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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.
There are six games on the NBA schedule tonight. Five hold spreads of at least seven points, so there's plenty of blowout potential in play. The Nuggets, Celtics, and Mavericks are in the best spots to produce, but the Knicks, Thunder, and Grizzlies are also appealing. We'll need to consider all of the teams in action when it comes to plucking out value plays, and it's almost a certainty that additional value options will open up as the day progresses.
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 12/7/24. 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 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.
Jokic is gunning for his fourth MVP, and he's in top form and coming into tonight's action. The big man needs 60.5 DK points to hit 5x value tonight; he's averaging 73 DK PPG over his last three. He already has three games over 80 DK points this season, and another could be on the horizon tonight. The Wizards allow the most fantasy points per game overall and the second-most fantasy points to Cs this season.
Scottie Barnes got a price increase since his last game, but it's still not high enough. The Raptors star is averaging 50.9 DK PPG over his last five games and has spiked for 58, 59, and 65 DK points over his previous six contests, so I like him despite the matchup against one of the more stingy defenses in the Mavericks.
Jayson Tatum has scored 57, 54, and 66 DK points over his last four games, with the only stumble coming in a challenging game environment against Miami. The Grizzlies await tonight, and they're a matchup Tatum can explode against as they allow the seventh-most fantasy points per game to SFs this season.
- Nikola Jokic, DEN @ WAS - C ($12,100 DK; $12,400 FD)
- Scottie Barnes, TOR vs. DAL - PG/SF ($9,500 DK; $9,600 FD)
- Jayson Tatum, BOS vs. MEM - SF/PF ($9,900 DK; $10,300 FD)
- Karl-Anthony Towns, NYK vs. DET - C ($9,200 DK; $9,400 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:
Mason Plumlee has played in two games with Jusuf Nurkic out of the lineup, scoring 25 and 27 DK points in those contests. His price remains stable, and he will retain his role tonight against the Heat, who are allowing the 12th-most fantasy points to centers this season.
We'll have to sort through the Wizards value on tonight's slate, as they will be without Kyle Kuzma, Malcolm Brogdon, Saddiq Bey, Corey Kispert, and Kyshawn George. Justin Champagnie, Jared Butler, Carlton Carrington, and Jonas Valanciunas are the players who look good at their respective salaries, while Bilal Coulibaly is also in play at his mid-range pricing. Carrington should receive the most minutes from this group, but he has underwhelmed with games of 20 and 23.25 DK points heading into tonight's action. If Marvin Bagley III gets another start, he'd be the pick over JVal.
The rest of the value options for tonight are dicey, though Jrue Holiday and Luguentz Dort feel underpriced, considering they should play at least 30 minutes.
Top Value Plays:
- Mason Plumlee, PHX @ MIA - C ($4,200 DK; $4,800 FD)
- Justin Champagnie, WAS vs. DEN - SF ($3,500 DK; $3,900 FD)
- Carlton Carrington, WAS vs. DEN - PG/SG ($4,400 DK; $4,700 FD)
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Today's NBA DFS Picks: Point Guard
We have to make some tough choices on every NBA DFS slate, and this one is no different. The pivot point is whether or not to play Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, because he won't fit in lineups with Nikola Jokic. SGA projects well in this spot as he's considerably cheaper than Jokic and is facing a Pelicans' defense that's allowing the eighth-most fantasy points per game to PGs this season. However, he has finished around 5x value over his most recent five games, and it should go without saying that he doesn't possess the mega-ceiling we can get out of Jokic.
Instead, I'll go with Carlton Carrington, Jared Butler, Jrue Holiday, Marcus Smart, and Derrick White. Carrington and Butler are cheap dart throws that make Jokic lineups work, while Holiday, Smart, and White are the mid-range options that should provide solid per-dollar value at their salaries. Holiday if my favorite of the trio, as he has 30-40+ DK point upside while needing just 25 DK points to hit 5x value.
