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

Rotoballer NBA Recap: The Stars Align

Daniel Benjamin highlights three fantasy basketball takeaways from the NBA's December 5th slate. This recap focuses on Jamal Murray, Jonas Valanciunas and Jeff Teague.

Welcome to the RotoBaller NBA recap. In this feature, we highlight three fantasy basketball takeaways from the previous night's slate of NBA games. Following the usual light schedule on Tuesday, there was a lot of action on Wednesday with 10 games on the docket. This is the seventh time this year that at least two-thirds of the league's teams have played a midweek game.

What a great night of basketball. While 70 percent of the games last night were decided by double-digits, several games were won in the fourth quarter. Paul George -- Rotoballer's fantasy Player of the Night -- was one of eight of the league's "stars" who posted at least 57 fantasy points as he finished with 72.0, marking the second-highest on the night behind Karl-Anthony Towns (75.9). George, who poured in a season-high 47 points, scored 25 of OKC's 39 fourth-quarter points as the Thunder outscored the Nets by 20 to earn a 114-112 victory. He was 15-for-27 from the field, 6-for-13 from beyond the arc as well as 11-for-14 from the free throw line. The nine-year vet collected 15 rebounds, doled out four assists and blocked a shot. It was his eighth double-double of the season. George also set season marks in field goals makes and rebounds while tying his season-highs in three-pointers along with free throws. George was not the only Thunder player to have a monster game as Russell Westbrook picked up his 108th career triple-double to take over sole possession of third place on the NBA's all-time list. Westbrook finished with 21 points, 15 rebounds, and 17 dimes. He totaled 65.5 fantasy points. LeBron James was also fantastic down the stretch tallying 20 of his 42 points on the night in the final stanza as the Lakers outscored the Spurs 43-31 to earn their first win (121-113) in three tries over San Antonio this season. James, who registered the sixth-most fantasy points on the night with 61.0, was 15-for-24 from the field as well as 9-for-13 from the charity stripe. It was his third 40-point outing this season.

Anthony Davis, Kawhi Leonard, Stephen Curry and Damian Lillard were the other players to finish among the top eight in fantasy points. Now, let's get to the top fantasy basketball takeaways Wednesday, December 5.

Upgrade To VIP: Win more with our NBA and DFS Premium Pass, get expert tools and advice from proven winners! Jamie Calandro and Dan Palyo lead the RotoBaller team in 2024-25 with exclusive DFS picks, Prop picks and more. Gain VIP access to our Lineup Optimizer, Research Station, DFS Cheat Sheets and VIP Chat Rooms. Go Premium, Win More!

 

Jamal Murray  - Ready To Take Game To Next Level

Murray came up big when needed. In what was perhaps the best game of the night, it was definitely the closest, Murray took over the game in overtime down the stretch to help propel the Nuggets to a 124-118 victory over the Magic. The 21-year-old scored seven of the Nuggets' final nine points of the period as he sank four of five free throws to go along with a 23-foot three-pointer. Denver outscored Orlando 12-6 in the extra period.

With two minutes left and the Nuggets leading 115-114, Murray knocked down a technical foul free throw and then 12 seconds later knocked down a triple to increase their lead to 119-114. He finished the night with 31 points on 10 of 25 shooting from the floor to go along with eight assists, four rebounds, one steal, and one turnover. The 6-foot-4 point guard also made two of three three-pointers and nine of 11 free throws. Murray set season highs in minutes (46), free throws and free throw attempts. The game also marked his second most field goal attempts, field goal makes and points.  Murray had the 14th most fantasy points on Wednesday with 49.8.

