We have a smaller five-game slate on Thursday, and the lack of options above $10k will leave us aiming for several options between $8k and $9k, with an ample number of deep values to keep us under FanDuel's salary cap. I'll combine the latest NBA news, RotoWire's world-class NBA projections, and our customizable DFS optimizer to deliver the best possible results for Thursday's FanDuel contests.
SLATE OVERVIEW
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The recent game info between the Bucks and Pelicans offered some avenues to production, and I selected a few players for consideration with their Tuesday totals as a guide. My attention was evenly spread elsewhere, but the looming shadow of Luka Doncic's absence had a significant influence on my recommendations.
INJURIES
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's NBA Injury News page and our comprehensive NBA Injury Report. Below are some of the most recent and relevant injuries for Thursday. Keep in mind that this is not a complete list. Use your best judgment when evaluating ongoing injury scenarios elsewhere on the slate.
GSW Stephen Curry (quad) - OUT
GSW Jimmy Butler (knee) - QUESTIONABLE
GSW Jonathan Kuminga (ankle) - QUESTIONABLE
Butler may make it back tonight, but Kuminga's return is less likely. Brandin Podziemski ($6,600) will continue to fill in for Curry, and I think Moses Moody ($5,300) is the best pivot bet for the other absences. Totally unrelated, but who else thinks that Golden State is the perfect landing spot for Giannis Antetokounmpo? Or a swap for Cade in Detroit. Anyway, that's an article for someone else to write. Moving on.
PHI Paul George (injury management) - QUESTIONABLE
PHI Joel Embiid (knee) - DOUBTFUL - DOUBTFUL
PHI Quentin Grimes (calf) - QUESTIONABLE
The Sixers also have injured players scattered across the bench. Grimes works well if he plays, but Jared McCain ($4,800) would probably see more time if George is out. Andre Drummond ($6,600) will continue to sit in for Embiid.
BOS Jaylen Brown (illness) - DOUBTFUL
I'll list my favorite play for this spot a bit later, but Sam Hauser ($4,000) will likely start for Brown and have some value. You could also take a chance on Josh Minott ($4.300).
WAS Alex Sarr (thigh) - OUT
It seems the Wizards now prefer Marvin Bagley ($5,500) as he first man up for Sarr, so we'll head there over Tristan Vukcevic.
UTA Jusuf Nurkic (rib) - QUESTIONABLE
Kyle Filipowski ($4,700) will be a great bargain if Nurkic is out, and still has some value independent of the potential absence.
LAL Luka Doncic (personal) - OUT
Let's ignore who ends up starting for Luka and place our trust in LeBron James ($8,400), who will turn back the clock and give us a good showing against Toronto.
TOR RJ Barrett (knee) - OUT
TOR Jakob Poeltl (rest) - OUT
Pivot to Brandon Ingram ($7,900) for the best returns, and I would spend up for Scottie Barnes ($9,200) whenever Poeltl takes a seat. Sandro Mamukelashvili ($4,800) will start in place of Poeltl, but I'm less enthusiastic about that option.
NOP Zion Williamson (thigh) - OUT
NOP Herbert Jones (calf) - OUT
If rumors hold up, we may have seen Zion's last game in a Pelicans uniform, as the organization has put out feelers for a trade involving the oft-injured Williamson. If the deal happens and they get value at other positions, the starting job would likely belong to Saddiq Bey ($6,700). Two-way player Bryce McGowens ($3,900) will likely get another start for Jones, and is also an excellent bargain dart throw.
ELITE PLAYERS
Our slim slate only offers one option above $10k, and I think it's a perfectly suitable night to spend the cash on Tyrese Maxey ($10,800). The Warriors could be very shorthanded, and the multitude of injuries that the Sixers may be dealing with should give Maxey free rein to score at will.
In the $9k range, we only have two options, and both are in play tonight. We already mentioned Scottie Barnes, and Anthony Edwards ($9,600) has a great opportunity against the Pelicans after blasting them for 56 FDFPs two days ago.
I already mentioned LeBron James as a great option in the $8k range, but I'm also bullish on Julius Randle ($7,900).
EXPECTED CHALK AND VALUE PLAYS
Derrick White, BOS ($7,800) @ WAS
White is the play I hinted at earlier, and I'll often look his way when the game script leans in his favor. You couldn't ask for a better spot for White, who can easily transition to more of an off-guard role with Payton Pritchard ($6,800) operating the point. I won't rule out the surging Jordan Walsh ($4,300) either, but I'll ultimately make Brown a probable lock for all of my lineups.
Trey Murphy, NOP ($7,500) vs. MIN
Despite tonight's gloomy outlook, Murphy is New Orleans' best scoring option by default. The production will have to come from somewhere, and his previous elbow issue didn't bother him when he posted 56 FDFPs on the front end of this back-to-back with Minnesota. It's worthwhile to look at Tuesday's box score and act accordingly. We've already mentioned Randle, but Donte DiVincenzo ($5,900), Derik Queen ($6,800) and Jeremiah Fears ($5,800) also played well in the high-scoring affair.
Kyshawn George, WAS ($6,600) vs BOS
Although Boston has the necessary depth to account for Jaylen Brown's absence, we might as well try to exploit the scratch and take a stab at George on the other end. I also considered CJ McCollum ($6,500) as a Washington option, but George makes a little more sense given the current scenario.
Ace Bailey, UTA ($4,800) @ BKN
Bailey will likely slip under the radar (as will most Utah options), but we shouldn't sleep on him against Brooklyn. The rookie's salary is favorable relative to his current production, and it's only a matter of time before the 2025 first-round pick starts churning out excellent lines on a nightly basis. He's showing enough upside for me to risk him thanks to dual-position eligibility, an asset he lacks on DraftKings.
Rui Hachimura, LAL ($4,100) @ TOR
I won't deceive you - this call may be a stretch. I'm still compelled to mention it because Doncic's absence will almost certainly make James the primary offensive catalyst and expand his role beyond his usual one. If the game script leans toward letting James be James, Hachimura could settle into the kind of role he played while James was out of action, and provide solid rebounding support in the interior. Although we have a bevy of budget options available to us tonight, I'll add Hachimura to the list.
Also consider: Lauri Markkanen, UTA ($8,100) @ BKN
