X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

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!

Featured Promo: Get any DFS Premium Bundle for for 50% off using code SUMMER! 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!

 

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

 

Want more NBA DFS tools and content? Check out our premium daily content from proven winner, Will Priester! 

Grab an NBA season pass and get access to our daily projections, optimizer, and Will's personal picks and advice. Use promo code THUNDERDAN at checkout to save 10%

 

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!



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy basketball mobile app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, lineup notifications & DFS articles. All free!

More Weekly DFS Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Pete Crow-Armstrong

Homers Twice, Drives in Three
Brice Matthews

Joining Astros
MLB

White Sox-Guardians Postponed on Thursday
Brandon Aiyuk

Likely to Begin Season on PUP List, but Not Ruled Out for Week 1
Jameson Williams

Not in the Team's Long-Term Plans?
Tallison Teixeira

Set For His First UFC Main Event
Micah Parsons

Plans to be Present for Start of Training Camp
Derrick Lewis

Set To Headline UFC Nashville
Ikem Ekwonu

Next Up for Extension in Carolina?
Jalen Thompson

Heading into Last Year With Cardinals?
Gabriel Bonfim

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Najee Harris

Suffers Eye Injury in Fireworks Mishap
Stephen Thompson

Returns At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Calvin Kattar

In Dire Need Of Victory
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere A Favorite At UFC Nashville
Nate Landwehr

Aims To Bounce Back
MMA

Austen Lane Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Vitor Petrino

Set For His Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Set To Open Up UFC Nashville Main Card
Junior Tafa

Set For Light-Heavyweight Bout
Alex Bregman

Will Return to Red Sox This Weekend
Chris Sale

Braves Won't Consider Trading Chris Sale
Clarke Schmidt

to Undergo Season-Ending Elbow Surgery on Friday
Nick Nash

Unlikely to Make Falcons Active Roster
Lane Johnson

in No Rush To Retire
Jalen Williams

Signs Contract Extension With Thunder
Blake Corum

has "Gotten His Speed Back"
Jarquez Hunter

Picking Up Rams Offense Quickly
Alijah Martin

Agrees to Two-Way Deal With Raptors
Tristan Vukcevic

Set to Return to Washington
Kirk Cousins

Feels Misled by Falcons
Bijan Robinson

Says Falcons Have "Outlandish Goals" for the Running Game
Luther Burden III

Bears Expect Luther Burden III to be Ready for Training Camp
Cole Kmet

an Unlikely Trade Piece
Tony Pollard

Titans Hope to Balance Rushing Attack With Tony Pollard, Tyjae Spears
Byron Buxton

Sitting Thursday
Quentin Johnston

Not Assured of Starting Role
Cordarrelle Patterson

on the Roster Bubble in Pittsburgh?
Shedeur Sanders

Not Assured of Roster Spot in Cleveland?
Wan'Dale Robinson

Hoping For More Downfield Opportunities
Anfernee Simons

Celtics Are "Actively Trying to Trade" Anfernee Simons
NBA

Alex Ducas Heading to Australia
Dominick Barlow

Inks Two-Way Deal With 76ers
Jordan McLaughlin

Spurs Re-Sign Jordan McLaughlin to One-Year Deal
Dylan Harper

Out Thursday, Expected to Play Saturday
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Homers Twice on Wednesday
Mike Trout

Homers Twice in Win Over Rangers
Jazz Chisholm Jr.

Leads Yankees to Victory
Salvador Perez

Crushes Two Homers in Win
Cleveland Browns

Greg Newsome on the Trade Block?
VJ Edgecombe

Diagnosed with a Sprained Thumb
Zach Tom

An Extension Candidate in Green Bay
Devin Booker

Agrees to Extension with Phoenix
Trevor Williams

to Undergo Season-Ending Elbow Surgery
Byron Buxton

Exits After Hit-by-Pitch, X-Rays Negative
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Playing on Wednesday
Alex Bregman

has "Really Good Chance" to Return Before All-Star Break
Teoscar Hernández

Teoscar Hernandez Expected to Return on Friday
Walter Clayton Jr.

Leads Jazz to Summer League Win
Carter Bryant

Struggles in Summer League Loss
Kyle Filipowski

Drops a Double-Double in Summer League Action on Tuesday
Oklahoma City Thunder

Malevy Leons Logs Impressive Summer League Outing on Tuesday
Dalton Knecht

Collects 25 Points in Lakers Summer League Win
Los Angeles Lakers

Darius Bazley Drops 27 Points in Summer League on Tuesday
Gary Woodland

Looking to Find Rhythm at Scottish Open
Aaron Rai

Brings Consistent Play to Scottish Open
Maverick McNealy

a Solid Value Play at Scottish Open
Aldrich Potgieter

Making Scottish Open Debut
Tom Kim

Looks to Rebound at Scottish Open
Brian Harman

a Safe Option at Scottish Open
Luke Clanton

a Sneaky Value Play at Scottish Open
Sam Burns

Looking to Stay Hot at Scottish Open
Chet Holmgren

Agrees to Rookie Max Extension
Alex Bregman

Not Returning Wednesday
Jhoan Duran

Unavailable Due to Illness
Shane McClanahan

Tosses Clean Frame in First Rehab Appearance
Jacob Wilson

Day-to-Day After HBP
Nicolai Hojgaard

May Feel More at Home in Europe
Harry Hall

Showing Fine Form Heading to Scotland
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. to be Reassessed Wednesday
Ryan Fox

Playing Well Since Early Spring Struggles
Malaki Branham

Traded to Washington
Max Greyserman

has Solid History at the Genesis Scottish Open
Blake Wesley

Moves to Washington
Harris English

Aims High for Scotland Next
Corey Conners

Primed for the Genesis Scottish Open
Kelly Olynyk

on the Move Again
Daniel Brown

Attempts the Scottish Swing Again
Anthony Davis

Recovering From Eye Surgery
Jacob Bridgeman

Needs Putter to Work at Genesis Scottish Open
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
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
Jake Knapp

Fits the Mold for Success at The Renaissance Club
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

Throttle Failure Ends Michael McDowell's Chances to Win at Chicago
Austin Hill

Earns First NASCAR Cup Series Top Ten at Chicago
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
Sonny Milano

on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Jakub Dobes

Signs Two-Year Deal with Canadiens
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