Top PG Options:
- Jrue Holiday, BOS vs. MEM ($5,000 DK; $5,600 FD)
- Scottie Barnes, TOR vs. DAL ($9,500 DK; $9,600 FD)
- Carlton Carrington, WAS vs. DEN ($4,400 DK; $4,700 FD)
- Marcus Smart, MEM @ BOS ($4,400 DK) DraftKings Only
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Shooting Guard
Carrington, Smart, and White can also be played at SG, so we'll focus on other options. Mikal Bridges is underpriced relative to his recent form, as he needs just 29 DK points for 5x value and has finished with 35.25, 33, and 42 DK points over his last three contests. The Pistons have been better defensively this year, but this is still a "plus" matchup for Bridges and the Knicks.
Lu Dort is firmly in play, as he should see at least 30 minutes in a favorable matchup against the Pelicans. New Orleans allows the seventh-most fantasy points per game to SGs and the fifth-most fantasy points per game to SFs this season, and Dort should have no issue racking up his peripheral stats in this matchup.
Top SG Options:
- Carlton Carrington, WAS vs. DEN ($4,400 DK; $4,700 FD)
- Marcus Smart, MEM @ BOS ($4,400 DK) DraftKings Only
- Mikal Bridges, NYK vs. DET ($5,800 DK) DraftKings Only
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Small Forward
We can play Bridges and Dort at SF, but a few other guys stand out as equal or better plays. Justin Champagnie played 29 minutes and scored 19.75 DK points in the last game. He's only $3,500 and needs around 20 DK points to crush value, so that's a shot I'm willing to take.
Bridges' teammate, OG Anunoby, has been inconsistent with his production but remains a high-ceiling play with how the rotations work on the Knicks. Thibs is willing to play his starters for 40 minutes per game, which means Anunoby always has a shot at producing like he did last game (48.5 DK points over 40 minutes).
Top SF Options:
- Justin Champagnie, WAS vs. DEN ($3,500 DK; $3,900 FD)
- OG Anunoby, NYK vs. DET ($6,000 DK; $6,900 FD)
- Mikal Bridges, NYK vs. DET ($5,800 DK) DraftKings Only
- Haywood Highsmith, MIA vs. PHX ($3,700 DK) DraftKings Only
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Power Forward
Anunoby qualifies at PF, but Haywood Highsmith is another player who has caught my eye. He's not going to pop for a ceiling game anytime soon, but he's only $3,700 and has averaged 23.3 DK points per game over his last three outings. He should see around 27-30 minutes of action tonight, so he qualifies as a great value pick at his salary.
Top PF Options:
- OG Anunoby, NYK vs. DET ($6,000 DK; $6,900 FD)
- Haywood Highsmith, MIA vs. PHX ($3,700 DK) DraftKings Only
- Aaron Gordon, DEN @ WAS ($5,800 DK; $6,000 FD)
Today's NBA DFS Picks: Center
It's the Jokic and Plumlee show at center tonight. Both have been covered in previous sections, so let's look at some potential pivot options at the position.
Jonas Valanciunas is a great per-minute fantasy producer at 1.36 FPTS/min this season, but his minutes are volatile as Marvin Bagley III has eaten into his role. I'm okay with getting to whichever one starts tonight, though I'd instead take the safer play in Plumlee. Bam Adebayo should be able to do whatever he wants against Plumlee tonight, and a ceiling game could be in store for the big man. That being said, the difference in "ceiling games" between Bam and Jokic is about the same as comparing the talent level between Patrick Mahomes and Will Levis.
Top C Options:
- Nikola Jokic, DEN @ WASLAC ($12,100 DK; $12,400 FD)
- Mason Plumlee, PHX @ MIA ($4,200 DK; $4,800 FD)
- Bam Adebayo, MIA vs. PHX ($8,200 DK; $8,200 FD)
Today's Top NBA DFS Game Stacks
- Grizzlies @ Celtics (o/u 239)
- Nuggets @ Wizards (o/u 230.5)
Today's Top NBA DFS Avoids
Devin Booker. Outside of value options like Plumlee and Highsmith, I am not interested in this game. It has the lowest implied total on the slate, at 221.5 points, the slowest projected pace, and overpriced players with Kevin Durant out of the lineup. Booker put up a disappointing 38 DK points in his first game without Durant, and a matchup against the Heat doesn't feel like the right spot to bet on him bouncing back.
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: Nikola Jokic
- My favorite CASH play on the slate: Nikola Jokic
- My favorite GPP play on the slate: Justin Champagnie
- My favorite value play: Mason Plumlee
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