Thursday features a six-game slate starting at 7 p.m. ET.
Let’s dive into some of the top plays on the slate 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 NBA Player Models directly for any updates as we get closer to lock. Use our FanDuel promo to get three months of free NBA League Pass.
NBA DFS Point Guard Picks
Stud
There are only two players in NBA history who have scored over 110 DraftKings points in the database: Luka Doncic and the great Michael Jordan. MJ still holds the highest score in his 1990 game, but Doncic is second with his triple-double on Tuesday, finishing with 60 points, 21 rebounds, and 10 assists. Doncic made a ridiculous 21 of 31 from the field in the Mavericks’ overtime victory over the Knicks while playing a season-high 47 minutes.
It is tough to find a better matchup for Doncic after his historical game as the Mavericks host the Rockets as double-digit favorites. Not only did Doncic dominate in his last game, but three games ago, he finished with 50 points and 82 DraftKings points against the Rockets. No one on this six-game slate comes close to his ceiling on both sites. Doncic will have an opportunity to add to his incredible season against a Rockets defense that ranks 28th in Defensive Rating this season.
Value
With RJ Barrett out and Jalen Brunson questionable, Knicks point guard Immanuel Quickley has the highest projected Plus/Minus on both DraftKings and FanDuel. Usually a boom-or-bust candidate anyways, Quickley tried his best to match Doncic in that overtime game Tuesday night. He finished with 13 points, 15 assists, and 42.8 DraftKings points while playing a ridiculous 51 minutes. Quickley is projected for 35 minutes tonight and is the best value on the slate.
The best part about his last game is it could’ve been much better, but he shot 5-21 from the field and 1-10 from behind the arc. It was the fifth-straight game that Quickley scored double-digit points. Using our On/Off Tool, Quickley has played a team-high in minutes with Barrett off the floor, and if Brunson is also not playing, Quickley has a +4.4% usage rate differential. He is an excellent value on both sites, especially if Brunson is out.
Fast Break
There are a few other very strong point guard plays on this six-game slate. Two of them come from the game between the Thunder and Hornets, which has the highest total on the slate at 239 points. The total is more than 10 points higher than the next closest game, and the one-point spread suggests it should be competitive throughout. LaMelo Ball and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander look fantastic in this point guard duel and could be an awesome stack in this track meet.
NBA DFS Shooting Guard Picks
Stud
Jaylen Brown feels too cheap across the industry based on how well he has played recently. FanDuel has many shooting guard options, while DraftKings is somewhat limited, making Brown the most expensive shooting guard on the slate. Brown deserves his high salary, as he has over 50 DraftKings points in four of his last seven games. His career-high 31.5% usage rate this season also ranks 10th in the league.
Brown has one of the highest Bargain Ratings on FanDuel at the shooting guard position, as he remains under $9,000. The matchup against the Clippers is tough — they rank fourth in Defensive Rating (109.3) — but Brown has been playing too well to ignore. He also has posted above a 30% usage rate in eight of his last 10 games. Prioritize Brown on FanDuel, but there is no reason not to get exposure to this high-usage player on both sites.
Value
We’re going back to the Knicks value tree with shooting guard Miles McBride. Similar to Quickley, McBride played a season-high 46 minutes last game after barely reaching double-digit minutes in his previous few games. He also benefits from Barrett being out but needs Brunson out to have elite upside. McBride is only $3,200 on DraftKings and has a 98% Bargain Rating, and he ranks second at shooting guard in projected Plus/Minus.
The best part about getting exposure to this Knicks value is the matchup against the Spurs, who rank dead last in Defensive Rating as they have allowed a league-high 120.5 points per game. This is also a pace-up spot for the Knicks, who will have plenty of opportunities to exceed value. To fit in Doncic tonight, lineups need a low-salary value play. McBride is that player, especially on DraftKings.
Fast Break
Donovan Mitchell has the highest ceiling at the shooting guard position in our Tournament Model on DraftKings. Mitchell’s salary continues to fall, but he still has upside if he can find his shot again. Playing alongside Darius Garland, Mitchell is a scoring-dependent fantasy producer. He is still averaging a career-high 28.5 points per game, but his peripherals are much lower than in past seasons with the Jazz. Regardless, he can catch fire and needs to be mentioned.
NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
Jayson Tatum is another Celtics stud worth getting exposure to on this small slate. His salary has decreased slightly due to this challenging matchup against the Clippers. However, like Brown, Tatum has been balling lately. Over the last six games, Tatum is averaging 37.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. He has scored over 60 DraftKings points four times during that stretch while averaging 58 DraftKings points per game.
Tatum has taken his game to new heights in every season he has been in the league. This year he is firmly in the MVP discussion as he is averaging a career-high 31.1 points and 8.1 rebounds per game while being the focal point on the best team in the league. The Clippers have some great defensive players, but Tatum has shown he can thrive against the league’s best. The DraftKings salary on both Celtics studs make them intriguing tournament options.
