This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
After a packed Wednesday in the NBA, there are just two games on the schedule Thursday. The good news is, they are both exciting matchups. First up will be the 76ers hosting the Nets in a battle between two of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. Ben Simmons will remain sidelined, but James Harden will take the floor and look to earn a victory over his former squad. The second game will feature the Nuggets taking on the Warriors. They could be dealing with tired legs, as both teams will be playing their third game in four nights. Yahoo only has two, single-game slates, so let's focus on the matchup that has grabbed all of the headlines and discuss some players to consider for the Nets and Sixers game.
If you're new to the single-game format, here are the rules. In addition to selecting two flex players, there are three multiplier positions. A player slotted into the Megastar spot will earn double their fantasy points scored. The Superstar spot will earn 1.5X their fantasy points scored. Finally, the Star will earn 1.2X their fantasy points scored.
MULTIPLIERS
Joel Embiid ($54): With four of the league's best players in this game, there is no shortage of options for the multiple positions. Embiid might be the most appealing of the bunch, though, with the Nets not having many viable options to try and slow him down. Up first will be Andre Drummond, who Embiid has infamously torched in the past. Following him off the bench will be the youngster Nicolas Claxton. After scoring 75.8 Yahoo points against the Bulls in his last game Monday, Embiid once again has tremendous upside.
James Harden ($49): Harden was only 5-for-15 from the field in that game against the Bulls, but he still was able to score 43.6 Yahoo points. He hasn't scored fewer than that many in any of his games with the Sixers, showing an incredibly high floor with his ability to contribute in multiple areas. Embiid might be a better option for the Megastar spot, but including Harden in one of the other two multiplier spots could be prudent.
Kyrie Irving ($40): Irving went off against the Hornets on Tuesday, scoring 50 points in a lopsided win. He was extremely efficient, shooting 15-for-19 from the field and 11-for-13 from the charity stripe. While that kind of production will be difficult to duplicate, he still carries a very high floor into this matchup with his average of 42.8 Yahoo points per game. What also makes him appealing is that he has a considerably cheaper salary than Embiid, Harden and Kevin Durant ($51).
FLEX PLAYS
Goran Dragic ($10): The way to win this slate might be to just load up with three of the four big stars in the multiplier spots. If you decide to go that route, you'll basically need to roll with two minimum salary players at the flex spots. One to consider for that option is Dragic, who has logged at least 22 minutes in three straight games. His numbers haven't been great, but he did score at least 21.9 Yahoo points two times during that stretch.
Nicolas Claxton ($10): The absence of LaMarcus Aldridge (hip) should open up added playing time for Claxton. It's not like the Nets can go small in this game with Embiid on the other side of the floor. That should leave Claxton with at least the opportunity to log around 20 to 25 minutes. If he reaches that, it won't take much production for him to provide value at this salary.
PLAYER TO AVOID
Tobias Harris ($20): The addition of Harden has proven to have dealt a major blow to Harris. His playing time hasn't suffered, but his role within the Sixers' offense is dwindling. For the season, he's averaged 17.9 points and 14.7 shot attempts per game. Over the last six games, he's only averaged 11.8 points and 11.5 shot attempts. Add his declining production to his salary, and it's a pretty easy decision to pass on him.
