NBA

FanDuel Daily Fantasy Basketball Helper: Saturday 12/3/22

Despite a recent 7.5% salary increase, Minnesota's Anthony Edwards rates as an elite play against a Thunder team ranked 16th in defensive rating. Which other players are top options for Saturday's four-game main slate?

If you're new to daily fantasy basketball -- maybe you started your DFS journey during the MLB or NFL seasons, or maybe basketball is your sport and this will be your first year giving it a shot -- you're in for a treat. The NBA scene changes on a week-to-week, day-to-day, and -- depending on injury news -- even a minute-to-minute basis, making every slate a unique one that requires an ever-changing approach.

With so much changing so quickly, we're here with plenty of tools to help you out. We have daily projections, a matchup heat map, a lineup optimizer, and a bunch of other great resources to help give you an edge.

Daily fantasy basketball is very reliant on a player's opportunity, so you'll need to make sure that you're up-to-date with key injuries. Our projections update up until tip-off to reflect current news, we have player news updates, and the FanDuel Scout app will send push notifications for pressing updates regarding your players.

We'll also be coming at you with this primer every day, breaking down a few of the day's top plays at each position.

Let's break down today's main slate on FanDuel.

TeamO/USpreadImplied TotalInjuries
ORL217.510.5103.5Harris, Suggs, Bamba OUT
POR226.54.5111Lillard OUT, Hart doubtful
HOU2329.5111.25Gordon OUT
OKC232.55.5113.5Gilgeous-Alexander available
TOR217.5-10.5114
UTAH226.5-4.5115.5
MIN232.5-5.5119Towns OUT
GS232-9.5120.75Thompson OUT

Guards

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ($10,700): After sitting one game with a hip contusion, SAG has an appealing matchup versus a Minnesota Timberwolves' team ranked 27th in FanDuel points (51.1) allowed per game to his position. In their first meeting, Gilgeous-Alexander accounted for 32 real-life points and 59.7 FanDuel points on 23 shot attempts.

Stephen Curry ($10,500): In a mouth-watering spot versus a Houston Rockets' team allowing 27.2 real-life points per game to point guards this season, Curry is ranked as numberFire's top option with 47.1 expected FanDuel points. Golden State's offensive leader roasted the Rockets in their last encounter, recording a season-high 76.7 FanDuel points at the same salary point.

Anfernee Simons ($8,400): With two starters likely to miss tonight's game, Simons' fantasy production is boosted by 0.26 to 1.22 FanDuel points per minute. The 23-year old becomes Portland's offensive leader with today's projected inactives, ranking first among his team in usage (32.8%), shot attempts (0.64 per minute), and assists (0.18) in a 173.8 minutes sample size.

Kevin Porter Jr. ($7,500): At his highest salary point this season, Porter will have a second opportunity to challenge a Golden State Warriors team ranked 15th in opposing true shooting percentage and 26th in FanDuel points (50.9) allowed per game to his position. In their first meeting in late November, Houston's young guard exploded for a season-high 30 real life points and 52 FanDuel points.

D'Angelo Russell ($6,800): In an underrated matchup versus an Oklahoma City Thunder allowing 43.2 FanDuel points per game to point guards, Russell is ranked fourth among his position in value with a 5.01 rating and a 34.1 fantasy projection. In 158.8 minutes with Karl-Anthony Towns off the floor, the 26-year old produces 0.91 FanDuel points per minute.

Jalen Green ($6,500): Despite scoring 40.6 FanDuel points on Friday night, Green's salary dropped by 2.9% in a matchup against a Warriors team ranked 24th in FanDuel points (43.8) allowed per game to shooting guards.

Jordan Clarkson ($6,200): After a 6.0% salary drop, Clarkson is third among guards in value with a 5.23 rating and a 32.4 fantasy projection versus a Portland team ranked 18th in opposing three point shooting and 24th in defensive rating.

Jordan Poole ($5,900): At his lowest salary point this season, Poole stands as numberFire's top value at the guard positions with a 6.02 value rating and 35.5 expected FanDuel points against a Houston squad giving up a 36.3% three point percentage. With Klay Thompson ruled out, Poole averages 1.00 FanDuel point per minute and a 29.9% usage rate.

