NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: Thursday (4/11)

This is the final typical slate for the rest of the regular season. Friday and Sunday feature every team in action, and having that many teams makes things difficult to navigate. We have five games making up this Thursday card, and I can’t wait to get into it! The New Orleans-Sacramento nightcap is a colossal decider in the Western Conference, and it should be a fantasy-friendly matchup in what’s projected to be a playoff atmosphere!

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

• CHI at DET (CHI -9) O/U: 218
• NYK at BOS (BOS -3.5) O/U: 212
• HOU at UTA (HOU -3) O/U: 226
• GSW at POR (GSW -13.5) O/U: 222
• NOP at SAC (SAC -1) O/U: 218

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

Injury Report

• Zach LaVine (foot) OUT
• Andre Drummond (ankle) OUT
• Cade Cunningham (knee) OUT
• Ausar Thompson (blood clots) OUT
• Isaiah Stewart (hamstring) OUT
• Brandon Ingram (knee) OUT
• Malik Monk (knee) OUT
• Julius Randle (shoulder) OUT
• Alperen Sengun (leg) OUT
• Lauri Markkanen (tanking) OUT
• Jordan Clarkson (tanking) OUT
• Collin Sexton (tanking) Questionable
• Walker Kessler (tanking) Questionable
• John Collins (tanking) Questionable
• Alex Caruso (body) Questionable
• Jerami Grant (hamstring) Doubtful
• Malcolm Brogdon (elbow) OUT
• Shaedon Sharpe (core) OUT
• Anfernee Simons (knee) OUT
• All Celtics are Questionable!

Core Plays

Jalen Brunson (PG/SG – NYK): $9,600 DraftKings, $10,000 FanDuel
The Julius Randle injury looked brutal on the surface, but it allowed Brunson to take over this team. The All-Star regularly plays 40 minutes while taking 20-25 shots a game, scoring at least 61 DraftKings points in four straight fixtures. A matchup with the Celtics might look concerning, but you know JB will be hungry in this premier matchup. The last time he played Boston, Brunson dropped 53 DK points!

DeMar DeRozan (SF/PF – CHI): $8,100 DraftKings, $8,600 FanDuel
The Bulls have been a massive disappointment, but it’s not DeRozan’s fault. He’s actually had to do more playmaking than ever because Chicago is missing Zach LaVine and Lonzo Ball. That’s led to DD averaging over 40 DraftKings points per game. He’s also got at least 38 DraftKings points in nine straight outings, posting a 45-point average in that span. We love that against Detroit, ranked 26th in points allowed and defensive efficiency.

Scoot Henderson (PG – POR): $6,900 DraftKings, $6,900 FanDuel
Scoot is a volatile rookie, but he’s got some massive upside with the way this roster is constructed. He’s one of the only real starters remaining, taking over as the primary playmaker with Jerami Grant, Anfernee Simons, and Malcolm Brogdon all sidelined. That’s led to Scoot scoring at least 31 DK points in six consecutive outings, generating a 36-point average in that span. We’re also not worried about a 19th-ranked Warriors defense.

Cash Game Considerations

Domantas Sabonis (PF/C – SAC): $10,400 DraftKings, $10,600 FanDuel
Domas just had his double-double streak snapped in his most recent outing, but that’s obviously an outlier. The Sacramento center has scored at least 31 DraftKings points in 77 of 79 games this year, posting a 53-point average on the season. That’s the consistency you’re looking for from a cash game option, and he might have to play 40 minutes in a de facto playoff game here. In two home matchups with the Pels this year, Domas dropped 41 and 67 DK points!

Zion Williamson (PF/C – NOP): $8,900 DraftKings, $8,900 FanDuel
This is the game we want to stack because these teams are battling for playoff positioning. Zion probably doesn’t care much about that, but he’s been taking over this offense in Brandon Ingram‘s absence. He’s scored at least 38 DraftKings points in 15 of his last 17 outings, providing a 46-point average in that span. That’s the best stretch we’ve seen from this former top pick, and he should have his way with a 22nd-ranked Sacramento defense.

