Looking for the best NBA DFS picks today? Tuesday’s slate is absolutely stacked, and if you’re grinding daily fantasy NBA on DraftKings or FanDuel, you’re in for a real treat. With six games starting at 7:00 PM ET, there’s massive volume across the board—but identifying the actual DFS plays that separate winning lineups from losing ones requires more than just spotting the studs. That’s where smart NBA fantasy projections and DFS strategy come into play. Our NBA DFS picks for Monday are always based on data, so you know you’re working with intel that actually matters. Whether you’re stacking the Nuggets-Bulls matchup or exploiting the Thunder’s massive line, we’ve got the top daily fantasy NBA plays broken down and ready to go.
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Best NBA DFS Picks Today: Top Daily Fantasy NBA Plays – Tuesday, Nov. 18
Let’s dive into a few of my favorite NBA DFS picks on the board for Monday.
NBA DFS Pick – Jalen Duren
The Detroit Pistons are sitting comfortably atop the Eastern Conference, and Duren is a huge reason why. You want consistency? This guy has been a fantasy basketball gold mine this season. He put up a wild 27% usage rate against Indiana on Monday, and with Cade Cunningham still sidelined, Duren is the focal point—especially on the glass and in the paint.
Now, I know what you’re thinking: the Hawks are supposed to be a defensive powerhouse this year. Believe it or not, Atlanta is currently flashing a top-10 defensive rating. Pretty wild, right? But let’s not anoint them as the 2004 Pistons just yet.
Look a little closer—they’re also playing at the league’s 6th-fastest pace. That means more possessions, more shots, and more rebounds for Duren to scoop up. And with Trae Young still out for the Hawks, Atlanta’s offense is less threatening offensively, so less of a chance for Duren to get into foul trouble.
Duren thrives on hustle stats: rebounds, blocks, putbacks. The tough defense narrative is a little overblown here, especially for a big like Duren who lives on effort plays. He’s hit at least 50 fantasy points in four of his last five games, and he’s still way too cheap across DFS platforms.
When you see “good chalk,” this is exactly what the pros mean. The matchup might not look perfect at first glance, but dig a little deeper, and you’ll see Duren’s floor is rock solid and the ceiling is still firmly within reach.
Don’t overthink it—keep riding the hot hand with Jalen Duren. If you fade him tonight, you’ll probably end up watching him anchor winning lineups from the outside looking in. Lock him in.
NBA Live Odds
| Player |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Anthony Black
ORL
PG DET @ ORL
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
Ausar Thompson
DET
SG DET @ ORL
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Cade Cunningham
DET
PG DET @ ORL
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | ||||||
Desmond Bane
ORL
SG DET @ ORL
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | ||||||
Duncan Robinson
DET
SG DET @ ORL
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Franz Wagner
ORL
SF DET @ ORL
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | ||||||
Goga Bitadze
ORL
C DET @ ORL
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
Isaiah Stewart
DET
PF DET @ ORL
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
Jalen Duren
DET
C DET @ ORL
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | ||||||
Jalen Suggs
ORL
SG DET @ ORL
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Jamal Cain
ORL
SF DET @ ORL
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
Javonte Green
DET
SG DET @ ORL
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
Kevin Huerter
DET
SG DET @ ORL
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
Paolo Banchero
ORL
PF DET @ ORL
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | ||||||
Tobias Harris
DET
SF DET @ ORL
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | ||||||
Tristan da Silva
ORL
PF DET @ ORL
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | |||
Wendell Carter Jr.
ORL
C DET @ ORL
Today
8:00 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Ajay Mitchell
OKC
PG OKC @ PHO
Today
9:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | ||||||
Alex Caruso
OKC
SG OKC @ PHO
Today
9:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
Cason Wallace
OKC
PG OKC @ PHO
Today
9:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
Chet Holmgren
OKC
C OKC @ PHO
Today
9:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | ||||||
Collin Gillespie
PHO
PG OKC @ PHO
Today
9:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Devin Booker
PHO
SG OKC @ PHO
Today
9:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | ||||||
Dillon Brooks
PHO
SF OKC @ PHO
Today
9:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | ||||||
Grayson Allen
PHO
SF OKC @ PHO
Today
9:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
Isaiah Hartenstein
OKC
C OKC @ PHO
Today
9:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Isaiah Joe
OKC
SG OKC @ PHO
Today
9:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
Jalen Green
PHO
SG OKC @ PHO
Today
9:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | ||||||
Jaylin Williams
OKC
PF OKC @ PHO
Today
9:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
Jordan Goodwin
PHO
PG OKC @ PHO
Today
9:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
Luguentz Dort
OKC
SF OKC @ PHO
Today
9:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Mark Williams
PHO
C OKC @ PHO
Today
9:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
Oso Ighodaro
PHO
PF OKC @ PHO
Today
9:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Royce O'Neale
PHO
PF OKC @ PHO
Today
9:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
OKC
PG OKC @ PHO
Today
9:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | ||||||
Aaron Gordon
DEN
PF MIN @ DEN
Today
10:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Ayo Dosunmu
MIN
PG MIN @ DEN
Today
10:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | ||||||
Bones Hyland
MIN
PG MIN @ DEN
Today
10:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
Bruce Brown
DEN
SG MIN @ DEN
Today
10:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
Cameron Johnson
DEN
PF MIN @ DEN
Today
10:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Christian Braun
DEN
SG MIN @ DEN
Today
10:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Jaden McDaniels
MIN
PF MIN @ DEN
Today
10:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | ||||||
Jamal Murray
DEN
PG MIN @ DEN
Today
10:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | ||||||
Julius Randle
MIN
PF MIN @ DEN
Today
10:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | ||||||
Mike Conley
MIN
PG MIN @ DEN
Today
10:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | |||||
Naz Reid
MIN
C MIN @ DEN
Today
10:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
Nikola Jokić
DEN
C MIN @ DEN
Today
10:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | ||||||
Rudy Gobert
MIN
C MIN @ DEN
Today
10:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | ||||||
Tim Hardaway Jr.
DEN
SF MIN @ DEN
Today
10:30 PM ET
|
- | - | - | - | - | - |
NBA DFS Pick – De’Aaron Fox
Let’s talk about De’Aaron Fox tonight against Memphis. The Spurs are in a world of hurt—no Victor Wembanyama in the paint, no Stephon Castle on the perimeter. That leaves San Antonio without much resistance on either end, and Fox is licking his chops.
Since coming back from injury, Fox has looked completely unencumbered—there’s zero minutes restriction in sight, and his explosion is absolutely there. Just look at the numbers: he’s posted back-to-back 50+ fantasy point outings.
He dropped a 35% usage rate against Golden State, then turned around and ran a 30% usage rate against Sacramento. That’s not just high—those are big boy, “give me the keys to the offense” numbers. When Fox’s usage hog teammates are missing, there’s nobody on this slate with a bigger green light.
At $8,300 tonight, Fox is glaring mid-tier mispricing—he offers high-ceiling upside with a stable floor. The pace will be strong (even with Memphis looking like a shell on offense), and Fox loses nothing in terms of role. Plug him into everything. With a soft matchup and his usage rate through the roof, Fox is poised to do major damage, and if you fade him, you’re basically betting against the facts staring right at you.
Editor’s Note: This article was published at 3:30 EST. These core picks could change based on more daily news and injuries.
Looking for more NBA DFS News and Picks? We’ve got you covered all season:
- Fantasy Basketball News Today
- Best Player Props Today
- First Basket Predictions
- NBA Betting Hub (Game Predictions & More)
- Daily Promo Roundup
