NBA DFS Picks Today (12/1): DraftKings & FanDuel Top Plays, Sleepers
It’s December already? How ‘bout that. Things are relatively tame in the NBA streets tonight, as we’ve got just 6 games on the board. We do still have a few major injury situations to monitor, however, with stars like Victor Wembanyama, Devin Booker, and Joel Embiid all carrying questionable tags heading into tonight’s action.
Below, you’ll find a few NBA DFS picks that stand out on DraftKings and FanDuel as of the early afternoon hours. If you’re looking for more in-depth analysis, sign up for RG Premium.
Top NBA DFS DraftKings Lineup Optimizer Value
PG Derrick Rose ($4,900)
The Grizzlies are a source of value seemingly every time they appear on a slate. That’ll be the case again tonight when they head to Dallas to take on the Mavs. Memphis is a sizable 10-point road underdog in this one, but Derrick Rose ($4,900) is currently popping in projections as the best point-per-dollar value on DraftKings.
Rose has spent most of the season playing a decent backup role, but he jumped into the starting unit in the last game. D-Rose will likely never again be a major source of minutes at this more advanced stage of his career, but he did log a season-high 27 in that start. There’s also a chance he lost some burn at the end of the game, as the Grizzlies blew the doors off the Jazz the other night.
The 35-year-old is still productive, contributing 0.97 DK FP/min for the season on 23.4% usage. Rose is considerably more expensive than he was the other night, and he should see quite a bit more ownership, to boot. Still, he makes for a solid cheapie to play in all formats if he draws another start tonight.
Top NBA DFS FanDuel Lineup Optimizer Value
PG/SG Jalen Suggs ($5,900)
The Magic walloped the Wizards in their matchup on Wednesday night, and the two teams will tangle again tonight in Orlando. The Magic are still without Wendell Carter and Markelle Fultz, which opens up plenty of usage for the rest of Orlando’s regulars. Jalen Suggs is quietly enjoying a solid season, averaging 0.95 FP/min on 21% usage.
For whatever reason, Suggs’ salaries rarely seem to budge. He’s been hovering in the $6,000 range for quite some time now. I liked him in this very matchup on Wednesday, so why wouldn’t he be a strong play again tonight at the exact same price point? Washington is third in the league in pace and 29th in defense. Orlando’s 124.25 implied team total is the highest on the slate, and it’s about 4 points higher than it was on Wednesday.
Suggs has become a capable defender, and his ability to rack up defensive stats is particularly useful on FanDuel, where you get 3 points per block/steal. Suggs is averaging 2.5 stocks per game on the year.
NBA DFS Sleepers
PF Kevin Durant ($9,900 DK, $10,200 FD)
Tonight’s Nuggets-Suns clash may not be the best game environment from a DFS standpoint, but this does look like the best real-life basketball game on the board. Denver is listed as a 2.5-point favorite on the road, so Vegas expects this potential playoff preview to stay competitive throughout.
As mentioned, Devin Booker is questionable to suit up for Phoenix. Regardless of Booker’s status, Kevin Durant looks like a sneaky way to spend salary in tournaments. He’s still going out there and posting beefy stat lines just about every night. KD’s 33.3% usage puts him right there with Booker for the team lead, and he’ll see a boost if Devin takes the night off.
Durant’s 1.4 FP/min average doesn’t quite put him in the Jokic/Embiid stratosphere, but he does climb to 1.47 with Booker and Bradley Beal both off the floor. Durant will become a popular spend if we get news of Booker sitting before lock, but he’s projecting for sub-10% ownership on both DraftKings and FanDuel as of now.
SF Scottie Barnes ($8,600 DK, $8,900 FD)
Knicks-Raptors actually has the lowest over/under on the entire slate, but this is another game with a tight spread. Toronto checks in as a 2-point favorite against a Knicks team playing its second game in as many nights.
Scottie Barnes sophomore campaign was a bit of a disappointment, but he’s bounced back nicely so far in his third NBA season. Among Toronto’s starters, Barnes comes into this game ranked second in usage rate, assist rate, and rebound rate. His 1.3 FP/min average is downright elite, yet we’re still paying less than $9,000 to roster him on both DraftKings and FanDuel.
Barnes’ multi-positional eligibility comes in handy, particularly on DK where you can roster him at either guard or forward. It’s also as if Nick Nurse never left, as Barnes is playing 36+ minutes on a nightly basis. In what should be a close game, Scottie grades out as a very strong differentiator in tournaments at single-digit ownership around the industry.