Tuesday is the first night of the 2024 NBA Cup knockout round, with the action getting underway at 7:00 p.m. ET on DraftKings and FanDuel. The player pool is packed full of exciting options, making this the ideal slate to spotlight the top NBA DFS building blocks and today’s must-have NBA DFS picks. Let’s dive into the day’s core plays, including discount dandies like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and others on this important slate.
After finalizing your NBA DFS picks, elevate your betting strategy with Tails by OddsShopper. Get access to expert picks from top professionals, providing you with the sharp edge to outsmart the competition.
NBA DFS Picks & Building Blocks Today: Tuesday, Dec. 10
One of our users just turned $4 into $1,000 with Stokastic’s tools!
Ready to use the same data and insights to take your game to the next level? Sign up for a Stokastic+ NBA package today! Plus, check out the Stokastic Hall of Fame Avatar Program to find out how you can earn a free Stokastic+ subscription!
NBA DFS Picks Today: Building Blocks
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: Thunder vs. Mavericks
NBA DFS Projections
DraftKings: 51.85 | FanDuel: 51.82
NBA DFS Ownership Projections
DraftKings: 49.2% | FanDuel: 51.2%
DFS Salary
DraftKings: $10,000 | FanDuel: $10,800
Tonight we should see all four teams giving their all as this is the first night of the 2024 NBA Cup knockout round. Not only is this a key Western Conference matchup for the standing, but the players on the In-Season Tournament team will receive close to $600,000.
Though that is a pittance for the stars, it is not for those at the back of the bench, and we saw last year that the key players were into the games for their teammates.
In the 13 games without Chet Holmgren, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been sublime, recording 35.4 minutes, 21.8 field goal attempts and a 52.3% conversion rate. This has culminated in 32.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 6.5 assists, and 2.9 combined blocks and steals.
Among the three super-duper stars in action tonight, Gilgeous-Alexander has the best matchup, with Dallas allowing 108.4 points per 100 possessions. That is good defense to be sure but not quite as stout as what Luka Doncic will be facing from the Thunder (101.2) and what Giannis Antetokounmpo will see from the Magic (103.7), which rank first and third this season in defensive efficiency.
Jalen Williams has been a steady second-fiddle, averaging 31.7 minutes and 17.2 field goal attempts since Holmgren was lost. This has resulted in 21.1 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 3.1 combined blocks and steals. Isaiah Hartenstein’s debut was eight games ago, and since he has suited up for Oklahoma City, the team has won seven matchups. Do not let the recent game logs worry you, with the former New York Knickerbocker seeing 22.2, 27.8 and 29.1 minutes; all three games were double-digit victories, the first two by 27 and 37 points.
Alex Caruso is a discount dandy tonight who should see around 20 to 22 minutes. Keep in mind there is a good chance the teams will drop down to eight-man rotations, which will thin out some of the value plays. After missing four games with yet another injury, the defensive stalwart and Awesemo look-alike has averaged 20.8 minutes, 11.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 2.5 combined blocks and steals. He is a better play on DraftKings ($3,700) but very much worthy of consideration on FanDuel ($4,800).
Doncic has the highest median fantasy point projection tonight, and Kyrie Irving is a pivot away from the big 3 DFS options. PJ Washington and Klay Thompson can always rain down 3-pointers, so they are tournament targets. Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford continue to share the pivot position, so it makes sense to not make that many lineups containing both since each tends to cannibalize the other when having a good game. Jaden Hardy (ankle) and Maximilian Kleber (illness) are both out, while Naji Marshall and Washington are each questionable with an illness. Marshall has missed four games already, so he may have conditioning questions — pay attention to all news updates.
Want our DFS Sims for FREE? Here’s your chance to unlock premium DFS tools at no cost — simply join one of our trusted partners! Follow these easy steps to claim your FREE month of Core DFS:
- Choose an exclusive offer from one of our sponsors and sign up using the link provided.
