NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: Thursday (12/7)

The first four elimination games of the NBA In-Season tournament were fantastic. That has gotten us to this point, with only four teams remaining! It’s clear these clubs are playing with a bit of extra motivation to land some pocket money, and it’ll be fun to watch these teams duke it out in these semi-finals. With that in mind, let’s look at these semifinal matchups!

View the best player prop bets for tonight’s slate with our NBA Prop Bet Cheat Sheet

NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer:

Schedule and Odds

• IND at MIL (MIL -4.5) O/U: 254.5
• NOP at LAL (LAL -1.5) O/U: 229.5

Check out our consensus game odds and the odds from each sportsbook at BettingPros.

Injury Report

• LeBron James (calf) Questionable
• Jalen Smith (heel) OUT
• Gabe Vincent (knee) OUT
• Jae Crowder (adductor) OUT
• Pat Connaughton (ankle) OUT

Core Plays

Anthony Davis (PF/C – LAL): $9,600 DraftKings, $11,200 FanDuel
Many fantasy managers get frustrated with AD because of his inconsistent play and injuries, but he’s been a beast this season. The Brow has scored at least 50 DraftKings points in 15 of 21 games! That’s on par with his 51-point average, and you know AD will be motivated against his former team. AD scored at least 56 DraftKings points in all four matchups with the Pels last year!

Brandon Ingram (SG/SF – NOP): $8,000 DraftKings, $8,400 FanDuel
Ingram has been an underrated asset throughout his career, and he’s the most reliable player on this Pels roster. BI has scored at least 30 DraftKings points in every game this season, generating a 40-point average. That floor and average are excellent for an $8K player, and he could be locked into 40 minutes in this must-win elimination game. He always plays with a chip on his shoulder against his former team, scoring at least 40 DK points in five of their last six meetings!

Cash Game Considerations

Giannis Antetokounmpo (PF/C – MIL): $11,000 DraftKings, $12,100 FanDuel
There are about five players in the NBA who are can’t-miss options in DFS, and Giannis is one of them. This former MVP has established a 40-point floor over the last five years, averaging 60 DK points per game! He’s been even better recently, scoring at least 61 fantasy points in five straight fixtures. That tells us he’s finally comfortable with Damian Lillard, and it’s scary to think what he’ll do against the fastest-paced team in the NBA. When they played a month ago, Antetokounmpo amassed 54 points and 12 rebounds.

Tyrese Haliburton (PG – IND): $10,600 DraftKings, $11,600 FanDuel
Hali has stepped into superstar territory this season, leading the league in assists. He does more than that, scoring at least 42 fantasy points in all but one game this year. He’s also got 67 and 73 DK points in his two most recent outings and has his season average north of 55 DK points per game. That absurd production will continue as the playmaker for the fastest-paced team in the league, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him play 40-45 minutes in this elimination game.

GPP Targets

Khris Middleton (SF – MIL): $5,900 DraftKings, $6,200 FanDuel
Middleton is a risky option because of his minutes restriction, but we’re creeping closer to a full workload. The former All-Star has played at least 25 minutes in four of his last five games. This guy was an $8K player in a 35-minute role in the past, and we believe he’ll get to 30 minutes in this psuedo-playoff matchup. He averaged close to 40 DK points per game in that role in the past, and all you need is 30 DK points for Mid to be a good value in this $6K price range.

Herbert Jones (SF/PF – NOP): $5,500 DraftKings, $6,300 FanDuel
This team is full of talent, but Herb is the glue guy for this club. He’s locked into 35 minutes because of his elite defense, but he’s been great from a fantasy perspective recently. Jones has at least 31 DraftKings points in three straight outings, dropping 39 and 41 DK points in his two most recent games. That’s all you can ask for from a $6K player, and he’s likely looking at 40-45 minutes to oppose LeBron James! In their most recent meeting, Herb had 34 fantasy points!

Value Plays

Brook Lopez (C – MIL): $6,100 DraftKings, $6,600 FanDuel
Bro-Lo is one of the best defenders in the NBA, and he’s really hit his stride after a slow start. Lopez has scored at least 27 DraftKings points in nine of his last 11 games, providing a 39-point average in that span. That’s quite the total from a player barely cracking $6K, and the matchup with Indiana is incredible. The Pacers allow the most points in the NBA while posting a 27th OPRK against opposing centers.

Bruce Brown (SG/SF – IND): $5,800 DraftKings, $6,000 FanDuel
We discussed how Jones is a glue guy for the Pelicans and Brown does the same things for the Pacers. He’s thrived as a wing for the fastest-paced team in the NBA, averaging 26 DK points per game this year. He’s scored 34 and 40 DK points in his two most recent outings and is being asked to do more in these must-win tourney games. We saw that in their last matchup with Milwaukee, scoring 38 DK points across 37 minutes of action!

Advantageous Pricing

• Anthony Davis (PF/C – LAL): $9,600 DraftKings, $11,200 FanDuel
• Giannis Antetokounmpo (PF/C – MIL): $11,000 DraftKings, $12,100 FanDuel
• Tyrese Haliburton (PG – IND): $10,600 DraftKings, $11,600 FanDuel
• Herbert Jones (SF/PF – NOP): $5,500 DraftKings, $6,300 FanDuel
• LeBron James (SF/PF – LAL): $9,800 DraftKings, $10,600 FanDuel

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