RADIO
A lighter week of NBA action continues this Wednesday with our second straight night with a two-game slate. After the Bucks and Thunder advanced on Tuesday, the other two spots in the NBA Emirates Cup final four will be set on Wednesday. The Hawks visit the Knicks in the first game of the night with the Rockets hosting the Warriors for the final ticket to Vegas. With a reduced schedule, none of these teams are on either end of a back-to-back, so we should get fairly normal rotations from that perspective.
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 12/11/24. 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.
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DraftKings NBA DFS Core Picks
Jalen Brunson, NYK - PG ($8,500)
Bruson comes into this matchup with great form and has proven he can step up in big games for the Knicks. He had a double-double on Monday night in a win in Toronto, finishing with 43.5 DraftKings points. In that game, he had 20+ points for the fourth straight game and his second straight double-double.
Jalen Brunson was a top-5 MVP candidate last year. He may be even better this year, writes @JLEdwardsIII.
The numbers speak for themselves ⤵️https://t.co/gNTQzkKicz pic.twitter.com/5tfuMuoFsw
— The Athletic NBA (@TheAthleticNBA) December 10, 2024
So far this season, Brunson is averaging 42.4 DraftKings points per game and 1.24 DraftKings points per minute. He gets a very favorable matchup against the Hawks in a pace-up spot. This game has a 10-point higher point total, so while there are definitely strong options from both games, I'm leaning slightly into the earlier contest when possible.
The fact that Brunson is cheaper than so many other superstars but still brings an elite ceiling and the ability to completely take over the game makes him my top option on Wednesday's limited slate.
OG Anunoby, NYK – SF/PF ($6,200)
The Hawks are battling multiple injuries in the frontcourt (more below), which sets up a great matchup for Anunoby, who has continued to play huge minutes and turn in good numbers all season long. In his first full season in New York, he is playing 36.4 minutes per game and producing 32.7 fantasy points per game. He has over that average in three straight and five of his last nine including a 40-point explosion against the Nuggets.
His offense can be streaky, but his defense is always impressive. He has multiple steals in four of his last five games and multiple blocks in each of his last six.
OG Anunoby has blocked more 3s than any player in the NBA this season and he's building on his lead. He's got 3 more blocked 3s than Victor Wembanyama now after 2 against the Raptors. https://t.co/qQMXgDArXK pic.twitter.com/MONnfGFx1u
— Mike Vorkunov (@MikeVorkunov) December 10, 2024
His big minutes and consistent production on the defensive end are enough to make him a strong play at this price, but he gets a big boost from this favorable matchup. In their one meeting earlier this year, he had 30.5 DraftKings points against the Hawks and could be in line for more work this time around if his frontcourt mate Josh Hart ($7,100; ankle, questionable) is limited or out on Wednesday.
Jonathan Kuminga, GS – PF ($5,400)
In the late game in Houston, Kuminga should be an excellent core play to build around at his salary under $6,000. The fourth-year forward has surged in his last four games, averaging 35.1 DraftKings points per game and playing at least 29 minutes in each contest.
Jonathan Kuminga in his last 6 games:
19.3 PTS
4.5 REB
1.7 AST
1.2 STL
1.0 BLK
45.2% FG— sami🏎️..💨 (@PatRileyBurner) December 10, 2024
Even if Andrew Wiggins ($6,000; ankle, questionable) returns as Steve Kerr expects, Kuminga's recent play has earned him enough opportunity to stay involved. He stayed in the starting lineup ahead of Draymond Green ($6,700) last Friday and started alongside Green on Sunday. Whether Green starts or not, it's clear that Kuminga's role as starting power forward is secure for a while as the Warriors see if he's ready to take the next step.
Kuminga looked every bit a rising star when he faced the Rockets last Thursday. He poured in 33 points, seven rebounds, and 46.75 DraftKings points. Getting him at this salary makes the young forward an easy option to build around for this rematch in Houston, and he brings a very high ceiling.
DraftKings NBA DFS Tournament Pivots
Karl-Anthony Towns, NYK - C ($9,700)
Towns has been very good for the Knicks and is the most expensive player on Wednesday's short slate. He has averaged 51.4 DraftKings points per game on the season at the impressive rate of 1.53 DraftKings points per minute.
He has been dealing with a knee issue but still has 15+ rebounds in each of his last four games and is coming off 60.75 DraftKings points in a win over the Raptors on Monday. While my core options listed above offer better per-dollar upside, paying up for Towns is a strong option as well if you can find the value to make his hefty salary work.
In his first against the Hawks this season, Towns had 34 points, 16 rebounds, and 66 DraftKings points.
