FanDuel NBA DFS Picks for Today (Monday 12/2/24): Daily Fantasy Basketball Advice

We have only four games on the main slate tonight, which is a lot fewer than usual for a Monday night. That's going to condense our player pool and make the most popular plays even chalkier. I don't mind playing cash games with at least four games, but if you're a GPP player it's a great time to get different with several plays that will be off other player's radars, too.

I recommend some higher-priced players for cash games and GPPs in today's edition while highlighting some of my favorite value plays and game stacks. 

This article will provide my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel on 12/2/24. Remember to monitor NBA injury news and our awesome NBA injuries report tool, as the slate can completely change before lineups lock at 7:30 p.m. EST on FanDuel. 

FanDuel NBA DFS Core Picks

Dejounte Murray, NOP - PG ($7,600)

I'm not one for revenge narratives, but Murray will face his old mates from Atlanta today as a heavy underdog on a depleted Pelicans team. Murray got injured on opening night and missed a month of the season before returning last week.

With no Zion Williamson or Brandon Ingram, the offense is going to flow through Murray, C.J. McCollum, and Trey Murphy III. Unlike the other two who are more scoring-dependent for their fantasy value, Murray can get there with boards, assists, and steals in addition to his offense. He's my favorite Pelican to pay for today, we just have to hope the Pels can keep it close against a Hawks team that has been playing well.

Tyler Herro, MIA - PG/SG ($7,400)

The Heat are coming off an upset at the hands of the Raptors and now have to face the Celtics tonight. The only good news is that Boston could be without Jaylen Brown and Derrick White who both missed the loss to Cleveland last night. I think Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford could end up sitting out on a back-to-back, too, which levels the playing field a bit further.

So despite being 9-point underdogs, Miami could compete tonight and if they do, it's likely because Herro's shot is falling. He poured in 31 actual points last night and now 35+ FD points in five of his last seven games. On a slate without obvious options and slam-dunk matchups, Herro stands out to me as one of the cheaper stud players with a safe floor.

LeBron James, LAL – SF/PF ($9,400)

The Lakers barely beat the Jazz last night and could be short-handed again tonight as Austin Reaves and D'Angelo Russell both missed last night's game. LeBron took over as the main playmaker last night, piling up 14 assists on his way to 57 FD points.

LEBRON JAMES WITH THE CLUTCH LAYUP WITH THE LEFT! 😳👑 pic.twitter.com/Tt7HDIo489

— Courtside Buzz (@CourtsideBuzzX) December 2, 2024

I think we see him in a similar role tonight, though the matchup is much tougher against a good Minnesota team.

Others Under Consideration: Anthony Edwards - SG/SF ($9,000), Anthony Davis - PF/C ($11,200)

FanDuel NBA DFS Tournament Pivots

Dennis Schroder, BKN - PG ($7,700)

The Nets are a mess, yet they continue to compete on a nightly basis and they've been covering for us bettors quite often this season. We really don't know who they will have available tonight, but we do know that Dennis Schroder will be in the lineup and leading the charge against Chicago.

Dennis Schroder with a dime pass through his own legs??? 😮‍💨

(🎥: @NBA)pic.twitter.com/HiOJ56XJv3

— theScore (@theScore) December 1, 2024

Cam Thomas will be out, while Cameron Johnson is questionable after getting hurt yesterday and Ben Simmons also left that game against Orlando early. Schroder should be running the offense and hoisting up a lot of shots. It's a good matchup for him as the Bulls allow the most FD points to opposing point guards and Schroder's usage and assist rate go way up with the ball hog Cam Thomas off the floor. For $100 more than what Dejounte Murray costs, I think Schroder has a similar ceiling here.

Bam Adebayo, MIA – C ($8,400)

Bam pulled down 20 boards last night and continued to function in many ways as a "point center" as he had 7 assists and 27 over his last three games. Boston may rest Porzingis tonight and if they do, they'll be undersized and a big undermanned in the paint.

I like Bam's chances of putting up 45+ FD points again, assuming the Heat can keep this one close and on the second half of a back-to-back for both teams, anything can happen.

Dalton Knecht, LAL - SG/SF ($5,800)

I'm operating on the assumption that the Lakers are probably without at least one of Russell and Reaves again tonight. That means we should see Knecht back in the starting lineup again. He finally cooled off last night, but has been showcasing a great shooting stroke this season, getting hot and putting up some big scoring numbers.

The Lakers like this rookie and I think he'll play solid minutes tonight regardless of who else is healthy and available. He's too expensive to qualify as a "value" but his elite shooting gives him upside even at this price.

Others Under Consideration: C.J. McCollum- PG/SG ($7,500), Julius Randle - PF ($7,100)

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FanDuel NBA DFS Value Picks

Rui Hachimura, LAL – SF/PF ($5,000)

Hach played 40 minutes last night and was able to score 32 FD points. Keep an eye on the Laker injuries, but I think he's set for plenty of minutes tonight and he will function alongside Dalton Knecht as the third scoring option after LeBron and Anthony Davis.

Trendon Watford, BKN - PF/C ($4,100)

Watford's minutes have been climbing steadily as the Nets continue to lose players to injury. He played 24 minutes yesterday and went over 20 FD points for the second time in his last three games.

Sam Hauser, BOS – SF/PF ($3,900)

Boston is a team to watch tonight, I mentioned they sat two guys yesterday and could also rest some guys tonight against Miami. Hauser played 36 minutes last night filling in for Jaylen Brown and scored 30 FD points. If Boston is down 1-2 starters again tonight, he should probably be our first click at this price.

Max Christie, LAL – SG ($3,800)

Christie is my LEAST favorite value today and I'll only consider him if Reaves and Russell are BOTH out. He played 30 minutes last night and only managed 20 FD points. He's simply not too involved out there and not a strong enough fantasy player to consider unless he's logging huge minutes.

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: LeBron James
• My favorite CASH play on the slate: LeBron James
• My favorite GPP play on the slate: Dennis Schroder
• My favorite VALUE play: Rui Hachimura + Sam Hauser

NBA DFS News and Injury Alerts

More DFS Lineup Picks and Analysis