NBA DFS Picks: Thursday 12/5/24

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

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($10,800) -- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is in a smash spot versus the Toronto Raptors. The Raps are 22nd in defensive rating and 13th in pace. Our NBA DFS projections have SGA pegged for 52.2 FanDuel points (4.83 per $1,000), and he has upside for a lot more if Toronto -- who is a 9.5-point underdog -- can keep it close.

Chris Paul ($6,200) -- Chris Paul projects really well as of Thursday morning. The San Antonio Spurs play the Chicago Bulls in a superb DFS environment as the total is high (236.0) and spread is tight (2.0). Plus, there's no Victor Wembanyama (back) for San Antonio, putting more of the offensive load on CP3, who we project for 32.9 FanDuel points (5.31 per $1,000).

Others to Consider

Ja Morant ($8,600) -- The best DFS matchup of the day is the Memphis Grizzlies-Sacramento Kings clash (241.5-point total and 3.5-point spread). Ja Morant can have a big night. The Kings are just 19th in defensive rating. A Morant-De'Aaron Fox ($8,900) stack is fun, but they eat up both PG slots.

Josh Giddey ($7,000) -- Josh Giddey is a modest-salaried way to get in on the Bulls-Spurs contest, although he's questionable to suit up. Assuming he plays, he can deliver in this spot and is fresh off an outburst of 53.1 FanDuel points. Chicago is expected to be sans several players, most notably Coby White.

Wings

Top Priorities

Devin Booker ($9,100) -- Devin Booker is in good form, scoring at least 46.4 FanDuel points in three of his last four games, and now he gets to be the Phoenix Suns' clear lead dog with Kevin Durant (ankle) sidelined. With KD exiting early last game, Booker went off for 51.3 FanDuel points. He can torch a New Orleans Pelicans team that is 28th in defensive rating.

Jonathan Kuminga ($5,800) -- Stephen Curry and Draymond Green are both out for the Golden State Warriors while Andrew Wiggins is questionable. With Curry and Green off the floor this year, Kuminga holds a team-leading 32.5% usage rate -- a jump of 5.6 percentage points -- per FantasyLabs' on/off tool. He's putting up 41.7 FanDuel points per 36 minutes in the split. Wiggins is also firmly in play if he gives it a go.

Others to Consider

RJ Barrett ($8,200) -- If you use SGA, you need Toronto to keep the game competitive, so it makes sense to plug in a Raptors piece. I side with RJ Barrett over Scottie Barnes ($9,500). Barrett has gone for at least 42.3 FanDuel points in three of his past four games while playing 36-plus minutes in three straight.

Talen Horton-Tucker ($4,100) -- Talen Horton-Tucker is expected to start for the short-handed Bulls. If he does, he's likely the top point-per-dollar value on the slate as it shouldn't be too hard for him to hit for five-times value -- or more -- if he gets 25 to 30 minutes in one of the slate's top DFS environments.

Herbert Jones ($3,900) -- Herbert Jones is questionable today and could make his return from injury. It's not a lock he jumps right back into the starting five or into his usual allotment of minutes, so check for news updates throughout the day. But if Jones plays -- even if he comes off the bench -- he needs to be on our radar at this salary.

Bigs

Top Priorities

Nikola Jokic ($12,300) -- As much as I like SGA tonight, Nikola Jokic is the top priority for me on this slate. He's one of only three players salaried above $10,000, and the other two are in games with spreads of 9.5 and 14.5 points. The Denver Nuggets' date with the Cleveland Cavaliers contains a 4.5-point spread, and while the matchup against the Cavs' bigs is a difficult one, I'm not sure matchups matter much for Jokic. He's averaging an eye-popping 65.2 FanDuel points for the season.

Evan Mobley ($8,000) -- An Evan Mobley-Jokic stack is appealing. Mobley brings elite stocks (steals plus blocks) upside to the table every night, and he should be extra busy today as the Cavs try to defend Jokic. Mobley has been quiet since a DFS explosion of 64.9 FanDuel points on November 27th. He could bust out tonight.

Others to Consider

Karl-Anthony Towns ($9,200) -- If the masses flock to Jokic, Karl-Anthony Towns is an interesting pivot. Admittedly, the 218.0-point over/under and 14.0-point spread in the New York Knicks-Charlotte Hornets matchup are eyesores, but if KAT gets his full minutes -- a big if -- he could wind up being a savvy tournament pick.

Zach Collins ($5,800) -- With Wemby sitting, Zach Collins is worth a look. Not only does the game with the Bulls have a lofty total and close spread, but Chicago is allowing the fourth-most FanDuel points per game to centers (57.2). A big plus is that Collins can be rostered at PF.

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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.