Player of the game🗽 (3-4)
Karl Anthony Towns
34 Points 🪣
11/23 FG 47.8%
5/9 3 Pointers 55.6% 🔥
16 Rebounds (5 Offensive) 🖐🏾
1 Steal 🖐🏾
3 Blocks 🖐🏾Good game but block stat doesn’t tell the story of poor rim protection #SNYK #NYKX #NYK #NewYorkForever pic.twitter.com/S4Aw8rpOuL
— State from Harlem🇬🇭🗽 (@bmorelikestate) November 7, 2024
Jalen Green, HOU – SG ($6,500)
If you're looking for a tournament play with a high ceiling and can take on added risk, Green is a great fit. The Rockets shooting guard has been extremely volatile but can go off when locked in. He has scored at least 28 points in three of his last six games but hasn't topped 14 in the other three. He had only 14 points and 30.5 DraftKings points against the Warriors last week but bounced back with 31 points and 40.5 DraftKings points against the Clippers on Sunday.
Green is a human highlight reel and can fill it up when at his best, but he's not quite consistent enough to be used outside of tournament play on this slate.
Jalen Green’s full highlights against the Clippers:
Elite hoops. https://t.co/pxQHDuveyp pic.twitter.com/beLEHD5JsV
— Bradeaux (@BradeauxNBA) December 9, 2024
Trae Young, ATL – PG ($9,400)
Trae Young at Madison Square Garden is the stuff of legends.
Trae Young has some history at MSG 👀
He and the @ATLHawks will head there Wednesday for a Quarterfinals SHOWDOWN 🏆
📺 7pm/et | ESPN | #EmiratesNBACup pic.twitter.com/mhdkZWL7VU
— NBA (@NBA) December 9, 2024
Young definitely has the ability to completely take over the game and break the slate. Even without Jalen Johnson ($8,300; shoulder, questionable), Young had a double-double on Sunday against the Nuggets. In his previous game, he showed an even higher ceiling by racking up 31 points and 20 assists on his way to 72.5 DraftKings points and beating the Lakers in Atlanta. Young has a pair of 20-20 games in his last seven contests and is producing 1.32 DraftKings points per minute this season as the clear focal point of the Hawks' offense.
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DraftKings NBA DFS Value Picks
Larry Nance Jr., ATL – PF/C ($3,800)
As usual, value will likely open up as players are ruled in or out approaching tipoff. Even on a small two-game slate, there are a few key injury spots to monitor. For Atlanta, Johnson is questionable along with Bogdan Bogdanovic ($4,900; quad, questionable). Nance started in place of Johnson on Sunday and delivered 16 points and 30.5 DraftKings points in 24 minutes in his biggest game of the season.
Trae Young x Larry Nance Jr. 🤯
(🎥 : @ATLHawks)
— Ball Time (@BallTimee) December 9, 2024
He's no Jalen Johnson, for sure, but at this price, he'll be a must-play if he gets another start in Johnson's spot.
Miles McBride, NYK – PG/SG ($4,100)
McBride could get more work if Josh Hart is sidelined or limited, but he's already playing a big enough role to be worth considering at this salary. He is playing over 25 minutes per game this season and producing 21.3 DraftKings points per contest.
Miles McBride has become a terrific sixth man for the Knicks. He's taken on Immanuel Quickley's former role and done quite well with it.
One of the things that helps McBride to be so successful is the lift he gets on his jumper. That allows him to get it off, even against tight… pic.twitter.com/xfnW5MfBWx
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) November 30, 2024
He has the ability to get hot and hit three-pointers in a hurry and has multiple threes in five of his last six games, producing over 20 DraftKings points in each of those five games. He had 16 points and 34 DraftKings points in the Knicks first game this season against the Hawks.
Dillon Brooks, HOU – SF ($4,400)
Brooks always gets plenty of playing time in the Rockets' rotation, averaging over 30 minutes a game this season with a 17.5% usage rate. Sometimes his shots are dropping and other times he leans more on defensive numbers, but either way, he usually returns good value at this low salary.
He's one of the few Rockets who had good numbers against the Warriors last week, finishing with 15 points and 22.25 DraftKings points. He was even better on Sunday against the Clippers, totaling 42.75 DraftKings points in 38 minutes with 19 points, seven rebounds, and five assists.
Brooks can be volatile in multiple ways, but he is a solid value and should bring plenty of intensity to this Knockout game on Wednesday.
Today's Top NBA DFS Game Stack
Hawks at Knicks (236.5 total)
Of the two games, this is the better game environment. The Knicks are my top stack with Brunson, KAT, and OG as my centerpieces along with McBride and potentially Cameron Payne ($3,300) or Precious Achiuwa ($3,600) as bargain options to mix in to make salaries work.
The Hawks are also a strong stacking consideration with Trae and Johnson if he's available. If Johnson is out, there's more value in the rest of the Hawks' rotation, but there could also be more work for Young to carry, raising his already-high ceiling.
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: Jalen Brunson
- My favorite CASH play on the slate: Jonathan Kuminga
- My favorite GPP play on the slate: Karl-Anthony Towns
- My favorite VALUE play: Miles McBride
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