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
LaMelo Ball has been playing well for the Hornets of late. He’s posted a positive Plus/Minus on DraftKings in four of his past five games, and he’s scored at least 52.0 DraftKings points in three of them.
He’ll draw a solid matchup Thursday vs. the Magic. They rank just 19th in defensive efficiency this season, and the Hornets’ implied team total ranks second on the slate. The Hornets are also still alive for the No. 8 seed in the play-in tournament, and while their odds of getting there are slim, expect them to give maximum effort in this contest.
Value
Dejounte Murray remains out of the lineup for the Spurs, so Tre Jones should draw another start at point guard. Jones has thrived in that role recently. He’s racked up at least 33.2 minutes in three straight games, and he’s averaged 37.5 DraftKings points in those contests. Overall, he’s averaged 36.21 DraftKings points in six games without Murray and Derrick White.
Jones also draws an excellent matchup vs. the Timberwolves, who have played at the fastest pace in the league. His Opponent Plus/Minus of +7.13 is one of the top marks at the position, so it’s hard not to go back to the well with Jones on Thursday.
Fast Break
Markelle Fultz is another strong value option, especially on DraftKings given his Bargain Rating of 86%. He moved into the starting lineup in the Magic’s last game and finished with a season-high 23.9 minutes. That may not sound like much, be Fultz is capable of racking up fantasy points quickly. He’s averaged 1.23 DraftKings points per minute this season, and he’s scored at least 30.5 DraftKings points in three of his past four games.
Marcus Smart stands out as an outstanding option on FanDuel, where his $5,300 salary comes with a Bargain Rating of 95%. He hasn’t been needed in the Celtics’ past two games – they’ve won both games by at least 23 points – but he should return to his usual workload on Thursday. He’s projected for 34 minutes in our NBA Models, and Smart has historically averaged a Plus/Minus of +6.08 with a comparable salary and minute projection (per the Trends tool).
Shooting Guard
Stud
As usual, shooting guard is one of the weaker positions on Thursday’s slate. Most of the highest-priced options don’t stand out as particularly strong values, so you’re better off saving a bit of money.
That said, Klay Thompson is someone worth considering. He hasn’t received the same attention as Jordan Poole with Steph Curry out of the lineup, but Thompson has also put together some big games in that situation. He’s scored at least 48.75 DraftKings points in two of his past four games, and he’s coming off 39.3 minutes in his last outing. He’ll take the court in a juicy spot vs. the Lakers, who could choose to rest LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook now that they’re officially eliminated from playoff contention.
Value
Lonnie Walker is another member of the Spurs who should be on your radar. He’s currently questionable with a back injury, but he should be able to return value if he’s active. He’s not playing a ton of minutes at the moment – he’s racked up 23.5 or less in three straight games – but he makes up for it with solid per-minute efficiency. Walker has seen a +4.3% usage bump with Murray and White off the court this season, resulting in an average of 0.99 DraftKings points per minute.
Fast Break
Gordon Hayward is doubtful for the Hornets, which could result in a few additional minutes for Kelly Oubre. Tsunami Papi hasn’t been particularly relevant of late, which has caused his salary to dip to just $3,700 on DraftKings. However, he’s still averaged 0.96 DraftKings points per minute this season, so he can do damage in limited minutes.
Terry Rozier also warrants consideration for the Hornets, particularly at just $6,700 on FanDuel. His 12 Pro Trends are tied with James Harden for the most at the position, and he should also benefit from the absence of Hayward.
Small Forward
Stud
Brandon Ingram has played exceptionally well since returning to the Pelicans’ lineup, averaging 1.26 DraftKings points per minute over the past month. There are some blowout concerns vs. the Blazers, but Ingram should crush when he’s on the floor. They rank 29th in defensive efficiency, and the Hornets are currently implied for 120.25 points.
Value
Ignas Brazdeikis is playing a considerable workload for the tanking Magic. He’s coming off at least 36.2 minutes in back-to-back games, and he’s scored at least 26.0 DraftKings points in both contests. There’s no reason to expect anything different on Thursday, making him an absolute steal at just $3,500.
Fast Break
Otto Porter got the night off in the Warriors’ last game, but he played at least 28.8 minutes in each of his previous two. Porter has averaged 0.97 FanDuel points per minute this season, making him an excellent potential source of value at just $4,400.
Will Barton is coming off a poor performance in his last game, but he’s still been a strong source of value recently. He’s posted an average Plus/Minus of +5.36 over his past 10 games on FanDuel, and he’s scored at least 29.7 FanDuel points in five of his past seven. He’s underpriced at just $5,400 in a pace-up spot vs. the Grizzlies.
Power Forward
Stud
Giannis Antetokounmpo was limited to just 24 minutes in the Bucks’ last game, which obviously affected his performance. It will be interesting to see how the Bucks approach Thursday’s contest vs. the Celtics. They will move up to the No. 2 seed in the East if they win, but they may not have an interest in doing that. The No. 2 seed has a chance to face the Nets in the first round of the postseason, while the No. 3 and 4 seeds do not.
With that in mind, Giannis carries some risk on this slate. If the Bucks decide they want to avoid the Nets, he could be looking at a minimal workload. However, if they decide they don’t care about that, Giannis has the top ceiling on the slate. If the Bucks give this game their full attention and Giannis racks up a few more minutes than usual, he has the potential for a monster performance. That upside outweighs the downside, at least in tournaments.
Value
Moe Wagner is another outstanding option for the Magic on Thursday. He’s recently seen a bump in playing time with Wendell Carter Jr. out of the lineup, and Wagner has averaged 1.11 DraftKings points per minute this season. He’s currently projected for 21 minutes in our NBA Models, which should be more than enough to pay off his current price tag.
Fast Break
Keldon Johnson has quietly been excellent for the Spurs recently. He’s scored at least 20 points in seven straight games, and he’s posted an average Plus/Minus of +6.31 over his past 10. Overall, he’s averaged 1.12 DraftKings points per minute over the past month. He has gotten a bit more expensive, but he can still be utilized with Murray out of the lineup.
Jayson Tatum is another potential stud option on FanDuel, where his $9,300 salary comes with a Bargain Rating of 96%. He’s increased his production to 1.35 FanDuel points per minute over the past month, and he’s scored at least 46.7 FanDuel points in four of his past five games.
Center
Stud
Center is loaded with strong options at the top. Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid have gotten most of the attention at the position this season – deservedly so – but Karl-Anthony Towns is the preferred option on Thursday. He’s significantly cheaper than his fellow stud centers, making him the better pure value. He’s scored at least 49.75 DraftKings points in three straight games, and he also draws an excellent matchup vs. the Spurs. They’ve been a below-average defensive squad this season, and the Timberwolves lead the slate with an implied team total of 124.0 points.
Value
On the other side of that matchup, Jakob Poeltl deserves some attention for the Spurs. He’s had an excellent fantasy season, averaging 1.17 DraftKings points per minute, and his matchup comes with an Opponent Plus/Minus of +4.28. His price has come down thanks to some mediocre recent performances, so this is a nice opportunity to buy low.
Fast Break
DeMarcus Cousins is a viable option if you’re looking to punt the position altogether. He’s priced essentially at the minimum across the industry, and he’s still producing at an elite rate on a per-minute basis. He shouldn’t see more than 15 minutes or so, but Cousins can pay off his price tag with that kind of workload.
Jaren Jackson Jr. has posted an average Plus/Minus of +6.75 over his past 10 games, and he’s coming off more than 50 FanDuel points in his last outing. He should continue to benefit from the absence of Ja Morant, and his $6,700 price tag comes with a Bargain Rating of 91%.
