Single-Game NBA DFS Picks: Knicks at Raptors (12/9/24)

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 Knicks-Raptors

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All NBA odds are via FanDuel Sportsbook.

• Spread: Knicks -6.5
• Total: 232.0
• Pace Rankings: Toronto 11th, Knicks 26th

Knicks-Raptors Studs to Target

Scottie Barnes ($16,500) -- The case for Scottie Barnes in a single-game DFS lineup doesn't need a whole ton of explanation. Barnes leads the Toronto Raptors in assists and steals per game. He ranks second in minutes, points, rebounds, and blocks and would probably lead the team in two of those categories (points and minutes) had a face injury not sidelined him for three weeks. In a relevant sample (RJ Barrett on the court, Immanuel Quickley off the court), Barnes leads the Raptors in usage rate. He posted 58.6 FanDuel points his last time out and is averaging 51.0 FanDuel points across games where he logged 32 minutes or more. Is his salary a bit too high? Perhaps. But our NBA projections have him down for four more FanDuel points than the next-best player and the lack of intriguing Raptor candidates otherwise makes Barnes an easy inclusion in lineups.

Karl-Anthony Towns ($15,000) -- Karl-Anthony Towns (knee) is listed as questionable for tonight's competition. If KAT is ruled in -- which seems more likely than not -- he will be incredibly hard to fade in DFS. Towns has posted north of 41 FanDuel points in 15 straight games, making him one of the most consistent fantasy players in the league. He's averaging 50.6 FanDuel points in this 15-game span, notching as many as 67.5. As a bonus, the Raptors are coughing up the third-most FanDuel points per game to opposing centers. The North is letting up the sixth-most blocks and fourth-most steals per game, leaving KAT with an opportunity to register stocks (steals plus blocks). Towns' injury designation might scare off the public to a higher degree than normal, making him a top priority in the MVP slot should he be good to go.

Jalen Brunson ($14,500) -- Prepared as ever for this to be a regrettable statement, Jalen Brunson isn't catching my eye at his $14.5K salary. We've gotta perform due diligence by mentioning him, but Barnes' usage is unrivaled, and it would be an uphill battle fading KAT. You will only be able to get to two of these three guys unless you're fine with Toronto's scrubs rounding out your lineup. Past that salary predicament, the main reason to fade Brunson? This is an awesome matchup for the Knicks to rack up stocks. We know how vital stocks can be for a fantasy score, but Brunson is netting just 0.7 steals per game and has yet to complete his degree at the Derrick White school for short shot-blockers. Knicks such as Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, and OG Anunoby get a bump from a matchup with big stock potential and give us further reason to lay off Brunson tonight.

Knicks-Raptors Mid-Range Options

RJ Barrett ($13,000) -- It's revenge time for RJ Barrett, who was traded away from the Knicks part way through last season and still has a few things to say on the matter. Barrett is the only player on either of these teams who has attempted at least 14 shots in every one of his games this season. In fact, RJ leads both sides in shot attempts (18.5) per game. Barnes has been back in Toronto's lineup for the past nine games, but that hasn't stopped Barrett from averaging 38.8 FanDuel points in that span. Notably, Barrett has torched top-12 defenses with 43.0 FanDuel points this campaign, so a tough Knicks crew might not stop him from getting to his spots. I knew I'd like RJ tonight based on his insane shot volume and the revenge narrative but was happily surprised to find out he is the third-highest points-per-dollar projection in the game and the highest on the Raptors.

OG Anunoby ($10,500) -- Here's another guy who's in for a revenge game, though I'm sure OG doesn't hold much resentment against Toronto for sending him to New York. As mentioned, the Raptors are ceding the sixth-most blocks and fourth-most steals per game. Enter OG, who leads the Knicks in steals (1.6) and blocks (1.0). That alone puts him on our radar, especially after seeing that he's scored as many as 21 FanDuel points on stocks alone in a single game this season. His salary poses as the second-best value based on our projections.

Mikal Bridges ($10,000) -- Now for the most under-salaried player in tonight's game. Bridges has put the early-season roadblocks behind him, netting between 32.9 and 39.3 FanDuel points across his last four. He leads the NBA in minutes per game (38.2) and could benefit from this pace-up spot against Toronto. Plus, he's contributing 1.1 steals and 0.5 blocks per game, serving as another stock candidate. Our projections expect him to go for 33.8 FanDuel points in this one. His 3.38 points-per-dollar value is notably higher than even Anunoby (2.96).

Knicks-Raptors Value Plays

Gradey Dick ($9,500) -- While I want in on Barnes and Barrett, Gradey Dick is not a terrible alternate route. He lacks upside in just about every stat category expect for points. His 18.4 points per game is flashy but gets watered down -- from a fantasy perspective -- once we see he is contributing only 6.3 combined rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks per game. Ouch. The good news? Dick is attempting a team-high 7.3 threes per game and will draw a matchup against a Knicks team that surrenders the sixth-most made threes. Ochai Agbaji ($8,000) is worth a shoutout, namely because his salary would allow you to get to Barnes, KAT, OG, and Bridges. Agbaji has scored single-digit FanDuel points in two straight outings, which should scare away the masses. Before that, he had averaged 27.95 FanDuel points in his last four contests, including a 40.2-point night despite Toronto being at full health in that one. He can tally boards and steals, making him the most ideal Raptor to target beyond Barnes and Barrett.

Miles McBride ($7,500) -- We know what we are getting with Miles McBride. He's averaging 20.8 FanDuel points per game but has scored north of 29 just once this season, and hardly, at that (31.3). He has yet to log 30 minutes this season and doesn't see enough volume behind a starting lineup that features Brunson, KAT, OG, Bridges, and Hart. In turn, it might be best to first look to Agbaji in this salary range. His status as a starter offers him a friendlier ceiling than McBride, even if McBride's baseline is more set in stone. In the event that KAT does not make it off the injury report, Precious Achiuwa ($9,000) slides in as a possible play. He scored 29 FanDuel points sans Towns on Saturday, though that was just his second appearance this season due to a hamstring injury, so he's a volatile option.

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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.