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Before taking Thanksgiving Day off, the NBA has an extra-large Wednesday night fantasy basketball schedule. Only two teams are not playing on Wednesday night, and 11 of the 14 games make up the main slate for DraftKings contests, which tip off at 7:00 p.m. ET. The Bulls, Rockets, Lakers, Heat, Timberwolves, Spurs, and Wizards are playing for the second day in a row, so be sure to double-check for availability updates before locking in your lineup for the night.
With so many options and matchups to choose from, it's an early Thanksgiving buffet of fantasy goodness! There are some top players to be sure to include and some others that bring great upside despite some risk factors. Let's look at the best of these matchups from a DFS perspective on DraftKings. If you're looking for FanDuel-specific advantage, check out Thunder Dan's FanDuel picks!
This article will provide you with my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for DraftKings on 11/27/24. Remember to monitor NBA injury news and our awesome NBA injuries report tool, as the slate can completely change before lineups lock at 7:00 p.m. EST on DraftKings.
DraftKings NBA DFS Core Picks
LaMelo Ball, CHA - PG ($10,300)
Ball is on an incredible heater right now and should be able to stay hot on Wednesday night at home against the Heat. He has at least 50 DraftKings points in three straight and in eight of his last 10 games.
He had 50 points, 10 assists, and 75.75 DraftKings points last Saturday and followed that up with 68.25 DraftKings points against the Magic on Monday.
LaMelo Ball had himself another night!
🔥 44 PTS (94 in his last 2 games)
🔥 9 REB
🔥 7 AST pic.twitter.com/g3RDHhXiZI— NBA (@NBA) November 26, 2024
Ball leads the NBA with a 37.8% usage rate on the season and has been even more active over his last 10 games with a 41.3% usage rate. In that span, he has averaged 1.60 DraftKings points per minute and 55.4 DraftKings points per game.
The Heat lost to the Bucks on Tuesday and will have to try and slow down Ball on the second night of their back-to-back.
Jaden Ivey, DET – PG/SG ($7,500)
The Pistons will likely be without Cade Cunningham ($9,800; hip, doubtful) for a third straight game. Without Cade, Ivey has slid to point guard and posted back-to-back big games. He had 36.75 DraftKings points on Saturday in Orlando on 19 points, seven boards, and two assists in 28 minutes, but he was even better on Monday with 44.75 DraftKings points against the Raptors including the game-winning shot.
"You'll never forget a play like this" ✨
Jaden Ivey caps off a solid game in style
🔥 25 PTS
🔥 8 AST
🔥 77 FG%
🔥 Game-Winner https://t.co/LiuP6rh3nV pic.twitter.com/kjdtYZjvkb— NBA TV (@NBATV) November 26, 2024
Ivey has averaged 1.28 DraftKings points per minute with a 32.1% usage rate with Cunningham off the floor this season, compared to an average of 0.88 DraftKings points per minute with a 22.9% usage rate with Cade on the floor. If Cunningham misses a third straight game, Ivey looks under-priced as the Pistons head to Memphis to take on the Ja-less Grizzlies.
Ivica Zubac, LAC – C ($7,000)
In the frontcourt, Zubac has been very consistent this season for the Clippers and gets a great matchup on Wednesday against the Wizards. Zubac comes at a very affordable $7,000 despite posting over 36 DraftKings points in six straight games.
Over that stretch, he has averaged 1.08 DraftKings points per minute on 16.0 points and 12.8 rebounds per game.
Ivica Zubac has been a rebounding machine thus far this season and leads the NBA in total boards 💪 pic.twitter.com/ALG6bbyzKt
— Ball Exclusives (@ballexclusives) November 26, 2024
The Wizards have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points per game to opposing centers this season, so Zubac should be set to return excellent value on Wednesday night in D.C.
Others Under Consideration: James Harden - PG ($9,000), Trae Young - PG ($9,200), Franz Wagner ($9,700), Anthony Davis - C ($10,500)
DraftKings NBA DFS Tournament Pivots
Karl-Anthony Towns, NYK - PF/C ($9,500)
Towns is putting up impressive numbers across the board while playing huge minutes for the Knicks. In his 16 games, he is averaging 51.5 DraftKings points per game at the rate of 1.55 DraftKings points per minute. He has posted seven straight double-doubles after dropping 30 points, 15 rebounds, and 61.25 DraftKings points against the Nuggets in a win on Monday night.
