Wednesday brings a staggered seven-game featured slate, with games tipping off at five different times and the main contests locking at 7:00 p.m. ET on DraftKings and FanDuel. There are several options in the player pool worth analyzing to find the top NBA DFS building blocks and NBA DFS picks. Jaren Jackson Jr. and Paolo Banchero both are strong fantasy point per dollar options across the main DFS sites. Let’s dig into the NBA DFS picks and core plays.
NBA DFS Picks & Building Blocks Today: Wednesday, November 29
Core Play of the Day — Jaren Jackson Jr.: Memphis Grizzlies vs. Utah Jazz
- Stokastic’s Preliminary Point Projections: DraftKings: 40.41 | FanDuel: 40.94
- Stokastic’s Preliminary Rostered Projections: DraftKings: 46.2% | FanDuel: 37.1%
- DFS Salary: DraftKings: $7,400 | FanDuel: $7,800
It has been 10 games since Jaren Jackson Jr. made a foray to the 40 fantasy point plateau, but things are lining up in his favor tonight to end that drought. It has been a combination of lopsided games in both directions, poor shooting and even a little foul trouble that has plagued the reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year on the fantasy front.
The Utah defense will improve with the return of Walker Kessler, though the team is still playing at an above average pace and last year there were in the bottom-third of the league from a defensive efficiency standpoint at 116.2 points per 100 possessions and this season they are at 118.3, which is a bottom-five figure. Enjoy the discounted salary with Jackson and do not lose sight of him when the inevitable avalanche of injury news rolls out leading up to first-tip, which of course will facilitate the coveted stars and scrubs DFS roster construction.
Santi Aldama and Desmond Bane are solid plays on both DraftKings and FanDuel, with Derrick Rose and Bismack Biyombo sliding into contention on the blue site.
Paolo Banchero: Orlando Magic vs. Washington Wizards
- Stokastic’s Preliminary Point Projections: DraftKings: 43.37 | FanDuel: 42.15
- Stokastic’s Preliminary Rostered Projections: DraftKings: 17.6% | FanDuel: 43.3%
- DFS Salary: DraftKings: $8,200 | FanDuel: $7,700
The Washington Wizards are a DFS dream, since they avoid defense and love to sprint up and down the court. Even better, the team is actually not bad on offense, which enables them to stay within hailing distance of the opposition most nights, as they continue to collect losses like it is their job.
Markelle Fultz (knee) remains out and oft-injured Jonathan Isaac is dealing with an ankle issue which could cost him a second consecutive game. Paolo Banchero is a steady threat for 40 fantasy points every night and in matchups like this one, he has access to 50 fantasy point upside. He has made great strides in his sophomore campaign, increasing his field goal conversion rate from 42.7% to 48.8% overall and a solid boost from behind the arc, improving from a 29.8% success rate to 43.6% on 3.2 attempts per game. He also has increased his assists from 3.7 to 4.6 per game, which also is boosted by the absence of Fultz.
Cole Anthony is also a terrific option in this game and even though he is coming off the bench, he has averaged 29.9 minutes over the last six games without Fultz, compiling 17.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.3 combined blocks and steals. On Sunday, he was the Core Building Block of the Day and he did not disappoint with a stellar 55 fantasy points against the Charlotte Hornets. This Washington team is as bad or even worse on defense. Franz Wagner also grades out well across the main DFS sites, with Washington’s Kyle Kuzma looking like the primary option from the Wizards.
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Additional NBA Building Blocks Pick — Sports Betting Opportunities
Jakob Poeltl is an intriguing option tonight in the sports wagering market. Currently he has a +195 payout on his double-double prop, which is available at several books. NBA Bet Pro currently has him projected for 30.1 minutes, 12.20 points and 8.68. The “True Odds” (how OddsShopper measures the potential expected ROI of a given wager) are +194, which indicates that this wager has a slightly negative 1% ROI.
There is still opportunity at this figure however, as we need to understand the difference between a median projection and an actual range of outcomes. The 28-year-old has eight double-doubles in his 18 games and this year he is averaging a career 11.0 points and 8.4 rebounds in 26.4 minutes per game and reaching the double-double milestone in two of his last three outings. Poeltl is no stranger to facing Jusuf Nurkic and while they are each with new teams, last year in three matchups, Poeltl averaged 26 minutes, 19.6 points and 10.0 rebounds, with one double-double and one narrow miss with 14 points and nine caroms.
For those looking for something more exotic and with a higher payout, Goga Bitadze has a +375 line on his double-double prop, We can see that this is an outlier as most books have him in the +330 range, but the overall options are as low as +280 and as high as +375.
Things can move quickly in the sports wagering markets, which is why it is key to have a tool like OddsShopper doing the heavy lifting and sorting through the various books. In fact while I was writing this section, the best number actually dropped from +425 to +375, before I could get the screen shot. It is important to be nimble and get to the best numbers early.
Back to Bitadze, he has moved into the starting lineup as the replacement for the injured Wendell Carter Jr. with Moritz Wagner (#RememberMe game), staying in his reserve role. Though he may not stick in the closing lineup, Bitadze should have a field day in the paint against Daniel Gafford.Â
In his 12 starts, Bitadze has two double-doubles. He has scored 10-plus points in five games and recorded 10-plus boards on three occasions. That is why we are getting such a high payout, but with the “True Odds” at +370, there is a slightly positive ROI at the moment and when it was at +425, it was nearly a 5% positive ROI. There is only a one-in-five probability that his wager is successful, so being prudent with your bet size is key.
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Final Thoughts on NBA DFS Picks & Building Blocks Today
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