Jaylen Nowell ($5,100): Minnesota's guard is a sneaky option off the bench with today's current inactives, producing 1.03 FanDuel points, 0.58 shot attempts, 0.15 rebounds, and 0.11 assists per minute with a 28.9% usage rate in a 233.5 minute sample size.

Markelle Fultz ($5,000): Since his return on November 20th, Fultz is averaging 0.98 FanDuel points, 0.15 rebounds, and 0.22 assists per minute.

Forwards

Pascal Siakam ($9,900): Even at his highest salary point this season, Toronto's forward rates as a top option among his positions with 44.6 expected fantasy points against a Magic team ranked 21st in points allowed in the paint and 21st in opposing true shooting percentage.

Anthony Edwards ($8,600): With Karl-Anthony Towns inactive, "Ant-Man" records 1.25 FanDuel points per minute after his fantasy production increases by 0.21. In a matchup against a Thunder team ranked 18th in FanDuel points (40.6) allowed per game to small forwards, Edwards stands first among his position in real-life point scoring (25.5) and expected fantasy points (41.4).

Jerami Grant ($8,200): In 114.3 minutes with Portland's expected inactives, Grant's fantasy output sees a 0.06 increase to 1.03 FanDuel points per minute. The Trail Blazers' forward has been on fire in his last four starts, averaging 33 real-life points on 22.7 shot attempts.

Lauri Markkanen ($8,100): After producing 46.1 fantasy points including his tenth double-double this season, Markkanen's salary has increased by 8% against a Portland unit allowing 45.4 FanDuel points per game to his position. numberFire's models currently project Utah's forward to score 20.6 real-life points and 35.7 FanDuel points on Saturday.

Paolo Banchero ($7,700): Since his return on November 25th, Banchero's FanDuel salary has dropped by 10.4% to his lowest point in the last two months. Orlando's rookie ranks first among his team in usage (27.9%) and second in shot attempts (0.43) in his last five appearances.

Draymond Green ($6,300): Golden State's veteran has turned on his offensive production in his last four starts, producing at least 12 real-life points while also averaging 1.11 FanDuel points, 0.17 rebounds, and 0.23 assists during this time period.

Andrew Wiggins ($6,100): After consecutive disappointing fantasy outings, Wiggins' salary has dropped by an eye-popping 23.75% versus a Houston team ranked 14th in FanDuel points (39.6) allowed per game to small forwards.

Justise Winslow ($5,600): In his last three starts, the 26-year old is averaging 0.78 FanDuel points, 0.22 rebounds, 0.12 assists, and 0.28 shot attempts per minute.

Kyle Anderson ($4,700): Even at his highest salary this season, "Slow Mo" is an optimal value option with a 6.78 rating and a 31.9 fantasy point expectation versus a Thunder team ranked 26th in FanDuel points allowed per game to power forwards.

Kenyon Martin Jr. ($4,200): After Eric Gordon was ruled out, Houston's forward could make his sixth start this season. The 21-year old averages 0.85 FanDuel points, 0.24 rebounds, and 0.31 shot attempts per minute in a 338.6 minute sample with Gordon off the floor.

Trendon Watford ($3,900): Portland's forward rates as numberFIre's top value option with a 7.03 rating and 27.4 expected fantasy points versus a Jazz team ranked last in points allowed in the paint.

Centers

Rudy Gobert ($7,200): After a lackluster 12.2 fantasy point performance in his last outing, Gobert's FanDuel salary dropped by 4% to his second lowest point this season. "The Stifle Tower" is third in value among centers with a 5.63 rating and 40.5 expected fantasy points versus a Thunder team ranked 26th in FanDuel points (57.0) allowed per game to his position.

Jusuf Nurkic ($6,500): In a great spot against a Jazz team allowing centers to score 25.4 real-life points and 60.0 FanDuel points per game, Nurkic is ranked third among his position with 37.0 expected fantasy points and second in value with a 5.68 rating.