FanDuel NBA DFS Picks for Today (Friday 11/22/24): Daily Fantasy Basketball Advice

The Emirate NBA Cup continues tonight with eight games in the association. We have some major mismatches with big spreads, as Boston, Golden State, and Houston are all double-digit favorites. But some games could be very close, including a 245-point total in the Atlanta-Chicago game. We have most of the injury info we need for tonight, but Nikola Jokic is the one star who is still questionable, and his status could change the slate considerably - stay tuned!

In today's edition, I recommend some higher-priced players for cash games and GPPs while highlighting some of my favorite value plays and game stacks. Read my buddy Zach Thompson's article for advice on the DraftKings NBA slate!

This article will provide my daily fantasy basketball lineup picks for FanDuel on 11/22/24. 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 FanDuel. 

FanDuel NBA DFS Core Picks

Fred VanVleet, HOU - PG ($7,900)

VanVleet and the Rockets are rolling right now and tonight they get a very poor Portland team (without two starters) at home.

Fred VanVleet : 18 points (6-14 shooting, 4-8 from 3 & 2-3 from the FT line), 6 assists & 4 steals in 35 minutes pic.twitter.com/w5FkOSJl6J

— Lee Harvey (@MusikFan4Life) November 21, 2024

VanVleet has 40+ FD points in four straight, and his price is finally starting to adjust to where it should be. However, I think he's still a good bet to exceed 5x value tonight against the Blazers, who have allowed the fifth-most FD points to opposing point guards this season.

Zach LaVine, CHI - SG/SF ($7,400)

This Atlanta-Chicago game stands out as the one to target in DFS as it has a massive 245-point total and projects to stay close, while we have at least three other games that could get ugly in a hurry.

LaVine has 25 or more actual points in four of his last six games is the Bulls guard that I'm targeting tonight as I think he has the highest ceiling of the group. We have only seen him go over 50 FD points once this season (against the Knicks), but you know that he has the potential to do it again with his scoring ability.

The matchup is good - not only is this a super fast-paced game environment, but the Hawks have also allowed the fifth-most FD points to opposing shooting guards this season as well.

Jalen Johnson, ATL – SF/PF ($8,800)

While his teammate Trae Young has struggled recently with his shot, Johnson's steady DFS production is a bit more appealing. Not only do big men do work against the Bulls, but Johnson tends to get a lot of his production from rebounding and collecting defensive stats.

If his offensive game is clicking (and he did have 20 actual points vs. Chicago the last time they met), then he has the potential to post a massive score tonight. I'd rather pay up for a few pieces of this Chicago-Atlanta game than invest in any Boston players, as their game with the Wizards is almost certainly going to be a bloodbath.

FanDuel NBA DFS Tournament Pivots

Trae Young, ATL – PG ($9,200)

So, if I am locking in Jalen Johnson into my primary cash build, that means I'm going to have some GPP shares of Young as his price continues to fall. The spot vs. the Bulls is about as good as it gets for point guards (most FD points per game to PGs), and we've already discussed what a fantastic game environment this should be for DFS.

Young's struggles with his shot are what is holding him back. His assist numbers are still great and give him a decent floor. But we need a vintage Trae Young night shooting the basketball tonight to unlock his ceiling. I'm certainly taking a shot on him in the hopes that he can snap out of his funk tonight in this spot.

P.J. Washington, DAL – PF ($6,000)

I always like looking at some players in the mid-tier of the pricing as they tend to get lost with DFS players looking to force in high-priced studs with value plays. P.J. Washington's range of outcomes tonight is great, but there's a path to 7x or more here with the opportunity and matchup.

PJ Washington when the Thunder is on the schedule 😭 pic.twitter.com/ewagRLRGzp

— Kyrie Center (@kyriecenterig) November 18, 2024

Luka Doncic is out, and in the only game that Luka missed this season, Washington went off on OKC to the tune of 27 points and 17 boards (52 FD points). That was certainly an outlier result so far this season, but it shows us what he is capable of doing when he's in top form.

Denver does allow the fourth-most FD points to power forwards this season, and I'd rather take a shot on Washington at 6k than pay $9600 for Kyrie Irving, as FanDuel already baked in Luka's absence into his price.

Brook Lopez, MIL - C ($6,400)

Here's another guy in the 6k range who could get totally overlooked tonight. Like Washington, "Bro-Lo's" range of outcomes is wide. He's scored as many as 61 FD points in a game this season and as few as 17.

But the return of Damian Lillard to the starting lineup has been a good thing for his value so far as he's gone for 61 and 43 FD points in those two wins. And what might be most important is the positive trend for his minutes as he's played 30+ minutes in five straight games.

When he plays 30 or more minutes this season (10 games), he has averaged 37.5 FD points. He can score, rebound, and is an elite shot blocker who probably has one of the highest ceilings at the lowest price tonight.

Others Under Consideration: Jared McCain - PG/SG ($6,700), Kyrie Irving - PG/SG ($9,600), Ivica Zubac - C ($7,400)

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FanDuel NBA DFS Value Picks

Amir Coffey, LAC – SF ($4,400)

Coffey started last time out for Norman Powell and did pretty much what I expected, racking up 22.3 FD points while scoring 18 actual points. He got a $200 price increase but should see 30+ minutes again, and he is a cheap way to get a guaranteed 20+ FD points in your lineup. Small forward looks like a good position to punt tonight, too.

Elfrid Payton, NOP - PG ($5,100)

Payton made his return to the NBA on Tuesday, playing 22 minutes and drawing the start at point guard for a Pelicans team that rolled out a lineup that featured only a handful of regular rotation players. We could see Brandon Ingram and Jordan Hawkins return tonight, but CJ McCollum is still doubtful and Elf may draw another start as he's the only healthy pass-first point guard on the roster.

Torrey Craig, CHI – SF ($3,800)

The veteran was dusted off by the Bulls on Tuesday, making his first start of the season and only second appearance. He started at power forward with Patrick Williams out and produced 31 FD points by putting up a 15-6-2 line with a block and a steal. Craig is still dirt cheap and should be able to pay off his tag if he sees a similar amount of playing time (27 minutes on Tuesday) in this elite game environment.

Daniel Gafford, DAL – C ($5,000)

Gafford's minutes are never a sure thing, as he and Dereck Lively II have to split the center minutes nightly, but we can't sleep on him here as he gets a nice usage bump with Luka Doncic out.

If Lively gets into foul trouble guarding Jokic (assuming he plays), then Gafford gets a big bump in minutes, and centers often fare well against Jokic in terms of fantasy stats. Gafford posted 40 FD points against Denver in 33 minutes in their last meeting when Lively was inactive. This is a risky play, but the upside is there.

Clint Capela, ATL – C ($5,600)

Bigs vs. the Bulls - rinse and repeat! While Capela's minutes are tough to project, he's still very much in play at this cheap price because of the outstanding matchup. Capela had 20 points and nine boards in the first matchup between these two teams, which was good for 34 FD points. Capela can double-double even in less than 25 minutes.

Others Under Consideration: Jordan Hawkins (Q) - SG ($4,400), Bogdan Bogdanovic - SG/SF ($4,500), Donovan Clingan - C ($5,400)

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 Johnson
• My favorite CASH play on the slate: Fred VanVleet
• My favorite GPP play on the slate: Brook Lopez + P.J. Washington (tied)
• My favorite VALUE play: Torrey Craig

NBA DFS News and Injury Alerts

More DFS Lineup Picks and Analysis