Thursday features a six-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
Russell Westbrook has received his fair share of criticism this season, and most of it has been deserved. His efficiency numbers are very similar to his marks from last season – he’s actually posted a better field goal percentage and fewer turnovers per game – but playing on a larger stage with the Lakers has amplified his struggles.
Still, Westbrook has been a decent source of fantasy value recently. He’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in three straight games on FanDuel, and he should garner attention if LeBron James is out of the lineup again on Thursday. LeBron’s status is still to be determined, so make sure to follow along for updates. Regardless, Westbrook’s $8,500 salary comes with a Bargain Rating of 96%, and his 10 Pro Trends are tied for the most at the position.
Value
Patrick Beverley returned to the Timberwolves’ lineup in their last game, but he was limited to just 15.2 minutes. Still, that didn’t stop him from posting 24.0 DraftKings points. Beverley has been an outstanding per-minute producer this season, and he’s averaged a stout 1.15 DraftKings points per minute over the past month. He’s currently questionable for Thursday’s matchup vs. the Pistons, but he may see a few additional minutes if he does suit up. That makes him an appealing option at $4,800 on DraftKings.
Fast Break
Derrick White hasn’t displayed much of a ceiling recently, but he has been a steady contributor. He’s posted a positive Plus/Minus on DraftKings in five of his past six games. He’s averaged 1.02 DraftKings points per minute this season, and he’s coming off 35 minutes in his last contest. That’s an appealing combination for someone priced at just $6,000.
Steph Curry got the night off in the Warriors’ last contest, but he has been playing well recently. He’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in three straight games on FanDuel, and he’s coming off 64.5 FanDuel points in his last outing. His price remains reasonable at $9,300, and he has another favorable matchup Thursday vs. the Kings. They rank 29th in defensive efficiency, and the Warriors’ implied team total of 118.75 ranks first on the slate.
Shooting Guard
Stud
What does Gary Trent Jr. have to do to get some respect on DraftKings? He’s carrying one of the largest workloads in basketball, racking up at least 40.6 minutes in three straight games. He’s also been super productive recently. Trent has scored at least 31 points in five consecutive games, and he’s finished with at least 40.25 DraftKings points in each contest.
He’s been priced up to $7,200 on FanDuel, which accurately represents his production, but he remains massively discounted on DraftKings. His $6,100 salary comes with a Bargain Rating of 93%, making him an excellent option.
Value
Amir Coffey has emerged as a vital part of the Clippers’ rotation. He’s played at least 34.3 minutes in three of their past five games, and he’s scored at least 36.7 FanDuel points in each. Coffey can do a little bit of everything, resulting in an average of 0.85 FanDuel points per minute over the past month. He’s currently projected for 32 minutes in our NBA Models, making him a viable option at just $5,100.
Fast Break
Like Curry, Klay Thompson also got the night off in the Warriors’ last contest. He’s still being eased into the rotation, but he has logged at least 26.3 minutes in each of his past three games. Thompson may see a few additional minutes on Thursday, and he’s averaged 1.13 DraftKings points per minute since returning to action. He’s another strong target for the Warriors in a juicy matchup.
D’Angelo Russell has missed the past three games for the Timberwolves, and he’s currently questionable vs. the Pistons. That said, he would be worth some consideration if he’s able to suit up. His price has dipped to just $7,000 on FanDuel, resulting in a Bargain Rating of 92%, and Russell has averaged a Plus/Minus of +4.22 with a comparable salary this season (per the Trends tool). Russell also owns one of the best individual matchups of the day given his Opponent Plus/Minus of +2.09.
Small Forward
Stud
Trent is the only player on the Raptors logging massive minutes. The entire starting lineup is playing close to 40 minutes a night, including Scottie Barnes. The rookie from Florida State has struggled a bit recently, posting a negative Plus/Minus in back-to-back games, but he has still been a highly profitable investment of late. He’s posted an average Plus/Minus of +5.57 over his past 10 games on FanDuel.
