On Thursday, the NBA has six games scheduled which sets up a nice 12-team fantasy basketball slate for DFS fantasy basketball lineups. FanDuel has opted to drop the last two games off the main slate, leaving just a four-game main slate. On DraftKings, all six games are featured on the main slate, and as a result, picks in this post will come from all six games. Of the 12 teams taking the floor, the Bulls, Mavericks and Trail Blazers are on the second night of their back-to-backs while the Clippers and Suns are the only teams in action Thursday that also have a game on Friday.
Even on a smaller slate like this one, multiple key injuries will help shape the slate. As news breaks throughout the day, refresh the NBA Models for the latest updates and adjustments to see how rotations will look with or without certain players.
Let’s dive into some of the top plays on the slate using the FantasyLabs tools and projections.
Also, don’t forget that for large-field tournaments, you can utilize our Lineup Optimizer to effortlessly create up to 300 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 NBA Player Models directly for any updates as we get closer to lock.
NBA DFS Point Guard Picks
Stud
Fred VanVleet and the Rockets got a win on Tuesday over the Spurs in their first game since losing Alperen Sengun (ankle), likely for the season. Houston has another favorable matchup on Thursday as they host the Wizards. On FanDuel, the Rockets have the highest implied team total on the slate, and on DraftKings, they rank only behind the Thunder.
FVV has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all point guards on DraftKings and the highest of any player on FanDuel. He also has the highest median, ceiling, and floor projections of all point guards on FanDuel’s smaller slate and the third-highest median and ceiling projections at the position on DraftKings.
VanVleet has exceeded salary-based expectations in seven straight games by averaging 1.17 DraftKings points and 1.13 FanDuel points per minute in 38.1 minutes per game. With Sengun off the floor, he gets a nice boost to his usage rate and is usually a little more aggressive creating his own shot while also facilitating the offense and producing good non-scoring numbers as well. In this great matchup, he’s a strong stud to build around.
Value
With Zach LaVine’s injury, Ayo Dosunmu has had a chance to step into a much larger role for the Bulls over the last couple of months. He has the third-highest Projected Plus/Minus of all point guards on both DraftKings and FanDuel and Thursday’s slate and brings solid midrange value on both sites.
Over the last two months, Dosunmu has produced 0.84 DraftKings points and 0.83 FanDuel points per minute while logging a heavy workload of 35.1 minutes per game with a 17.7% usage over 25 games. In March, he has been playing even more minutes, averaging 36.9 minutes with an 18.1% usage rate over his last seven contests.
With so much work coming his way, Dosunmu has exceeded salary-based expectations in nine of his last 11 games on both DraftKings and FanDuel. He has high minutes and usage projections again on Thursday as the Bulls host the Clippers.
Fast Break
An awesome matchup between Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Doncic was supposed to be the focus of the two extra games on DraftKings’ slate, but Doncic had to leave Wednesday night’s game early with a hamstring injury. He was limited to just 30 minutes, and his status for Thursday is uncertain. If he plays, he will bring the highest ceiling, median and floor projections at point guard, but if he sits, SGA would have the top marks in those projections on DraftKings. Both star guards have been exceptional lately and are strong pay-up options. With the injury concerns, I’d lean towards SGA if building around one of the superstars on DraftKings.
VanVleet’s backcourt mate, Jalen Green, has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus at point guard on both DraftKings and FanDuel. Green had just 16 points against the Spurs on Tuesday, but he always gets plenty of volume, and getting so many shots in this matchup against the Wizards gives him a very high ceiling. He’s a little cheaper than VanVleet on both sites but still brings a very high ceiling.
The best Projected Plus/Minus of all point guards with a salary of $5,000 or lower on Thursday’s slate comes from Kyle Lowry, who should continue to get good minutes even with Tyrese Maxey available after his concussion. Payton Pritchard and Patrick Beverley also stand out as good values on the cheaper side of the salary structure. From the extra games on DraftKings, you can also add Josh Giddey into the mix.
Don’t forget to check out our NBA SimLabs Lineup Generator to create advanced DFS lineups using the power of simulation:
NBA DFS Shooting Guard Picks
Stud
Depending on the status of Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving could have to carry the workload for the Mavericks against the Thunder. He looked very Luka-like on Wednesday, producing 23 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds in 35 minutes in a win over the Warriors. He has the second-highest median projection and third-highest ceiling projection of all shooting guards on DraftKings even with Luka still in the projections.
With Doncic off the floor, Iriving’s usage jumps from his season average of 28.7% to 31.9%. In that scenario, Kyrie has produced 1.47 DraftKings points and 1.43 FanDuel points per minute. In the five games he played without Doncic entirely this season, he averaged 52.1 DraftKings points and 50.3 FanDuel points per contest.
