NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: Thursday (11/16)

We’ve had stacked slates almost every day this week, so a letdown like this was inevitable. We only have two games on this Thursday card, and it’s not giving us much to discuss. With that said, these are two exciting matchups, so let’s go ahead and get into it!

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

NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer:

Schedule and Odds

• BKN at MIA (MIA -4.5) O/U: 217.5
• OKC at GSW (OKC -2.5) O/U: 227

Check out our consensus game odds and the odds from each sportsbook at BettingPros.

Injury Report

• Cam Thomas (ankle) OUT
• Tyler Herro (ankle) OUT
• Stephen Curry (knee) OUT
• Ben Simmons (back) OUT
• Draymond Green (suspension)

Core Plays

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (PG/SG – OKC): $10,600 DraftKings, $11,300 FanDuel
SGA is the best option on this slate. The MVP candidate has scored at least 43 DK points in all but one game this season, surpassing 52 fantasy points in all but two outings. That has him as one of the highest-scoring players in fantasy, and you know he’ll be motivated against a team like the Warriors. He scored at least 48 DraftKings points in three of their four matchups last season!

Bam Adebayo (C – MIA): $9,200 DraftKings, $10,100 FanDuel
It’s about time people acknowledge it, but Bam is one of the best all-around players in the NBA. The big man is the focal point of this Miami offense right now, scoring at least 50 DraftKings points in five of his last six outings. That’s a fantastic floor from a player below $10K, and Miami needs him to do this with Tyler Herro injured. Not to mention, Bam has a 41-point average in his last two matchups with Brooklyn!

Cash Game Considerations

Jimmy Butle (SF/PF – MIA): $8,600 DraftKings, $8,600 FanDuel
Jimmy Buckets has gotten off to a slow start this season, but this superstar just needed some time to find his legs. We saw glimpses of who he could be on Tuesday, totaling a season-high 48 DK points. Performances like that should be a regular thing as we advance, especially since he has more shots and usage in the absence of Herro. The matchup with Brooklyn isn’t too bad either, surrendering the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing small forwards.

Dario Saric (PF/C – GSW): $5,200 DraftKings, $5,700 FanDuel
This is a game where all of the Golden State role players need to be utilized heavily. They’re expected to be without Curry and Green, likely forcing Saric into another start. This big man had 37 DraftKings points across 32 minutes in a start earlier in the week, and he’ll likely maintain this role as long as Green remains out. He also had 29 DK points across 28 minutes in the game prior, and he needs a price bump behind this production.

GPP Targets

Klay Thompson (SG/SF – GSW): $6,600 DraftKings, $5,800 FanDuel
Klay was ejected in the opening minutes of the Warriors most recent game, and it’s another dark spot in what’s been a terrible season. The rough start has dropped Klay’s price way too far because he can perform at an $8K level on any given night. It’s more likely against OKC, allowing the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing shooting guards. That was on full display when Thompson had at least 37 fantasy points in all three of their meetings last season! Look for Klay to take 20 shots with Curry and Green out!

Duncan Robinson (SF – MIA): $5,800 DraftKings, $6,000 FanDuel
Robinson was relegated to DNPs this time last season, but he’s quietly been one of the best players on this Miami team in the opening month. The sharpshooter has been asked to do much more with Herro injured, playing at least 35 minutes in three of his last four outings. He’s also flirting with a 30-point average in that span, dropping 41 and 42 FK points in his two most recent outings. As long as this guy plays 30-35 minutes and takes 15 shots a game, Robinson needs to be $1,000 more on each site.

Value Plays

Nic Claxton (C – BKN): $6,100 DraftKings, $7,200 FanDuel
Clax was battling foul trouble in Brooklyn’s most recent game, but he was a monster in his return to action last weekend. The big man dropped 39 DK points across 28 minutes in his first game back from injury and has proven to be a per-minute stud throughout his career. That makes him way too cheap on DraftKings, around $6K, especially since his workload will inevitably rise. They need him out there to cover Bam, and that’s awesome since Clax collected 40 fantasy points in their most recent matchup.

Chris Paul (PG – GSW): $6,700 DraftKings, $7,100 FanDuel
This one is risky, but it’s wild to see how far CP3’s price has dropped. This guy used to be $8K on both sites, and Golden State needs him to start playing like that. What’s encouraging is how beat-up this team is, with Curry outand Draymond Green staring at a suspension. That should put more on Paul’s shoulders, and we know he’s capable of being a stud at this diminished price. In addition, Paul provided a 43-point average in his final three meetings with OKC last season.

Advantageous Pricing

• Nic Claxton (C – BKN): $6,100 DraftKings, $7,200 FanDuel
• Klay Thompson (SG/SF – GSW): $6,600 DraftKings, $5,800 FanDuel
• Bam Adebayo (C – MIA): $9,200 DraftKings, $10,100 FanDuel
• Jaime Jaquez (SF – MIA): $4,500 DraftKings, $5,600 FanDuel
• Haywood Highsmith (SF/PF – MIA): $4,600 DraftKings, $5,400 FanDuel
• Dorian Finney-Smith (SF/PF – BKN): $5,300 DraftKings, $4,400 FanDuel

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