- Make a deposit, place your first bet, or submit a pick’em entry.
- Take screenshots of your welcome email and your first settled play.
- Email the screenshots to [email protected], along with the DFS Sims sport you’d like access to.
That’s it! Enjoy a free month of Core DFS and the top-tier tools you need to dominate your contests. Don’t wait — get started today!
Giannis Antetokounmpo: Bucks vs. Magic
NBA DFS Projections
DraftKings: 55.76 | FanDuel: 55.19
NBA DFS Ownership Projections
DraftKings:43.6% | FanDuel: 49.3%
DFS Salary
DraftKings: $11,100 | FanDuel: $11,900
Antetokounmpo has the second-highest median fantasy point projection, and his stat lines this season are very similar to his two MVP campaigns. Giannis also leads the league with a personal-best 32.5 points per game, topping 30 for the third consecutive season.
Damian Lillard is hit or miss, but the hits can be slate breaking — particularly if it is Dame Time. Lillard has tallied 24-plus points in seven of his last eight games, and even with Khris Middleton back in action, Lillard is going to have to score in bunches if the Bucks want to stay above the Play-In Tournament line.
Middleton is being eased back as a reserve, so expect the 30-year-old to play around 20 to 22 minutes tonight, as his long-term health is far more important than any particular game.
Franz Wagner is going to miss the next six weeks at least with an abdominal injury, and Paolo Banchero (oblique) is out for at least another week. Defensive stalwart Jonathan Isaac is questionable, and veteran Gary Harris is out as well. That means elevated scoring opportunities for Jalen Suggs, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Wendell Carter Jr. and reserve Anthony Black. Milwaukee has a middle-of-the-pack defense, which gives a bump to the shorthanded Magic squad as the primary source of fantasy point-per-dollar options.
Turning the attention to the Wizards, they are providing strong plays, but there is risk as lineups and playing time have been fluid all season. Jordan Poole, Bilal Coulibaly, Carlton “Lil’ Bub” Carrington III, Jared Butler, Alexandre Sarr and Justin Champagnie are all worthy of being sprinkled across lineups.
Today’s Top Sports Betting Pick
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is an excellent “do a little of everything” veteran, but the under on his 14.5 points + rebounds + assists (PRA) prop is in play tonight.
Looking at the screen shot of Portfolio EV, we can see this wager is likely to come to fruition 53% of the time, and with the -105 odds, this works out to a solid 2.6% expected ROI when factoring in the -111 “True Odds” assessment.
DraftKings is offering the -105 line, which, which far exceeds the True Odds of -111 and the -115 or worse of most other books.
Let Portfolio EV do the heavy lifting and eliminate the guesswork when it comes to finding +EV bets. This powerful tool quickly identifies inefficient lines, making it simple to spot profitable opportunities.
Odds change rapidly, so to stay ahead, you need accounts with multiple sportsbooks to seize the best lines as soon as they appear. That’s where Portfolio EV excels — it continuously scans for the top odds, ensuring you’re always first to capitalize on every golden opportunity.
Stokastic’s Advanced NBA Statistical Projections have Caldwell-Pope projected for 32.4 minutes, 10.09 points, 2.13 rebounds and 2.05 assists, which equals 14.27 PRA. This is close to the 14.5 threshold but still below the 15 needed for this wager to lose since there, of course, are no fractional stats in basketball. Even with Banchero and Wagner out, KCP may still focus on defense tonight, but he could always get lucky with an extra shot or two falling. His 39.9% field goal success rate is his worst since his rookie season, and his 30.3% conversion rate on 3-pointers is the lowest of his 12-year tenure in the league.
Final Thoughts on NBA DFS Picks & Building Blocks Today
Stay ahead of the game with tonight’s NBA action! Tune in to the Stokastic NBA Live Before Lock Show at 5:30 p.m. ET on YouTube for expert breakdowns, sharp insights, and everything you need to dominate tonight’s NBA DFS slate!
