NBA DFS: Top Daily Fantasy Expert Picks for DraftKings, FanDuel (11/30/24)

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.

Let's make some money on the final day of November. FanDuel has a five-game slate that includes the ATL-CHA matchup, while DraftKings only has the final four games. The DAL-UTA game is the top matchup to target in daily fantasy contests but has a slower projected pace. We'll be getting players from the remaining matchups, though the PHI-DET game isn't very appealing on the surface. Still, we'll have to keep a close eye on injury news as players like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, and Steph Curry are questionable.

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 11/30/24. Remember to monitor NBA injury news and our excellent NBA injuries report tool, as the slate can completely change before lineups lock at 7:00 p.m. EST on DraftKings and 6:00 p.m. EST on FanDuel. 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.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kyrie Irving are the top plays on the slate as long as Giannis is ruled in and Luka Doncic (D) remains inactive. No one on this slate can touch the ceiling that Giannis can achieve, and he's in excellent form with games of 73.5 and 97.5 DK points over his last six outings. Kyrie Irving hasn't been hitting the mega-ceiling games that we know he has in him, but his upside is as high as anyone not named Giannis with Doncic out of the lineup.

If Giannis doesn't play, we have to keep firing up the tried and true Damian Lillard. Lillard put up 66.25 DK points without Giannis last game, and tonight's matchup against the Jazz is glorious. The game holds the highest implied total on the slate at 233.5 points, and the Jazz allow the third-most fantasy points per game overall and to PGs.

1. Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL vs. WAS - PF/C ($12,000 DK; $11,800 FD)
2. Kyrie Irving, DAL @ UTA, PG/SG ($9,700 DK; $8,900 FD)
3. Tyrese Maxey, PHI @ DET, PG ($8,000 DK; $8,700 FD)
4. PJ Washington, DAL @ UTA, PF ($7,000 DK; $7,400 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:

This is a brutal value board as it currently stands. We don't want to have to play Spencer Dinwiddie, but that's shaping up to be the case. He's far too cheap with Doncic and Klay Thompson expected out tonight. Dinwiddie is in incredible form, posting 29.75, 32.75, and 41.25 DK points over his recent three-game stretch sans Doncic. He's a guy we must play despite being projected as one of the most popular picks.

Keyonte George and Tyus Jones are two additional substantial value plays tonight, but they both play the same position as Dinwiddie. I'd mix and match all three, while we can also get to Jonathan Kuminga, Kyshawn George, Naji Marshall, and Jonas Valanciunas as lineup-filling options.

Top Value Plays:

1. Spencer Dinwiddie, DAL @ UTA, PG ($4,300 DK) DraftKings Only
2. Keyonte George, UTA v. DAL - PG ($5,900 DK; $6,000 FD)
3. Quentin Grimes, DAL @ UTA - SG/SF ($4,500 DK; $5,000 FD)
4. Tyus Jones, PHX vs. GSW - PG ($5,600 DK) DraftKings Only

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Today's NBA DFS Picks: Point Guard

Dinwiddie, Kyrie, Lillard, and Keyonte George have already been covered as core and value plays, so let's check out what's going on elsewhere. Jordan Poole profiles as a strong play on both sites, but he's far too inconsistent for my tastes, and I don't see his ceiling coming anywhere close to Lillard's or Kyrie's.

Tyrese Maxey is the final piece to consider, though he's expensive enough that it will be nearly impossible to fit him with two more studs in a lineup. He's worth shots, though, because he does have a 60-70+ DK point upside with Joel Embiid out of the lineup.