The No. 7 overall draft pick has been more aggressive lately with backcourt mate Gary Harris (hip) being unable to play the majority of four of the past five games. Murray has attempted at least 18 shots in four of his last five games, three of which Harris was unavailable and one that he only played nine minutes before leaving with an injury.  He has topped the 20-point mark in four of the past five contests. Additionally, the University of Kentucky product has registered at least eight assists and four rebounds in three of the five outings. Murray is averaging 20.8 points, 6.8 assists, 4.8 rebounds, 1.8 three-pointers, and 3.2 turnovers in nearly 40 minutes over his last five games while shooting 38.0 percent from the field and 36 percent from beyond the arc.

Despite missing all five of his fourth-quarter shots against the Magic, Murray, who had four assists in the game, has been very good in the fourth quarter this season. He is averaging 4.6 points and 1.6 assists along with producing a plus-2.0 rating during the last 12 minutes of the game. Additionally, he is averaging 8.6 fantasy points in the final stanza.

With Harris possibly out for an extended period of time, Murray could be primed for a lot more big games. He is currently owned in 98 percent of fantasy leagues. So, if Murray is still unclaimed in your league pick him up immediately. Fantasy owners may also want to see if they can manipulate a trade for a solid scoring lead guard whose shooting numbers will likely increase. Murray, who is a career 43.0 percent shooter, is currently shooting 41.9 percent from the field and a career-worst 31.9 percent from beyond the arc.

 

Jonas ValanciunasManhandles Joel Embiid Again 

Valanciunas was fantastic yet again against Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers. Valanciunas scored a season-high 26 points in just 18 minutes off the bench, or  1.44 points per every minute that he was on the floor. It is the second time this year that the 7-foot Lithuanian has scored more points than minutes that he was on the floor. He is just the second player in the three-point era to compile 26 or more points in 18 or fewer minutes.

Valanciunas was 9-for-13 from the field and 8-for-9 from the charity stripe. He also hauled in eight rebounds and had two assists. Valanciunas helped the Raptors' big men outscore the 76ers' big men 54-to-19 and outrebound them 28-to-26.

Valanciunas has dominated Embiid in the two meetings so far this year, both games which the Raptors won. The 26-year-old has topped the 20-point plateau twice and is averaging 26.5 points along with six rebounds, 7.5 free throw attempts, one block, and 1.5 assists while shooting 63.0 percent from the floor.

In a head-to-head matchup with Embiid, Valanciunas is averaging 18.5 points a game while shooting 75 percent from the field in 21.5 possessions while the Raptors, as a team, have produced 31 points a game while Embiid has guarded Valanciunas. Defensively, Valanciunas has limited Embiid to 6.5 points and 54.5 percent shooting from the field on 25 possessions although the 76ers have scored 32.8 points a game as a team.

With Valanciunas splitting time with Serge Ibaka at center and him being so inconsistent offensively, the seventh-year pro is no more than a solid DFS in particular matchups.

 

Jeff Teague  - Sets league-mark for assists in a game this year.

Teague continues to struggle shooting the ball, but he did dole out a league and career-high 18 dimes in the Wolves victory over the Hornets. His 18 assists turned into 41 points for the Wolves, which equates to 2.21 points per assist.

Teague also compiled three points, two blocks, one steal, and three turnovers in the game. He was 1-for-6 from the floor and 0-for-1 from the three-point line. It was his second-lowest scoring output of the season, although it was just the second time in seven outings that he failed to score in double figures. The game also marked the first time in 10 contests that the 6-foot-2 point guard recorded double-digit assists and the fourth time overall this year.

Teague was terrific in his first two games back after missing six games with a bruised left knee. The 10-year pro posted double-doubles in each of those contests but hasn't done so since. He is averaging 9.6 points, 9.2 assists, 2.6 rebounds, 1.2 blocks, and 1.2 steals over his last five contests. Teague is tied for seventh in the league in assists on the season.

