Saturday, Nov. 20, kicks off the weekend with an eight-game main slate. Let’s look at the player pool and discuss the top NBA DFS picks for DraftKings, FanDuel and Yahoo lineups. Do not forget to head over to the Awesemo NBA DFS home page for more great written daily fantasy basketball content.
NBA DFS Picks: Building Blocks, Saturday, Nov. 20
Yahoo Play of the Day — LaMelo Ball: Charlotte Hornets at Atlanta Hawks
- Awesemo’s Preliminary Point Projections: Yahoo and FanDuel: 42.92 | DraftKings: 44.73
- Awesemo’s Preliminary Rostered Projections: Yahoo 14.0% | FanDuel 24.4% | DraftKings 3.5%
- DFS Salary: Yahoo $40 | FanDuel $8,700 | DraftKings $10,400
The only concern here is that this will be the third game in four nights for Charlotte and they played Friday as well. In the last two games, LaMelo Ball has logged 36 and 39 minutes while also playing 36-plus in four of his last five. The Hornets have won five straight while the Hawks have a three-game winning streak on the heels of losing eight of nine. On the season, Atlanta has the third-worst defensive efficiency allowing 109.4 points per 100 possessions while playing at a top-10pace. The $40 salary for the reigning Rookie of the Year is a very enticing tag on Yahoo.
Trae Young: Atlanta Hawks vs. Charlotte Hornets
- Awesemo’s Preliminary Point Projections: Yahoo and FanDuel: 41.36 | DraftKings: 44.53
- Awesemo’s Preliminary Rostered Projections: Yahoo 20.2% | FanDuel 7.1% | DraftKings 15.9%
- DFS Salary: Yahoo $38 | FanDuel $9,400 | DraftKings $9,500
Looking to both sides of this matchup will provide a variety of excellent fantasy options. This game boasts a 226 projected point total, which is the highest mark on Saturday’s slate. Charlotte has the sixth-worst defensive efficiency allowing 107.6 points per 100 possessions while also playing at a top-five pace. This is an island game for the Hawks, who last took the court on Wednesday and their next game is on Monday when they host Oklahoma City.
For all of the hullabaloo about Young not being as good this season with the change in perimeter fouls calls, his numbers through 16 games are eerily similar to the 63 he played last season. While he indeed is getting to the line 3.1 fewer times per game with 2.7 less free throws made, he is averaging 2.1 more field goal attempts while also shooting 1% better from the field and 2% better from behind the arc. This has him at 42 Yahoo fantasy points per game, which is barely one less than his average fantasy output last season.
Jimmy Butler: Miami Heat at Washington Wizards
- Awesemo’s Preliminary Point Projections: Yahoo and FanDuel: 44.09 | DraftKings: 43.48
- Awesemo’s Preliminary Rostered Projections: Yahoo 3.2% | FanDuel 4.2% | DraftKings 7.9%
- DFS Salary: Yahoo $45 | FanDuel $10,100 | DraftKings $9,700
Jimmy Butler is an intriguing option on Yahoo at the small forward position, particularly if Bam Adebayo (knee) is out. After easily dispatching the Wizards in Miami on Thursday 112-97, it is interesting to see the Heat only favored by a bucket in Washington. Though this is a much improved defense from prior seasons, by no means is it an impenetrable fortress around the basket. The close game being projected by the oddsmakers seems to lend some credence to Adabayo sitting this one out. If you are not enthralled by Butler, Ja Morant is a perfectly acceptable pivot for just $43, however, we can only play three point guards per roster and giving up the utility slot while rolling with the two recommended options above to make it a full set does seem potentially limiting for the overall roster construction flexibility.
Yahoo Daily Fantasy Basketball Discount Dandies
Kevin Huerter: Atlanta Hawks vs. Charlotte Hornets
- Awesemo’s Preliminary Point Projections: Yahoo and FanDuel: 21.89 | DraftKings: 22.66
- Awesemo’s Preliminary Rostered Projections: Yahoo 24.6% | FanDuel 21.3% | DraftKings 17.9%
- DFS Salary: Yahoo $11 | FanDuel $4,300 | DraftKings $3,800
This is a matchup well suited for Kevin Huerter’s skillset as it should be an up-and-down affair. In the first three games since De’Andre Hunter (wrist surgery) was lost for the next two months, Huerter has moved into the starting lineup and played 32-plus minutes twice. He also saw 39 minutes in a spot start for Hunter prior to his injury, so we should continue to see something in the 30- to 32-minute range as a baseline. Over the last season and some change, Huerter has averaged nearly 0.8 fantasy points per minute, which makes him a steal at only a dollar off the Yahoo minimum salary.
Hassan Whiteside: Utah Jazz at Sacramento Kings
- Awesemo’s Preliminary Point Projections: Yahoo and FanDuel: 19.68 | DraftKings: 18.81
- Awesemo’s Preliminary Rostered Projections: Yahoo 1.2% | FanDuel 0.2% | DraftKings 0.9%
- DFS Salary: Yahoo $10 | FanDuel $4,500 | DraftKings $3,900
The Jazz are one of two favorites in our twin bill nightcap with Portland also being favored by half a dozen points in its matchup against Philadelphia. In Utah’s last two games, both of which were comfortable wins, Rudy Gobert did not top 29 minutes and in all of the Jazz wins of 12-plus points, Gobert is averaging just over 29 minutes. This dovetails as expected with the playing time for Hassan Whiteside who averages nearly 17 minutes in Jazz victories with 1.25 Yahoo Fantasy points per minute.
This matchup is a good one for Whiteside as his former team does not have anyone as active as he is in the frontcourt and in the two prior games this season he has notched 23.3 and a season high 28.4 fantasy points. With a little luck in the blocks column, Whiteside has the potential to make a run at 30 fantasy points, which makes him an interesting differentiation option on the main slate and a viable punt play in the late contests.
Final Thoughts on NBA DFS picks for the Saturday, Nov. 20 Slate
Toronto, Denver, Golden State and the Clippers are on back-to-backs tonight. Charlotte, Boston, Milwaukee, Sacramento, Orlando, Oklahoma City and New Orleans all play Saturday, so watch out for any resting players. Keep in mind that salaries and scoring formats differ across the various fantasy sites, and a slam-dunk play on Yahoo may be a below-average NBA DFS pick on DraftKings or FanDuel.