If Doncic is out or limited at all, Irving becomes a key piece to build around on DraftKings. Of all the games on the slate, the Mavs-Thunder matchup has the highest over/under, meaning it should be a very fantasy-friendly environment for Kyrie if he ends up carrying the workload.
Value
In addition to FVV and Jalen Green, the Rockets have even more value to offer in the backcourt. Dillon Brooks has the third-highest Projected Plus/Minus of all shooting guards and the second-highest of all small forwards on DraftKings. On FanDuel, Brooks has the highest Projected Plus/Minus at small forward and the second-highest at shooting guard. Brooks had 14 points in 30 minutes against the Spurs and got extra usage without Sengun in the mix.
There’s a huge salary disparity between the two sites for Amen Thompson. On DraftKings, Thompson has a 99% Bargain Rating and a $5,200 salary, while on FanDuel, he has a $7,600 salary. Thompson has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all shooting guards and all small forwards on DraftKings, where he’s so much cheaper.
Thompson moved into the starting lineup on Tuesday and played 22 minutes. He made his only two field goal attempts and added four boards, two assists and a steal. He has shown great upside when given more of a chance, and if he stays in the lineup, he brings a very high ceiling against the Wizards.
Fast Break
After missing Tuesday’s game in Utah, Jaylen Brown is questionable vs. the Suns. He has been excellent when available lately, averaging 1.33 DraftKings points and 1.29 FanDuel points per minute in his last nine games. He scored 25+ points in seven of his last eight games.
Kelly Oubre helped the Sixers fill in while Tyrese Maxey was out with a concussion, exceeding salary-based expectations in five straight games before coming up just short on Tuesday. Over his last six games, he produced 1.13 DraftKings points and 1.09 FanDuel points per minute in 32.2 minutes per game. Even with Maxey back, he remains a solid midrange target against the Bucks on Thursday.
In addition to Brooks, Torrey Craig stands out on FanDuel as a strong cheap option to consider at shooting guard. He is only $3,800 on FanDuel and had 10 points and five boards on Wednesday night in Indiana. On DraftKings, Craig isn’t shooting guard eligible, so Pat Connaughton and Matisse Thybulle are worth a look as affordable alternatives.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
DeMar DeRozan continues to carry the load for the Bulls, and he has a very high ceiling on a nightly basis as a result. He has the second-highest median and floor projection of all small forwards on both DraftKings and FanDuel this Thursday, and he comes at a much cheaper salary than Jayson Tatum, who is the only player ranked above him in those projections. He has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus of all small forwards on FanDuel and the fourth-highest on DraftKings, where he has added power forward eligibility.
DeRozan reminded everyone of his ceiling by dropping 46 points in Wednesday’s win over the Pacers. He added nine rebounds three assists and two steals as well to exceed salary-based expectations for the fifth time in his last six games. He has scored at least 24 points in five of those six games and averaged 1.26 DraftKings points and 1.22 FanDuel points per minute.
Even on the second night of a back-to-back in a tough matchup against the Clippers, DeRozan is a solid piece to build around and consistently delivers good fantasy performances in his role as the Bulls’ centerpiece.
Value
One of the few bright spots of this season for the Wizards has been that rookie Bilal Coulibaly has looked very good at times. He has been inconsistent, to be sure, but there does seem to be some excellent potential in the 19-year-old from France that Washington took No. 7 overall. He brings the third-highest Projected Plus/Minus at small forward on FanDuel and the seventh-highest at both small forward and shooting guard on DraftKings.
Coulibaly has started each of his last nine games for Washington and has scored double-digit points in each of his last three. He exceeded salary-based expectations on FanDuel in each of his last four games while producing 0.76 DraftKings points and 0.79 FanDuel points per minute in 30.8 minutes per game. If he keeps getting so much run, he should have a good chance to return excellent value at this salary.
Fast Break
Jayson Tatum has the highest ceiling projection of all small forwards on both DraftKings and FanDuel. He and the Celtics won the last three games on their five-game road trip, including their stop in Phoenix. He’ll face the Suns again on Thursday, this time at home at TD Garden. He had 29 points, 10 boards, and seven assists against them last week and is coming off a 38-point performance against the Jazz on Tuesday. If Jaylen Brown (pelvis) is unable to play through his questionable tag, Tatum’s ceiling would get even higher due to the extra usage.
On DraftKings, Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo have good Projected Plus/Minus in their matchup with the Trail Blazers in one of the late games. OG Anunoby is back in the mix, but Hart still had a massive game with 20 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists on Tuesday in Anunoby’s return. It looks like Hart will stay very involved in the rotation even after OG’s return for as long as Julius Randle (shoulder) stays out.
