NBA Underdog Fantasy Player Predictions for Friday (11/22)
I’m here to give you a (free!) peek behind the curtain regarding some of the awesome things our NBA DFS projections team is cooking up by giving you my top picks for today’s NBA slate on Underdog Fantasy. Every single pick you will find below is going to be based on what our projections say is a meaningful edge, and I will then use my basketball and analytical background to try to pinpoint the very best of the best. Please keep in mind that the NBA news cycle can get crazy, so what is listed below may become a better/worse play depending on how that news breaks. You can always stay up to date on exactly what a team’s rotation and depth chart will look like on a given day by heading to our NBA starting lineups page.
We have 8 games on the schedule as the NBA is set to tip off on 11/22. Below, I’ll detail how I’m approaching things on Underdog this Friday evening.
First… Sign Up to Make NBA Underdog Fantasy Picks
If you want to play along but haven’t signed up yet, grab a special offer with our Underdog promo code “GRINDERS” to unlock up to $1000 Bonus Cash courtesy of a generous deposit match. Underdog Fantasy – one of the most popular DFS pick’em sites – provides player projections for NBA matchups each day. The ball is then in our court to decide whether a player will ultimately exceed or fall short of those projections in the games. With a huge roster of players available from which to choose, we just need to make a minimum of two picks to build an entry.
I’ll break down the board by looking at factors like usage rates, projected pace, lines in the sports betting market, and of course, our RotoGrinders projections to forecast how NBA players might fare in categories like points, rebounds, and assists. For even more insight when making your Underdog picks today, be sure to check out our fantasy pick’em tool.
Underdog Fantasy Top NBA Picks for 11/22
Now that you’re signed up, here are some of our top NBA picks on Underdog for 11/22 at a glance:
- Daniel Gafford Higher/Lower Than 10.5 Points + Assists
- Onyeka Okongwu Higher/Lower Than 10.5 Points + Assists
- Tari Eason Higher/Lower Than 16.5 Points + Rebounds
Mavs vs. Nuggets NBA Underdog Fantasy Predictions
Here are the Mavs vs. Nuggets NBA Underdog Fantasy predictions for tonight:
Daniel Gafford Higher Than 10.5 Points + Assists
Okay, maybe we can throw the ‘assists’ part out of this one since Gafford averages exactly 1 assist per game. But hey, every little bit helps on a number this low! More importantly, he averages 12.5 points per game this season. And if he can stay out of foul trouble (whether Nikola Jokic plays or not), I like him to grab the bulk of the center minutes tonight over Dereck Lively.
For what it’s worth, this is the top play of the night according to our fantasy pick’em tool. It is projected to win 69.77% of the time, resulting in a 12.03% edge.
Hawks vs. Bulls NBA Underdog Fantasy Predictions
Here are the Hawks vs. Bulls NBA Underdog Fantasy predictions for tonight:
Onyeka Okongwu Higher Than 10.5 Points + Assists
This is eerily similar to the Gafford play above, as it is another 10.5 Points + Assists projection by Underdog on a guy who barely dishes out an assist per game. But Okongwu says, “Hold my beer, Daniel” … as Okongwu has averaged a whopping 1.6 assists per game! And yes, folks, that is a career high.
Seriously though, Okongwu is likely to get here on points alone. And the opponent tonight is likely to make that easier than normal, as the Bulls rank 27th in defensive rating while also ranking 1st in pace. A few more notches down on defense, and they are going to literally be the ideal matchup to accrue statistics against. Look for Okongwu to do just that tonight.
Trail Blazers vs. Rockets NBA Underdog Fantasy Predictions
Here are the Trail Blazers vs. Rockets NBA Underdog Fantasy predictions for tonight:
Tari Eason Higher Than 16.5 Points + Rebounds
Eason has long been a favorite of mine in the fantasy basketball streets, as it feels like it is a rarity if there is a trip down the court where he doesn’t rack up some sort of stat. So I love the fact that he is popping as one of the better plays tonight in our fantasy pick’em tool.
This Underdog projection is noteworthy considering Eason is averaging 11.7 points and 6.4 rebounds per game this season. I sense they are assuming he is going to fall back closer to his points average last season (9.8), but I am not so sure though. For one, he is averaging 1.3 more minutes per game, which might not seem like a lot until you factor in what I led his blurb with. And secondly, his TS% has shot up to 59.7% through 16 games (it was essentially 52% in each of his first two seasons). Even if that regresses a tad, I still like him to surpass this Underdog projection in a favorable matchup against Portland.
Editor’s Note: Looking for more places to play? Check out our PrizePicks promo code and Sleeper promo code.
Image Credit: Getty Images