After a week off for the All-Star Game and its festivities, the NBA is back on the floor for a dozen games this Thursday. Both DraftKings and FanDuel have 10-game slates this Thursday, leaving off the two games tipping off at 10:00 p.m. ET. While all 20 teams on the slate should be well-rested, 11 do play again on Friday as the NBA gets back up to full speed for the final stretch of the season.
Even coming off the break, keep an eye on the injury report to see who is good to go and who is still battling an injury. As statuses are finalized, be sure to refresh the NBA Models for the latest updates and adjustments.
Let’s dive into some of the top plays on the slate using the FantasyLabs tools and projections.
Also, don’t forget that for large-field tournaments, you can utilize our Lineup Optimizer to effortlessly create up to 300 lineups or use our Lineup Builder if you like to hand-build your lineups.
Note: Projections and Leverages Scores/Ratings may change throughout the day after this article is posted. The NBA DFS landscape changes quickly.
Consult the NBA Player Models directly for any updates as we get closer to lock.
NBA DFS Point Guard Picks
Stud
Point guard is a stacked position on this monster slate, but Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander lead the way with elite projections across the board. Luka has the top median, ceiling and floor projections at the position on both FanDuel and DraftKings, but his salary is extremely high on both sites as well. SGA comes at a little bit of a discount and brings projections just slightly behind Doncic’s. Both are great plays in their big Western Conference games, but if you have the salary available for either one, Doncic has a slight advantage.
The Mavs have the second-highest implied team total on the slate in their home matchup against the Suns, and the game has the second-highest over/under as well. Doncic has an awesome rivalry going with Devin Booker and has seemed extra motivated to post big numbers against Phoenix. He had 50 points and 15 assists against the Suns on Christmas and then 34 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds in their rematch late in January.
In his last 13 games, Doncic has produced an elite 1.82 DraftKings points and 1.72 FanDuel points per minute while averaging 39.2 minutes per minute with a 35.6% usage rate. Dallas went into the break with six straight wins, and they’ll look to pick up where they left off Thursday night.
Value
A week ago, Keyonte George was my top point guard value play on Thursday before the break as his Jazz took on the Warriors. On that slate, he had the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all point guards on DraftKings, and he has that distinction again this Thursday. The rookie went off for a career-high 33 points in that matchup and brings similar upside against the Hornets in a good matchup Thursday.
George has exceeded salary-based expectations on DraftKings in nine of his last 10 games and still brings a 94% Bargain Rating on that site, where his salary is under $5,000. He’s a good play on FanDuel as well, with a top four Projected Plus/Minus at both point guard and shooting guard.
The 20-year-old is back in the starting five and should get plenty of opportunities for the rest of the season. On the year, he has only produced 0.92 DraftKings points and 0.85 FanDuel points per minute with a 21.4% usage rate. He has been heating up, though, producing 1.01 DraftKings points and 0.95 FanDuel points per minute over his last 10 contests. The Jazz-Hornets game is a great source of value options on Thursday, and George stands out as one of the best.
Fast Break
The Pacers have the highest implied team total on the board on Thursday when they face the Pistons. Tyrese Haliburton continues to work his way back to a full workload, but once he doesn’t have any limitations, he’ll be an elite option whose ceiling puts him right alongside SGA and Luka at the top of the point guard projections. He’s also a little cheaper since his minutes have been limited.
The Nets parted ways with coach Jacque Vaughn over the break and made Kevin Ollie the interim head coach. At times, Vaughn seemed to hold back Cam Thomas, who could go off if Ollie lets him feast. Before the break, Thomas averaged 1.09 DraftKings points and 1.05 FanDuel points per minute over his last 11 games, playing 33.6 minutes per game with a 30.4% usage rate. He has an extremely high ceiling for a player with a mid-priced salary, especially in a good spot against the Raptors.
At the trade deadline, the Hornets added Tre Mann from the Thunder, and Mann leaped right into a significant role with LaMelo Ball (ankle) still out. Mann started each of his three games with Charlotte, producing 1.10 DraftKings points and 1.15 FanDuel points per minute in 30 minutes per game. He is still especially affordable on DraftKings, where he has the third-highest Projected Plus/Minus at point guard and a 94% Bargain Rating.
Don’t forget to check out our NBA SimLabs Lineup Generator to create advanced DFS lineups using the power of simulation:
NBA DFS Shooting Guard Picks
Stud
Coming out of the break, the Knicks will still be short-handed with Julius Randle (shoulder) and OG Anunoby (elbow) out. While those starters have been sidelined, Donte DiVincenzo has stepped into a higher usage role and become an elite option at shooting guard. He and the Knicks visit the 76ers in an important Eastern Conference matchup on Thursday night.
