This article is part of our DraftKings NBA series.
Slate Overview
DET vs. CHA (-5.5), O/U: 221.5
ATL (-1.5) vs. TOR, O/U: 227.5
BOS vs. BKN (-3), O/U: 233.5
MIN vs. NO (-8), O/U: 239
NY vs. MIL (-11), O/U: 223.5
ORL vs. MIA (-6.5), O/U: 214.5
PHI vs. CHI (-2.5), O/U: 228.5
DAL (-6.5) vs. OKC, O/U: 218.5
GS vs. LAC (-7.5), O/U: 231.5
HOU vs. SAC (-4.5), O/U: 227.5
PHX (-2.5) vs. POR, O/U: 226.5
Thursday's DraftKings NBA slate tips off at 7:00 p.m. EST and includes 11 games. Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons are out due to the league's health and safety protocols. The Raptors are still without Fred VanVleet, Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby for the same reason. Bam Adebayo will miss a second consecutive game while Aaron Gordon, Delon Wright and Eric Gordon are questionable.
The TOR-ATL matchup will be a popular target tonight. Kyle Lowry and Norman Powell will continue to see increased usage for the shorthanded Raptors, and there should be some cheaper value options as well, depending on who starts. The PHI-CHI matchup will be a popular target for the same reason. Tobias Harris, Shake Milton and Dwight Howard are appealing options in the absence of Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. As far as a game to fade, the DET-CHA matchup seems like a reasonable option. With 22 teams playing tonight, we are likely to get news that significantly impacts the slate. Avoiding the early tip-off would be advantageous to have maximum flexibility for late-swap purposes.
Injuries to Monitor
Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons (COVID-19 protocols): OUT
Embiid and Simmons will miss tonight's game as they remain in quarantine. Shake Milton ($5,300) and Dwight Howard ($5,300) are expected to start.
Kevin Durant (hamstring): OUT
Durant hasn't played since Feb. 13th and is still without a timetable to return. Bruce Brown ($5,800) has been starting in his absence.
Bam Adebayo (knee): OUT
Adebayo will miss a second consecutive game tonight. Kelly Olynyk ($5,100) and KZ Okpala ($3,000) started in the frontcourt last time out.
Fred VanVleet, Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby (COVID-19 protocols): OUT
The Raptors will be shorthanded again tonight as VanVleet, Siakam and Anunoby remain out due to the league's health and safety protocols. Aron Baynes ($4,200), Stanley Johnson ($3,500) and DeAndre' Bembry ($3,400) started last time out.
Aaron Gordon (ankle): QUESTIONABLE
Gordon hasn't played in over a month due to a sprained ankle but is listed as questionable for tonight. Al-Farouq Aminu ($4,000) has been starting at power forward in his absence.
Evan Fournier (groin): OUT
Fournier will miss a second consecutive game with a strained groin. Terrence Ross ($6,700) should get another start at shooting guard.
Lauri Markkanen (shoulder): PROBABLE
A shoulder sprain has kept Markkanen out since Feb. 5th, but he's expected to return tonight.
Delon Wright (groin): QUESTIONABLE
Wright has missed the last seven games with a groin strain, but there is a chance he could return tonight. Dennis Smith ($4,900) has been starting at point guard in his absence.
Eric Gordon (knee): QUESTIONABLE
Gordon has missed consecutive games with knee soreness and is listed as questionable for tonight. Sterling Brown ($4,300) has seen an expanded role in his absence.
Derrick Rose (COVID-19 protocols): OUT
Rose has been out since Feb. 28th due to the league's health and safety protocols. Elfrid Payton ($5,600) returned to the starting lineup while Immanuel Quickley ($5,300) saw increased run off the bench last time out.
Elite Players
Guard:
James Harden ($11,000)
Harden is the most expensive guard on tonight's slate. He's coming off back-to-back triple-doubles that saw him put up 73 and 80 DK points. He's played at least 40 minutes in four of the last six games, and the two occasions he didn't were because of blowouts. The Nets are still without Kevin Durant, so Harden should see all the minutes and usage he can handle for what should be a competitive matchup against the Celtics. He's my preferred spend-up option at guard.
Luka Doncic ($10,800), Damian Lillard ($10,700) and Stephen Curry ($10,200) round out the guards with five-figure salaries. Doncic is coming off a triple-double yesterday, and the Mavericks will be playing the second game of a back-to-back against the Thunder tonight. Lillard will face a difficult test against a Suns defense that's especially tough on point guards. Curry had a huge game against the Clippers last time they met. He's coming off an incredible shooting performance at the All-Star Game, and of these three, he'd be my pick based on the salary savings and potential upside.
Center:
Giannis Antetokounmpo ($11,100)
Fresh off being named MVP of the All-Star game, Giannis gets a matchup with the slow-paced Knicks tonight. He's topped 60 DK points in seven of his last 10 games, but the matchup against the Knicks isn't ideal, not to mention it has blowout potential. I'd rather spend up for Harden if I had to choose between the two, but if enough value opens up, it will make sense to roster both.
Karl-Anthony Towns ($10,000)
Blowouts have prevented him from playing big minutes recently, but tonight's matchup against the Pelicans features the highest total on the slate, and if it stays competitive, Towns would be in a great spot. Box score watchers might stay away, but I have no problem going back to him because the potential upside is definitely still there.
Forward:
Jimmy Butler ($9,500) has seen his salary reach a season high, but he's topped 50 DK points in three consecutive games. He should continue to see a bump in usage as the Heat will be without Bam Adebayo again for tonight's matchup against the Magic.
Kawhi Leonard ($8,900) is coming off a dud last time out but has now seen his salary drop under 9K for the first time in 10 games. That's too cheap for a player with Leonard's upside, and the Clippers have a favorable matchup against the Warriors tonight.
Expected Chalk
Kyle Lowry ($8,600)
The Raptors are still shorthanded as they will be without Fred VanVleet, Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby again tonight. Lowry has scored at least 49 DK points in three of the last four games, and he's coming off a 19-assist performance in 41 minutes last time out. He should see all the minutes and usage he can handle in a favorable matchup against the Hawks.
Kelly Olynyk ($5,100)
The Heat will be without Bam Adebayo for a second consecutive game. Olynyk started at center last time out and put up 45 DK points while playing 37 minutes. He should see big minutes again tonight trying to contain Nikola Vucevic.
Value Picks
Tobias Harris ($8,100)
The Sixers will be without Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons for tonight's matchup against the Bulls. Harris will have shoulder a bigger load, and we've seen him go off for big games in similar spots recently.
Norman Powell ($7,200)
The Raptors are still shorthanded, and Powell should benefit from increased minutes and usage. He's put up at least 39 DK points in three consecutive games while the team has been without VanVleet, Siakam and Anunoby.
Elfrid Payton ($5,600)
Payton returned from a four-game absence and scored 42.5 DK points while playing 37 minutes last time out. Derrick Rose (COVID-19) has been ruled out again, so Payton should see big minutes in a pace-up spot against the Bucks tonight.
Dwight Howard ($5,300)
Howard will likely get the start at center in place of Joel Embiid (COVID-19) tonight. He averages well over a fantasy point per minute and played 26 minutes while putting up 32 DK points in a similar spot on Feb. 15th -- the last time Embiid sat out. His minutes should be somewhat safer with Ben Simmons (COVID-19) sidelined as well.
Shake Milton ($5,300)
Milton will likely start at point guard in place of Ben Simmons (COVID-19). The Sixers will also be without Joel Embiid (COVID-19), so Milton should be in line for a significant usage bump and see plenty of minutes in a favorable matchup against the Bulls.