Karl-Anthony Towns is the fastest player in Knicks history to record 400 PTS & 200 REB. pic.twitter.com/kO5a9siPTX
— StatMamba (@StatMamba) November 26, 2024
On Wednesday night, KAT is a very solid piece to build around as the Knicks stop in Dallas to take on the Mavs, who have allowed the second-most fantasy points per game to opposing centers.
Jalen Brunson, NYK – PG ($8,900)
The Knicks' trip to Dallas will be a meaningful one for Brunson as well since he'll be facing his old team where he played the first four years of his career. The Knicks All-Star PG has only faced the Mavs twice and in his only return to Dallas dropped 30 points and eight assists in January of last season.
He comes into this potential revenge game on a very nice roll after this big game in Denver on Monday:
Jalen Brunson tonight
23 points
17 ASSISTS (career high)
8-14 FGTrue PG
pic.twitter.com/3FE6Dm3iOw— Teg🚨 (@IQfor3) November 26, 2024
Brunson had 54.75 DraftKings points in that game and has 49+ DraftKings points in three of his last four.
Scottie Barnes, TOR – PG/SF ($8,700)
Barnes is back in his role as the focal point of the Raptors offense. After missing almost a month with an orbital fracture, Barnes has played three games. He knocked the rust off with poor shooting games against the Timberwolves and Cavs before torching the Pistons for 31 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists, and 65.5 DraftKings points on Monday.
In Wednesday's matchup with the short-handed Pelicans, Barnes brings a very high ceiling for a play under $9,000. New Orleans should be a great matchup for him since the Pels allow the sixth-most assists this season and have the second-worst paint defense.
Ty Jerome, CLE – PG ($5,800)
With Caris LeVert (knee) already ruled out for a fourth straight game, Jerome should remain a solid play from his salary under $6,000. Jerome has been in and out of the starting lineup but has been getting big minutes either way with LeVert out, playing over 28 minutes in each of his last two games off the bench.
Ty Jerome this season so far:
• Leads NBA in 3P% with 54.4%
• Leads NBA in TS% with 73.6%
• 10th in FG% with 59.7%
• Career high 29 PTS in a game
• Career high 7 3s in a game
• Career high 4 STLs in a game
• Career high average in PPG, APG, SPGMIP. 6MOTY. ⭐️ https://t.co/mw22Rf9Hd7 pic.twitter.com/dBn9xYbgBd
— ¹⁰ (@HoodiGarland) November 27, 2024
Jerome has over 36 DraftKings points in three of his last four games and contributes strong non-scoring numbers which gives him a high floor to go with his high ceiling if he gets hot from long-range. With a great matchup against the Hawks, Jerome is worth a look at this salary.
Others Under Consideration: Victor Wembanyama - C ($10,800), De'Aaron Fox - PG ($9,100), Alperen Sengun - C ($8,600), Jimmy Butler - SF/PF ($8,000), Trey Murphy III - SP/PF ($6,800), P.J. Washington - PF/C ($6,400)
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DraftKings NBA DFS Value Picks
Elfrid Payton, NOP – PG ($4,700)
Payton hadn't played in the NBA since May of 2022 but signed with the Pelicans a week ago. It didn't take him long to get up to speed!
He had 14 points and an NBA season-high of 21 assists on Monday against the Pacers, finishing with 57.25 DraftKings points in 31 minutes.
Elfrid Payton dished it out all over the court!
His 21 AST is a new NBA season-high and a new career-high 🔥 pic.twitter.com/RpVFI4TMi7
— NBA (@NBA) November 26, 2024
With CJ McCollum ($7,800) already back from injury and Dejounte Murray ($8,300; wrist) expected to return Wednesday, it's not extremely clear what Payton's role will be going forward, but he obviously has the potential to contribute big games as a pass-first point guard with the Pelicans still working their way back to full strength.
Tidjane Salaun, CHA – SF/PF ($3,500)
The Hornets are another team battling multiple injuries, especially in their frontcourt. Salaun made his third start of the season on Monday against the Magic and played a career-high 30 minutes.
