FanDuel Daily Fantasy Basketball Picks and Helper: Wednesday 12/13/23

Since NBA DFS is easier to predict than baseball or football, it would likely get plenty of votes as the best sport to play on FanDuel. Basketball players usually stick to the same minutes and produce at roughly the same rate. Sounds easy, right? Trust me -- it's not!

As a result, NBA daily fantasy is highly reliant on a player's opportunity, so you'll need to ensure that you're up to date with key injuries. numberFire's projections update up until tip-off to reflect current news. numberFire also has player news updates, and the FanDuel Scout app will send push notifications for pressing updates regarding your players.

In addition to daily projections, numberFire also offers a matchup heat map and lineup optimizer to help give you an edge.

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

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

NBA DFS Picks

Guards

Top Plays

Damian Lillard ($9,100) -- The Milwaukee Bucks-Indiana Pacers game stands out on its own today as the slate's premier DFS environment. It boasts a 258.5-point total and 6.5-point spread. That over/under is 18.0 points clear of any other game's total. We need exposure to this contest, and Damian Lillard is a way to get just that. Prior to a meh game last time out, Dame has scored at least 43.5 FanDuel points in eight straight. His ceiling is through the roof against an Indiana team that is 28th in defensive rating and also plays at the league's fastest pace.

Jalen Brunson ($7,800) -- Jalen Brunson is one of my favorite plays tonight. The New York Knicks have a dope matchup at the Utah Jazz. Utah is 26th in defensive rating and 14th in pace. They're also giving up the sixth-most FanDuel points per night to point guards (51.7). Brunson has popped for 60-plus FanDuel points twice over his past seven games. We could see another outburst on Wednesday.

Dennis Schroder ($6,300) -- While the masses are going to flock to the Pacers-Bucks game, don't sleep on the Toronto Raptors-Atlanta Hawks affair. It has a 239.5-point total and 1.5-point spread. On most slates, it would be the night's top game environment, and I think there's a little more blowout risk in Milwaukee than the 6.5-point spread indicates. Dennis Schroder went off for 49.4 FanDuel points in his most recent game, and the Hawks (3rd in pace) are a huge pace-up matchup for the Raps (21st).

Others to Consider

Tyrese Haliburton ($11,000) -- I'm obligated to mention Tyrese Haliburton in what is going be a shootout against a Bucks side that's 5th in pace and 22nd in defensive rating. There's a reason the total is at 258.5 points. While Haliburton can explode in this spot, my interest in him will be reliant on how popular he's expected to be. If he's looking like chalk, I'll likely pivot to other Pacers.

Tyrese Maxey ($9,000) -- Tyrese Maxey looks like an intriguing pivot off Lillard. The Sixers own a 122.25-point implied total, and they're facing a Detroit Pistons team that is 24th in defensive rating and is surrendering the most FanDuel points per game to point guards (54.5). The lone worry -- and it's a big one -- is blowout risk, as the Philadelphia 76ers are favored by 11.5 points.

Wings

Top Plays

Giannis Antetokounmpo ($12,000) -- Giannis Antetokounmpo is my favorite way to get exposure to the Bucks-Pacers game. While the wing positions are pretty loaded tonight, I think it's worth prioritizing Giannis. He's gone for 57.0 and 64.9 FanDuel points in two meetings with Indiana this year, and the Pacers are permitting the second-most FanDuel points per night to power forwards (52.7). Plus, Giannis may be a little extra motivated tonight after the Pacers knocked out the Bucks from the In-Season Tournament (IST).

Brandon Ingram ($7,800) -- Regardless of the status of Zion Williamson ($8,100) -- who is questionable -- Brandon Ingram is a sweet play today. If Zion sits, Ingrams catapults into the truly elite territory for Wednesday. The New Orleans Pelicans carry a 124.0-point implied total into a date with the hapless Washington Wizards, and the blowout risk isn't too crazy with the Pels just a 7.5-point favorite. Washington is giving up 50.3 FanDuel points per game to small forwards, the most in the NBA.

OG Anunoby ($6,300) -- OG Anunoby is a modest-salaried way to get in on the Raptors-Hawks game. Atlanta has allowed the seventh-most FanDuel points per game to small forwards (42.9), and while Anunoby doesn't have top-tier upside, he's logged at least 36 minutes in three consecutive games. numberFire projects him to score 32.4 FanDuel points (5.14 per $1,000).

Others to Consider

Jimmy Butler ($8,600) -- Jimmy Butler continues to project well for a banged-up Miami Heat squad, with numberFire pegging Butler to produce 44.5 FanDuel points (5.17 per $1,000). Butler has mostly been good but not great in DFS this year, even with Miami short-handed lately. A matchup with the Charlotte Hornets is a nice one, though, and he just tagged them for 42.8 FanDuel points on Monday.

Yuta Watanabe ($3,800) -- As of early Wednesday, there aren't many good low-salary options. Yuta Watanabe might end up being a viable dart throw. There's a chance the Phoenix Suns are pretty short-handed. Kevin Durant ($10,000) is questionable, Josh Okogie exited early last night, Grayson Allen sat on Tuesday, and Bradley Beal might get rested on the second leg of a back-to-back. In short, keep your eye on the Suns.

Bigs

Top Plays

Joel Embiid ($12,600) -- It'll be interesting to see what the draft percentage projections look like for Joel Embiid as we get closer to lock. As mentioned above, the Sixers are 11.5-point favorites over Detroit, and given that we've got some other top-level DFS environments available to us, Embiid might not garner too much attention. He is capable of eviscerating the Pistons, a team that has given up the second-most FanDuel points per night to centers (59.9). If he gets his full minutes, look out.

Anthony Davis ($11,400) -- The Los Angeles Lakers are only 2.5-point favorites at the San Antonio Spurs, which strikes me as a closer spread than I was expecting. That has me thinking we might see Anthony Davis or LeBron James ($10,300) sit on the second night of a back-to-back. If one does, the other becomes very appealing. AD is playing really well of late, and he's gone for at least 51.5 FanDuel points in six straight.

Jonas Valanciunas ($6,600) -- Jonas Valanciunas is a projections darling tonight, with numberFire projecting him for 36.2 FanDuel points (5.49 per $1,000). That number will likely go up if Zion is ruled out. The Wiz are the best possible matchup for centers, as they have been torched by the position for a league-high 63.4 FanDuel points per game.

Others to Consider

Julius Randle ($8,500) -- Pretty much everything I said about Brunson also fits here. Julius Randle can have a field day in a soft matchup with Utah, a team giving up the third-most FanDuel points per game to power forwards (52.6). He's played at least 33 minutes in 13 consecutive appearances and would likely benefit a little if Walker Kessler -- who is questionable -- sits for the Jazz.

Brook Lopez ($7,100) and Myles Turner ($7,700) -- I'm lumping these two together. They're both plenty viable in the DFS game of the night, and it's unlikely either is all that popular. Myles Turner blew up for 53.0 FanDuel points against Milwaukee in the IST semis. Turner and Brook Lopez each offer stellar blocks/steals upside.

Orlando Robinson ($5,200) -- Orlando Robinson has seen his minutes fluctuate, but overall, he's getting increased chances with Bam Adebayo on the sidelines. Robinson's 46.4-FanDuel-point outburst last week looks like an outlier -- 22.2 and 21.1 FanDuel points in the two games since -- but on a night where value might be tough to come by, Robinson is worth a look in a matchup with a Hornets team that has permitted the eighth-most FanDuel points per night to centers (56.2).

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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.