Top PG Options:

1. Damian Lillard, MIL vs. WAS ($9,500 DK; $9,400 FD) (If Giannis is out)
2. Kyrie Irving, DAL @ UTA ($9,700 DK; $8,900 FD)
3. Spencer Dinwiddie, DAL @ UTA ($4,300 DK) DraftKings Only
4. Keyonte George, UTA v. DAL ($5,900 DK; $6,000 FD)
5. Tyrese Maxey, PHI @ DET ($8,000 DK; $8,700 FD)

Today's NBA DFS Picks: Shooting Guard

We can play Jordan Poole and Kyrie Irving at SG, and those are the two players I'm most interested in, with salaries considered. Grayson Allen and Jared McCain are fine options, but neither are set up to provide too much upside in their current team roles.

Top SG Options:

1. Kyrie Irving, DAL @ UTA ($9,700 DK; $8,900 FD)
2. Jordan Poole, WAS @ MIL ($6,700 DK; $6,600 FD)
3. Grayson Allen, PHX vs. GSW ($4,000 DK; $4,200 FD)

Today's NBA DFS Picks: Small Forward

There isn't much to love at small forward. Kyshawn George is still cheap and playing big minutes for the Wizards, so he works as a value option. However, his minutes and production can be volatile, so I'm limiting my exposure. Naji Marshall is a much more reliable producer, but he's not the best tournament option as his ceiling is capped in the low-30 DK point range.

Quentin Grimes is a player worth taking some shots on at a low salary and projected low ownership (as long as Doncic sits). He plays 27-30 minutes per game with Doncic out, and he has scored at least 28.5 DK points in three of his last four games.

Top SF Options:

1. Naji Marshall, DAL @ UTA ($5,800 DK; $5,800 FD)
2. Quentin Grimes, DAL @ UTA ($4,500 DK; $5,000 FD)
3. Kyshawn George, WAS @ MIL ($4,400 DK; $4,900 FD)

Today's NBA DFS Picks: Power Forward

This is where we're getting to Giannis. He's in an ultra-smash spot against the Wizards, a team with precisely zero players equipped to slow him down. Washington allows the most fantasy points per game to PFs and the second-most fantasy points per game overall.

PJ Washington is the next choice at PF. He has been playing efficient ball lately, averaging 44.1 DK PPG over his last four contests. Utah is one of the more favorable matchups for opposing fantasy points as they allow the third-most fantasy points per game overall and the most fantasy points per game to centers. John Collins, Kyshawn George, and Naji Marshall are also in play, but my exposure will be concentrated on Giannis and Washington.

Top PF Options:

1. Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL vs. WAS - PF/C ($12,000 DK; $11,800 FD)
2. PJ Washington, DAL @ UTA, PF ($7,000 DK; $7,400 FD)
3. Naji Marshall, DAL @ UTA ($5,800 DK; $5,800 FD)

Today's NBA DFS Picks: Center

We can get to Giannis here as well, so let's focus on some other potential pieces. John Collins is in excellent form, exceeding 42 DK points in his last three games while racking up an incredible 40 rebounds in that stretch. Surprisingly, the Mavericks allow the seventh-most fantasy points per game to opposing centers this season. Collins could be in for a sneaky ceiling game in this spot.

Jonas Valanciunas, Walker Kessler, and Draymond Green are other options, but I'll focus on Giannis and Collins.

Top C Options:

1. Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL vs. WAS - PF/C ($12,000 DK; $11,800 FD)
2. John Collins, UTA vs. DAL ($7,200 DK; $7,600 FD)

Today's Top NBA DFS Game Stacks

1. Mavericks @ Jazz (o/u 233.5)
2. Wizards @ Bucks (o/u 230.5)

Today's Top NBA DFS Avoids

I'm not feeling Cade Cunningham on this slate. He has exceeded salary-based expectations in his last four games, but he'll be playing in the game with the lowest implied total and the slowest projected pace tonight. He's facing off against the 76ers, who allow the least fantasy points per game to PGs this season. That's going to be a hard pass for me.

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: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Lillard if Giannis sits)
• My favorite CASH play on the slate: Spencer Dinwiddie
• My favorite GPP play on the slate: John Collins
• My favorite value play: Keyonte George

NBA DFS News and Injury Alerts

More DFS Lineup Picks and Analysis