FanDuel Daily Fantasy Basketball Picks and Helper: Monday 11/27/23

Since NBA DFS is easier to predict than baseball or football, it would likely get plenty of votes as the best sport to play on FanDuel. Basketball players usually stick to the same minutes and produce at roughly the same rate. Sounds easy, right? Trust me -- it's not!

As a result, NBA daily fantasy is highly reliant on a player's opportunity, so you'll need to ensure that you're up to date with key injuries. numberFire's projections update up until tip-off to reflect current news. numberFire also has player news updates, and the FanDuel Scout app will send push notifications for pressing updates regarding your players.

In addition to daily projections, numberFire also offers a matchup heat map and a lineup optimizer to help give you an edge.

Here at FanDuel Research, we'll also come at you each day with this NBA DFS primer, which breaks down a few of the day's top plays at each position.

Let's dive into today's main slate on FanDuel.

NBA DFS Picks

Guards

Top Plays

Tyrese Haliburton ($10,600) -- It's hard to keep Tyrese Haliburton out of lineups, especially on a small slate. 'Hali is on a tear right now. He's averaging 51.8 FanDuel points per game this month and has eclipsed 60 five times in his last 10 games. The Portland Trail Blazers are middle of the pack against guards, but the Indiana Pacers' league-leading pace and slate-high 126.25-point implied team total give him contest-winning upside tonight.

Cade Cunningham ($8,000) -- Cade Cunningham is rolling. He dropped 27 (49.9 FD points) and 31 (38.1 FD) points in the last two games and now comes off multiple rest days to host the Washington Wizards. Washington is allowing the second-most FD points to point guards, and they rank dead last in defensive rating but still play at the second-fastest pace in the NBA. Cade's in a smash spot, and it doesn't hurt that he's got PG and SG eligibility.

Reggie Jackson ($5,000) -- Jamal Murray is out again tonight, so we're safe to fire Reggie Jackson into our DFS lineups. Jackson has thrived with Murray out and comes into tonight with 30-plus FD points in three of his last four games. The Los Angeles Clippers are actually the toughest fantasy matchup in the league for opposing point guards, but you won't find this level of usage at this low of a salary anywhere else.

Others to Consider

Tyus Jones ($5,600) -- Tyus Jones keeps flashing brilliance but hasn't been able to consistently produce. After scoring 30.7 and 43.9 FanDuel points in consecutive games, Jones fell back to Earth with a 10.4-point dud against his last time out. Things should improve tonight. Jordan Poole (ankle) is banged up, but even if Poole is active, Jones could thrive against a Detroit Pistons defense that's let up the most FD points per game to opposing PGs.

Jaden Ivey ($5,200) -- Like his teammate, Cunningham, Jaden Ivey has a juicy matchup against the lowly Wizards. Ivey hasn't been nearly as consistent as Cunningham, but he also doesn't come with nearly as big of a salary. Last year's fifth-overall pick set season-high marks in minutes (32) and points (25) his last time out and now faces the worst defense in the league. Sign me up.

Wings

Top Plays

Paul George ($8,700) -- Paul George has scored at least 40 FD points in seven consecutive games. He's eclipsed 50 FanDuel points only once over that span, but you can't argue with the consistency. The Denver Nuggets have been solid defensively, but the Clippers are 5.5-point favorites against the defending champs, per the NBA odds at FanDuel Sportsbook. A close game would only elevate George's status.

Austin Reaves ($6,400) -- Austin Reaves had a slow start to the season but has thrived since moving to the bench. Over his last nine games as LA's sixth man, Reaves is averaging 31.2 FD points per game. He's eclipsed 30 in six of seven and is coming off a double-double. The Philadelphia 76ers are stingy to opposing wings, but it's hard to find this consistent production at such a manageable salary.

Herbert Jones ($6,300) -- Herbert Jones has the second-highest steal rate among players averaging at least 30 minutes per game. His opponent tonight, the Utah Jazz, leads the league in turnover rate and has allowed the most steals per game. Oh, and CJ McCollum is out. And Utah has given up the second-most FD points to opposing SFs. There's so much to like, so I want all the Herb Jones I can get tonight.

Others to Consider

Kyle Kuzma ($7,900) -- If Jordan Poole sits, I want exposure to Kyle Kuzma. With Poole off the floor this season, Kuzma has seen his usage climb by 2.9 percentage points. He's been quiet over his last two games but is no stranger to ceiling outings, having scored 52.1 and 60.8 in two prior games. Detroit has been decent against forwards, but they're in the bottom 10 in defensive rating. There's upside.

Buddy Hield ($5,300) -- I'm not exactly sure why Buddy Hield is starting for Indiana, but he's delivered. Over his last three games, Hield is averaging 24.3 points and 32.9 FD points per game. Granted, the bulk of that production came in one monster outing, but as long as Hield is seeing close to 30 minutes per game, we can safely fire the sharpshooter into DFS lineups given Indiana's lethal offense.

Bigs

Top Plays

Nikola Jokic ($12,600) -- Nikola Jokic faces a familiar foe tonight in Ivica Zubac and the Clippers. The Joker has torched Zubac for 27.4 points, 14.0 rebounds, and 7.9 assists over their last eight meetings. Dating back to 2021, Jokic has averaged 60.6 FD points per game in this matchup. The Clippers have been relatively stingy against bigs, but Jokic is matchup-proof. I'm building my lineups around him tonight.

Jerami Grant ($7,400) -- As a general rule, I want exposure to the Pacers, either for or against them. Leading the league in pace but ranking 28th in defensive rating, Indiana is a dream fantasy matchup. That's especially true against power forwards, against whom they've allowed the third-most FD points per game. Jerami Grant draws the Pacers tonight, and he's averaged 34.6 over his last three.

Obi Toppin ($4,800) -- If you're swinging for value plays, the Pacers' 126.25-point implied team total makes them a good roster to target. Toppin has been productive lately, averaging 26.3 FD points across his last five. That includes a pair of 35-point outings. He'd get an even bigger boost if Aaron Nesmith (wrist) is out again.

Others to Consider

Joel Embiid ($12,200) -- Over the last four seasons, Joel Embiid and Anthony Davis have squared off three times. Embiid has averaged 30.7 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game in those contests -- good for 50.1 FD points per game. He's scored 70 in two straight coming in, but there's risk of a let-down against the league's ninth-rated defense. I prefer the Joker, but you can't really go wrong with Embiid.

Anthony Davis ($10,800) -- AD is a fun counter to Embiid tonight if you like Davis to come out ahead in this matchup. He's faced Embiid only three times since joining the Los Angeles Lakers, but he dropped 31 and 12 in both of their last two meetings. Considering they've essentially washed the recent matchups, AD could be a nice salary saver compared to Embiid. AD also has PF eligibility, so you could pair him with either of the slate's superstar centers if the salaries line up.

Walker Kessler ($5,700) -- It's pretty hard for me to stray away from Jokic and Embiid, but if you're full-fading those two, I like Walker Kessler at this salary. Kessler had averaged 29.3 FD points in his five games before going down with an elbow injury, but he returned this weekend to drop a double-double in just 21 minutes of action. The New Orleans Pelicans have allowed the eighth-most FD points to opposing centers, so he's a solid contrarian play.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author’s advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.