Fantasy

NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: Nov. 21

FantasyPros breaks down the top DraftKings and FanDuel daily fantasy players for Tuesday's five-game NBA slate.

Joel Bartilotta, FantasyPros

November 21, 2023 7:56 PM

Anthony Davis and LeBron James are both key players to target in DraftKings and FanDuel DFS tonight.

We’re finally getting near the end of group play in the NBA In-Season Tournament, and this card will go a long way to decide who wins these groups. With that in mind, let’s look at this Tuesday card!

Core Plays

Anthony Davis (PF/C – LAL): $9,700 DraftKings, $10,800 FanDuel

Davis has been inconsistent this season, but his upside is hard to overlook. The Brow has scored at least 50 DraftKings points in nine of the last 11 games he’s finished, averaging nearly 55 DK points per game in that span. Not many players have displayed that sort of ceiling this season, but we’ve seen Davis do this throughout his career. The matchup against Portland is phenomenal, too, with the Trail Blazers surrendering the most fantasy points to opposing big men.

Tyrese Haliburton (PG – IND): $10,400 DraftKings, $10,300 FanDuel

Tyrese had at least 42 DraftKings points in each of his first 10 outings, averaging over 50 DK points per game in that span. He also had 57, 61, and 75 fantasy points in his three previous outings before struggling on Sunday, and one of those could be in play against Atlanta. The Hawks rank 24th in points allowed, with Haliburton scoring 46 DK points in their most recent meeting. Just look at this 250-point total!

Trae Young (PG – ATL): $9,100 DraftKings, $9,200 FanDuel

This feels like a game where Young and Hali will be going at it all night in the highest total of the season. Young has been just as reliable, scoring at least 38 DraftKings points every game this year. He’s also scored at least 44 DraftKings points in seven straight outings, and that should be his floor against this pitiful Pacers defense. Indiana ranks 27th in defensive efficiency and 29th in points allowed.

Cash Game Considerations

Joel Embiid (C – PHI): $11,200 DraftKings, $12,000 FanDuel

Embiid has seen an uptick in usage and shot attempts in the absence of James Harden, averaging over 60 DraftKings points per game since the opener. Embiid has also scored 61 or more DK points in half of his outings this season and should be hungry against Eastern Conference contenders like the Cavs. In their last two matchups, Joel has scored 61 and 71 fantasy points!

Kevin Durant (PF – PHX): $10,000 DraftKings, $10,200 FanDuel

Durant has always been one of the most efficient players in the NBA, and he will be the focal point of the offense as long as Bradley Beal remains out. That’s led to KD scoring at least 49 DraftKings points in eight straight outings, scoring 65 and 72 DK points in his two most recent fixtures. That’s an absurd stretch, and we don’t want to fade him against a 23rd-ranked Portland defense.

LeBron James (SF/PF – LAL): $9,900 DraftKings, $10,500 FanDuel

It’s hard to believe what this guy is doing. Most people from LeBron’s draft class retired years ago and struggled in the final years of their careers. King James is nowhere near that, scoring at least 60 DraftKings points in three of his last four games. This is simply the best player of our generation playing at the top of his game, and we shouldn’t avoid him against a Utah team that ranks 26th in points allowed and 28th in defensive efficiency.

GPP Targets

Myles Turner (C – IND): $7,100 DraftKings, $7,500 FanDuel

Turner is always all over the map in terms of consistency, but his ceiling makes him an excellent GPP option. This guy has showcased a 60-point ceiling in the past and has flirted with a 40-point average for weeks at a time. The reason we believe he can reach that is this matchup because Atlanta has one of the worst defenses in the NBA. That was clear when Turner averaged 35 DK points per game against them over their last four matchups.

Jusuf Nurkic (C – PHX): $6,300 DraftKings, $6,600 FanDuel

It will be tough for Nurk to be consistent with so many weapons in this offense, but he’s an excellent GPP option with his upside. The big Bosnian has scored at least 38 DraftKings points five times this season, averaging over 30 DK points per game. His biggest asset is a revenge game against his former team because Portland is surrendering the most fantasy points to opposing centers this season.

Goga Bitadze (C – ORL): $5,000 DraftKings, $5,200 FanDuel

Goga doesn’t get as many minutes as we would like, but he’s a stud whenever he’s out there. The big man has been starting at center in the absence of Wendell Carter Jr. averaging 29 DK points per game across 23 minutes a night in his eight starts. That’s the per-minute production we’ve become accustomed to, and it looks even better since he has at least 31 DK points in two of his last three outings. Toronto isn’t a great matchup, but Goga needs to play big minutes with how large this Raptors team can be.

Value Plays

Darius Garland (PG – CLE): $7,600 DraftKings, $8,300 FanDuel

It will be tough to avoid Garland as long as Donovan Mitchell is out. That leaves DG as the primary playmaker for this team, flirting with a 35 percent usage rare when Mitchell is off the floor. He’s also averaging nearly 50 DraftKings points per game when Mitchell is sidelined and needs a price bump as long as the All-Star is out.

Dennis Schroder (PG – TOR): $6,400 DraftKings, $6,500 FanDuel

Schroder is spread throughout my season-long leagues, and he’s proven to be one of the steals of the draft. The veteran has taken over as the starting point guard in Toronto for Fred VanVleet, scoring at least 34 DraftKings points in seven of 12 games this season. That’s right on par with his impressive season average, and he should be utilized heavily against an Orlando backcourt missing its starting point guard.

Keyonte George (PG/SG – UTA): $5,500 DraftKings, $5,200 FanDuel

This rookie has stumbled into the starting point guard gig in Utah, and he needs a price bump in this newfound role. George has played at least 29 DraftKings points in four straight fixtures, playing over 30 minutes a game in that span. That’s all you can ask for from such an affordable player, especially against a Los Angeles team allowing the ninth-most fantasy points to opposing point guards.