He missed his three shots from the field and finished with just one point, seven rebounds, and 10.25 DraftKings points. The 19-year-old from France who the Hornets took No. 6 overall has shown more potential in his earlier games this season and is a bargain way to get big minutes on Wednesday since Charlotte will remain without Miles Bridges (knee), Mark Williams (foot), Nick Richards (ribs), Tre Mann (back), and Grant Williams (knee).
Moussa Diabate ($5,000) is another value play to take a look at in Charlotte's frontcourt.
Quenton Jackson, IND – SG/SF ($4,300)
Jackson has started each of the last four games for the Pacers with Aaron Nesmith (ankle) and Andrew Nembhard (knee) on the shelf. Jackson exploded for 24 points and 37 DraftKings points against the Rockets last Wednesday. He had a scoreless dud on Sunday vs. the Wizards but bounced back with 24.5 DraftKings points in 32 minutes on Monday vs. the Pelicans.
Like Salaun, he's a cheap way to get minutes and opportunity on Wednesday's massive slate.
Anthony Black, ORL – PG/SG ($4,500)
Black had a rough shooting night on Monday in Charlotte, going just 3-of-13 from the field in 22 minutes. He added three rebounds, three steals and an assist to his 10 points to still finish with 21.75 DraftKings points.
He has already stepped into a larger role this season with Paolo Banchero (oblique) out, and he could get even more minutes and usage while Gary Harris (hamstring) is also out. Jalen Suggs ($6,500) missed the last game but is expected to return Wednesday
🏀📊In his 2nd year, Anthony Black has been empowered to increase his role in the playmaking of this Magic team.
We'd be seeing a bump anyway without the Banchero injury but, as it stands, it's a significant jump across the board in the metrics for the Orlando guard.#NBA pic.twitter.com/Ipo7R1K505
— Martim (@MEmpire25) November 25, 2024
Black has averaged 0.95 DraftKings points per minute over his last 11 games and has reached double-digit points in four of his last five.
Spencer Dinwiddie, DAL – PG/SG ($4,300)
Dinwiddie has been the big fantasy beneficiary for the last three games while the Mavs have been without Luka Doncic (wrist). Dinwiddie has scored double-digit points in three of those four games and dropped 22 points and 32.75 DraftKings points on Monday against the Hawks.
Even in a horrible shooting game against Miami on Sunday, the veteran had 29.75 DraftKings points in 28 minutes due to his non-scoring numbers. If he keeps getting so much run, he's extremely under-priced at barely over $4,000. He will have an even clearer path to playing time if Quentin Grimes ($4,500; illness, questionable) misses a second straight game.
Others Under Consideration: Jake LaRavia - SF/PF ($4,500), Jabari Smith Jr. - PF/C ($4,700), Jonathan Isaac - PF/C ($4,300), Harrison Barnes - SF/PF ($4,500)
Today's Top NBA DFS Game Stacks
Hawks at Cavs (240.5 total)
The Hawks are regulars in this game-stacking spot since they play so face and usually don't play extremely effective defense. Clint Capela ($5,400) could be a great value play to build around as he goes against the over-sized Cavs while Jalen Johnson ($8,400) and Trae Young ($9,200) have been good pay-up plays most of the year.
The Cavs get a big boost from facing the up-tempo Hawks. I love Jerome as a play under $6,000 and you can either stack him with Donovan Mitchell ($8,800) in the backcourt or Jarrett Allen ($7,400) or Evan Mobley ($7,500) in the frontcourt. Isaac Okoro ($3,700) is also a nice value piece to consider adding to the mix if you think Cleveland will rock on Wednesday.
Knicks at Mavs (233.5 total)
No game is close to Cavs-Hawks, but this Knicks-Mavs matchup is the closest thing on the board at seven points lower. I discussed KAT and Brunson above, but OG Anunoby ($7,000) has also been outstanding while Miles McBride ($4,200) and Cameron Payne ($4,000) have been good values in the backcourt.
On the Dallas side, the Mavs will still be without Luka, as noted above, so Kyrie Irving ($9,600) will have to carry the load. P.J. Washington ($6,400) and Naji Marshall ($5,400) have had big games in expanded roles while Luka is out, and Spencer Dinwiddie has had a sneaky resurgence while playing big minutes over the last few games.
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: LaMelo Ball
- My favorite CASH play on the slate: Jaden Ivey
- My favorite GPP play on the slate: Jalen Brunson
- My favorite VALUE play: Spencer Dinwiddie
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