in assists as well as points. I think this is going to be an overlooked spot after one poor performance from him.

Other Flex Options: Herbert Jones, Austin Reaves

DFS Value Plays

Taurean Prince- SF/PF, $4,600 (DK), $7,000 (FD)

This is how you know there isn't much value on the slate. I would rarely recommend Taurean Prince to anyone, but in the case you are desperate for value, he is an option. The minutes are there for him as he averages about 26 minutes per game but the issue is he isn't doing much with those minutes.

He has a few 25+ fantasy point games but he is very reliant on getting those threes to land. And if it isn't landing early, it can be an issue. The problem with the Lakers is they are so loaded at the forward position that it can be anyone's night. Cam Reddish, Rui Hachimura, and even Jarred Vanderbilt are beginning to get some minutes. Prince and Reddish are probably the safest due to their minutes but taking any of them can be a risk at any given night.

Trey Murphy III- SF, $5,400 (DK), $9,000 (FD)

This is a bit high-end for value but it fits better on DraftKings. Trey Murphy is back from injury and looks to be their consistent bench threat. He finished 30 minutes in his most recent game so it looks like he will be their sixth man. He played great last season and looks like he is on to a full workload now. This makes him a great option against a susceptible Lakers bench. He has had 29 and 22 fantasy points in his first two games back; hopefully with the increase in minutes, his usage will increase as well. It is a bit of a risk with such a low sample size, but with how few options there are for value, we take what we can get.

Other Value Plays: Naji Marshall, Rui Hachimura

Have a great night and let's make some cash!

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