Single-Game NBA DFS Picks for the Emirates NBA Cup Championship Game: Bucks vs. Thunder

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. Our projections -- which are powered by numberFire -- update throughout the day to reflect current news. You can also turn to numberFire for player news updates as well as 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 some of the day's top plays at each position.

Let's dive into today's single-game slate on FanDuel.

NBA Single-Game DFS Picks for Bucks-Thunder (NBA Cup Championship)

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All NBA odds are via FanDuel Sportsbook.

• Spread: OKC -4.5
• Total: 215.5
• Pace Rankings: Thunder 11th, Bucks 17th

Bucks-Thunder Studs to Target

Giannis Antetokounmpo ($17,000) -- There are two clear-cut MVP options tonight: Giannis Antetokounmpo and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The vast majority of people will use one of these two at MVP. Per our NBA DFS projections, Giannis is projected for 51.1 FanDuel points while SGA comes in at a projection of 53.2 FanDuel points. No other player has a projection above 40.0. Giannis blew up for 76.3 FanDuel points in the semis and has at least four stocks (steals plus blocks) in three straight games. I give him the slight edge over Gilgeous-Alexander.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($16,000) -- Gilgeous-Alexander has erupted for 66.1 and 67.6 FanDuel points over the past two. While I just said I lean Giannis over him, SGA is obviously an excellent MVP play tonight, as well. The Milwaukee Bucks have allowed the fifth-most FanDuel points per game to PGs (51.8).

Bucks-Thunder Mid-Range Options

Damian Lillard ($14,000) -- Damian Lillard is the clear number-two option for the Bucks. He doesn't offer the same level of upside of Giannis or SGA but is averaging 43.1 FanDuel points per game for the season. OKC has given up the second-fewest FanDuel points per game to point guards (44.2), but Lillard can get hot against anyone.

Jalen Williams ($13,500) -- Jalen Williams is my favorite play outside of the slate's big two, and he -- same for Lillard -- could slip through the cracks some as he's tough to roster in lineup builds that use both Giannis and SGA. Earlier this year, he posted back-to-back games of 59.4 and 60.5 FanDuel points, so he brings plenty of upside to the table.

Bucks-Thunder Value Plays

Brook Lopez ($10,000) -- On a one-game slate, I'm intrigued by Brook Lopez's blocks upside. He's recorded at least three blocks in five of his last nine games. OKC has permitted the 12th-most blocks per game to centers (2.2). We project Lopez for 28.2 FanDuel points tonight, and his salary fits nicely alongside Giannis and SGA.

Cason Wallace ($9,000) -- Cason Wallace has played 30 and 32 minutes the past two games, and that makes him an appealing play at this salary. He's not much of a scorer -- averaging just 6.9 real-world points for the year -- and that caps his ceiling. But Wallace contributes in several other categories, including 2.5 stocks per game.

Taurean Prince ($7,500) -- If you're jamming in both Giannis and Gilgeous-Alexander, you'll need at least one low-salary dart. Taurean Prince will likely be the slate's lowest-salaried starter. He's played exactly 20 minutes in back-to-back outings but has posted only 10.6 and 6.9 FanDuel points in those games.

Isaiah Joe ($7,000) -- Isaiah Joe is a viable value dart throw. He's played at least 16 minutes in four of his last five games and can shoot the three-ball (38.0% for the year). There's some upside with Joe if he knocks down a few shots.

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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.