NBA DFS Picks: Thursday 12/26/24

If you're looking to have some fun this basketball season, NBA DFS on FanDuel has you covered.

With NBA DFS, you can put your hoops knowledge to the test and ride with players you think will go off in a given night.

To help you along the way, we've got a bunch of tools here at FanDuel Research. Specifically, our NBA DFS projections, powered by numberFire, update throughout the day to reflect current news.

On top of all that, here at FanDuel Research, we'll come at you each day with this NBA DFS primer, which breaks down some of the day's top plays at each position.

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

Betting lines via the NBA odds at FanDuel Sportsbook. Projections and betting odds may change after this article is published.

NBA DFS Picks for Today

Guards

Top Priorities

Trae Young ($9,200) -- The best DFS environment of the night is the Atlanta Hawks-Chicago Bulls game. The total is a slate-high 242.5 points, and the spread is 6.5. Both teams sit in the top three in pace and in the bottom half of the league in defensive rating. Giddy up. Trae Young is a high-upside way to get access to this game, and Chicago is giving up the fourth-most FanDuel points per game to PGs (53.5). Our NBA DFS projections have him going for 46.1 FanDuel points (5.01 per $1,000).

Jordan Poole ($7,700) -- The Washington Wizards have an appealing home matchup against the Charlotte Hornets -- a game with a 226.5-point total and 4.5-point spread. The Hornets are allowing the seventh-most FanDuel points per game to PGs (50.4), and Poole has scored at least 37.0 FanDuel points in four of his last five games. Poole's points prop is listed at 23.5, per the NBA odds at FanDuel Sportsbook. If he can put up numbers in some other categories, he could have a big night.

Others to Consider

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($11,400) -- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander gets a sweet matchup with the Indiana Pacers. Both Indiana and the Oklahoma City Thunder rank in the top 11 in pace. OKC boasts a 116.0-point implied total, and SGA offers slate-winning upside.

Coby White ($6,300) -- Coby White is a fun and modest-salaried bring-back piece to use alongside any Hawks players. Our model has him scoring 32.8 FanDuel points (5.21 per $1,000).

Trevelin Queen ($4,200) -- If you got fantasy points for a player's name, Trevelin Queen would be an elite play, but jokes aside, he's a quality value option today. He totaled 31.7 FanDuel points last time out in the first start of his career and might get another starting nod today. We project him for 22.7 FanDuel points (5.40 per $1,000).

Wings

Top Priorities

Jalen Johnson ($9,200) -- I'm guessing Trae Young will be popular tonight. Jalen Johnson probably won't fly under the radar, but he might not be as chalky as Young. That intrigues me. Johnson is averaging 44.2 FanDuel points per game for the campaign and has shown big-time stocks (steals plus blocks) upside. A fast-paced game against the Bulls sets him up for success.

Amen Thompson ($6,600) -- Amen Thompson's stock has been trending up, and he got a start last time out with Dillon Brooks out. He took full advantage, blowing up for 46.7 FanDuel points. Brooks is out again today, and Thompson can go nuts versus a New Orleans Pelicans team that ranks 28th in defensive rating. We have Thompson scoring 36.9 FanDuel points (5.59 per $1,000). He's one of the slate's premier plays.

Others to Consider

Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,800) -- Giannis Antetokounmpo is an elite play each time out. He brings massive upside to the table tonight against the Brooklyn Nets, a team that is 26th in defensive rating. Our projections have Giannas as the slate's highest scorer (52.4 FanDuel points).

Jalen Williams ($8,300) -- Jalen Williams has the same stellar matchup as SGA but will likely be less popular. The Pacers are 20th in defensive rating and are playing at the 6th-fastest pace. Williams could have a big day.

Bigs

Top Priorities

Alperen Sengun ($8,800) -- Alperen Sengun has a mouth-watering matchup with the Pels, a team allowing the third-most FanDuel points per game to centers (59.3). Sengun's DFS outputs can be difficult to predict with the Houston Rockets having so many options, but this is a smash spot for him. Our projections peg Sengun for 42.9 FanDuel points (4.88 per $1,000).

Walker Kessler ($7,000) -- Walker Kessler is coming off a big game (41.7 FanDuel points) and draws a friendly matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers. Portland is 27th in defensive rating and has surrendered the 5th-most FanDuel points per game to centers (57.6). Kessler's elite stocks upside paired with this matchup makes him a top option.

Others to Consider

Myles Turner ($6,700) -- Myles Turner is a projections darling tonight, with our numbers projecting him for 36.6 FanDuel points (5.46 per $1,000). He has top-shelf stocks upside and is the Pacers' piece I most want to stack with anyone I use from OKC.

Zach Edey ($5,300) -- Zach Edey is someone else our projections love today. He's actually the night's top point-per-dollar play as of Thursday morning as we project him for 31.7 FanDuel points (5.98 per $1,000). He's facing the Toronto Raptors, the team allowing the most FanDuel points per game to centers (60.1).

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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.