Jalen Green (PG/SG – HOU): $8,400 DraftKings, $8,400 FanDuel
We’ve been waiting for Green to show some consistency for the last three years, and we’re finally getting it. It took an Alperen Sengun injury to get JG rolling, and he’s averaging 46 DraftKings points per game across his last 14 outings. That would make him a worthy pick against anyone, but Utah is an unbelievable matchup. The Jazz rank last in defensive efficiency while surrendering the second-most fantasy points to opposing guards. In their two most recent matchups, Green has 56 and 58 fantasy points!

GPP Targets

Jaden Ivey (PG/SG – DET): $6,600 DraftKings, $7,100 FanDuel
This Detroit roster was obliterated at the trade deadline, and it looks even worse with Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson, Isaiah Stewart, and Simone Fontecchio all missing games. That’s allowed Ivey to run the show, scoring at least 31 DK points in five of his last six outings. He’s also got at least 40 DK points in three straight games, seeing his usage skyrocket above 30 percent in that span.

Dillon Brooks (SF – HOU): $4,200 DraftKings, $4,800 FanDuel
It’s imperative to find bargains at this point in the season, and Brooks looks like one of them. The feisty forward has scored at least 27 DK points in three consecutive outings, posting a 34-point average across 37 minutes a night. It’s rare to find such an affordable player sitting around $4K, especially since DB faces the worst defense in the NBA.

Talen Horton-Tucker (SG/SF – UTA): $3,700 DraftKings, $5,600 FanDuel
Utah is in tank mode right now, resting almost every veteran they have. Sitting Lauri Markkanen, Jordan Clarkson, and Collin Sexton has turned THT into one of the primary playmakers off of the bench, scoring 27 and 35 DK points in his two most recent outings. We’ve seen this guy average 30 fantasy points per game for weeks at a time, and he should continue to get a large workload if all of these Utay players are going to keep missing games.

Value Plays

Jabari Smith Jr. (PF/C – HOU): $6,200 DraftKings, $7,200 FanDuel
It’s hard to believe that Smith is barely cracking $6K. He’s taken over as the starting center in Sengun’s absence, scoring at least 31 fantasy points in six straight outings. He’s also flirting with a 40-point average in that span and should benefit from the Utah matchup like the rest of these Houston players. In fact, the Jazz surrender the third-most fantasy points to opposing big men.

OG Anunoby (SG/SF – NYK): $5,400 DraftKings, $6,100 FanDuel
Anunoby doesn’t have a massive upside with Brunson, Josh Hart, and Donte DiVincenzo swallowing up all of the stats, but he’s still too cheap. The former Raptor plays 40 minutes a night when he’s in the lineup, averaging nearly 30 DraftKings points per game. That’s all you can ask for from such an affordable player, especially since he took 18 shots in his most recent game. Anybody getting 40 minutes and 20 shots need to be in the $7K range.

Omer Yurtseven (C – UTA): $4,500 DraftKings, $5,500 FanDuel
We just mentioned how many players Utah is missing, forcing Yurtseven into a 30-minute role as the starting center. This guy was a stud in that role with Miami, averaging 36 DK points per game in the 12 outings he played at least 24 minutes. Most of those were starts, which is incredible since Omer had 41 DK points across 37 minutes in a start on Monday. This is the best bargain on the board if Markkanen, Collins, and Kessler are out again.

Advantageous Pricing

• Talen Horton-Tucker (SG/SF – UTA): $3,700 DraftKings, $5,600 FanDuel
• Jabari Smith Jr.(PF/C – HOU): $6,200 DraftKings, $7,200 FanDuel
• Omer Yurtseven (C – UTA): $4,500 DraftKings, $5,500 FanDuel
• Isaiah Hartenstein (C – NYK): $5,500 DraftKings, $6,600 FanDuel
• Amen Thompson (PG/SG – HOU): $6,400 DraftKings, $7,700 FanDuel

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