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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 a relatively unexciting four-game NBA slate on tap tonight, but that doesn't mean we can't make some money. The Lakers, Kings, Spurs, Pelicans, and Raptors are playing in the second half of a back-to-back set, so we could see some players get scratched as we move throughout the day. The Celtics and Kings are set up for success in their matchups, but we'll need to dig through each team to see what we can utilize for our DFS lineups 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!
This article will provide my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 11/16/24. Remember to monitor NBA injury news and our excellent NBA injuries report tool, as the slate can completely change before lineups lock at 8:00 p.m. EST on FanDuel and DraftKings. Good luck, RotoBallers!
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.
On tonight's slate, Luka Doncic, Anthony Davis, and Victor Wembanyama are my picks at the high end of the salary pool. Doncic is the priority due to his unmatched floor and ceiling. However, compared to pricing, De'Aaron Fox is my favorite play on the slate. He's far too cheap for his form, as he has exceeded the 43 DK points he needs for 5x value in three of his last four games. He put up an astonishing 82.25 DK points last night, and tonight's opponent (Utah) allows the third-most fantasy points per game to PGs.
- De'Aaron Fox, SAC vs. UTA - PG ($8,600 DK; $8,700 FD)
- Luka Doncic, DAL vs. SAS - PG ($11,300 DK; $11,400 FD)
- Anthony Davis, LAL @ NOP - C ($10,600 DK; $11,000 FD)
- Victor Wembanyama, SAS @ DAL - C ($11,100 DK; $8,800 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 for players priced at $6,000 or less:
Value is a little scarce, which is expected on a four-game slate. We may see some players pop as teams decide to give some rest days, but this is what we're working with right now. John Collins stands out as one of the best values on tonight's slate, but he's more of a core "mid-range" play at his salary.
Trey Murphy III is underpriced in his return to the Pelicans lineup. His minutes have increased in the three games played, and he put up 33.5 DK points over 30 minutes last night against the Nuggets. He should push for more minutes in this one with New Orleans as shorthanded as they are, and the matchup is great as the Lakers allow the fifth-most fantasy points per game to SFs this season.
After Murphy III, we have a group of less-inspiring options, as guys like Trey Lyles, Kevin Huerter, and Jordan Clarkson must be mixed in. Huerter and Clarkson are my picks, and they are both "microwave scorer" types who could get hot and crush value in their bench roles.
Top Value Plays:
- Trey Murphy III, NOP vs. LAL - SF/PF ($5,600 DK; $5,600 FD)
- Kevin Huerter, SAC vs. UTA - SG/SF ($5,500 DK; $5,100 FD)
- Jordan Clarkson, UTA @ SAC - SG ($5,100 DK) DraftKings Only
FanDuel values: Davion Mitchell, Neemias Queta, Jaylyn Nowell, Kyle Filipowski
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Today's NBA DFS Picks: Point Guard
There are only three options for me at point guard tonight. I've already covered that De'Aaron Fox and Luka Doncic are my favorite plays on the slate, so let's talk about Derrick White. White has been consistently great all year, exceeding 31 DK points in every game until their most recent one against the Nets.
Boston blew them out, so White only played 22 minutes and scored 18 DK points. That's a legitimate concern tonight, as the Celtics are favored by 16.5 points at home against the Raptors, but I'm still willing to mix him in if this game stays somewhat competitive.
Top PG Options:
- De'Aaron Fox, SAC vs. UTA ($8,600 DK; $8,700 FD)
- Luka Doncic, DAL vs. SAS ($11,300 DK; $11,400 FD)
- Derrick White, BOS vs. TOR ($7,000 DK; $7,400 FD)
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Shooting Guard
Kevin Huerter is my choice at SG tonight. He has been wildly inconsistent this season, scoring 43.5 DK points one night and dropping 15.75 DK points the next. However, Malik Monk remains out, and we may see Domantas Sabonis and/or DeMar DeRozan inactive for tonight's matchup against the Jazz. If either sits, Huerter will see a boost in minutes, usage rate, and FPTS/min against one of the more vulnerable defenses in the league.
Jaylen Brown looks excellent in this matchup, but he has the aforementioned blowout risk concerns and is too expensive to fit my preferred lineup build. Jordan Clarkson, Derrick White, and Collin Sexton are my other targets here, but I expect to get heavy exposure to Huerter.
Top SG Options:
- Kevin Huerter, SAC vs. UTA $5,500 DK; $5,100 FD)
- Jordan Clarkson, UTA @ SAC ($5,100 DK)
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Small Forward
It's Trey Murphy III here, all day and all night long. He's not a high-usage player, but he has had to step up as a primary scoring option on a team with only Brandon Ingram and Brandon Boston Jr. as legitimate threats. He's 6-for-22 (27%) from deep so far, so if he can get his shot to fall, he will crush value at this salary.
DeMar DeRozan is in a great spot to flourish tonight against the Jazz, but he's questionable with a back injury. I will fade him and pivot to Jaylen Brown in his salary range. I'm not rushing to play anyone else at this position, but I expect we will see the board change as players get ruled out leading up to lock.
Top SF Options:
- Trey Murphy III, NOP vs. LAL ($5,600 DK; $5,600 FD)
- Jaylen Brown, BOS vs. TOR ($7,900 DK) DraftKings Only
- RJ Barrett, TOR @ BOS ($8,400 DK; $7,500 FD) FanDuel Preferred
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Power Forward
We have great plays at each price range for the power forward position. John Collins is among my top plays on the slate, as he's at a solid mid-range price and has exploded with Walker Kessler out of the lineup. He's playing the position he should be playing now (center), and has put up games with 46.25, 57.5, and 55.25 DK points over his last five contests. He could also be looking at a matchup against a Sabonis-less Kings frontcourt tonight.
Kyle Filopowski is the pick on the "value" side of things. He has also stepped up in Kessler's absence, averaging a robust 28.5 DK points over his last three games. He will likely remain a starter with Kessler out again tonight. Lastly, I won't stop anyone from getting to Jayson Tatum or LeBron James. They aren't guys I'll prioritize tonight, but they can be core plays on any given slate due to their potential upside.
Top PF Options:
- John Collins, UTA @ SAC ($6,800 DK; $6,800 FD)
- Kyle Filipowski, UTA @ SAC ($4,900 DK; $4,600 FD)
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Center
We can also play Collins and Filipowski at center, so I will do that with value as rough as it is on this slate. I'd be happy to get to Anthony Davis if we get some value opening up. He put up a monster 65.5 DK point game last night, and he could hit an even higher ceiling against an overmatched Pelicans frontcourt tonight.
Top C Options:
- John Collins, UTA @ SAC ($6,800 DK; $6,800 FD)
- Kyle Filipowski, UTA @ SAC ($4,900 DK; $4,600 FD)
- Anthony Davis, LAL @ NOP ($10,600 DK; $11,000 FD)
Today's Top NBA DFS Game Stacks
- Raptors @ Celtics (o/u 229)
- Spurs @ Mavericks (o/u 229.5)
Today's Top NBA DFS Avoids
I'm not too fond of Sabonis in this spot, even if he plays. He needs 49.5 DK points to reach 5x value, and he has only exceeded that mark once over his last six games. He's more likely to put up somewhere between 35 and 45 DK points, which won't get the job done at his salary.
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: De'Aaron Fox
- My favorite CASH play on the slate: De'Aaron Fox
- My favorite GPP play on the slate: Victor Wembanyama
- My favorite value play: John Collins / Trey Murphy III
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