NBA DFS Picks, Projections, Lineups, Injuries & More Today: Tuesday Playbook
Published: Dec 10, 2024
We have just two games for tonight's NBA DFS main slate on DraftKings and FanDuel with the Emirates Cup quarterfinals kicking off. When we have such a small slate we have small margins of errors when it comes to cashing or not cashing which is why it is ever so important to pay attention to where the ownership is going to go and where he can try and build our lineups to take advantage of the public.
Who will be the difference makers for tonight's slate? Let’s start getting into what we’re going to be looking at on DraftKings and FanDuel for Tuesday, December 10th.
NBA DFS Picks & Daily Fantasy Playbook Today, December 10th
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Before actually diving into the meat and potatoes, welcome to the NBA DFS season.
If this is your first time reading our column on NBA DFS picks, I just want to welcome you and give you a few tips and tricks on what you should be looking for each night.
- News outlets: reliable sources that give us injury news & starting lineups
- Pace of play: who's playing fast vs. who's playing slow. Which teams get a pace-up spot (more possessions) vs. pace-down (fewer possessions)
- Usage rates: is a percentage of how many plays that player is being used in
- NBA DFS Projections
- Lineup Generator
- NBA Ownership
Pre-Lock Update
This section will be used for anything that changes from the morning until right up to roster lock. Injury updates, players we’re higher on than we were in the morning and so much more.
Biggest news of the day is with is with the Dallas Mavericks as we wait to see if either P.J. Washington or Naji Marshall will suit up with both currently listed as questionable due to illness.
Key NBA Injuries, News & Updates Today, 12/10
- Franz Wagner - OUT
- P.J. Washington - Questionable
- Naji Marshall - Questionable
- Jonathan Isaac - Questionable
NBA DFS Slate & Game Overviews
With the NBA season just kicking off we don't have data yet for teams regarding pace of play and defensive matchups. In the section below, I’m listing the most notable things we need to look at in Las Vegas, including notable O/U and spreads.
Orlando Magic vs Milwaukee Bucks
- Spread: Bucks -7
- Game Total: 215
Dallas Mavericks vs Oklahoma City Thunder
- Spread: Thunder -4.5
- Game Total: 231
NBA DFS Core Player Pool & Lineup Picks
Here are the core players I’m looking at for my NBA DFS picks tonight. You can see the full analysis of tonight’s NBA DFS projections and player pool below or skip ahead to building the best lineups possible by locking these into the aforementioned lineup generator now.
High
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
As it currently stands, Giannis is getting the lowest ownership of the ‘Big 3" on this slate and while it’s mere percentage points, that can be the difference between cashing and not cashing tonight if Giannis ends up being the top overall scorer of the slate.
Yes, the Bucks have Khris Middleton back and yes, this is a pace down spot with the lowest total of the two games but Giannis is just as capable of anyone when it comes to taking over a game and in these spots I tend to go the more “contrarian” route even if that player is still getting 37% of the ownership today.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
Listen, it's not that I wouldn't play Luka Doncic today, he's gone for 70+ fantasy points in three of the last four games but when we have a two game slate and 50% of the field is playing Luka I'm just going to pivot away and see if I can gain some leverage.
We know SGA is capable of putting up 60+ fantasy points, he's scoring 30+ points a night since the Chet Holmgren injury and this is a better matchup for SGA who had 58 FP against Dallas earlier this season than for Luka Doncic given the number of wing defenders the Thunder can throw at him.
SGA is also the cheapest of the “Big 3” which gives you a bit more roster flexibility as well.
Mid
Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder
There's a lot to like about Williams in this matchup here tonight. He continues to fill out the stat sheet, even with Isaiah Hartenstein active and he is the second scoring option on a Thunder team that is the odds favorite in the game with the highest projected total.
Suggs has the highest usage rate on the roster with Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero off of the floor this season so it should have been no surprise to see him lead the team in scoring against the Suns in their surprise win the other night. The Bucks have been better defensively but their guard defense is still a weak spot.
Isaiah Hartenstein, Oklahoma City Thunder
Hartenstein has been a per minute fantasy beast since coming off of the injured list and he should be playing a ton of minutes tonight against a tough Dallas front court that boasts Derek Lively and Daniel Gafford.
Portis has been a spark plug off of the bench the last few games, grabbing 18 rebounds against the Celtics and then going and knocking down five three pointers against the Nets in the Bucks next game. He has a secured role but it seems like if he gets going the Bucks may opt for his offense over the defense of Brook Lopez.
Goga should be locked into 30+ minutes tonight as the Magic look to match the size the Bucks put on the floor. Goga has always been a strong fantasy player but consistent minutes have eluded him over the course of his career. That hasn't been the case this season as the injuries have locked him into the starting center gig.
Value
Top value play of the day. He has the second highest usage rate this season with Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero off of the floor and we've seen now in the two games where he was extended past 20 minutes he still has the elite scoring upside.
Luguentz Dort, Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder have a ton of guards they can throw at Luka Doncic tonight and Dort is going to get the first crack at him. His offensive upside has gone down a bit over the past few weeks after his hot stretch but if he plays well defensively he will play a lot of minutes.
Alex Caruso, Oklahoma City Thunder
Caruso is the other Thunder guard that comes off the bench and has been playing somewhere in the range of 18-25 minutes over the last few games. He can fill the stat sheet and will be used to guard Luka and Irving a lot tonight. He is also getting a lot of ownership love this evening.
The Magic are full of these high usage rate players and Wagner is one of them. Much like his brother, Franz, Mo Wagner gets on the floor and causes chaos. He scores, he rebounds, he can get defensive stats, he gets to the free throw line and he commits fouls. He does all of that in around 20 minutes a night and will give you 20-to-30 fantasy points in the process.
Spencer Dinwiddie, Dallas Mavericks
Jaden Hardy is out and the Mavericks are also potentially missing both Naji Marshall and P.J. Washington tonight. Dinwiddie has a seemingly secured role in the Dallas rotation right now and his production hasn't slowed down all that much since Luka Doncic returned to the lineup.
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