This article is part of our FanDuel NBA series.
Thursday's NBA slate is identically sized to the Wednesday one preceding it, with six games on the docket after 7:00 PM Eastern time. Read on to see which players stand out from the pack as the top value plays in this slate, with quite a few guys primed to take advantage of tired opponents that are finishing out back-to-back sets. FanDuel's format only counts the eight highest scores in your nine-player lineup, so keep that in mind when making your selections.
POINT GUARD
Tyus Jones, MIN at UTA ($4,400): If Jeff Teague (foot) and/or Derrick Rose (elbow) remain sidelined for this one after both sat out Tuesday, Jones would once again be in line for extended minutes at the point guard position. He's proven capable of delivering at the level of a starting point guard when given the opportunity to do so, making Jones a nice value at $4,400 against a Jazz team that will be playing the second leg of a back-to-back.
Collin Sexton, CLE at ORL ($5,800): One of the few positives to be gleaned from Cleveland's ugly season is the recent development of the team's 2018 first-rounder. Sexton, selected eighth overall in this past draft, has demonstrated a new gear offensively over the past three games. Not only is he averaging 27.0 PPG in those contests, but he's doing so on 58.1 percent shooting, including 11-of-19 (57.9 percent) from deep. The rookie has a nice opportunity to maintain his newfound efficiency while piling up points against a Magic team that's playing its second game in as many nights.
SHOOTING GUARD
Monte Morris, DEN vs. DAL ($3,900): Morris is averaging 32.0 fantasy points in 27 minutes per game over the past two, seeing extended run due to the blowout nature of those games. You can always drop his score if things don't work out, but there's a good chance of another sizable workload coming Morris' way in this one. The Nuggets have shown a propensity to run teams out of the building in the thin Denver altitude, and a blowout victory is certainly a strong possibility against Dallas, especially with Luka Doncic in danger of sitting due to discomfort in his knee.
Terrence Ross, ORL vs. CLE ($5,900): Ross couldn't get much going Wednesday in Washington, but he topped 30.0 fantasy points in each of his previous two games and gets a nice opportunity to eclipse that mark once again. The visiting Cavaliers have the worst rating in the league at 115.8, and Ross has the offensive skills to capitalize on this favorable matchup, as he's averaging a career-best 14.6 PPG this season.
SMALL FORWARD
Bojan Bogdanovic, IND vs. OKC ($6,700): The visiting Thunder are likely to be a step slow in their second game in as many nights, creating a nice opportunity for Bogdanovic to add to his recent offensive escapades. He's turned into the go-to scoring option for Indiana, averaging 22.9 PPG in his past 15 games while dipping below 18 just twice over that span (scoring 14 and 17 in those games). Despite that consistency when it comes to putting the ball in the basket, the Croatian can be had for a relative bargain at $6,700.
Nemanja Bjelica, SAC at BOS ($5,200): Marvin Bagley is listed as questionable after missing the past five games with a knee injury, and if he sits again, look for Bjelica to pick up much of the slack at the power forward position. While the 6-foot-8 Harrison Barnes has played well as a small-ball four, the 6-foot-10 Bjelica is a more traditional alternative at the position who can still stretch the floor. Coming off consecutive double-doubles and averaging 32 minutes per game in the past three, the Serbian forward is primed to provide strong value at $5,200.
POWER FORWARD
Pascal Siakam, TOR vs. LAL ($7,800): Siakam's primed for a bounce-back effort against a disheveled Lakers team that had lost seven of eight games prior to beating the lowly Bulls in their last game. The Most Improved Player candidate continues to get better, as Siakam racked up 36.3 or more fantasy points six times in nine games prior to a poor performance in Cleveland last time out. He's also flashed tremendous upside by eclipsing 60.0 fantasy points twice in the past 13 games. Few players outside the elite are even capable of reaching those heights with any consistency.
Jayson Tatum, BOS vs. SAC ($6,700): Tatum was a full participant in Wednesday's practice and is expected to suit up after sitting out Monday's loss to the Clippers due to shoulder soreness. He scored 31.6 or more fantasy points three times in his last five games prior to the one he skipped, and Tatum should once again top that mark against a Kings team that plays at the league's fastest pace (104.5), setting both teams up to maximize opportunities for accruing counting stats.
CENTER
Rudy Gobert, UTA vs. MIN ($9,600): Gobert's been rolling recently, with at least 44.5 fantasy points in four of his past five games. He should continue to thrive against Minnesota's Karl-Anthony Towns, who's a major threat on offense but leaves much to be desired on the other end. Overall, the Timberwolves give up the fourth-most points per game on the road (117.4), and Gobert has no problems racking up rebounds and blocks, averaging 12.8 and 2.3, respectively, this season.
