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Free daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for today's slate on DraftKings and FanDuel. Use Kyle Ringstad's NBA DFS expert picks to building winning DFS lineups on October 27th, 2024.
It’s great to be back in the swing of things in the NBA, RotoBallers. In these articles, I focus on the top plays, traditionally geared toward cash games. However, with over a decade of NBA DFS experience under my belt—and as someone who rarely dives into cash formats—I'm selecting picks that also typically come with high upside. That means they offer the steady floor needed for cash games while packing the high ceiling we need for tournaments.
We have matching four-game slates on each site starting at 6:00 PM ET tonight. We could see some blowouts as each game has a spread of at least 6.5 points, but this slate is loaded with stars and exciting head-to-head matchups. The ATL-OKC and MIL-BKN matchups are grading out the best from a game environment standpoint, each featuring high implied totals and the fastest projected pace. Most of the appeal will be on the Thunder and Bucks side of things, but there will be pieces we need to pay attention to scattered across each team in action tonight.
The key to succeeding in NBA DFS is making adjustments during the day as injury information becomes available. But it's always essential to have a game plan and zero in on the best players and spots before making those adjustments. To keep up with all the latest developments and get access to updated projections, grab an NBA season pass and access our RotoBaller Premium Discord, where @chiefjustice6 is talking about the slate up until lineups lock!
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Today's NBA DFS Core Picks
Here is a look at some of the higher-priced players we can use as building blocks for cash and GPP contests.
It feels odd, but I will prioritize Trae Young over SGA in their head-to-head matchup. They're the same price on DraftKings, but Young has displayed a higher ceiling (71.5 DK points on 10/25) and has a more straightforward path to achieving it again. SGA has Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren getting opportunities; Young has Jalen Johnson. Both Young and SGA feel underpriced on DraftKings.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is the highest-priced player on the slate. While I won't be fading him in a favorable matchup against the Nets, I gravitate toward Trae and a more balanced build on this four-game slate. Value is a little tricky, so I'll pivot off the Greek Freak unless we get some players unexpectedly sitting.
My other favorites are James Harden, Zion Williamson, and Chet Holgrem. Holmgren is the priority of the three because he's underpriced and in a winnable matchup against Atlanta, but I love Zion facing off against a vulnerable Portland frontcourt.
- Trae Young, ATL @ OKC - PG ($9,700 DK; $10,000 FD)
- Chet Holmgren, OKC vs. ATL - PF/C ($7,700 DK; $8,500 FD)
- Zion Williamson, NOP vs. POR - PF/C ($8,700 DK; $9,200 FD)
Today's NBA DFS Value Picks
This is where we talk about saving salary. Whether it's a severely underpriced backup or even as simple as a guy playing like someone who should be priced higher, this is where you'll find guys who make lineups work.
Sorting the best value picks of the day by fantasy points per dollar, excluding players priced $7,000 or higher:
Dyson Daniels remains underpriced despite his incredible start, and he'll be a staple of many lineups tonight. Dennis Schroder, De'Andre Hunter, Ivica Zubac, and Scoot Henderson are value plays with appealing potential ceilings.
Jordan Hawkins, Taurean Price, Bobby Portis, Cameron Johnson, and Gary Trent Jr. are the less-exciting value options that I am currently interested in.
Top Value Plays:
- Dyson Daniels, ATL @ OKC - PG/SG ($5,100 DK; $6,100 FD) DraftKings Preferred
- Dennis Schroder, BKN vs. MIL - PG ($5,700 DK; $6,000 FD)
- De'Andre Hunter, ATL @ OKC - SF/PF ($4,900 DK) DraftKings Only
- Ivica Zubac, LAC @ GSW - C ($6,500 DK; $6,500 FD)
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Today's NBA DFS Picks: Point Guard
I don't love relying on scoring-reliant players in DFS, but Trae Young has been productive across the board through two games as the clear focal point in Atlanta. He put up 59.25 and 71.5 DK points, averaging 11 assists, 6.5 rebounds, and three 'stocks' per game heading into a matchup with OKC. The Thunder have been stellar at defending PGs and rank #2 in defensive Effective FG% and 3PT%, but they're playing in the second half of a back-to-back and have faced weaker 3PT shooting teams in the Bulls and Nuggets. Young should be priced around 10.5k or 11k based on how he has started the season.
James Harden and Stephen Curry can always be mixed in, and their head-to-head matchup should be fascinating, but they won't be priorities for me because of how this slate is shaking out. Mid-tier options Dyson Daniels and Scoot Henderson are my other PG targets, unless we get news that Giannis is sitting.
Daniels has been stellar, averaging 35.3 DK PPG while contributing a ton of steals (3.5 per game) and blocks (1.5 per game). Henderson is averaging 31.1 DK PPG over 28.5 minutes per game to start the season, but what's appealing here is his high 27% usage rate on a team that needs it.