 

 

More Fantasy Basketball 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

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Christian Watson

Likely to Begin Season on PUP List
Jordan Love

Undergoes Procedure on Left Thumb
Bud Cauley

Needs a Big Result in Maryland
Harris English

Confident for BMW Championship
Jason Day

Faces Uphill Battle at BMW Championship
Cameron Young

Hot at the Right Time
J.J. Spaun

Rolls in After Near Miss in Memphis
Brian Harman

is a Longer Shot Heading to Maryland
Corey Conners

Appears Safe This Week in Maryland
Daniel Berger

Must Play Better at BMW Championship
Zach Neto

Homers Twice on Monday
Miami Heat

Kai Jones Works Out for Heat
Sacramento Kings

Russell Westbrook Likely to Join Kings
Golden State Warriors

Al Horford Expected to Sign with Warriors if He Doesn't Retire
Jonathan Kuminga

Reportedly Leaning Toward Accepting Golden State's Qualifying Offer
Cam Thomas

"Increasingly Interested" in Signing Qualifying Offer
Gustavo Campero

Carted Off Field Monday With Leg Injury
Josh Hader

Unavailable Monday Due To Shoulder Discomfort
Shane McClanahan

has Surgery, Won't Return in 2025
Sepp Straka

Withdraws From BMW Championship
Maverick McNealy

Finishes Tied for 28th at FedEx St. Jude Championship
Scottie Scheffler

Finishes Tied For Third at FedEx St. Jude Championship
Collin Morikawa

Finishes Tied For 22nd at FedEx St. Jude Championship
Rory McIlroy

Finishes Tied For Seventh at Open Championship
Ben Griffin

Finishes Tied For Ninth at FedEx St. Jude Championship
Tommy Fleetwood

Finishes Tied For Third at FedEx St. Jude Championship
Ludvig Aberg

Finishes Tied For Ninth at FedEx St. Jude Championship
Bobby Witt Jr.

Back in Monday's Lineup
Brandon Aiyuk

Could Return in Week 6
Boston Celtics

Miles Norris Waived by Celtics
Javonte Green

Inks Deal With Pistons
Anthony Hernandez

Extends His Win Streak To Eight
Roman Dolidze

Submitted At UFC Vegas 109
Byron Buxton

Twins Reinstate Byron Buxton From Injured List
Ode' Osbourne

Drops Decision At UFC Vegas 109
Steve Erceg

Gets Back In The Win Column
Angela Hill

Outclassed At UFC Vegas 109
Angela Hill

Iasmin Lucindo Dominates Angela Hill
Christian Rodriguez

Loses Back-To-Back Fights
Andre Fili

Gets Back in the Win Column
Miles Johns

Drops Split Decision At UFC Vegas 109
Miles Johns

Jean Matsumoto Edges Out Miles Johns To Win Split Decision
Eryk Anders

Suffers First-Round TKO
Christian Leroy Duncan

Scores First-Round TKO Win
Alexander Mattison

Will Miss Entire Season With Neck Injury
Zayne Parekh

Has Sights Set on Making Flames Roster
Hampus Lindholm

Fully Healthy for New Season
NHL

Nathan Bastian Joins Stars on One-Year Contract
Travis Bazzana

Set to Join Triple-A
Christopher Bell

Good Pit Strategy Helps Elevate Christopher Bell to Second
William Byron

Extends Championship Lead with Fourth-Place Finish
Ryan Blaney

Despite Finishing Sixth, Watkins Glen Might've Been Ryan Blaney's Best Road Race
Alex Bowman

Loses Ground Above Playoff Cutline, but Still Pretty Safe
Kyle Larson

Finishes Last After Brake Failure and Spin
Chris Buescher

Scores Another Top-5 Run At Watkins Glen
Ryan Preece

Earns Stage Points, but Loses Ground to the Playoffs At Watkins Glen
William Byron

Keeps the Regular Season Points Lead After Watkins Glen
Chase Briscoe

Continues His Hot Streak With A Top-5 Finish At Watkins Glen
Chase Elliott

Top-20 Streak Ends at Watkins Glen After Pit Struggles
Josh Giddey

Bulls Still Apart In Contract Negotiations
Jeremy Sochan

Expected To Miss EuroBasket With Calf Injury
Trae Young

'Resigned' To Idea Of No Extension This Offseason
Matthew Stafford

Will Return to Practice on Monday
Tyjae Spears

to Miss a Couple of Weeks
Hunter Greene

Expected to Return Wednesday
Bobby Witt Jr.

