Emirates NBA Cup Final: Fantasy DFS Picks

It’s Tuesday, December 17 and the highly anticipated Emirates NBA Cup championship game is set to take place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The Milwaukee Bucks will face off against the Oklahoma City Thunder with tip-off scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET. Fans can catch all the action live on ABC or stream it online. For fantasy basketball enthusiasts, here are some players to target for tonight's game.

NBA DFS Core Plays

Jalen Williams (PF, SF – OKC)

DraftKings: $10,400FanDuel: $13,500

The 23-year-old Santa Clara product has been hot lately, averaging 22.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.5 steals in six games in December while posting 1.8 3-pointers per game. Jalen Williams went for 20 points, five boards and five dimes with a pair of triples in 39 minutes in the NBA Cup semi-finals in a 111-96 win over the Rockets.

In his most recent game against an Eastern Conference foe, Williams dropped 20 points with seven boards and two triples in a rout of the Toronto Raptors on Dec. 5 at Scotiabank Arena.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (PG – OKC)

DraftKings: $18,000FanDuel: $16,000

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has single-handedly lifted the Thunder into the NBA Cup Final. He has averaged 35.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 4.0 steals and 3.5 3-pointers per game in the NBA Cup quarter-finals and semi-finals. He has scored 30+ points in his past four games overall, too.

Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.7 points per game this month and shooting 53.3% from the field and 34.1% from the 3-point line. He should have a good night from downtown, as the Bucks area allowing teams to hit 36.1% from behind the arc. Gilgeous-Alexander is also averaging 6.0 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 2.5 steals per game, posting at least two steals in five of his six games this month.

NBA DFS Cash Game Targets

Khris Middleton (SG, SF – MIL)

DraftKings: $6,600FanDuel: $9,500

Khris Middleton was able to return earlier in the month after recovering from multiple ankle surgeries. He is a little under the weather, but he is expected to be able to go out and play, although he did not practice Monday, so circle back around before finalizing your lineup.

At DraftKings, he is a strong play at this price point. At FanDuel, he is still an OK option with only one game to choose from. In his first two games back, he averaged 11 points and 5.5 assists per game with one 3-pointer per game. In the last two rounds of the NBA Cup, Middleton averaged just 3.0 points, 6.0 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game on 2-of-9 shooting, so be careful.

Isaiah Hartenstein (C – OKC)

DraftKings: $9,000FanDuel: $12,000

The 26-year-old center was money last time out in the semi-finals, going for 21 points on 9-of-12 shooting from the field. He also added eight boards, two assists and a blocked shot. Before that, Isaiah Hartenstein was good for 10 points and 13 rebounds. He has double-doubles in two of his past three outings.

Hartenstein is a solid value in a single-game setting, especially DraftKings. On FanDuel, he isn’t a bad option as your ‘Star’ player at 1.5X Points.

NBA DFS GPP Targets

Luguentz Dort (SG, SF – OKC)

DraftKings: $6,000FanDuel: $10,500

It’s been a roller coaster ride for Luguentz Dort in December. He scored six or fewer points in the first three games, hitting just 7-of-24 shots from the field, averaging 5.7 points with 3.7 rebounds per game. However, he caught fire in the NBA Cup quarter-finals and semi-finals.

Dort saved his best for the semi-finals against Houston, going for 19 points with nine rebounds, five 3-pointers and three steals in 31 minutes. If he can replicate those numbers against the Bucks, Oklahoma City will raise the NBA Cup banner.

Bobby Portis (PF, C – MIL)

DraftKings: $7,400FanDuel: $11,000

Bobby Portis can be a rebound machine. Lately, he has been pouring in plenty of points as well. He had 22 points and 10 rebounds while hitting an efficient 9-of-11 from the field against the Orlando Magic in the NBA quarterfinals. He averaged 16 points, 9.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and one block per game in the past two NBA Cup games.

NBA DFS Value Plays

Cason Wallace (PG, SG – OKC)

DraftKings: $4,800FanDuel: $9,000

Cason Wallace flamed out against the Rockets in the NBA Cup semi-finals, hitting just 2-of-6 from the field, while going for five points, six rebounds, two assists, a blocked shot and a steal. Not a terrible line on DraftKings, but a devastating one on FanDuel.

Before that, though, he had 11 points with eight rebounds, four assists and two steals with three 3-pointers in the quarter-finals of the NBA Cup against the Mavericks.

Gary Trent Jr. (SG, SF – MIL)

DraftKings: $3,600FanDuel: $7,500

Gary Trent Jr. had a rough outing in the NBA Cup semi-finals, misfiring on all five of his field-goal attempts, including going 0-for-4 from downtown. He ended up with one point and one board with two personal fouls in 22 minutes. That won’t cut the mustard.

Trent Jr. is just a couple of games removed from a 20-point effort at Brooklyn on Dec. 8, where he hit three triples. If he does that again, or anything close to it, we’re in good shape.