FanDuel DFS NBA Strategy Advice: Thursday (8/20)

The NBA has a four-game slate for Thursday’s action in Orlando. FanDuel has plenty of contests to enter for the league’s double slate tonight, so let’s take a look at some lineup possibilities with value plays, studs, fades, and more!

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Value Plays: Point Guard

Goran Dragic started and didn’t disappoint for the Heat in game one of the series. He scored 24 points, had six rebounds, and five assists for 40.7 fantasy points. And if you factor in Victor Oladipo’s potential absence, Dragic could flirt with double-doubles as he gets more comfortable in this lineup. He only started three regular-season games for Miami this season.

Eric Bledsoe and the Bucks were surprised by the Magic on Monday, and only Giannis had a great game. Bledsoe scored 15 points and added five assists for 28.9 fantasy points in 27 minutes. In the second game, I expect the Bucks’ role players to step up, and Bledsoe is one of them. In their last regular-season meeting between these teams, he posted 18 points, eight assists, and four rebounds. Those are the type of numbers that I’m expecting this time around.

Edmond Sumner is expected to get the start if Oladipo is out after he started for him in the second half of game one. Sumner scored six points and grabbed six rebounds after being thrown into the fire for 27 minutes. He’s been in the rotation since the beginning of March, and this would be an interesting time to start him, but the Pacers must see something in him. I’d consider Aaron Holiday as well.

Shooting Guard

Terrence Ross recorded 28.7 fantasy points in 28 minutes last game, as he scored 18 points and earned six rebounds for the Magic. The Bucks ranked last in the NBA during the regular season and in the bubble for three-pointers allowed, which fits right into Ross’ game. In his last regular-season meeting with Milwaukee, he scored 20 points, so he’s capable of being a DFS option. That said, I like the next guy for less.

Unlike Duncan Robinson, Tyler Herro has stepped up and played well for the Heat lately. He has scored 16 points or more in six-straight games, and he totaled 25 or more fantasy points in six of seven. He played 33 minutes in the first game of the series, which shows that Spoelstra trusts the rookie. For $4,600, he’s worth that price without Oladipo.

Wesley Matthews was inserted back into the starting lineup, and he recorded 25 minutes and 20.8 fantasy points. He’s capable of putting together an all-around game for the Bucks, especially with Donte DiVincenzo and Pat Connaughton have yet to catch their stride.

Small Forward

Danilo Gallinari exploded for 29 points and 39.1 fantasy points in the opening game of the Thunder and Rockets series. He recorded 33 minutes in a blowout loss, and the news is that Luguentz Dort will miss game two, so Gallinari could see a slight bump in minutes.

Evan Fournier, like Ross, has the advantage of facing the NBA’s worst defense from deep. Although he only had 17.1 fantasy points, he posted a decent all-around game of nine points, five assists, and three rebounds. If he finds his three-ball falling, he could be a sleeper at $5,100.

Darius Bazley could see an increase with Dortz’s absence as well, and he could use it after playing a bubble-low 17 minutes. He had nine points and nine rebounds, just short of a double-double. He’s posted 25 or more fantasy points in five of his last six games.

Power Forward

Jeff Green earned himself some extra minutes after he posted 22 points, six rebounds, and four assists in 32 minutes versus the Thunder. He recorded 37.2 fantasy points, the most he’s scored in the bubble thus far. He’s played 30 or more minutes in three of his last four games, and without Westbrook, he should continue to see more minutes.

Gary Clark has been a pleasant surprise for the Magic in the bubble. He posted 15 points and six rebounds in his last performance, and with Aaron Gordon out, he’s filled in smoothly. His three-point shooting makes him a sneaky DFS play versus the Bucks’ perimeter D.

Kyle Kuzma has had at least 40 fantasy points in tw0 0f his last four games for the Lakers. The Blazers are a favorable matchup for him, and 14 points with eight rebounds isn’t a bad start. He finished with 26.6 fantasy points in 30 minutes, and he often drew Carmelo Anthony as his defender. He just has to take advantage and become that third-wheel to LeBron and AD. Portland is an excellent defense to start with.

Center

Steven Adams is the latest center to take care of business against the Rockets. He recorded a double-double of 17 points and 12 rebounds in only 27 minutes. I would bet Adams to double-double versus the Rockets every game, as no one matches up with him down low.

Hassan Whiteside has seen an uptick in minutes with Zach Collins’ injury for the Blazers. He played 25 minutes in his last game and posted seven points, eight rebounds, and five blocks for 29.6 fantasy points. If Collins is sidelined for the near-future, Whiteside and Jusuf Nurkic are both worth looks.

Olynyk has cooled down over the past three games a bit, but that’s due to his minutes. With Adebayo playing extensive minutes, Olynyk is a player to keep an eye on if you have fewer than $4,000 in money left.

5 Studs Worth Their Salary

• Damian Lillard (POR) $10,000: Lillard continued his insane stretch of play versus the Lakers, and that backcourt had no answers for him. He’s the best player in the bubble right now.
• T.J. Warren (IND) $7,700: Warren recorded a season-high of 22 points versus the Heat in their first game. He only attempted 15 field goals and not one free-throw, so expect more buckets in game two.
• Malcolm Brogdon (IND) $7,400: Brogdon tied Warren with a team-high 15 field-gal attempts in game one, and without Oladipo, he’s a smart play as a double-double option.
• James Harden (HOU) $11,800: Without Westbrook, Harden is a must-play in fantasy. He’s a double-double machine and going to shoot at will. If you don’t mind the turnovers, pair him with Lillard or Giannis.
• Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL) $11,300: The Greek Freak had a monster double-double of 31 points and 17 rebounds, with seven assists, just short of a triple-double in a game one loss. Imagine what he will do in a win.

5 Notable Players to Fade

•  Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC) $6,600: SAG accounted for 17.3 fantasy points in 35 minutes, and he’s failed to record three-straight 30-point fantasy point games.
• Duncan Robinson (MIA) $4,200: Robinson has disappeared for the Heat over the last four games, and he has failed to record 25 fantasy points.
• Robert Covington (HOU) $6,700: Convington’s value is pretty high despite the fact that he finished with just 18.5 fantasy points in his last game. With Eric Gordon back, Covington will see less usage moving forward.
• Myles Turner (IND) $6,200: Turner hasn’t made much of an impact with Sabonis being out, and that’s worrisome for someone who’s played 30-plus minutes in four of his last seven. He has one double-double in that span.
• Brook Lopez (MIL) $5,500: Lopez disappeared in game one, scoring five points and grabbing four rebounds for 16.3 fantasy points. This isn’t an ideal matchup versus Vucevic, and he’s a fade.

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Beyond our daily fantasy basketball content, be sure to check out our Daily Fantasy Basketball Tools. From our Lineup Optimizer – which allows you to build winning DFS lineups in seconds for Cash and GPP contests – to our DFS Cheat Sheets – that helps you get a quick read on the day’s players – we’ve got you covered this fantasy basketball season.

Vaughn Dalzell is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Vaughn, check out his archive or follow him @VaughnDalzell.