His price tag has also come back to reality. He was priced at $6,900 on FanDuel in his last game, but he’s down to just $6,400 vs. the Bulls. It results in a Bargain Rating of 87%, so he’s a solid buy-low target.
Value
Terance Mann is another potential option for the Clippers on Thursday. He’s not playing quite as much as Coffey, but he’s extremely affordable across the industry. He’s priced at $3,800 on DraftKings and projected for 26 minutes, and players with comparable salaries and minute projections have historically averaged a Plus/Minus of +2.63.
Fast Break
Otto Porter has missed the past two games for the Warriors, and he’s officially questionable vs. the Kings. However, he racked up 35.5 DraftKings points in his last outing, and he should continue to benefit from the absences of Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala if he can suit up. Porter has averaged 1.07 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, so he’s capable of taking advantage of a few additional minutes.
Keldon Johnson has been playing a ton of minutes for the Spurs recently. He’s logged at least 35.1 minutes in each of his past four games, and he’s posted a positive Plus/Minus on FanDuel in 11 of his past 12.
Power Forward
Stud
Let’s keep rolling with the Raptors. Pascal Siakam is another player who has seen an immense workload recently, and he’s currently projected for 39 minutes in our NBA Models. That is a ton of minutes, especially for a player of his caliber. Siakam has averaged 1.16 DraftKings points per minute over the past month, and he’s scored at least 45.0 DraftKings points in five of his past six games.
Value
Jae Crowder returned to the Suns’ lineup Tuesday following a four-game absence, and he racked up 25 minutes in his first game back. He will likely see a slight uptick in playing time on Thursday – he’s currently projected for 28 minutes – making him an appealing option at $4,200. He’s averaged 0.74 DraftKings points per minute this season, so he’s underpriced.
Fast Break
Kelly Olynyk played just 17.2 minutes in his last contest, but he’s capable of racking up fantasy points quickly. He’s averaged 1.18 FanDuel points per minute this season, so he doesn’t need much playing time to pay off his $4,500 salary. Olynyk also owns an excellent individual matchup vs. the Timberwolves, resulting in an Opponent Plus/Minus of +2.23.
Anthony Davis would also be worth some consideration if LeBron is inactive. He’s posted a positive Plus/Minus in three straight games, and he remains priced down on FanDuel. His $9,600 salary comes with a Bargain Rating of 96%.
Center
Stud
Nikola Vucevic got off to a slow start for the Bulls this season, but his numbers are on the rise. He’s scored at least 44.25 DraftKings points in four of his past five games, and he’s racked up a double-double in seven of his past eight contests. That said, his price has actually decreased over that time frame. He’s very reasonably priced across the industry, but his $8,700 salary on FanDuel is particularly appealing. It results in a Bargain Rating of 87%, which is the second-highest mark at the position.
Value
Drew Eubanks could be looking at a significant role for the Spurs on Thursday. Jock Landale and Jakob Poeltl have already been ruled out, which leaves Eubanks as their top remaining center. He’s currently projected for 24.0 minutes in our NBA Models, which could be conservative.
That said, Eubanks should be able to do some damage even in just 24 minutes. He’s averaged 1.04 DraftKings points per minute this season, and he’s priced at just $3,300 on DraftKings. He owns the top projected Plus/Minus in our NBA Models, and no one is even particularly close.
Fast Break
Isaiah Hartenstein is another potential source of value on DraftKings. He’s even cheaper than Eubanks at $3,200, and he’s averaged a stout 1.16 DraftKings points per minute this season. He’s not expected to see as much playing time on Thursday, but he’s played at least 21.2 minutes in two of his past five games. His minutes are volatile, but he has an excellent ceiling for his current salary if he plays more than expected.
Photo Credit: Cole Burston/Getty Images. Pictured: Gary Trent Jr.
