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

Happy December RotoBaller family! I sincerely hope that everyone had a restful and family-filled Thanksgiving, and that your pockets are a little heavier from DFS as Christmas shopping gets underway. Tonight we get back at it with the NBA, but it's a disappointing one as we only have four games to deal with.

Pay extra attention to the injury reports. Ownership are already going to be super condensed with only four contests, so gaining that edge to pivot with news might be the thing that pushes you over the top. We've got you covered for all the breaking stuff in the RotoBaller Discord, so come say hi!

While we're talking RotoBaller, remember to check out all the amazing content our team is churning out, and head on over to the Black Friday sale for our premium subscription. If you use the code "JamieC" at checkout, you'll get an additional 10% off.

OK, enough rambling. Let's get building.

DraftKings NBA DFS Core Picks

LeBron James, LAL - PF/C ($9,800)

The Lakers are on a back-to-back after playing a full complement of minutes against Utah, so the two vet players (LeBron James and Anthony Davis) are always dicey. However, if anyone were to sit it would more likely be Davis with his lingering plantar fasciitis. Enter LeBron, who still should not be under 10k.

As he approaches his 40th birthday, LeBron continues to defy Father Time.  He's averaging just under a triple-double over his last ten games with a 32.1% usage rate (29.1% on the season). The Lakers have a big matchup tonight with potential playoff implications down the road against Minnesota.

The Timberwolves don't represent the ideal matchup (eighth in defensive efficiency), but LeBron's minutes and usage are just insane right now. Throw in the fact that Austin Reaves, D'Angelo Russell, and Cam Reddish are all questionable, and we've got a top floor/ceiling play for under $10,000.
https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1863398405046710391

Anthony Edwards, MIN - PG/SG ($9,300)

In the same game, Anthony Edwards is another player that should not be under 10k, and it would be wise to take advantage. With the Timberwolves sitting in 11th in the West, there's a narrative floating around social media that Edwards is having a "down year". This is not remotely the case.

Edwards is rocking a 30.7% usage rate on the year, and has scored 20 real points in every single game this season on 37.5 MPG. His floor is sky high given the fact that he's taken 20 or more shots in all but three games this season, and the Lakers are 24th in overall defensive efficiency. If you want an expensive core tonight without breaking the bank, LeBron/Edwards is a solid way to start.

Others Under Consideration: Jayson Tatum, BOS - SF/PF ($10,300), Nikola Vucevic, CHI - C ($8,400), Jalen Johnson, ATL - PF ($8,200), Zach LaVine, CHI - SG/SF ($7,800), Tyler Herro, MIA - PG ($7,500)

DraftKings NBA DFS Tournament Pivots

Anthony Davis, LAL - C ($10,800)

I'm intrigued to see where Anthony Davis settles in as far as ownership goes, but as of right now I'd imagine he's lower than LeBron and Edwards, and even Tatum. This is based on some fear with his lingering foot injury on a back-to-back, couple with Minnesota's strong interior defense.

While Rudy Gobert does indeed lock down the paint, Anthony Davis remains a unique matchup for centers. He's already savaged the Timberwolves once this year for 71.5 DK points and hasn't played less than 35 minutes in a game since 11/10. Just keep an eye on his status, because an absence would flip the slate on its head.

Want more NBA DFS tools and exclusive content? Check out our premium daily content from proven winner Will Priester! Grab an NBA season pass and get access to our daily projections, optimizer, Will's personal picks, props, advice, and VIP chat rooms. Use promo code BALLER at checkout to save 10%

DraftKings NBA DFS Value Picks

Josh Giddey, CHI - PG ($6,300)

Josh Giddey goes from a good play to a tremendous value if Coby White is out. As it sits, Giddey is averaging 1.18 FPPM and hitting value at his current price at over 65% of the time. When White is off the floor, Giddey's assist rate climbs by 8.1%, and he'd have a 30-minute floor.

This game is sporting the highest total of the night at 233.5, and the two teams are ranked 25th and 28th in defensive efficiency, respectively. I'm also betting the over on this game, on the notion that the second-ranked Bulls will push the pace against bottom-ranked Brooklyn.

Ayo Dosunmu, CHI - PG/SG ($5,300)

If you use the Minnesota/Lakers studs, it might be difficult to get to some of the mid-priced Bulls and Nets. Ayo Dosunmu is not a heavy per-minute guy for his career, but his 0.84 mark this year is a career high, and his insertion into the starting lineup has raised his minutes floor without elevating his price tag.

Dosunmu has reached the 20-point plateau twice in the last five games as part of the starting lineup, and would gain additional scoring chances if Coby White were to sit this one out. My concern is Brooklyn lacking a main scoring threat for Dosunmu to defend with Cam Thomas sidelined, but the price is still too cheap here.

Dalton Knecht, LAL - SG/SF ($5,000)

Dalton Knecht looked to be in an eruption spot last night against the Jazz with multiple Lakers sidelined, but foul trouble and a poor shooting night derailed him completely. The good news is we learn to have a short memory in DFS, and Knecht's price tag did not move.

Knecht has shown upside even alongside LeBron and Davis, with four games of 20 or more points in the month of November. There are a number of Lakers with Q tags tonight (including Reaves, Russell, and Reddish), and Anthony Davis himself is on rest watch as well. The more of these guys that sit, the better Knecht's floor and ceiling is, even in a less-than-stellar matchup.
https://twitter.com/Lakers/status/1862717877146579353

Others Under Consideration: Cameron Johnson, BKN - SF/PF ($6,600), Trey Murphy III, NOP - SF/PF ($6,200), Clint Capela, ATL - C ($5,400), Mike Conley, MIN - PG ($4,800), Naz Reid, MIN - PF/C ($4,700), Jalen Wilson, BKN - SF ($4,700), Keon Johnson, BKN - PG/SG ($3,500)

Today's Top NBA DFS Game Stack

Nets at Bulls (233.5 O/U)

Every contest on this four-gamer has some blowout risk involved, as the lowest spread is 7.5 (it's this game). For that reason, I'm taking the best chance of speed and no defense, which points to this one as the best source.

There's a colossal pace differential (Bulls are second, Nets are dead last), but neither team is at all interested in playing defense (the Nets are 25th and the Bulls are 28th in overall defensive efficiency). As I outlined above, there's a good chance this contest goes over the 233.5 mark, and we may even have some cheap values to get us there.

Nikola Vucevic is the top overall play in this game and can be played in any contest. He's been sizzling lately, and his price tag simply does not reflect this. In addition, the Nets are 28th in rebounding rate. Zach LaVine, Coby White, Josh Giddey, and Ayo Dosunmu can all be used as pieces as well.

For the Nets, Dennis Schroder has resumed his high usage role with Cam Thomas out, and it's most notably reflected in his assist rate which is over 40% the last three games. He's the top option on Brooklyn, but Cam Johnson and Nic Claxton also offer upside with the pace boost. Keep an eye on the injury report as more values could open up.

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: Anthony Edwards
• My favorite GPP play on the slate: Anthony Davis
• My favorite VALUE play: Dalton Knecht

NBA DFS News and Injury Alerts

More DFS Lineup Picks and Analysis