On DraftKings, Luguentz Dort is a good value to consider in the late game against the Mavericks. On FanDuel, the best bargain small forwards in addition to Coulibaly are Jae Crowder, Jeff Green, and Jae’Sean Tate.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
At power forward on both DraftKings and FanDuel, Giannis Antetkounmpo has the highest median ceiling and projections. On FanDuel without Luka on the slate, Giannis has the highest of those three projections of all players on the slate.
Giannis missed one game since the All-Star Break but has averaged 35.0 minutes in the nine games he played. He produced 30.9 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game for an elite production rate of 1.64 DraftKings points and 1.56 FanDuel points per minute.
Antetounmpo won’t have his individual rivalry with Joel Embiid in this game against the Sixers, but the Sixers also don’t have any rugged big men to slow down Giannis, so he should be able to post another big number. He has at least 30 points and a double-double in three straight games dating back to his massive triple-double against the Lakers last Friday.
Value
Let’s take another trip to Houston for this value spot since Jabari Smith has the highest Projected Plus/Minus at power forward on both DraftKings and FanDuel. Smith will get more work without Sengun, and the 20-year-old has been surging to a strong finish to his second season in the NBA.
Smith has scored double-digit points in nine of his last 10 games, producing five double-doubles and two more games in which he fell just one rebound short. Over that span, he produced 1.02 DraftKings points and 1.00 FanDuel points per minute with a 17.1% usage rate in 35.1 minutes per game.
The Wizards have been a great matchup for opposing power forwards this season, so Smith should be a great value at power forward Thursday.
Fast Break
On FanDuel, Deni Avdija can slide to power forward on the other side of that matchup in Houston. He is a solid midrange target at either forward spot since he has produced 1.06 DraftKings points and 0.99 FanDuel points per minute in 33.8 minutes per game over his last 15 contests.
Jalen Williams is off the injury report and expected to play for the Thunder against the Mavs in one of the two late games only on DraftKings. Williams has been a great secondary scorer for the Thunder and scored 15+ points in six of seven games before leaving Sunday’s game against the Grizz with an ankle injury and missing Tuesday’s matchup.
Torrey Craig is only a power forward on DraftKings, but makes sense as a cheap punt play in this spot. Nicolas Batum and Derrick Jones Jr. also have good Projected Plus/Minus numbers and are very affordable on Thursday’s DraftKings slate. On FanDuel with fewer options, Crowder and Drew Eubanks are the only bargain power forwards with decent Projected Plus/Minus.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
Kyle Kuzma is eligible at power forward and center on DraftKings while he can move to either forward spot on FanDuel. He’s a strong play on both sites in this matchup against the Rockets. He has the second-highest median and ceiling projection at center on DraftKings, behind only Giannis and the third-highest Projected Plus/Minus. He also matches 10 Pro Trends on DraftKings and 12 on FanDuel.
Kuz has out-produced salary-based expectations on both DraftKings and FanDuel in nine straight games with three ceiling performances. In those nine contests, he played a team-high 35.9 minutes per game with a team-high 31.2% usage rate. He has produced 1.30 DraftKings points and 1.27 FanDuel points per minute over that span and has scored at least 20 points in each matchup.
In a matchup that should lend itself to plenty of small-ball, look for Kuzma to post another good number on Thursday with a double-double a definite possibility.
Value
Kuzma’s former teammate Daniel Gafford has found a nice landing spot with the Mavericks after the Trade Deadline. Gafford has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all centers on DraftKings in his matchup against the Thunder in OKC.
Gafford has started each of the last four games for the Mavs and has scored double-digit points in five straight. In those five contests, Gafford has averaged 15.0 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.4 blocks per game to produce 1.50 DraftKings points per minute. He’s still under $5,000 on DraftKings and is a great value center to build around.
Fast Break
On FanDuel, Nikola Vucevic has the highest median, ceiling, and floor projections of all centers. He also has the highest Projected Plus/Minus since the late games aren’t included on FanDuel’s main slate. Vucevic has averaged 1.19 DraftKings points and 1.11 FanDuel points per minute in 34.7 minutes per game since the All-Star Break.
Al Horford is another option that makes sense on the FanDuel slate as well as on DraftKings since he’ll continue to fill in for the injured Kristpas Porzingis (hamstring). Horford had nine points and 12 boards last week against the Suns with Porzingis out and should be ready to step into a bigger role again on Thursday. He has averaged 29.2 DraftKings points and 29.2 FanDuel points per game in the 15 games he has played without Porzinigis this season.
If you have to go cheaper than Horford, Mo Bamba has a good Projected Plus/Minus at just $4,000 on FanDuel. On DraftKings, there are more options, but aside from Gafford, Richaun Holmes of the Wizards and Jock Landale of the Rockets have the best Projected Plus/Minus of the options under $5,000.