Value
Hornets veteran Gordon Hayward has returned from injury and has come out firing. In his seven games since returning, Hayward is averaging 12.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 27.2 DraftKings points per game. He has scored that many points despite shooting just 43.2% from the field and 24.1% from behind the arc. Hayward is projected to play 36 minutes and has the highest projected Plus/Minus on both sites for the small forward position.
This game will draw plenty of attention due to the high total, and Hayward would look even better if Kelly Oubre Jr. ends up being ruled out. The Thunder play at the third-fastest Pace in the league, so Hayward will get plenty of possessions to pay off this salary. Make sure to monitor the news dashboard on Oubre Jr’s status, but Hayward looks like a great way on both sites to get cheaper exposure to this projected shootout.
Fast Break
Paul George and Kawhi Leonard look like strong tournament plays as 6.5-point road underdogs against the Celtics. Leonard remains cheaper on both DraftKings and FanDuel than George, but both have a ceiling in their own right. The Celtics are a great defensive team, but these two superstars rack up fantasy points in a hurry. This game is flooded with star power. It may be a better game to watch than for fantasy, but they are both a little too cheap on both sites.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
Knicks stud power forward Julius Randle has been playing out of his mind lately. He has recorded a positive Plus/Minus on both DraftKings and FanDuel in 10 of his last 11 games. Randle is playing an absurd amount of minutes and has scored over 50 DraftKings points in four-straight games. He has also recorded a double-double in seven of his last eight games. Randle benefits immensely with Barrett and potentially Brunson out and is one of the best pay-up options on the slate.
Over the last three games, Randle has attempted 22 or more field goal attempts while making at least four 3-pointers in each game. Randle should be able to dominate the paint and get any shot he wants against this weak Spurs frontcourt. The Spurs have allowed 55.1 points per game in the paint this season, which ranks as the second-highest in the league. Good luck stopping this freight train all night long. Randle is a fantastic play tonight.
Value
PJ Washington is popping as the best value power forward on this slate. Like Hayward, Washington has seen his field goal attempts ramp up lately with LaMelo Ball back in the lineup. He has scored over 20 points in two of his last three games and has recorded at least one block in 14 of his previous 15 games. Washington can be a monster on the glass and fill it up from the perimeter, making nine 3-pointers in his last three games.
The Hornets can take advantage of this Thunder defense from downtown. The Thunder have allowed 36 3-point attempts per game, which ranks 20th in the league. They are allowing their opponents to shoot 36.5% from behind the arc, and Washington will have plenty of opportunities for 3-point attempts in this game. The Hornets’ side looks much more intriguing in this juicy matchup, mainly due to the Oubre Jr. injury and the fact that they have better players.
Fast Break
Not only did Doncic have a great last game, but so did his teammate Christian Wood. Since moving into the starting lineup six games ago, Wood has averaged 18.3 points, nine rebounds, and 40.8 DraftKings points per game. He is second on the Mavericks in scoring and rebounding behind Doncic and should thrive in this matchup. Wood also fits the Revenge Game narrative if you’re into that sort of thing.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
Pascal Siakam is back to playing like the MVP candidate he was earlier in the season. Over the last four games, Siakam is averaging 63.8 DraftKings points per game with a 35.3% usage rate. He is scoring with ease while averaging double-digit rebounds and providing plenty of assists. During that four-game stretch, Siakam has also averaged a ridiculous 43 minutes per game. This slate has incredible pay-up options, but Siakam needs to be in that same breath.
Siakam has power forward and center eligibility on both sites, which helps when lineup building. Playing against the Grizzlies is a tough matchup for opposing centers, as they allow the third-fewest points per game in the paint and are one of the best rebounding teams in the league. However, Siakam isn’t a true center. He is extremely versatile and can score in a variety of ways. He is currently under 10% in our ownership projections, which makes him a great tournament option.
Value
The player with the second-highest projected Plus/Minus on DraftKings and the fourth-highest on FanDuel is Thunder center Mike Muscala. He started the second half of the Thunder’s last game and came in right away once Aleksej Pokusevski left due to an injury. With Pokusevski and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl still out for tonight, Muscala will likely enter the starting lineup and play around 20 minutes. That is more than enough time to pay off his cheap price tag on both sites.
In 21 minutes last game, Muscala had 19 points, six rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block on his way to a season-high 35 DraftKings points. Priced under $4,000 on both sites, Muscala is a cheap way to get exposure to this very high game total. Minutes for Thunder players are always random, so it wouldn’t be surprising if Muscala played more than 20 minutes tonight, which would make him look even better. Regardless, he is way too cheap for a starting center.
Fast Break
The only other interesting centers that haven’t been discussed are the Cavaliers’ twin towers, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley. Both look like strong tournament plays, as the Pacers rank 27th in Rebounding Percentage this season. Mobley is a little bit cheaper on both sites than Allen and has a higher ceiling projection, so he is the preferred option. However, both can have a ceiling game against this weak Pacers frontcourt.
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