Thursday features a seven-game slate starting at 7 p.m. ET.
Let’s dive into some of the top plays using the FantasyLabs Tools and metrics.
Also, don’t forget that for large-field tournaments, you can utilize our Lineup Optimizer to effortlessly create up to 150 lineups, or use our Lineup Builder if you like to hand-build your lineups.
Note: Projections and Leverages Scores/Ratings may change throughout the day after this article is posted. The NBA DFS landscape changes quickly. Consult the Player Models directly for any updates as we get closer to lock.
Point Guard
Stud
Luka Doncic has gotten very expensive on DraftKings, but he remains underpriced at $11,200 on FanDuel. It results in a Bargain Rating of 96%, and he leads the point guard position with 11 Pro Trends.
A price tag of more than $11k would be ridiculous for most players, but Doncic has earned it with his recent play. He’s racked up at least 61.9 FanDuel points in five of his past six games, and he should continue to thrive with Kristaps Porzingis and Tim Hardaway Jr. out of the lineup. He’s seen sizable bumps to his usage, assist, and rebound rates in games without both players this season, resulting in an average of 1.68 FanDuel points per minute.
Value
The trade deadline is at 3 p.m. ET on Thursday, so it’s going to be more important than usual to follow along with the news. There could be a host of players who change teams before the deadline, which would open up some unexpected value.
Spencer Dinwiddie is rumored to be available, but he would be an appealing option if he remains in Washington. He’s struggled in back-to-back games, but he’s been limited to 25.5 minutes or less in two straight blowouts. He should return to his usual workload if Thursday’s matchup vs. the Nets is more competitive, and Dinwiddie has averaged 1.15 DraftKings points per minute in 13 games without Bradley Beal this season. He’s an excellent value across the industry.
Fast Break
The Knicks are another team that could look different after the trade deadline. However, Kemba Walker is appealing if he’s still on the roster. The team will likely be without R.J. Barrett on Thursday, which opens up a ton of playing time for the rest of the roster. Walker could see a few additional minutes if Barrett is ultimately ruled out, and he’s averaged 0.89 DraftKings points per minute.
Kyle Lowry’s price tag has dipped to just $5,400 on FanDuel, which is ridiculously low for a player of his caliber. He’s still an effective player – he’s averaged 0.94 FanDuel points per minute this season – and he’s currently projected for 33 minutes in our NBA Models. Lowry has also historically averaged a Plus/Minus of +9.07 with a comparable price tag (per the Trends tool).
Shooting Guard
Stud
It’s hard to ignore what Devin Booker has done recently for the Suns. He’s been a scoring machine, racking up at least 32 points in four of his past five games, and he’s scored at least 48.0 DraftKings points in six of his past nine.
Booker draws a tough matchup Thursday vs. the Bucks, but it is appealing from a fantasy perspective. The Suns and Bucks both rank in the top nine in pace, so this game should feature plenty of possessions. The 233-point total is the top mark on the slate, and the three-point spread suggests it should be a competitive contest.
Value
The Nets are going to be extremely thin once again on Thursday. They will get Kyrie Irving back since they’re on the road, but James Harden, Kevin Durant, and LaMarcus Aldridge are all out of the lineup.
That makes DeAndre Bembry an interesting value option. He’s priced at just $3,500 on DraftKings, and he’s currently projected for 27 minutes in our NBA Models. Historically, players with comparable salaries and minute projections have averaged a Plus/Minus of +3.50.
Fast Break
Speaking of Irving, he’s definitely in play at just $9,400 on FanDuel. He’s coming off a monster performance in his last game without Harden, racking up 59.5 FanDuel points over 41 minutes. His matchup vs. the Wizards is also a good one, with Washington ranking 22nd in defensive efficiency.
Jalen Brunson has also been balling for the Mavericks recently. He’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in seven of his past eight games, and he remains very affordable at just $5,900 on FanDuel. It results in a Bargain Rating of 94%, and his 10 Pro Trends trail only Doncic at the position.
