NBA DFS Picks & Building Blocks Today: Julius Randle, Tyrese Maxey and WHO?! (Nov. 19)

Wednesday keeps the week moving along with the NBA action tipping off at 7:00 p.m. ET on DraftKings and FanDuel. Let’s dive into the best NBA DFS picks today, including Julius Randle, Tyrese Maxey and other fun decision points. These picks are based on the latest available data. For real-time lineup updates, check out our NBA DFS Starting Lineups Page.

NBA DFS Picks Today – Building Blocks: Wednesday, November 19

NBA DFS Picks Today: Building Blocks

Julius Randle saw his production increase significantly this year as compared to his first season with Minnesota. Currently, the 31-year-old is averaging 24.5 points per game, which is the second highest for his career, well above the 18.7 from last year and his 21.1 rate over his last eight-plus seasons. His assists are up to 6.1, much more than the 4.7 from last year, and his 1.3 steals are nearly double his career mark. The steals are likely to regress, and while Anthony Edwards was out for four games, Randle did not really pad his stats in that stretch, with a nominal increase in his averages for that timeframe.

We know that Randle can post fantasy production in bunches with scoring, rebounding and assists, and a 20-fantasy point first quarter is not out of the question against the hapless Wizards. He should easily reach the 40-fantasy point plateau, though anything above that is going to need to be added via hyper-efficiency or Washington managing to hang around through the third quarter.

Jaden McDaniels (wrist) is questionable, and this would be a great time for him or one of the other Minnesota starters to get a game off. The Timberwolves next play in Phoenix on Friday, then in Sacramento on Monday and in Oklahoma City next Wednesday. Naz Reid and Donte DiVincenzo currently are in the top 10 on DraftKings for projected popularity in tournaments at around 20%. That is cut in half on FanDuel, with the blue site including the two later games for an 18-team player pool.

Alexandre Sarr (toe) is questionable, though he did not miss a game yet this season. The Wizards are actively tanking, so it would not be a surprise if they proceed with an abundance of caution. This is already baked into the spread, and Sarr’s availability is unlikely to change the outcome of this matchup, but he would be a factor in keeping things from turning into a major route by halftime.

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Paul George (knee) is out after having played 21 minutes in his season debut Monday, while Kelly Oubre Jr. (knee) and Adam Bona (ankle) are each going to be out for at least two more games. Collin Murray-Boyles (knee) is the only Toronto player listed as questionable on the injury report, and Ochai Agbaji (back/illness) is probable.

Even with the different player pools, Tyrese Maxey is a tremendous option on both of the main sites. He is currently leading the league with 40.4 minutes per game and 23.6 field goal attempts, ranking second at 32.5 points, fourth with 3.8 made 3-pointers per game on an outstanding 41.3%, and 7.7 assists, which is the seventh-highest mark amongst his peers.

Both the DraftKings and FanDuel slates will be discussed on the Stokastic NBA Deeper Dive and Live Before Lock Shows at 5:00 p.m. ET on YouTube, so tune in for up-to-date expert analysis, key insights and winning strategies to dominate your NBA DFS picks today!

Looking at the Stokastic Boom/Bust Tool, Andre Drummond currently has the second-best leverage, with 41.2% tournament representation against his 46.9% likelihood of being in the “optimal” lineup. He played no less than 32.3 minutes in his last four starts, averaging 35.5 in this stretch. Philadelphia does play tomorrow in Milwaukee, though that really only comes into play if there is a lopsided score in the fourth quarter that facilitates the Sixers resting key contributors.

It is also important to realize that the 76ers do have Friday and Saturday off before hosting Miami, and every win is precious in the Eastern Conference, especially with Atlanta, Miami, Milwaukee and Orlando all missing a top-2 player. The second- through 11th-best records are separated by only three games at this time.

Rookie VJ Edgecombe and journeyman Quentin Grimes should see ample run with all of the Philadelphia injuries, making them secondary targets on both sites.

Toronto’s first five is appealing, though with everyone healthy, it is more difficult to find “the best” option, as each has an appropriate salary on the main DFS sites. Scottie Barnes is the most popular of the quintet on FanDuel (11.9%), making him the only Toronto player reaching double-digit popularity on DraftKings or the blue site.

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• How to Use NBA DFS Sims: Expert Strategy Guide, Tips & Advice
• How Stokastic Sims Are Better Than and an NBA DFS Optimizer
• NBA DFS Sims: Single-Lineup Simulator Is a Lineup-Building Godsend
• NBA DFS Contrarian Strategy: How to Use Stokastic Ownership Projections
• NBA DFS Late Swap Strategy with Stokastic’s NBA DFS Sims
• NBA DFS Leverage & Game Theory: Large Field GPP Strategy

Grant currently projects as the most popular player on FanDuel, though that is likely to subside to the mid-30% range as other news is accounted for throughout the day. Over the last five games, Chicago slipped on defense, allowing 119.9 points per 100 possessions, which is in the bottom quartile of the league. The Bulls also played at a top-5 pace during this stretch, and we know that Portland doesn’t take much prodding to get into an up-tempo matchup.

Jrue Holiday (calf) is doubtful, and with Scoot Henderson also out, both Deni Avdija and Shaedon Sharpe will take on more facilitation responsibilities. That means more touches and minutes as well, which lands them on the shortlist for FanDuel tournaments.

Kris Murray moved into the starting lineup, though he did not do much in his 25 minutes, and the mercurial fantasy outcomes for Toumani Camara land him in the late-slate bucket for both sites. Donovan Clingan’s minutes are all over the place this season, but he did manage five blocks in just 23 minutes last night, narrowly missing a double-double with 9 points and 12 rebounds.

After falling 150-147 in double overtime to the Jazz in Salt Lake City, the Bulls managed to upset the Nuggets in Denver, 130-127 which ended Chicago’s five game slide while simultaneously curtailing Denver’s winning streak at seven games.

Josh Giddey is a solid tournament target on FanDuel ($9,500, 19.7%), with Kevin Huerter and Matas Buzelis fine to sprinkle in for differentiation. Coby White made his season debut on Sunday, logging 30.3 minutes and then getting Monday off. He is expected to play tonight, which will impact his teammates since their salaries do not account for his playing time and usage.

Today’s Top Sports Betting Picks

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Take a bet like LaMelo Ball to have under 37.5 points + rebounds + assists (PRA) tonight. On the surface, it’s a simple play. But behind the scenes, it’s a +EV bet, meaning it’s mathematically profitable based on the best odds available. Portfolio EV finds these +EV bets and allows you to bet them at high volume with just a couple clicks, maximizing your bankroll’s long-term profitability.

Digging into the details on Portfolio EV, Ball is currently listed at -112 on BetRivers, SugarHouse and Unibet for under 37.5 PRA, which is a fine 5.0% expected ROI when considering the “true odds” of -125. By comparison, PointsBet and DraftKings dropped the threshold to under 35.5 PRA with worse odds of -115 and -117, leading to a NEGATIVE 10% expected ROI. Be a savvy shopper!

Ball is working his way back from an ankle injury that cost him five games to start the month. He returned with 27.4 minutes on the front end of a back-to-back, though he did not play in the overtime period. His next game was on Monday, where he played 27.5 minutes during a 110-108 loss in Toronto. Even projecting him for 28.4 minutes, he has 36.46 PRA, which is still a tick below the 37.5 mark on BetRivers, SugarHouse and Unibet. He could easily get there with some positive shooting variance, though for the season Ball is 40.5% from the field and just 31.6% from beyond the arc.

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