Friday’s slate is an eight-gamer with limited top-tier options for which to pay up. DraftKings and FanDuel each only have two players priced above $11,000, but there are several others priced between $10,000 and $11,000. It is currently difficult to prioritize most of them, but that could change if more value opens up. Let’s get into the top NBA daily fantasy basketball picks today, including a contrarian option at the very top of the pricing sheet in Joel Embiid.
Looking for more NBA DFS advice? You’ve come to the right place. Sign up for our NBA DFS Premium Package for access to our scoring projections, ownership projections and our state-of-the-art NBA DFS simulation tools.
NBA Daily Fantasy Picks Today
NBA Daily Fantasy Picks Today No. 1 – Joel Embiid
- DFS Salary: DraftKings: $11,800/ FanDuel: $12,600
- Stokastic’s Point Projections: DraftKings: 63.4/ FanDuel: 62.7
- Stokastic’s Ownership Projections: DraftKings: 5.1%/ FanDuel: 2.1%
Embiid has an excellent matchup against the Pistons. The only question is how to find the salary to fit him into lineups. Embiid has produced 1.85 DraftKings points per minute in 34.4 minutes per game this year and is fresh off of a 67.25-DraftKings-point performance in a game where he didn’t even step on the floor in the fourth quarter in this same matchup. He is a high-upside contrarian option if you can find the salary.
NBA Daily Fantasy Picks Today No. 2 – Tyrese Haliburton
- DFS Salary: DraftKings: $11,300/ FanDuel: 10,900
- Stokastic’s Point Projections: DraftKings: 60.3/ FanDuel: 57.6
- Stokastic’s Ownership Projections: DraftKings: 5.7%/ FanDuel: 23.8%
Haliburton’s price tag is problematic on DraftKings, but he is easier to afford on FanDuel. He is a strong play on DraftKings as well if you can find the salary, but it will be more difficult. Haliburton has an excellent matchup tonight against the Wizards in a game with a 261-point total. Haliburton has been one of the best offensive players in basketball this season and has averaged 1.58 DraftKings points per minute in 34.2 minutes per game. He is likely to produce at an above-average rate in this spot.
NBA Daily Fantasy Picks Today No. 3 – Anthony Davis
- DFS Salary: DraftKings: $10,300/ FanDuel: $11,300
- Stokastic’s Point Projections: DraftKings: 55.5/ FanDuel: 56.3
- Stokastic’s Ownership Projections: DraftKings: 16.2%/ FanDuel: 14.4%
Anthony Davis and LeBron James are both questionable tonight in a favorable matchup against the Spurs. Davis was questionable in both games of a back-to-back earlier in the week and ended up being active for both of them. Assuming that he is able to suit up tonight, he projects as one of the most popular spend-up options. The Spurs rank in the bottom 10 in adjusted defensive rating this season while also playing at a top-5 pace. Davis has produced 1.46 DraftKings points per minute in 34.9 minutes per game in the 22 games that he has played alongside LeBron James this year. In two games without James, he has produced 1.56 DraftKings points per minute.
There are eight games tonight and we are still waiting on important injury news. Be sure to check out Stokastic’s Deeper Dive and Live Before Lock shows.
