This article is part of our DFS NBA series.
ThriveFantasy has put a unique spin on Daily Fantasy Sports. First of all, they focus solely on the top-tier players from each sport. That means you don't need to take a guess on whether or not a player coming off the bench is going to get enough minutes that particular night to be productive. Second, there are no salaries involved. Simply pick whether a player will go over or under their respective prop. Out of the 20 options that are available, you will need to select 10 for your entry.
Based on how likely or unlikely a player is to hit a prop, you will receive a certain amount of points. Rack up the most overall points and you come away with some extra cash in your pocket. If you have never played on the site, use promo code RotoWire when you sign up.
Let's dive into Tuesday's eight-game slate and highlight a few options to target, as well as some to possibly avoid.
Players to Target
Nikola Jokic, DEN at MEM: Over 28.5 Points + Assists: The Nuggets will once again be shorthanded for this game with Jamal Murray (ankle), Paul Millsap (knee) and Mason Plumlee (foot) all out. While Millsap and Plumlee are a part of the frontcourt with the Jokic, Murray's absence has the biggest impact on Jokic's production. With Murray out, Jokic has been forced to carry the offense. Across the last six games, he's averaged 23.3 points and 7.5 assists. Add in the Grizzlies playing at the third-fastest pace and the over is very appealing.
Michael Porter Jr., DEN at MEM: Over 8.5 Rebounds + Assists: Jokic isn't the only player on the Nuggets who has received a boost in production due to injuries. With Millsap and Plumlee out, the Nuggets don't have any choice but to play Porter more. While he is still coming off the bench, he's averaged 26 minutes across his last six games. That's enabled him to average 9.8 rebounds and two assists during that stretch. I think Porter could hit the over in the rebound department alone, so when you add in the assists, the over is even more enticing.
Kristaps Porzingis, DAL vs. PHO: Under 11.5 Rebounds: Porzingis recently missed 10 games with a knee injury, which has caused the Mavericks to be cautious with him since his return. He has logged 27 minutes or fewer in each of his four games since coming back, which doesn't exactly help his upside. Not only have his scoring numbers been poor, but he's averaged just 6.5 rebounds during that stretch. Don't expect him to play a lot here considering this is the second leg of a back-to-back set for the Mavericks. Hitting the over here seems unlikely.
Players to Avoid
Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL vs. WAS: 43.5 Points + Rebounds: This would be an insane number for most players to hit, but not Giannis. He's averaging 30 points and 12.9 rebounds per game for season and has been even better lately by averaging 31.3 points and 14.2 rebounds across his last six contests. On the surface, this is a great matchup since both the Bucks and Wizards are ranked inside the top-four in the league in pace of play. However, this game has blowout written all over it. If it does get out of hand early, Giannis could spend added time on the bench in the second half. This really could go either way, so avoiding picking a side might be wise.
Kyle Lowry, TOR vs. ATL: 12.5 Rebounds + Assists: Lowry carried the Raptors through injuries earlier this season, but he can finally relax a little now that the team is healthy. Not only are his scoring numbers down lately, but he's only averaged 4.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists over his last seven games. That might make it seem like rolling with the under is an easy decision, but it's not based on this matchup. The Hawks are a horrible defensive team and have played at the fifth-fastest pace. When these two teams met a little over a week ago, Lowry had a combined 11 rebounds and assists over 29 minutes. This one is too close to call.
Julius Randle, NY at CHA: 21.5 Points: Yes, Randle has scored at least 22 points in four of his last eight games. However, his inconsistent shooting this season makes this a tricky prop to navigate. He is shooting only 44.8 percent from the field, so he can throw up a clunker any given night. Case in point, he's scored 16 points or fewer in five of his last 11 contests. This might seem like a great matchup against a bad defensive team, but Randle only scored 12 points the last time these two teams met. There's no point in taking a risk here with so many other viable options.
