There’s a blizzard in Denver right now, so I’m happy to announce that I’m hunkered in and ready to zone in on this Thursday card. The good news is that we only have four games to break down, so it should be relatively straightforward. There are a ton of superstars on this four-game card, so let’s start there with our cash game options!
View the best player prop bets for tonight’s slate with our NBA Prop Bet Cheat Sheet
Schedule and Odds
- GSW at BOS (BOS -6) O/U: 237.5
- TOR at MIN (TOR -2.5) O/U: 224.5
- BKN at PHX (BKN -1) O/U: 223
- PHI at POR (PHI -2.5) O/U: 234
Check out our conensus game odds as well as the odds from each sportsbook at BettingPros
NBA DFS Lineup Advice
Injury Report
Core Plays
Joel Embiid (PF/C – PHI): $11,000 DraftKings, $11,500 FanDuel
Everybody talks about Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic when it comes to the MVP award but don’t forget about the two-time reigning runner-up. The big man has scored at least 37 DraftKings points in every game this season, scoring at least 56 fantasy points in 19 of his last 25 games. That’s a ridiculous run, with Embiid averaging over 60 DK points per game in that 25-game stretch. We don’t expect Portland to slow him down, posting a 24th OPRK against opposing centers.
Jayson Tatum (SF/PF – BOS): $10,800 DraftKings, $11,000 FanDuel
Tatum isn’t quite in the MVP conversation anymore, but this guy has had an incredible season. JT has scored at least 43 DraftKings points in 16 of his last 17 games, generating a 53-point average in that span. The injury of Jaylen Brown is his biggest asset, seeing a massive boost in usage and shot attempts in his absence. Facing Golden State is a grand matchup, too, ranked 25th in points allowed while allowing the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing forwards.
Cash Game Considerations
Pascal Siakam (PF/C – TOR): $9,700 DraftKings, $9,300 FanDuel
Siakam has established himself as the go-to player in Toronto, and it’s been fun watching him develop in this role. The big man has scored at least 33 DK points in all but one game this year, averaging over 48 fantasy points per game. That makes him a worthy play below $10,000 mainly because he faces a Minnesota team that ranks fourth in pace and 20th in points allowed. In their most recent matchup, Pascal posted a triple-double if you needed any more incentive to use him.
Damian Lillard (PG – POR): $10,000 DraftKings, $10,000 FanDuel
Dame gets on these stretches where he’s unstoppable, and that’s where he’s at right now. The sharpshooter has scored at least 55 DraftKings points in five of his last six games, flirting with a 60-point average in that span. He’s doing everything possible to get Portland out of this slump, and you know he’ll be motivated against a star-studded Philly team. In their most recent meeting, Dame dropped 39 points and seven assists!
Kyrie Irving (PG/SG – BKN): $9,900 DraftKings, $9,200 FanDuel
Irving missed the last game because of a leg issue, but he’s expected to return here. That’s awesome because he’s been amazing when Kevin Durant has been out this year. With KD off the floor, Kyrie has a 36 percent usage rate while averaging 1.5 DK points per minute. He’s also scored at least 36 fantasy points in 17 straight outings, and 50 could be his floor in this expanded role. Phoenix is usually a concerning matchup, but this has been one of the worst defenses since they lost half of their roster due to injury.
GPP Targets
Robert Williams (PF/C – BOS): $5,500 DraftKings, $5,900 FanDuel
Rob Will has always been one of the best GPP players out there. The big man has been an elite per-minute producer since he was drafted, and he’s finally getting a full allotment of minutes. The big man has played at least 27 minutes in three straight games, and he can be an $8K player in a 30-minute role. Facing an undersized Warriors team makes him even more enticing, averaging 26 DK points per game in their two matchups last year.
Naz Reid (PF/C – MIN): $4,600 DraftKings, $5,000 FanDuel
Reid was held down on Wednesday due to foul trouble, but this guy has been a freak in a starting role. In his five starts this season, Reid is averaging nearly 40 fantasy points per game. That’s no surprise since Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert are both out, leaving Reid as the only big man left. Toronto is a tough matchup, but Minnesota has to give Reid 30 minutes with their two starting centers injured.
Value Plays
OG Anunoby (SG/SF – TOR): $6,400 DraftKings, $6,900 FanDuel
We’ve had Anunoby in this section a lot, and he’s going to remain in it. The defensive stud ranks third in the NBA with 37 minutes a night, leading to his stellar 34-point average. This kid is just scratching the surface of what he could become, and we believe he’ll be an $8K player by the end of the season. A matchup with Minnesota is the best part of this, playing at the blistering pace mentioned above while owning a 24th OPRK against opposing wings.
Marcus Smart (PG/SG – BOS): $6,500 DraftKings, $6,300 FanDuel
With Brown out for the next week, Smart should take on more ball handling in his absence. That’s huge since this guy was already playing 30-35 minutes a night, averaging 36 DraftKings points per game across his last three outings. That’s ironic because he had 36 fantasy points in his one matchup with the Warriors earlier this season. That’s far from shocking since Golden State allows the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing guards.
Damion Lee (SG/SF – PHX): $4,600 DraftKings, $4,800 FanDuel
This Suns roster is in shambles, but Lee has carved out a nice role off the bench. Lee is playing nearly 30 minutes a night over his last four games, averaging 30 DK points per game in that span. That’s all you can ask for from a sub-$5K player, and he should continue to have a massive role with Booker, CP3, Shamet, and Payne still all nicked up.
Advantageous Pricing
- Andrew Wiggins (SF – GSW): $5,800 DraftKings, $6,700 FanDuel
- Kevon Looney (C – GSW): $4,500 DraftKings, $5,600 FanDuel
- Grant Williams (SF/PF – BOS): $4,400 DraftKings, $5,600 FanDuel
- Kyle Anderson (SF – MIN): $5,600 DraftKings, $6,500 FanDuel
- Jaden McDaniels (SF/PF – MIN): $4,800 DraftKings, $5,700 FanDuel
- Josh Hart (SG/SF – POR): $4,900 DraftKings, $5,800 FanDuel
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Joel Bartilotta is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Joel, check out his archive and follow him @Bartilottajoel.