Dealing With Stiff Back
Rondale Moore

Expected to Miss Season
Shane Van Gisbergen

Shane van Gisbergen the Heavy Favorite to Win at Watkins Glen
Kyle Larson

Is Kyle Larson a Must-Play in DFS at Watkins Glen?
Chase Elliott

an Easy Pick to Make in DFS at Watkins Glen
Chris Buescher

Trying to Repeat at Watkins Glen
Tyler Reddick

Struggling to Find Speed at Watkins Glen
Michael McDowell

a Legitimate Threat at Watkins Glen
Joey Logano

Has Been Solid at Watkins Glen in Next Gen Car
Todd Gilliland

Has Upside at Watkins Glen
Ricky Stenhouse Jr

. has Favorable Watkins Glen Record
Justin Haley

Fastest in Practice at Watkins Glen
Riley Herbst

Could Be A Sneaky DFS Play
Julio Rodríguez

Julio Rodriguez Homers Twice in Win
Tyjae Spears

Picks Up High-Ankle Sprain in Loss
Jayden Reed

Wearing Walking Boot
Tyjae Spears

Carted Off on Saturday
New York Knicks

Ben Simmons Drawing Interest from Knicks, Celtics
Rachaad White

Won't Return on Saturday
James Cook

Not Willing to Play During Contract Dispute
Anthony Richardson Sr.

Plans to Practice Saturday
Trea Turner

Homers, Drives in Five in Productive Night
Haywood Highsmith

Undergoes Successful Knee Surgery
NHL

Jakub Vrana Signs Two-Year Deal in Sweden
COL

Avalanche Bring Back Joel Kiviranta on One-Year Deal
Matthew Tkachuk

Could Miss 2-3 Months with Surgery
Edward Cabrera

Punches Out 11 in Victory
Chase Burns

Superb in 10-Strikeout Performance
Chris Olave

Tweaks Ankle at Practice
Najee Harris

' Status for Week 1 Uncertain
Jake Ferguson

Practices on Friday
Ladd McConkey

Returning to Practice on Friday
Tyreek Hill

Sidelined with Oblique Injury
Anthony Richardson Sr.

X-Rays Negative on Anthony Richardson Sr.
Rashee Rice

Chiefs Expect Rashee Rice to be Suspended 4-6 Games
Mason McTavish

Several Teams Keeping Tabs on Mason McTavish
LA

Kyle Clifford Hangs Up Skates
Elias Pettersson

Out for "Revenge" in 2025-26
Roman Dolidze

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Semyon Varlamov

to Start Skating Next Week
Anthony Hernandez

Set For UFC Vegas 109 Main Event
VAN

Vitali Kravtsov Returns to Canucks
Steve Erceg

In Dire Need Of Victory
Iasmin Lucindo

Aims To Bounce Back
Angela Hill

Set For A Main-Card Bout
Christian Rodriguez

A Favorite At UFC Vegas 109
Andre Fili

Set For His 24th UFC Fight
Miles Johns

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Jean Matsumoto

Looks To Bounce Back
Anthony Richardson Sr.

Day-to-Day With Dislocated Finger
Drake Baldwin

Homers Twice, Drives in Five
Josh Naylor

Day-to-Day With Shoulder Soreness
Michael King

to Return Saturday
Payton Pritchard

Eager to Continue Improving
Austin Reaves

Expected to Receive Massive Pay Raise with Next Contract
Jayson Tatum

Out of Walking Boot
San Antonio Spurs

Spurs Bring in Micah Potter for Training Camp
Harrison Ingram

Re-Signs with Spurs

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP