This is my final article before the All-Star break! It’s been a fantastic season, and I love some of the feedback I’ve received on Twitter. You guys are awesome, and I hope you’ve enjoyed these articles through the first 50-some games. Let’s finish it strong, though, and make you some dough before the weekend festivities!

The final slate before the break is always tiny. That’s just what we have here, with just five games in action. There’s a lot to discuss, though, so let’s go ahead and get into the schedule and odds!

View the best player prop bets for tonight’s slate with our NBA Prop Bet Cheat Sheet

• MIA at CHA (MIA -3) O/U: 226.5
• WAS at BKN (BKN -3) O/U: 218
• DAL at NOP (DAL -2) O/U: 215.5
• PHI at MIL (MIL -6) O/U: 223
• HOU at LAC (LAC -10) O/U: 228.5

Check out our consensus game odds as well as the odds from each sportsbook at BettingPros

Injury Report

• Ben Simmons (trade) OUT
• Tyler Herro (knee) Questionable
• Jimmy Butler (hustle) Questionable
• Gordon Hayward (ankle) OUT
• Kyrie Irving (vaccine) OUT
• Bradley Beal (wrist) OUT
• Kevin Durant (knee) OUT
• LaMarcus Aldridge (B2B) Questionable
• Joe Harris (ankle) OUT
• Kristaps Porzingis (knee) Questionable
• Tim Hardaway Jr (foot) Questionable
• Reggie Bullock (hip) Questionable
• Zion Williamson (foot) OUT
• James Harden (hamstring) OUT
• Pat Connaughton (wrist) OUT
• Grayson Allen (ankle) Questionable
• Brook Lopez (back) OUT
• Eric Gordon (B2B) Questionable
• Kevin Porter Jr (illness) Questionable
• Christian Wood (illness) Questionable
• Dennis Schroder (Achilles) Questionable
• Paul George (elbow) OUT
• Kawhi Leonard (knee) OUT
• Norman Powell (foot) OUT

Core Plays

Joel Embiid (C – PHI): $11,800 DraftKings, $11,400 FanDuel
Embiid is now the frontrunner for MVP, and it’s easy to understand why. The big man has at least 40 DraftKings points in 37 straight games, averaging 57 fantasy points per game in that span. He’s traditionally killed the Bucks, too, averaging nearly 60 DK points per game in their seven meetings since 2017.

Jimmy Butler (SG/SF – MIA): $8,800 DraftKings, $9,100 FanDuel
Jimmy has been doing work all season, and it’s hard to believe he’s still just $9K. Jimmy has scored at least 29 DK points in 35 of 39 games this season, generating a 46-point average in those outings. We love that in this matchup, with Charlotte ranked 28th in total defense while playing at the fastest pace in the NBA. In their two matchups this season, Jimmy Buckets is averaging 49 fantasy points per game!

Seth Curry (PG/SG – BKN): $5,500 DraftKings, $6,000 FanDuel
Um, Curry’s price went down on DraftKings. It’s hard to understand what they’re thinking because Seth is the focal point of this Nets offense right now. He’s got at least 20 points and five assists in the first two games in this expanded role, averaging 37 DK points per game. Good luck finding that from another $6K player, especially one who faces the 24th-ranked defense.

Cash Game Considerations

Luka Doncic (PG – DAL): $12,400 DraftKings, $11,300 FanDuel
Luka was leading the NBA in usage when he had Porzingis on the roster, but he’s doing everything now that KP is out of the picture. In fact, Doncic is flirting with a 40 percent usage rate in this expanded role, averaging 31.4 points, 10 rebounds, 9.6 assists, and 1.3 steals over the last 15 games played. We certainly don’t mind that he faces a 21st-ranked Pelicans defense, either.

Giannis Antetokounmpo (PF – MIL): $12,100 DraftKings, $11,500 FanDuel
This dude is unbelievable. Giannis has at least 74 DK points in two of his last three games, ranked second in the NBA with 57 DK points per game. That makes him an easy cash game option on every slate, and he thrives against Philly every time they face off. Antetokounmpo is averaging over 65 DK points per game in their last nine meetings!