DiVincenzo produced 1.09 DraftKings points and 1.05 FanDuel points per minute while playing a huge workload of 36.8 minutes per game over his last 10 games. He had a 25.4% usage rate during that stretch, which is a step up from his 21.2% usage on the season.
He exceeded salary-based expectations in seven of his last eight games before the break on FanDuel and in six of those contests on DraftKings. DiVincenzo did miss New York’s final game before the break with a hamstring issue but has no injury designation for Thursday, so he should be good to go.
Value
Another great value from the Jazz is guard Collin Sexton, who went into the break riding an impressive hot streak. He has been a very solid contributor for the Jazz this season and has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus at shooting guard on both DraftKings and FanDuel this Thursday.
Sexton scored at least 18 points in six of his last seven games before the break, including a 35-point, nine-assist game against the Warriors last Thursday. Over those seven contests, he put up 1.27 DraftKings points and 1.21 FanDuel points per minute.
Against the Hornets, he and Goerge are both very solid values and can make a solid tandem in the backcourt if you’re looking to spend big in other spots.
Fast Break
Kyrie Irving has been putting up great numbers alongside Luka over the last several games and has the best Projected Plus/Minus of the pay-up options at shooting guard. He has the second-highest ceiling, median, and floor projections at shooting guard, behind only Devin Booker. Kyrie has out-produced salary-based expectations in five of his six games since returning from his most recent injury, producing 1.30 DraftKings points and 1.28 FanDuel points per minute.
With Zach LaVine (foot) done for the year, Coby White should continue to carry the load in Chicago’s backcourt. White has scored 20+ points in six of his last seven games while producing 1.13 DraftKings points and 1.06 FanDuel points per minute with a team-high 27.2% usage rate over that span. He brings a good ceiling even in a tough matchup with the Celtics.
In his starting spot for the defending champs, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all shooting guards under $5,000 on FanDuel and the sixth-highest overall at the position on DraftKings. KCP usually plays plenty of minutes and offers salary relief even in a low-usage role. The Nuggets have a favorable matchup against his former team, the Wizards.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
After the Raptors trade with the Knicks, Scottie Barnes got off to a slow start in 2024, but after an adjustment period to his new teammates, he seems to be back in top form. He has the second-highest median, ceiling, and floor projection of small forwards on DraftKings and the third-highest in each of those categories on FanDuel.
Barnes exceeded salary-based expectations in three of his last four games before the break, with one triple-double and at least eight rebounds and eight assists in each of those four contests. In eight games this month, he has produced 19.4 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 7.1 assists per game for an average of 1.27 DraftKings points and 1.23 FanDuel points per minute.
Against the Nets, he has a 25.7% usage projection and brings a high ceiling with his ability to stuff the stat sheet in multiple categories.
Value
Since the Pacers are in a great matchup against the Pistons, Bennedict Mathurin is an elite value on the wing. He has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all shooting guards and all small forwards on both DraftKings and FanDuel. He has a top three Projected Plus/Minus on both sites of all the players on the entire slate.
Mathurin went into the break on a low note, battling illness and knee soreness and only managing four points on 2-for-10 shooting in his last two games combined. He looked ready to turn things around, though, and claimed Rising Stars MVP honors on Friday while leading Team Jalen to the victory. He and his hometown “Team Pacers” also won Saturday in the skills challenge, so the knee and illness shouldn’t be issues going forward.
The Pacers will rely heavily on Mathurin moving forward after trading Buddy Hield to Philly. Mathurin should get even more work on Thursday since Aaron Nesmith (lower leg) has been ruled out. Our projections have him for 22.4% usage in 29.8 minutes, which should be enough for him to return elite value against the Pistons.
Fast Break
Jayson Tatum has the highest median, ceiling, and floor projection at small forward on DraftKings and the second-highest on FanDuel. He exceeded salary-based expectations in six of his last nine games while averaging an impressive 1.56 DraftKings points and 1.50 FanDuel points per minute.
The Thunder have been getting great play from Jalen Williams alongside SGA over the past few weeks. Williams is a shooting guard and small forward on FanDuel but only a power forward on DraftKings. Wherever you can fit him in your lineup, though, he has been very productive with 1.17 DraftKings points and 1.16 FanDuel points per minute over his last 20 games.
If you’re looking for a bargain play, Bilal Coulibaly of the Wizards has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of the small forwards with salaries under $5,000 on FanDuel. The rookie has bounced in and out of the starting lineup but has played over 25 minutes in each of his last 11 games, averaging 0.60 DraftKings points and 0.61 FanDuel points per minute but flashing a high ceiling with games of 19 and 21 points. The Wizards will likely give him more time over the next few weeks to help speed up his development as part of their future plans.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
On FanDuel, Kevin Durant has the highest ceiling, median, and floor projections at both small forward and power forward. He has an 88% Bargain Rating on that site as well and matches the most Pro Trends of any player on the slate. On DraftKings, he matches 10 Pro Trends and is a little more expensive while only being eligible at power forward.