Small Forward
Stud
Kyle Kuzma’s fantasy numbers have been depressed recently thanks to two straight blowouts, but he remains a very appealing option at just $7,400 on DraftKings. He’s averaged 1.20 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and he stands out as one of the primary beneficiaries following the injury to Beal. He’s increased his usage rate by +2.7% in games without his star teammate, and he’s averaged just under 35.4 DraftKings points in those contests.
Value
Alec Burks is another member of the Knicks who would benefit from the likely absence of Barrett. His playing time has been reduced recently, which has caused his price tag to dip across the industry. That said, he’s still averaged 0.85 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and he has the potential for more than 30 minutes on Thursday’s slate. If the Knicks make a move before the deadline, he could be looking at an even more significant workload than expected.
Fast Break
Jae’Sean Tate leads the position with 10 Pro Trends on FanDuel, and he’s been a nice source of value recently. He’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in five of his past six games, and he’s coming off 30.3 FanDuel points in his last outing. The Rockets are looking to trade Eric Gordon before the deadline, and Gordon is also questionable due to a heel injury. His absence would make Tate an even stronger option than usual.
The Raptors will be without Fred VanVleet on Thursday, which opens up some value for the rest of the roster. OG Anunoby has seen one of the most considerable boosts in value with VanVleet off the court – he averages 1.05 FanDuel points per minute in that situation – but Scottie Barnes stands out as the better value. He’s priced at just $6,400, resulting in a Bargain Rating of 91%.
Power Forward
Stud
Giannis Antetokounmpo has been rolling recently. His overall fantasy numbers don’t look fantastic, but he’s played 30.8 minutes or fewer in three of his past five games. In the two games where he logged full minutes, he racked up 81.8 and 71.5 FanDuel points. Overall, he’s averaged a ridiculous 1.73 FanDuel points per minute over the past month.
This matchup vs. the Suns should be beneficial from a playing time perspective. If this game stays competitive, Giannis should see a healthy number of minutes in a fast-paced game. He’s a great bet to return value in that scenario.
Value
Kelly Olynyk hasn’t been very involved for the Pistons since returning to the lineup, racking up 18.8 minutes or less in five straight games. However, the Pistons have a few additional minutes available after trading away Trey Lyles, and Olynyk has been priced down to just $3,700 on DraftKings. He’s averaged 1.13 DraftKings points per minute this season, so he doesn’t need much playing time to pay off such a cheap price tag.
Fast Break
James Johnson should continue to get some extended run for the shorthanded Nets. He’s averaged 0.81 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and he’s scored at least 29.75 DraftKings points in two of his past four games. He’s a particularly appealing option on DraftKings, where his $4,200 salary comes with a Bargain Rating of 83%.
Bobby Portis is once again popping as a tremendous value on FanDuel, where he has been underpriced virtually all season. His $6,500 salary comes with a Bargain Rating of 85%, and he’s scored at least 37.9 FanDuel points in three straight games.
Center
Stud
Pascal Siakam is another player who should benefit from the absence of VanVleet, and he’s been doing work recently. He’s carrying one of the largest workloads in basketball, racking up at least 39.4 minutes in eight of his past nine games, and he’s scored at least 50.75 DraftKings points in each of his past four. Siakam also benefits from one of the best possible matchups Thursday vs. the Rockets. They rank first in pace and dead last in defensive efficiency, giving him more upside than usual.
Value
Alperen Sengun stands out as a strong value target on the other side of that matchup. He’s seen a few additional minutes recently, logging at least 24.5 in each of his past four games. That’s significant given his average of 1.12 DraftKings points per minute this season. As long as the minutes continue to stay in that range, Sengun is significantly underpriced across the industry.
Fast Break
Chris Boucher is another potential option for the Raptors, particularly on DraftKings at $4,800. He’s an excellent per-minute producer, averaging 1.02 DraftKings points per minute this season, and he’s currently projected for 26 minutes in our NBA Models.
Jonas Valanciunas draws a tough matchup Thursday vs. the Heat, but his $7,000 price tag on FanDuel comes with a position-high Bargain Rating of 92%. His usage could take a hit with C.J. McCollum now in town, but Valanciunas has more than enough upside to pay off this price tag.
