As the 2020-2021 NBA season continues to advance, more and more injuries occur for teams in the league. With the number of injuries taking place in the NBA, there are tons of value options in NBA DFS, making it vital to check on certain players’ status ahead of tip-off.
Even amid the NBA’s unpredictability right now, I’m going to give it my best shot to list some players who could net nice returns at their current price for Thursday’s games. It’s always important to keep a close eye on the NBA’s ever-changing news as injuries are rampant right now. If you need any aid in putting together a lineup or have any other questions about NBA DFS, don’t hesitate to shoot a DM to @skyler_carlin on Twitter.
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Most Value Per Dollar
We have a seven-game slate on Thursday, and there are a few games on the docket that could have playoff implications. There are currently five games on the slate with an over-under of 220+, meaning that we could have a couple of high-scoring affairs tonight.
For the time being, there isn’t a position that stands out more than the others on Thursday’s FanDuel main slate. That could lead to more balanced builds, especially with the number of value plays shaping up to be available at multiple positions. One way to be different tonight in tournaments is to not pay up at either of the point guard spots.
If you’d like to see more information on how the betting landscape will be for this slate, check out BettingPros. Below is a list of the top-10 players of the day expected to generate the most value relative to their salary. These are ranked in order.
Harrison Barnes (SAC) $6,300 vs. DET
The Sacramento Kings will host the Detroit Pistons on Thursday in a game that features the third-highest over-under on the entire slate. While paying up for De’Aaron Fox should be a popular choice, Harrison Barnes could be a nice mid-tier option at the power forward position. Barnes has reached 5x value in three out of his last four games (played 34+ minutes in each of those four contests), and for those that use game logs to determine which players to use, Barnes notched 50.1 FD points a few weeks ago against the Pistons.
Chris Boucher (TOR) $6,000 vs. CHI
The Toronto Raptors are shorthanded once again as Fred VanVleet has already been ruled out for Thursday’s game against the Chicago Bulls. Kyle Lowry was ruled out 7-10 days over a week ago, but it would be a surprise to see him suit up on Thursday. Given the injuries, Chris Boucher is poised to see more run with the starters again. Boucher started Toronto’s last game versus the Los Angeles Lakers and compiled 33.1 FD points. The Bulls have allowed a league-high 61.75 FD points per game to centers in their past 30 games.
Malachi Flynn (TOR) $6,000 vs. CHI
Another member of the Raptors that has seen an increased role amid the team’s injury woes is Malachi Flynn. When VanVleet and Lowry are off the floor, Flynn averages a 20.7 percent usage percentage, and he averages 41.61 FD points per 36 minutes. He has seen 30+ minutes in his past three games, and he should easily hit 5x value at his $6,000 price tag as long as VanVleet and Lowry are both confirmed out again.
Taurean Prince (CLE) $5,800 at OKC
With the Cleveland Cavaliers near the bottom of the Eastern Conference, they are attempting to find which players fit their long-term plan (whatever that may be). While Larry Nance Jr. remains sidelined with an illness, Taurean Prince has seen increased run in recent games. Prince has taken Cedi Osman‘s spot in the rotation, playing in 25+ minutes in the past two games, where he scored 30+ FD points in both games. It is a pace-up game for the Cavaliers on Thursday, and Prince should continue to see a decent amount of playing time with Nance being ruled out already.
Jordan Clarkson (UTA) $5,600 vs. POR
The game that features the highest over-under on the slate is the late-night showdown between the Utah Jazz and the Portland Trail Blazers. For the Jazz, Jordan Clarkson is a way to get a piece of Utah’s roster for a reasonable price. Clarkson operates as Utah’s sixth man, and he can score points in bunches. Even though he’s failed to reach 5x value in his last two games at his current price, Clarkson hit 5x value in three out of his last five before that.
DeAndre’ Bembry (TOR) $5,200 vs. CHI
Once again, the Raptors are expected to be extremely shorthanded again on Thursday, which means there is value to be had. Besides Boucher and Flynn, DeAndre’ Bembry has earned a large role during the team’s recent stretch of games. Bembry only costs $5,200 on FanDuel and has played in 30+ minutes in back-to-back games. The veteran guard has also posted 34+ FD points in back-to-back games.
Moses Brown (OKC) $5,100 vs. CLE
Along with the Raptors, the Thunder are another team who could have a thin rotation available on Thursday. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is already ruled out, and Luguentz Dort, Aleksej Pokusevski, Darius Bazley, and Isaiah Roby are all game-time decisions with various ailments. That could set up Moses Brown for a massive role on Thursday. If Brown gets more minutes against the Cavaliers, Cleveland has allowed the eighth-most (56.83) FD points per game to centers in their past seven games while Jarrett Allen has been out.
Patrick Williams (CHI) $4,500 at TOR
Patrick Williams has shown plenty of promise on the defensive end for the Bulls, and his offense is improving. Nevertheless, the rookie forward gets an opportunity to face a shorthanded Toronto squad on Thursday, which could pave the way for him to receive more minutes. Williams contributes in multiple areas in the box score, and at $4,500, he isn’t much of a risk at a thin small forward position. The Florida State product has reached 5x value at his current price tag in three out of the past five games.
Isaiah Hartenstein (CLE) $4,000 at OKC
Due to Allen and Nance being out, the Cavaliers are left with Prince, Kevin Love, Dean Wade, and Isaiah Hartenstein in the frontcourt. Hartenstein is the tallest of the bunch and has been getting run at the center position while Allen recovers from a concussion. Luckily for us, Hartenstein is a power forward on FanDuel, and he gives us salary relief at $4,000, a spot in which he’s hit 5x value three out of the past four contests.
Svi Mykhailiuk (OKC) $3,800 vs. CLE
When looking for a player sub-$3,000, Svi Mykhailiuk could be a notable option at the shooting guard position. Of course, it’s hard to gauge who will get minutes for the Thunder right now, which makes Mykhailiuk a risky play on Thursday night. But if Mykhailiuk does happen to get a modest amount of minutes against Cleveland, then he’s worth a flier if you’re someone who is looking for a salary-saving piece in your lineup.
Check out our NBA Prop Bet Cheat Sheet for the top bets of the day
Notable Players to Fade
- Kawhi Leonard (LAC) $10,000 vs. PHO: It’s hard not to play Kawhi Leonard some nights as he’s a consistent source of points in NBA DFS. However, it’s hard to pay a five-digit price tag for Leonard when he would’ve hit 5x value just three times out of his last nine games at his current price point. If you’re looking for his safe floor of 40+ FD points, plug him into your lineup if you have the salary. But if you are looking for upside, I would advise fading Leonard against a Phoenix Suns team with multiple guys they can throw at Leonard like Mikal Bridges and Jae Crowder.
- Damian Lillard (POR) $9,200 at UTA: Fading Lillard in a game that is expected to have the highest point total on the slate seems like a boneheaded move. Sometimes you need to put your foot on the ground, though if you want to win in NBA DFS and with CJ McCollum back on the floor for the Trail Blazers, Lillard’s usage takes a slight dip. Since McCollum returned on March 16th, McCollum has seen a 28 percent usage percentage compared to Lillard’s 29.8 percent usage percentage. Lillard’s usage percentage was at 33 percent in the 37 games before McCollum’s return. As a result, Lillard has reached 5x value at his current price tag just twice in his last 10 outings.
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Skyler Carlin is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Skyler, check out his archive and follow him @skyler_carlin.