Reggie Jackson (PG/SG – LAC): $6,600 DraftKings, $6,700 FanDuel
Calling Jackson a cash game option is risky, but when this dude is rolling, he’s tough to fade. R-Jax is doing just that right now, scoring at least 31 DK points in four straight games. We’ve seen him do that multiple times this season, and it should be easy for him to surpass that total with Houston ranked second in pace and dead-last in defensive efficiency. As long as PG13 and Kawhi are out, Reggie needs to keep running this offense.

GPP Targets

Tyrese Maxey (PG – PHI): $6,300 DraftKings, $7,800 FanDuel
We don’t like this FanDuel price, but the DraftKings price is silly. This youngster has been on a roll recently, averaging 34 DK points per game across his last 10 outings. He’s quite simply one of the only offensive pieces left, with James Harden still nursing a hammy issue and Seth Curry playing in Brooklyn. Maxey mauled Milwaukee in their one matchup earlier this season, too, dropping 49 DK points in one of the best games of his career.

Andre Drummond (C – BKN): $6,000 DraftKings, $6,600 FanDuel
It looks like Drum will start and play big minutes for Brooklyn. That means he should be $1,000 more on each site because this is one of the best per-minute producers in the NBA. He showed that on Wednesday, collecting 11 points and 19 rebounds across 22 minutes. Anyone who can grab 19 boards across 22 minutes is a great GPP option! Not to mention, Aldridge might sit here in the second half of a back-to-back, which would give Drummond even more minutes to produce.

Dorian Finney-Smith (SF/PF – DAL): $4,600 DraftKings, $4,900 FanDuel
With Porzingis being traded and Hardaway nursing a foot issue, Finney-Smith needs to play a ton for Dallas. That’s certainly been the case for most of the season, averaging nearly 40 minutes a game since that trade. As long as he does that, DFS should be a great value below $5K. He’s been playing well recently, too, scoring at least 24 DK points in four of his last five games.

Value Plays

Mason Plumlee (C – CHA): $5,600 DraftKings, $5,700 FanDuel
Plumdog has been crushing it recently. The big man has at least 24 DraftKings points in 13 straight games, providing a 30-point average in that stretch. That’s unbelievable from a sub-$6K player, especially since he’s being asked to do more in the absence of Hayward. Facing Miami is challenging, but it should guarantee Mason 30 minutes to oppose a guy like Bam Adebayo.

Terance Mann (SG – LAC): $5,100 DraftKings, $5,900 FanDuel
Mann had a nightmarish game on Tuesday, but he’s been amazing aside from that. He had at least 26 DraftKings points in each of his previous five fixtures, averaging 36 DK points per game in that stretch. That’s tough to find from such an affordable player, particularly since he has the best matchup in fantasy here.

Matisse Thybulle (SF/PF – PHI): $3,700 DraftKings, $4,600 FanDuel
With Philly being so shorthanded, Thybulle is being asked to play a monster role. He’s played at least 31 minutes in five of the last seven games. We love that sort of workload here because Matisse is likely looking at 40 minutes to oppose guys like Giannis and Middleton. If he gets that much playing time with his defensive capabilities, he should stumble into 20-25 fantasy points, which is all you need from such a cheap player.

Advantageous Pricing

• Luka Doncic (PG – DAL): $12,400 DraftKings, $11,300 FanDuel
• Tyrese Maxey (PG – PHI): $6,300 DraftKings, $7,800 FanDuel
• Bam Adebayo (C – MIA): $8,400 DraftKings, $9,500 FanDuel
• Kyle Lowry (PG – MIA): $6,600 DraftKings, $5,600 FanDuel
• Kyle Kuzma (PF – WAS): $9,000 DraftKings, $7,700 FanDuel
• Cam Thomas (SG – BKN): $5,800 DraftKings, $6,800 FanDuel
• Deni Avdija (SG/SF – WAS): $4,500 DraftKings, $5,500 FanDuel
• Bruce Brown (SG/SF – BKN): $4,500 DraftKings, $6,900 FanDuel
• Jonas Valanciunas (C – NOP): $7,400 DraftKings, $6,400 FanDuel
• Ivica Zubac (C – LAC): $4,700 DraftKings, $6,200 FanDuel

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