Durant and the Suns won five of their last six games heading into the All-Star Break, with Durant scoring 24+ points in each of their last five. He produced 1.45 DraftKings points and 1.42 FanDuel points per minute over his last eight games while playing 35.4 minutes per game with a 29.4% usage rate.
With Bradley Beal (hamstring/nose) questionable, Durant could end up with even more work if Beal ends up limited or sidelined.
Value
In a cushy matchup against the Wizards, Aaron Gordon has the top Projected Plus/Minus of all power forwards on FanDuel and the third-highest at the position on DraftKings. His salary is just over $6,000 on both sites, and he is a very strong mid-range option to consider.
Gordon scored double-digit points in seven straight games going into the break, culminating in a massive 25-point, 15-rebound game last Wednesday against the Kings. It was his second double-double during that seven-game run, during which he averaged 1.08 DraftKings points and 1.07 FanDuel points per minute and played 30.9 minutes per game with a solid 20.0% usage rate, which has been on the rise lately.
Fast Break
On both DraftKings and FanDuel, Zion Williamson has a top-five ceiling projection for the position and comes at a good salary. He exceeded salary-based expectations in five of his last seven games, averaging 1.35 DraftKings points and 1.36 FanDuel points per minute. If Brandon Ingram (illness, questionable) is limited or out, Zion would be an even stronger play with a higher ceiling against the Rockets.
John Collins has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all power forwards on DraftKings and the second-highest on FanDuel. In his last 12 games, Collins exceeded salary-based expectations on both DraftKings and FanDuel 11 times, averaging 1.25 DraftKings points and 1.23 FanDuel points per minute.
Collins’ teammate Taylor Hendricks has a salary under $4,000 on both DraftKings and FanDuel and is projected for 19.0 minutes against the Hornets. Hendricks has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of the bargain options at power forward on both sites. The Jazz top-10 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft should keep seeing playing time after the trade of Kelly Olynyk to Toronto.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
The Rockets have been getting great production from Alperen Sengun, who has the second-highest ceiling, median, and floor projections at center on Thursday. Nikola Jokic is the only player ahead of him, but Sengun’s salary is $4,000 lower on DraftKings and over $3,000 lower on FanDuel. Jokic is a strong option to build around if you have the available salary, but the risk of a blowout against the Wizards makes Sengun a stronger option if you use the saved salary wisely in other spots.
Sengun was battling a bad back before the break, which seemed to limit his effectiveness, but he is not on the injury report for Thursday. He’ll also get Fred VanVleet back from his adductor injury, which should give him a bit of a boost. When playing alongside the veteran point guard, Sengun has produced 1.35 DraftKings points and 1.31 FanDuel points per minute on the season with a 28.2% usage rate. Without FVV, Sengun has averaged 1.27 DraftKings points and 1.24 FanDuel points per minute with a 25.4% usage.
If both FVV and Sengun are healthy, they should be ready to return to form against the Pelicans in a big game in the Big Easy on Thursday.
Value
Myles Turner has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of all players on Thursday’s slate on FanDuel and the highest of all centers on DraftKings. He should be in a smash spot against the Pistons. In each of his two games against Detroit earlier this season, he had exactly 23 points while averaging 9.0 rebounds and 4.0 blocks.
He went into the break on a nice roll, exceeding salary-based expectations in four of his last five games with at least 15 points in each of those five games. He typically thrives in favorable matchups like this one and should be a strong alternative to build around if you can’t pay up for Jokic or Sengun.
Fast Break
The Bulls continue to rely on Nikola Vucevic, who exceeded salary-based expectations for six straight games before a rough outing against the Cavs in his most recent contest. He had five double-doubles during that stretch, averaging 1.22 DraftKings points and 1.22 FanDuel points per minute in 36.8 minutes per game. Chicago will need a big game from him against Boston as they host the Celtics on Thursday night.
Another young player for the Jazz who has stepped up after the Onlyk trade has been Walker Kessler. Kessler has posted strong per-minute numbers all season but has seen sporadic playing time. He started each of the last four games for Utah and played over 25 minutes in each contest, so big things should be in store for the second-year big man.
If you have to go even cheaper than Kessler, Grant Williams has the highest Projected Plus/Minus of centers with salaries under $5,000 on DraftKings and landed in a significant role with the Hornets at the trade deadline. On FanDuel, the top Projected Plus/Minus for centers under $5,000 comes from Jalen Smith and Mason Plumlee.