Top PG Options:
- Trae Young, ATL @ OKC, PG ($9,700 DK; $10,000 FD)
- Dyson Daniels, ATL vs. OKC, PG/SG ($5,100 DK; $6,100 FD)
- James Harden, LAC vs. GSW, PG ($9,300 DK; $9,300 FD)
- Scoot Henderson, POR vs. NOP, PG ($5,300 DK; $6,200 FD)
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Shooting Guard
I like Zion the most from the Pelicans' trio, but CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram are also great targets on this slate. They fit the 'balanced' build with sub-$8,000 pricing on DraftKings, and the matchup is favorable against a Portland team ranked last in FPPG allowed. Ingram is my preferred target, as the Trail Blazers allow the third-most FPPG to SFs, and his all-around game gives him a higher floor and ceiling.
Hawkins is another Pelican in an excellent spot to provide value tonight. He's averaging 29 DK PPG over 28.5 MPG this season, and he's getting a lot of shots up. Norman Powell has shown some upside on the short-handed Clippers, while I am also interested in veterans Andrew Wiggins and Buddy Hield. Cason Wallace is a decent dart throw, as he put up 25.5 DK points over 29 minutes in his last outing.
Top SG Options:
- Brandon Ingram, NOP @ POR ($7,900 DK; $8,200 FD)
- Jordan Hawkins, NOP @ POR ($4,200 DK; $4,800 FD)
- Norman Powell, LAC @ GSW ($5,800 DK; $5,700 FD)
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Small Forward
De'Andre Hunter is underpriced. He's sub-$5,000 despite putting up 40.25 DK points in his latest game, and he's projecting for 32 minutes tonight. He's a plug-and-play value on this slate.
Jalen Williams has been a mixed bag through two games, but he also feels a little underpriced. He holds the second-highest usage rate on the team at 24%, and his 1.2 FPTs/min average is enough to get it done in this potential smash spot against the Hawks. The rest of the options are ugly, but we can play Ingram, Wiggins, Powell, and Hield in this spot.
Top SF Options:
- De'Andre Hunter, ATL @ OKC ($4,900 DK; $5,600 FD)
- Jalen Williams, OKC vs. ATL ($7,300 DK; $7,500 FD)
- Cameron Johnson, OKC vs. ATL ($5,200 DK; $5,200 FD)
- Taurean Prince, MIL @ BKN ($4,000 DK; $5,000 FD) DraftKings Only dart-throw
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Power Forward
Chet Holmgren is my primary target at power forward. He flashed his upside with 62.5 DK points in the season debut, and he followed it up with 47.5 DK points in just 29 minutes in his second game. His ceiling is massive in this spot against the Hawks, and he feels severely underpriced.
I'm not sure I like the value enough to get to Giannis on this slate, but he works if you want to go the stars-and-scrubs route. As mentioned above, Zion Williamson is my favorite Pelicans star to get to on this slate. He nearly reached 50 DK points against Portland despite shooting 4-for-15 and playing just 29 minutes, and he gets the same glorious matchup again tonight. Jerami Grant, Bobby Portis, and Jalen Johnson are my other PF targets who don't qualify at SF.
Top PF Options:
- Chet Holmgren, OKC vs. ATL ($7,700 DK; $8,500 FD)
- Zion Williamson, NOP @ POR ($8,200 DK; $9,400 FD) DraftKings Preferred
- Bobby Portis, MIL @ BKN ($5,700 DK; $5,600 FD)
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Center
It's Ivica Zubac for me. He's only $6,500 even though he's playing massive minutes and has 35.25 and 50.75 DK points through two outings. The Warriors don't have much of a frontcourt - I can't see Draymond Green and Trayce Jackson-Davis stopping him from snagging all of the rebounds. Deandre Ayton also looks good against the subpar New Orleans bigs, but he's more expensive than Zubac, and I think Zubac outscores him tonight.
Brook Lopez is a little sneaky. He's not cheap, but he showed what he can do with 39.5 DK points against the 76ers on 10/23, and Brooklyn allows the eighth-most FPPG to Cs. Onyeka Okongwu is also interesting, as he has a high potential ceiling against a Thunder frontcourt that has allowed the most FPPG to Cs this season.
Top C Options:
- Ivica Zubac, LAC @ GSW ($6,500 DK; $6,500 FD)
- Deandre Ayton, POR vs. NOP ($6,900 DK; $6,700 FD)
Today's Top NBA DFS Game Stacks
- Hawks @ Thunder (o/u 228.5)
- Bucks @ Nets (o/u 231.5)
Today's Top NBA DFS Avoids
Ben Simmons is popping as a top value in the optimizers and is projecting to be the second-most popular player, but I will stay away at his current salary. He hasn't exceeded 23.25 DK points or 24 minutes played in either game this season, and I don't love the matchup against Giannis and the Bucks. Damian Lillard and Stephen Curry are two other studs I'm not getting to as they just don't fit my lineup builds, and I like other guys in their price range (Young, Harden, Zion).
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: Trae Young
- My favorite CASH play on the slate: Ivica Zubac
- My favorite GPP play on the slate: Zion Williamson
- My favorite value play: Dyson Daniels
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